Picaresque Narrative · English Literature

What formal literary transformation did the picaresque narrative undergo as it moved into the mid-to-late 18th century in England, shifting toward the 'Novel of Manners' and 'Sentimentalism'?

The complete removal of all female characters from the plot
The rogue grows sensitive and emotional, driven by sympathy rather than criminal survival.
The abandonment of prose in favor of long-form rhyming couplets
A total shift in setting from England to historical ancient Rome

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Correct answer: The rogue grows sensitive and emotional, driven by sympathy rather than criminal survival.

As the century progressed, the crude, violent behavior of early picaros was modified to suit the growing cultural taste for sensibility and refined manners. Protagonists like Tom Jones or Humphry Clinker possess warm hearts and natural benevolence, shifting the focus of the road journey from cynical survival tactics to an emotional and psychological education in empathy.

Difficulty: Medium Question 11 of 11

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What formal literary transformation did the picaresque narrative undergo as it moved into the mid-to-late 18th century in England, shifting toward the 'Novel of Manners' and 'Sentimentalism'?

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