Focus on Urbanity and Refinement in Style - Philosophical Concept | Alexandria
Focus on Urbanity and Refinement in Style, a hallmark of Neoclassical poetry spanning the 17th and 18th centuries, represents a deliberate artistic pursuit: the elevation of wit, reason, and polished expression above raw emotion or vulgarity. Often mistakenly considered a cold, formulaic exercise, this focus was, in reality, a complex negotiation between tradition and innovation, social critique and celebration.
The striving for urbanity finds early echoes in Nicolas Boileau's L'Art Poétique (1674), a treatise codifying classical ideals and advocating for elegance, clarity, and decorum in verse. This coincided with the rise of coffeehouse culture in London and Paris, where poets and intellectuals gathered to sharpen their minds and refine their pronouncements. The obsession with "correctness" wasn't merely aesthetic pedantry; it reflected a societal obsession with order and control in the wake of religious wars and political upheaval – a period of turbulent transformation masked by a veneer of civility.
Over time, the interpretation of urbanity broadened. Alexander Pope, master of the heroic couplet, wielded refined wit to satirize societal follies in The Rape of the Lock (1714), subtly disrupting the very norms he outwardly embraced. The seemingly frivolous debates over social etiquette contained within his poetry, and that of his contemporaries, masked deeper anxieties about class mobility and the erosion of traditional hierarchies. Indeed, was this emphasis on refinement a genuine commitment to enlightenment ideals, or a sophisticated tool for maintaining existing power structures?
The legacy of this focus permeates modern sensibilities. While overt imitation has waned, the conscious crafting of tone, the ironic detachment characteristic of much contemporary literature and film, and the celebration of intellectual sparring all owe a debt to the Neoclassical ideal of urbanity. It remains a poignant reminder that what we consider "civilized" is often a carefully constructed performance, prompting us to question the motivations and consequences of our own stylistic choices. Does our contemporary obsession with authenticity truly transcend the artifice of a bygone era, or simply present it in a different guise?