TYPES OF PROSE . (B) THE ESSAY ~ Literary Hunt

TYPES OF PROSE:

(B) The Essays

What do you mean by Essay?

Many essayists defined it by giving different definitions therefore, there is no single satisfactory and comprehensive definition of the term essay has yet been given. 'Dr. Johnson' defined it as "A loose sally of the mind, and irregular, undigested piece, not a regular and orderly performance." 'The Offord English Dictionary' explains it as "a composition of moderate length on any particular subject, or branch of the subject; originally implying want to finish but now said of composition more or less elaborate in style, though limited in range."So, it can be said that an essay is a short composition in prose which is named by Montaigne, a french writer, in his Essay. The word 'Essay' has been driven from 'Assay' which means to make an attempt'.Francis Bacon, the father of English essays, used the essay when he wrote his series of essays in 1597. Later on, he published his series of essays in 1612 and 1625. There are several kinds of essays. The important kinds are as follows :

(i) Personal Essays: These essays are the most popular type of essays. In these essays, the essayists narrated their own experiences, impressions or reaction on different day-to-day topics. These essays are also called egotistical essays since many of them had an autobiographical colour under a thin cover. William Hazlitt, Coleridge, Charles Lamb, and several other essayists of the Romantic age are notable egotistical essayists.

(ii) Periodical Essays: In the 18th century, these sorts of essays appeared in local journals. These essays were written on the theme of social & political problems. Addison's 'spectator' and Steel's Tatler' became popular because of their periodical essays. Dr. Johnson also wrote some periodical essays in 'The Rambler','The Idler'.

(iii) Aphoristic Essays: These essays are normally impersonal in nature which displays the knowledge and wisdom of the essayists. Bacon wrote short but brimful of wisdom and philosophy therefore his essays come in this category. Each and every sentence of Bacon's essays is thought-provoking and can be expanded into full-fledged essays.

(iv) Critical Journals: In the 19th Century, the vague of critical journals and Reviewers came. These essays were edited by critics and published quarterly. Some important journals of this category were "The Blackwood's Magazine, The Edinburgh Review, The quarterly and The London Magazine.

Some important essayists and their works are tabulated below :

Alpha of the Plough

Sn.No'	ESSAYISTS	WORKS
1	FRANCIS BACON	The volume of essays(106 essays)
2	BEN JONSON	Timber, or Discoveries.
3	THOMAS DEKKER	Bellaman of London Character Sketch
4	JOSEPH HALL	The character of virtues and vices
5	SIR THOMAS BROWNE	Miscellanies Tracts and Miscellanies
6	ABRAHAM COWLEY	Essays
7	JOHN MILTON	Tracts
8	DANIEL DEFOE	Review(a periodical journal)
9	RICHARD STEELE	The Tatler (Addition contributed to it occasionally)
10	RICHARD STEELE AND JOSEPH ADDISON	The Spectator
11	DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON	The Rambler; The Idler; The Adventurer
12	OLIVER GOLDSMITH	The citizen of the world
13	LEIGH HUNT	Men, women, and books; A jar of honey from Mount Hybla.
14	WILLIAM HAZLITT	The round table: a collection of essays; The spirit of the ages; Characters of Shakespeare 's play; The English poet; The English comic writers.
15	CHARLES LAMB	Essays of Elia
16	WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR	Imaginary Conversations of Shakespeare
17	THOMAS DE QUINCEY	Miscellanea; Confessions of an English Opium-Eater.
18	JOHN WILSON	Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine
19	VARIOUS CONTRIBUTORS	The London Magazine>the Bird
20	VARIOUS CONTRIBUTORS	Fraser's Magazine
21	THOMAS CARLYLE	Latter-day Pamphlets
22	JOHN RUSKIN	The Crown of Wild Olive
23	A.G. GARDINER
24	T.B. MACAULAY	History of England
25	MATTHEW ARNOLD	Mixed Essays; Friendship's Garland
26	WALTER PATER	The Renaissance
27	LESLIE STEPHEN	Hours in a Library
28	R.L. STEVENSON	Memories and Portraits; Familiar Studies of Men and Books
29	J.B. PRIESTLEY	The Arts under socialism; An English Journey; TheArts Under Socialism; Thoughts in Wilderness
30	C.P. SNOW	Time of Hope ; Conscience of the Rich;Two cultures; Strangers and Brothers

OBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTION

1. Name the periodical that was brought out by Daniel Dafoe :
(a) Review
(b) The Portrait
(c) Observations
(d) The evening star

