The term “Neoclassicism” (derived from “neo”, Greek for new, or revived, and “classicism”, referring to the work of Greek and Latin authors) summarises an aesthetic that draws on ancient models for its guide and inspiration. In English literature it is a term particularly used to describe the writings of the later-seventeenth to the late eighteenth centuries, a period that includes the major achievements of John Dryden (1631-1700) at one end, of Alexander Pope (1688-1744) in the middle and of Samuel Johnson (1709-84) at the other. Although now widely accepted as a shorthand label for the writings of this period, “Neoclassicism” is a retrospective label, not used in English until almost a century after the period ended. The first recorded use of the word in the OED was…
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Citation: Gordon, Ian. "Neo-Classicism, Neoclassicism". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 11 April 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=767, accessed 23 November 2024.]
