Ian Watt's seminal work, "The Rise of the Novel: Studies in Defoe, Richardson, and Fielding," is a comprehensive examination of the origins and development of the novel as a literary form in the 18th century. It's a complex text, so a reading guide might be helpful. Here's a simplified breakdown of the main points:
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Introduction: Watt introduces the novel as a new genre in the 18th century. He argues that the rise of the novel is closely associated with the rise of individualism and the middle class in England.
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The Reading Public and the Rise of the Novel: Watt explains how changes in literacy rates, print technology, and social conditions contributed to the popularity of novels. He suggests that the novel appealed to a growing middle-class reading public who had the time, money, and interest to invest in reading.
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Formal Realism: Watt introduces the concept of 'formal realism'. He argues that novels are characterized by their attention to the specifics of individual experience and their portrayal of the individual's relationship to society. They represent reality in a way that is different from previous literary forms.
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Defoe as Novel Writer: Watt discusses Daniel Defoe’s contribution to the development of the novel. He highlights Defoe's use of realistic detail, his creation of believable characters, and his exploration of social and moral issues.
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Richardson and the Novel of Sentiment: Watt moves on to Samuel Richardson, whose novels focus on the inner lives of his characters. Richardson’s novels, such as "Pamela" and "Clarissa," use the epistolary form to explore the emotional experiences of his characters.
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Fielding and the Comic Novel: Watt concludes with a discussion of Henry Fielding, who reacted against the sentimentality of Richardson with a more comic and satirical approach in novels like "Tom Jones."
This guide is a simplistic breakdown of Watt's complex arguments. Each chapter of Watt's book presents a detailed argument with extensive references to specific novels and other literary and historical sources. It's recommended to read the book closely and take notes to fully understand Watt's arguments.
The AI-generated answer does a good job of breaking down how to approach Ian Watt's The Rise of the Novel. The summary it provides is accurate and should help you better anticipate what lies ahead in your reading of Watt's work. This is indeed a dense book utilizing very academic language. As a result, many readers might find it difficult to read. The above answer should help guide you through it.
It may also be useful to read the preface. In just a couple of pages, Watt describes his intentions for his book which will be helpful to keep in mind when approaching the work.
Furthermore, to help you get ready to read and understand Watt's book, it will be useful to have some familiarity with the time period it discusses. The 18th Century was a time of transition — economically, socially, and politically — in Great Britain. As Watt discusses, the emergence of the novel as a form of literature is very much a result and reflection of these changes. The first chapter, in particular, helps put it in this context and should not be skipped over. A guide to this chapter can be found here.
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