Georgian Period

Historical Context Note

Litencyc Editors (Independent Scholar - Europe)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.05: English Writing and Culture from the Glorious Revolution to the French Revolution, 1689-1789.
Vol. editors: Paul Baines (University of Liverpool), Daniel Cook (University of Dundee), Pat Rogers (University of South Florida), Nicholas Seager (University of Keele)

Domains

Politics

Dates

Date of occurrence 1714-1836

Places

United Kingdom (Location)

Resources

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In English the adjective generally implies the eighteenth century, for most of which the country was ruled by Georges I-IV, i.e. from 1714 to 1836. Whilst throughout this period there is a degree of unity in neo-classical visual styles which justifies the application of the adjective “Georgian” to architecture and furniture, in literary history the period is not at all unified. Usually it is held to divide into neo-classicism (roughly 1714-1750), sentimentalism (roughly 1750-1780), and romanticism (1780-1820). Such a schema, however, offers only a procrustean framework for thinking about the actual similarities and differences of a period which also sees “the rise of the novel”. “Georgian” is not therefore applied to literature of the eigheenth century, the term “Georgian…

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138 words

Citation: Editors, Litencyc. "Georgian Period". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 September 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=469, accessed 10 May 2024.]

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