2. Bacon's essays are the finest examples of............essays :
(a) Critical
(b) Personal
(c) Aphoristic
(d) Egoistical

3. Whose essays and articles are published under the title 'strangers and brothers' ?
(a) Goldsmith
(b) William Hazlitt
(c) A.G. Gardiner
(d) C.P. Snow

4.......................is believed to be the Father of the Essay ?
(a) Aristotle
(b) Horace
(c) Montaigne
(d) Plato

5." Elia" is the pen-name assumed by :
(a) Richard Steel
(b) Coleridge
(c) Hazlitt
(d) Lamb

6. Jonathan Swift's 'The Battle of the Books' is a:
(a) Comparative study of ancient and modern poets
(b) Farce highlighting the importance of books
(c)Criticism of the contemporary dramatists
(d) Satire on the writers of his age

7. What were the political pamphlets and shout write-ups of Milton called ?
(a) Miscellanies
(b) Tracts
(c) Reviews
(d) The Idlers

8. When were the 'Essays of Montaigne' first published ?
(a) 1580
(b) 1589
(c) 1585
(d) 1583

9. Ben Jonson wrote.........essays:
(a) 192
(b) 151
(c) 111
(d) 171

10. Name the Journal that was jointly brought out by Addison and Steele :
(a) The Tatler
(b) The Morning News
(c) The Spectator
(d) The Portrait

11. Who defines the Essay as "a loose sally of the mind"?
(a) Saintsbury
(b) Dr Johnson
(c) Dryden
(d) Hugh Walker

12."A place sheweth the man and it sheweth some to the better, and some to the worse." In which essay of Bacon do these lines occur ?
(a) Of Followers and Friends
(b) Of Great Place
(c) Of Friendship
(d) Of Honour and Reputation

13.".......................a mixture of falsehood is like alloy in coin of gold and silver, which may make the metal work the better, but it embaseth it." In which essay of Bacon do these lines occur ?
(a) Of Revenge
(b) Of Truth
(c) Of Simulation and Dissimulation
(d) Of Followers Friends

14. Who brought out the journal named The Tatler ?
(a) Oliver Goldsmith
(b) Joseph Addison
(c) Richard Steele
(d) None of these

15. Who brought out the journal named The Idler ?
(a) Dr Johnson
(b) Richard Steele
(c) Joseph Addison
(d) Oliver Goldsmith

16. Whose essays and articles have been published under the title Hours in Library ?
(a) Daniel Defoe
(b) J.B. Priestley
(c)Leslie Stephen
(d) C.P. Snow

17. Whose essays have been published under the title Alpha of the Plough ?
(a) A.G. Gardiner
(b) Thomas De Quincey
(c) Thomas Carlyle
(d) John Ruskin

18."I shall endeavour to enlighten morality with wit, and to temper wit with morality." Who made this endeavour?
(a) Lamb
(b) Addison
(c) William Hazlitt
(d) Steele

19. How many essays in all did Bacon write ?
(a) 116
(b) 95
(c) 106
(d) 86

20. Who has written "Two Cheers for Democracy'?
(a) J.B. Priestley
(b) Rudyard Kipling
(c) E.H. Forster
(d) John Ruskin

21. An author has drawn some character-sketches under the title Bellman of London. Who is this author ?
(a) Joseph Hall
(b) Thomas Overbury
(c) Thomas Dekker
(d) Abraham Cowley

22. An eminent critic, referring to Addison's prose style said, "Whoever wishes to attain an English style, familiar but not coarse, and yet elegant but not ostentatious, should give his days and nights to the volumes of Addison."Who is that critic ?
(a)Dr. Johnson
(b)John Ruskin
(c) William Hazlitt
(d) Coleridge

23. Whose essays have been published under the title Essays of Elia ?
(a) William Hazlitt
(b) Oliver Goldsmith
(c)Charles Lamb
(d) None of these

24. Whose essays and articles are known as Coverley Papers ?
(a) John Bunyan
(b) Richard Steele
(c)Joseph Addison
(d) John Ruskin

25. Who has published his essays under the title I For One ?
(a) Leslie Stephen
(b) C.P. Snow
(c) W.H. Pater
(d)J.B. Priestley

26. Bacon's Essays are modelled on the Essais of:
(a) Montaigne
(b) Aristophanes
(c) Plato
(d) Raphael Holinshed

27. Name the author whose essays and articles have been published under the title Friendship's Garden:
(a) Matthew Arnold
(b) J.B. Priestley
(c) A.G. Gardiner
(d) Leslie Stephen

TYPES OF PROSE . (B) THE ESSAY

Related Post