Addison and Steele as the Pioneer of English Novel

Addison and Steele as the Pioneer of English Novel

A pioneer is someone who shows something which was not before him. The term 'pioneer of novel’ is implied to someone who gives the way of writing novel when it is not introduced yet. Addison and Steele belonged at the age of Dryden and Pope when the novel was not introduced. At that time they wrote some essays which bore almost all the features of a novel. That's why they are called to be the pioneer of the English novels. If compare their essays with the features of a successful novel, we will get that their essays are almost like a novel.

Length of Writings

Length is a key factor of prose to be a novel. According to some critics, a novel must be 70,000 to 120,000 words long. Though Addison and Steele's essays are not so long as a novel, but if we combine their all essays with the same topic like Sir Roger series, we will get a perfect length. They write a novel and divided it into several parts and then published it. So, the first condition is fulfilled but not directly rather indirectly.

Fictitious Prose Writing

A novel must be a fictional prose. Fictional means something which is imaginative not real. And prose means not verse.  So, to be a novel, a writing must be fictional prose. Addison and Steele wrote their essays from their imagination and in prose form. All the characters are Fictious not real. In this case, their essays fulfill the condition of be a novel.

Character Introduction

Characters are a must for a novel. Every novel must have some characters. The characters bear a different view of the plot and develop it. Addison and Steele use characters in their essays. Their major characters are-- Sir Roger, Templar, Sir Andrew Freeport, Captain Sentry and Will Honeycomb. All the characters, their deeds, and creeds are imaginative. Another condition is fulfilled.

Others

Among other qualities of a novel the representation of contemporary society, the ending moral of the story, and some definite purposes. Addison and Steele also follow these conditions. Their essays represent 17th century English society. Their purpose of writing these essays is “to enliven morality with wit” and “To temper wit with morality”. Every story of their essays has a moral.

Conclusion

So, in conclusion, it can be said that, before novels came, they pave the way to write a novel by their essays. So, they can be called pioneers of English novels.