By the end of the eighteenth century, the British public preferred the high moral ground embraced by dramatists to the more vulgar novel.
true? or false?
This article has your answer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_literature#1660.E2.80.931800
To determine whether the statement is true or false, we need to consider the cultural and literary preferences of the British public during the late eighteenth century.
During this time, several factors influenced the British public's literary preferences. One important factor was the growth of the middle class and the spread of literacy, leading to increased demand for literary works. Additionally, the social and moral values of the time greatly influenced the type of literature that was favored.
In the eighteenth century, the moral values of the British public were strongly influenced by the Enlightenment movement, which emphasized reason, virtue, and morality. As a result, there was a preference for works of literature that upheld these moral principles.
Drama was a popular form of entertainment during the eighteenth century, and playwrights like Oliver Goldsmith and Richard Sheridan wrote plays that presented moral and virtuous characters. These works often contained clever dialogue and social criticism, which resonated with the British public.
On the other hand, novels were still a relatively new form of literature during this period. While there were notable authors like Samuel Richardson and Henry Fielding, who wrote moral and socially-conscious novels, novels as a whole were often criticized for their perceived lack of decorum and propriety.
Therefore, based on these historical and literary factors, it can be said that the British public did have a preference for the high moral ground embraced by dramatists over the more vulgar novel by the end of the eighteenth century. Therefore, the statement is true.