The neoclassicists often used references to ancient cultures to give their works added meaning. Investigate some of the materials behind these references and explain their significance in the works of the neoclassical writers.

English politics was the major target for satirists Swift, Dryden, Pope, and others. Satire was often viewed as a dangerous political weapon, resulting in censorship or the arrest of many satirical writers. Investigate the influence of satire on the press during the neoclassical period in response to political events of the time.

The Age of Johnson represented a profound shift in the neoclassical genre that would ultimately result in the advent of Romanticism. What were the factors that caused such a shift as well as the end of the neoclassical era?