📚18th and 19th Century Literature Unit 1 – Enlightenment Literature

Key Concepts and Ideas

• Enlightenment literature emphasizes reason, individualism, and skepticism towards traditional authority
• Promotes the idea that knowledge and truth can be obtained through rational inquiry and empirical observation
• Explores themes of progress, tolerance, and the potential for human perfectibility through education and social reform
• Challenges traditional religious and political institutions, advocating for individual rights and freedoms
• Introduces the concept of the social contract, suggesting that governments derive their legitimacy from the consent of the governed
  • Philosophers like John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau develop this idea in their works
• Emphasizes the importance of scientific inquiry and the scientific method in understanding the natural world
• Advocates for the separation of church and state, arguing that religion should not have undue influence over political affairs

Historical Context

• The Enlightenment period roughly spans from the late 17th century to the late 18th century
• Emerges in the aftermath of the Scientific Revolution, which challenged traditional ways of understanding the world
• Influenced by the rise of empiricism and the philosophy of thinkers like Francis Bacon and René Descartes
• Coincides with the Age of Reason, which emphasizes the use of reason and logic in understanding the world
• Develops alongside major political and social upheavals, such as the American and French Revolutions
  • These revolutions were influenced by Enlightenment ideas of individual rights and representative government
• Responds to the excesses and abuses of absolute monarchies and the Catholic Church
• Shaped by the growth of a literate middle class and the expansion of print culture, which facilitated the spread of ideas

Major Authors and Works

• Voltaire (1694-1778): French philosopher and satirist known for his wit and criticism of religious intolerance and absolutism
  • Notable works include "Candide" and "Philosophical Letters"
• Jonathan Swift (1667-1745): Irish satirist best known for his novel "Gulliver's Travels"
• Daniel Defoe (1660-1731): English novelist and journalist, author of "Robinson Crusoe" and "Moll Flanders"
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778): French philosopher who wrote "The Social Contract" and "Emile, or On Education"
• Denis Diderot (1713-1784): French philosopher and editor of the "Encyclopédie," a landmark Enlightenment publication
• Immanuel Kant (1724-1804): German philosopher who wrote "Critique of Pure Reason" and "What is Enlightenment?"
• Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797): English writer and early feminist, author of "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman"

Literary Styles and Genres

• Enlightenment literature encompasses a wide range of genres, including essays, treatises, novels, and plays
• Satire is a prominent genre, used to criticize social and political institutions through wit and irony (Jonathan Swift, Voltaire)
• Philosophical essays and treatises are used to explore and disseminate Enlightenment ideas (John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau)
• The novel emerges as a popular genre, often used to explore social and moral issues (Daniel Defoe, Samuel Richardson)
• Epistolary novels, written in the form of letters, become popular ("Pamela" by Samuel Richardson)
• Encyclopedias and dictionaries are compiled to systematize and disseminate knowledge (Diderot's "Encyclopédie")
• Autobiography and confessional writing gain prominence as a means of self-exploration and self-expression (Rousseau's "Confessions")

Themes and Motifs

• Reason and rationality are central themes, with authors emphasizing the importance of logical thinking and empirical observation
• Progress and perfectibility are explored, with the idea that humanity can improve itself through education and social reform
• Individual rights and freedoms are championed, with authors advocating for religious tolerance, freedom of expression, and political liberty
• The power of nature is a recurring motif, with authors exploring the relationship between humans and the natural world
  • This is evident in works like "Robinson Crusoe" and Rousseau's "Emile"
• The corrupting influence of society and civilization is a theme in works like Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" and Rousseau's "Discourse on Inequality"
• The importance of education is emphasized, with authors exploring the role of learning in personal and societal development (Rousseau's "Emile")
• Satire is used to expose and criticize social and political abuses, as seen in the works of Swift and Voltaire

Critical Analysis Techniques

• Historical and cultural context are essential in understanding Enlightenment literature
  • Analyzing how works reflect and respond to the social, political, and intellectual currents of the time
• Close reading and textual analysis are used to examine how authors use language, imagery, and rhetorical devices to convey meaning
• Comparative analysis is employed to explore how different authors approach similar themes and ideas
• Biographical analysis considers how an author's life experiences and beliefs shape their work
• Philosophical analysis examines how works engage with and contribute to Enlightenment philosophical discourse
• Genre analysis looks at how authors use and subvert literary conventions to achieve their aims
• Reception theory considers how works were received and interpreted by contemporary audiences and later readers

Impact on Later Literature

• Enlightenment ideas of reason, progress, and individual rights continue to shape Western literature and thought
• The emphasis on individualism and subjectivity influences the development of Romanticism in the late 18th and early 19th centuries
• The Enlightenment's championing of religious tolerance and secularism shapes the treatment of religion in later literature
• The use of satire as a tool for social and political criticism continues in the works of later authors like Charles Dickens and Mark Twain
• The Enlightenment's emphasis on empiricism and scientific inquiry influences the development of realism and naturalism in the 19th century
• The idea of the social contract and the legitimacy of government based on the consent of the governed shapes political writing and discourse
• The Enlightenment's belief in the power of education to improve society influences the development of the Bildungsroman, or coming-of-age novel

Exam Tips and Study Strategies

• Create a timeline of key Enlightenment authors, works, and historical events to contextualize the literature
• Identify and define key Enlightenment concepts and ideas, such as reason, progress, individualism, and the social contract
• Analyze how these concepts and ideas are reflected and explored in specific works of literature
• Practice close reading and annotating passages to identify themes, motifs, and rhetorical devices
• Compare and contrast how different authors approach similar themes and ideas
• Consider the historical and cultural context in which works were produced and how they respond to the social and political issues of the time
• Examine how Enlightenment literature influences and is influenced by other intellectual and artistic movements, such as the Scientific Revolution and the Romantic period
• Engage in discussion and debate with classmates to deepen your understanding of the works and their significance