Friday 10 April 2020

Write a note on the periodical essay of the 18th century

Write a note on the periodical essay of the 18th century?
 
Write a note on the periodical essay of the 18th century
Short Notes on Periodical essay of 18th Century



PERIODICAL ESSAY OF THE 18TH CENTURY NOTES


Answer: The periodical essay was invented towards the very close of the 17th century and reached its acme of development in the 18th century.


This enormous development of this type of essay was due to the rise of journalism at the beginning of the 18th century. Such periodicals as L'Estrange's observatory, Dunton's Atheria Gazette, Tutchin's Observator and Above all, Defoe's review laid the foundation of the periodical essay, but it was Richard Steele and Joseph Addison who brought it to perfection and established it as a literary form Steele began the Tatler in 1709, which consisted of a folio half-sheet, and was published tri-weekly on Tuesdays, Thursday's and Saturday's. 


The purpose which inspired Steele to initiate the publication was the expose the false arts of life, to pull off the disguises of Vanity and affection, and to recommend a general simplicity in our dress, our discourse, and our behavior. "Though the Tattler aimed at reforming the manner and morals of men and women, it did not fail to incorporate materials for amusement. Indeed, each number contained a section that was meant to amuse the reader. It suddenly ceased publication in 1711 and was followed by the Spectator, by for the best of all periodical essays. It was also a folio Half-sheet, but unlike the Tattler it appeared daily except Sundays. 

In the Spectator Addison who had contributed almost regularly to the Tattler became the chief partner. It ran on from March 1, 1711, to December 6, 1712, as a collaborative project. It was then discontinued; but some eighteen months later (i.e, In June 1714) it was revived by Addison alone and issued thrice a week from June 18 to December 20, 1714. It is the complete form it contains 635 essays of which Steele wrote 240 and Addison 274, the remaining essays being written by their various friends. In their essays, they underlook to break down the licentious Restoration tradition of loose living and loose thinking on the one hand and that of Puritan Fanaticism and bigotry on the other. "They did not indulge in sweeping condemnations and unqualified invectives as greatly to the damage of their cause, the puritan moralists habitually did; they wrote good-humouredly, met all classes of the reader on their own ground and made ample allowance for ordinary failing.

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