Terry Eagleton The Rise Of English Pdf

This is the core of Eagleton’s argument. In the Victorian era, religion began to lose its grip on the populace due to scientific advances and industrialization.

Eagleton begins by debunking the myth that English has always existed. In the 18th century, "English" was not a subject; the educated studied the Classics (Greek and Latin). Terry eagleton the rise of english pdf

Before the 20th century, "English" was considered a soft, effeminate, or even useless subject. Oxford and Cambridge clung to Classics (Greek and Latin) because Classics were the language of empire and aristocracy. English was for the provincial colleges—for women, the lower middle class, and those training to be teachers, not rulers. This is the core of Eagleton’s argument

Eagleton traces the turning point to World War I. The massive slaughter of the trenches created a crisis of meaning. The old ruling class had literally decimated itself. English literature stepped into the void. The "Rise" was actually a "Heist

Eagleton highlights figures like F.R. Leavis and the Scrutiny movement. While Leavis claimed to be apolitical, Eagleton exposes Leavis’s project as deeply political:

The "Rise" was actually a "Heist." The English department didn't rise because it was true; it rose because it was useful. It taught the middle class how to feel "cultured" without owning capital, and it taught the working class how to revere national heritage instead of revolting.