LitAide

Mock-epic is a genre of poetry which creates parody by comparison of heroic poetry or classical heroes with the fool or poet's target on which he wishes to satirize. Mock-epic doesn't involve the seriousness of the epic. It works as a best way to make great satire because when there is comparison between a minor and the epic object, it results in incongruity and make the minor object more inferiorizing and funny. John Dryden's Mac Flecknoe is considered one of the best mock-epic poems of English literature. In it, Dryden attacks his rival and former friend Thomas Shadwell. The following features prove Mac Flecknoe as a Mock-Epic or Mock Heroic :- • Use of Heroic Couplet – Throughout the poem, Dryden used Heroic couplet (a pair of rhyming lines written in iambic pentameter) . It is commonly used in epic but here the subject of the poem is not of heroic doings of warriors but simply the description of foolishness and dullness of his contemporary rival Shadwell. • Dic

After the fall of strict Cromwell government, Charles II was brought back from France. The period saw an unusual reversal of progress as in England, democracy succeeds monarchy. Now the Elizabethan works were no longer interesting and suitable for the age's demand. The quality of the works produced during the restoration age wasn't great when compared to early ages. The age didn't follow any ideologies from both early ages, it created its own trend. Some of the important features of Restoration age are as follows :- 1) Opposing or Rejecting Puritanism - With the restoration of monarchy, people started rejecting puritan values as they were very oppressive and imposed morality and simple living forcefully. People didn't like the prohibition and repression of human pleasures. Puritans were criticised and attacked by the Tories ( a party which support monarchy) which also included playwrights as before puritans banned theaters. Now theatres were reopened and all entert

As we know that since 18th century, novel got wide popularity in England. People of all hues and age groups including men-women or young boys-girls, this new thing called novel was liked by every age group. It was the best mode of entertainment at that time as books became affordable to middle class people and literacy rate increased and many other factors. But with popularity comes the criticism. Novel also faced criticism from some people and they led the "Anti-Novel" campaign. The sudden popularity of this new genre created hysteria among some people. • Novels have a great impact on the unconscious mind of readers. Readers may imitate wrong and irrational ideas about love, life and other aspects of life. Also it may develop certain stereotypes in the mind of readers.  • Novel was believed to have its roots in French romance, thus it was incompatible with English ethics. Many novelists including Eliza Haywood, Aphra Behn were attacked as their prose were based on Fr