Augustan Prose

Augustan prose is a somewhat loosely defined term, since Augustan properly describes a shift in taste centered on poetry. The broader period of Augustan literature also saw prose rise to the status of serious literature: the essay, satire and philosophical or religious dialogue all flourished, and the English novel began in earnest as a serious art form. At the start of the Augustan age, essays were still mostly imitative, novels were few and dominated by romance, and prose was rarely used for satire, but by the end of the period the English essay had become a fully developed periodical feature, novels had overtaken drama as entertainment and as a vehicle for serious writers, and prose served every conceivable purpose in public discourse. The age marks the transition from a court centered, poetry led literature toward a more democratic and decentralized literary world built on prose.