AUGUSTAN AGE
THE RISE OF THE NOVEL
MAIN FEATURES
Narrator never abandons his characters
Events are in chronological sequence
All CHARACTERS
Struggle for 'survival' or 'social success'
Realistic
The HERO
readers are expected to sympathise
'mouthpiece' of the author
burgeoise man w/ his problems
Sense of 'reward & punishment' typical of the Puritan Ethics of Middle Class
Write in simple way - understood by everyone
Novelist as 'spokeman' of the middle class
MAIN REASONS
Growing importance of midddle class - influenced development of prose genre
Libraries gain popularity
Increased popular interest in reading
SOCIETY
URBAN POPULATION
No political rights - Live in terrible conditions
MIDDLE CLASS
Strongly influences this age
Its expansion continues in the Augustan Age
Artisans and Craftsmen - work long hours - get little pay
MERCHANTS
Marry into aristocracy to gain prestige
Own mines and manifacturing factories
