Home › Glossary › Letter N

Neoclassicism

Art
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A style that revived classical ideals of order, restraint, clarity, and civic virtue.

Detailed Definition
Neoclassicism looked to ancient Greek and Roman art for models of balance, moral seriousness, and disciplined form. Its works often favor clear composition, controlled emotion, and subjects drawn from history or mythology. In poetry, neoclassicism can describe a deliberate return to formal structure and public themes. A neoclassical poem may use measured syntax and elevated diction to examine duty, loss, political responsibility, or the relationship between private feeling and civic life.
Example
Example in poetry:
A neoclassicism poem may value balance, restraint, clarity, and references to Greece or Rome; Alexander Pope's polished heroic couplets illustrate the ordered style often associated with neoclassicism; Write a poem about a marble statue using regular meter and controlled language rather than emotional excess; A speaker may invoke Apollo, Minerva, or a Roman forum to explore modern questions through classical imagery
Additional Notes
Neoclassicism drew on Greek and Roman models, especially balanced composition and moral themes. It often reacted against Rococo ornament.
Also Known As
Neo-Classicism Neoclassical Art Neo-classical style
Skip to main content