Novel writing made a big advance in this century.Along with 5 the economic independence,the eighteenth-century writers enjoyed greater freedom in their creative activities and were now able to devote themselves to whatever interested them and to give utterance to whatever they thought right or proper.For the first time too,the 5 literary tendency of the age was moving-away from the conventional romance stories about the life of the rich and noble people of the aristocratic class and turning to works that would give accounts of the common life of the ordinary folk. In this age satire was much used in writing.It refers to any 5 writing,in poetry or prose,with the purpose to ridicule,censure( )and correct the vices,follies,stupidities and corruptions of the society,and to satirize their enemies. The development of the literature in this period can be 5 summarized as:the predominance of neoclassical poetry and prose in the early decades of the 18th century;the rise and flourish of modern realistic novel in the middle years of the 18th century;and the appearance of gothic novel and the sentimental and pre-romantic poetry and fiction in the last few decades of the 18th century. 4.0 Neo-Classicism in English Literature 5 In early 18th century,writers of the neo-classical school were Novel writing made a big advance in this century. Along with the economic independence, the eighteenth-century writers enjoyed greater freedom in their creative activities and were now able to devote themselves to whatever interested them and to give utterance to whatever they thought right or proper. For the first time too, the literary tendency of the age was moving-away from the conventional romance stories about the life of the rich and noble people of the aristocratic class and turning to works that would give accounts of the common life of the ordinary folk. In this age satire was much used in writing. It refers to any writing, in poetry or prose, with the purpose to ridicule, censure(责 难) and correct the vices, follies, stupidities and corruptions of the society, and to satirize their enemies. The development of the literature in this period can be summarized as: the predominance of neoclassical poetry and prose in the early decades of the 18th century; the rise and flourish of modern realistic novel in the middle years of the 18th century; and the appearance of gothic novel and the sentimental and pre-romantic poetry and fiction in the last few decades of the 18th century. 4.0 Neo-Classicism in English Literature In early 18th century, writers of the neo-classical school were 5’ 5’ 5’ 5’ 5’