Question

Who were "hack writers" in the context of Augustan literature?

• A. Writers paid to produce content without concern for literary quality
• B. Satirists who used sharp, cutting wit to 'hack' away at social vices and political corruption.
• C. Writers who were technically proficient but lacked originality, often reusing common literary tropes and plots.
• D. Authors who wrote anonymous pamphlets spreading gossip and scandal, 'hacking' at reputations without fear of reprisal.

Answer 1

Answer:

A. Writers paid to produce content without concern for literary quality

• Hack writers wrote commercially popular content for publishers, often sacrificing literary merit for money.

• Many of them lived and worked in Grub Street, a term later used to describe low-quality writing.