Neoclassical+Literature

__Neoclassical Literature__
(Sam Elsley)

The Neoclassical movement (mid 18th to 19th century) saw self-reflection become more prominent among literature. With the emphasis now on self-reflection, genres such as diaries, letters, and essays became much more popular.

At the same time the new "social fluidity" meant that genres like the newspaper and periodical, the novel, the popular ballad, and the theatre would also find widespread public audiences. It was during this time period that Journalism first came to power, as well.

It is the first great age of **literary criticism.** The proliferation of the printing press, the cheapness of paper, and the rise of literacy and economic status meant that many more people could participate in reading. Literary forms that appealed to wide range of classes were developed in this period, and we get the beginnings of **literary snobbery**. Jonathon Swift (an Irish, satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer, poet and cleric who became Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin ) coins the terms **high-brow** and **low-brow** to reflect the kinds of reading taste he saw developing, and those prejudices remain into our day.

does Neo classical literature mean books that neo in the matrix read since its a classic? yukyukyuk (Laugh Out Loud or "lol' as the kids say)

Sources:
http://faculty.winthrop.edu/kosterj/ENGL201/neoclassical.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Swift http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoclassicism