Eighteenth-Century British Periodicals Criticism
The eighteenth century marked a significant evolution in British periodical literature, transforming the form, content, and audience of such publications. Following the expiration of the Licensing Act in 1694, the press flourished, facilitated by advancements in printing technology and a growing literate middle class eager for diverse content. Joseph Addison and Richard Steele emerged as pivotal figures in this literary landscape, co-creating influential publications like the Tatler, the Spectator, and the Guardian. These periodicals were instrumental in defining the periodical essay, characterized by a casual yet probing tone, addressing a myriad of topics from daily life to complex social and political issues. As noted in Addison, Steele and the Periodical Essay, Addison's eloquent prose and Steele's editorial prowess assured the success of this genre.
One hallmark of these periodicals was their moral and didactic themes, often conveyed through editorial personas like Mr. Spectator. This fictional voice, as explored by The Making of Mr. Spectator, served to promote moral improvement through engaging prose. Periodicals also introduced innovations such as the letters-to-the-editor, fostering engagement with readers. Steele's introduction of this feature, as discussed by Richard Steele, Journalist—and Journalism, allowed for unprecedented interaction between the publication and its audience.
The influence of these periodicals was extensive, inspiring numerous imitations across Europe and America, and impacting prominent writers like Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain. The Spectator, in particular, was renowned for its blend of humor and moral insight, shaping the public discourse on taste and ethics, as discussed in The Spectator's Moral Economy. Moreover, these periodicals contributed to the development of the novel and were pivotal in shaping the literary landscape of the eighteenth century.
Contents
- Representative Works
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Criticism: The Rise Of Periodicals
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Introduction to The Guardian
(summary)
In following excerpt, Stephens traces the history of Addison and Steele's periodical the Guardian, emphasizing its involvement in politics as the cause of its demise.
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Gender Specialization and the Feminine Curriculum: The Periodical for Women
(summary)
In the excerpt that follows, Shevelow surveys periodicals targeted at women readers, tracing their evolution in the course of the eighteenth century and examining the means by which they defined themselves and their audiences.
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Introduction to The Guardian
(summary)
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Criticism: The Impact And Influence Of Periodicals
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Critical Essays from The Spectator
(summary)
In the essay that follows, Bond analyzes Addison's efforts in the Spectator to redefine the scope and methods of literary criticism.
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Addison, Steele and the Periodical Essay
(summary)
In the essay that follows, Bateson credits Richard Steele with the invention of the periodical essay but argues that it was Joseph Addison's brilliant prose style that assured the success of the genre.
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Richard Steele, Journalist—and Journalism
(summary)
In this essay, first presented at a 1976 symposium, Winton examines Steele's editorial direction of the Tatler and the Spectator. The critic maintains that Steele introduced a number of innovations into print journalism, most notably the letters-to-the-editor feature, which permitted an unprecedented interaction between writer and audience.
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Society, Journalism, and the Essay: Two Spectators
(summary)
In the following excerpt, France discusses the role of the Spectator in the development of the essay form, noting the characteristic “blend of seriousness and ease, Christianity and worldliness” in the pieces printed in the journal.
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The Spectator Abroad: The Fascination of the Mask
(summary)
In the following essay, Pallares-Burke describes how admiration for the Spectator quickly spread beyond England, spawning imitations throughout Europe. She also discusses how the journal's influence lasted long after it ceased publication.
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Critical Essays from The Spectator
(summary)
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Criticism: Periodicals And Society
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The Making of Mr. Spectator
(summary)
In following essay, Furtwangler contends that Mr. Spectator, the fictional editorial voice of the Spectator, was a “didactic figure” designed to promote the journal's “identification of moral improvement with reading improvement.”
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Modifying a Whole Landscape: False Humour, Good Nature, and Satire in the Spectator
(summary)
In the essay that follows, Berry examines how satire was used and developed in the Spectator, primarily by Joseph Addison. The critic asserts that Addison felt that legitimate satire must be good-natured, based in morality, and used 'for the Benefit of Mankind.'
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Addison and Steele's Spectator: Towards a Reappraisal
(summary)
In this essay, Dwyer analyzes the moral perspective promulgated by Addison and Steele through the persona of Mr. Spectator. In response to the ethical confusion of English society, this character, Dwyer contends, “attempted to present virtue and contentment in a clearer, basically classical, light in the pages of his papers.”
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The Spectator's Moral Economy
(summary)
In the essay that follows, Knight considers the linking of morality and economics in the Spectator, maintaining that the journal delineated 'the workings of ethics through an economic order in which wealth, achievement, and status become public representations of moral goodness.'
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The Politics of Taste in the Spectator
(summary)
In the essay that follows, Dykstal offers a Marxist analysis of the Spectator's role in defining “taste” as an “organizing principle of the public sphere,” in which private rectitude is publicly recognized. In this formulation, the critic contends, taste “rests, ultimately, not on the private apprehension of beauty but on the public defense of it.”
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‘As Sacred as Friendship, as Pleasurable as Love’: Father-Son Relations in the Tatler and Spectator
(summary)
In this essay, Maurer explores how early periodicals depicted and defined gender roles, family dynamics, and other social and domestic values.
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Voyeuristic Dreams: Mr. Spectator and the Power of Spectacle
(summary)
In the following essay, Gordon argues that the figure of Mr. Spectator, the fictional editorial voice of the Spectator, was designed to be “a mechanism to reform London society,” part of the journal's “disciplinary regime based on omnipotent surveillance and the threat of public exposure.”
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The Making of Mr. Spectator
(summary)
- Further Reading