Ian Jack continues to interest me. In his English Literature, 1815-1832, he
wrote, "When Wellington defeated Napoleon in 1815 England was already
beginning to suffer from the reaction that seems inevitable after a great
war." He goes on to say that Sir Walter Scott, with his swash-buckling
heroes was a great favorite in England during the war, but afterwards, the
English poetry reader turned to the cynical Pilgrimage of Childe Harold of
Byron.
More recently I began looking into Ian Jack's Augustan Satire, Intention and
Idiom in English Poetry, 1660-1750. Jack wrote this book in 1952 (his
English Literature 1815-1832 was written in 1963), but he could very well
have said something similar about his Augustan Satire, i.e., that England in
the period after 1660 was suffering "from the reaction" that occurred after
its Civil War. The period from 1660 on up to perhaps 1715 or so was
considered the "Restoration." Cromwell had died and the Monarchy was
restored and so the English poetry-reader read cynical Restoration poetry,
Augustan Satire.
In the preface to his Augustan Satire, Jack thanks those who helped him
during the writing of his book. He mentions, "Professor Rosemond Tuve
encouraged me during one of those periods of depression that are the
student's occupational disease . . ." I've had occasion to read a bit about
"depression," especially "manic depression," now referred to by the less
descriptive term "bi-polar disorder." Robert Lowell had an extreme case of
Manic Depression, but Depression by itself is a different disorder. The
clinically depressed doesn't get a manic phase. I wonder what sort of
depression Jack had.
And then, leaving Jack, I wonder about American literature after our various
wars. I can't bring anything substantial to mind - just the impression that
these writings, including the writings after the Vietnam war, aside from
their political nature (and political rants don't usually count as
literature), seem largely befuddled.
Lawrence
