Topic: Englishness in XVIII and beginning of XIX century of English literature
Keywords:
Englishness, 18th-century literature, early 19th-century literature, national identity, rural life, class hierarchy, morality, William Wordswort, Sir Walter Scott, Jane AustenAbstract
The concept of Englishness in 18th and early 19th-century English literature embodies the evolving national identity, cultural values, and social structures of the period. Writers like Daniel Defoe, Samuel Johnson, and Jane Austen reflect notions of Englishness through depictions of rural life, class hierarchies, morality, and the significance of place. This era witnessed a growing emphasis on politeness, rationality, and social duty, often juxtaposed against colonial and cosmopolitan influences. Literature served as a medium to assert a distinct English identity, balancing tradition and change amidst the pressures of industrialization and imperial expansion. This paper examines how Englishness is constructed and challenged in representative works, focusing on themes such as landscape, social order, and the cultural imaginary of English life.
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References
1 Dr. Justina Anyadiegwu,(2020) Literature of the Romantic Period, National Open University of Nigeria, page 25
2 (Wordsworth, William. “Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey.” Lyrical Ballads, 1798 (Lines 4-8)
3 (Scott, Walter. Waverley; or, 'Tis Sixty Years Since. Edinburgh: Archibald Constable and Company, 1814. P.g 116)
4 Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. 1813. Chapter 43
