The 18th Century the Age of Enlightenment 


  
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preface 

 
The 18th Century can be dubbed “ the Age of Enlightenment ” as it was marked by French theorists similar as Voltaire, Rousseau or Diderot( the Encyclopédie was published in 1761). 

 The Enlightenment is characterized by the belief of natural morality of man man is perfectible, it's the idea of progress gained through the use of reason. 
 
 Since man is naturally good, each bad stuff come from society if we could fight prejudices and rough social institutions, man would be better. It’s a question of education political and social reforms would bring man happiness. These are the principles of the French Revolution. 

 The situation is different in the United Kingdom. The revolution has formerly been made the “ Glorious Revolution ” of 1688 established a bureaucratic monarchy but it wasn't a republic since you demanded to be rich to go to Parliament. 
John Locke, a renowned British theorist, impacted the notion of administrative republic. He was a precursor of the Enlightenment but his ideas were only applied in America after the War of Independence( 1776- 1782). 
 
 The American Constitution was applied in 1789. In the USA, there's a democratic government with a presider and a principle of equivalency in front of the law “ everyone has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness ”. There's a truly auspicious belief in man and happiness, and in progress and reason. 
The end of the 18th century saw an progress the development of the rational and the illogical. There were general changes in taste in arts in the 1750’s 
 

 Primitivism 

 Primitivism is connected to a new vision of nature. rather of being addicted to laws, nature came a novelettish reference. It helps you meditate, find yourself – it’s a new generality of life. 
 
Nature isn't a rational reality any longer but it's fawned. This shift can also be seen in gardening French auditoriums were less controlled, further automatic than British auditoriums for exemplar. 

A lire The ordering of events in The Great Gatsby 

 Cult of “ sensibility ” 

 emotions were seen as an essential part of mortal nature, that should be expressed rather than repressed 
romanticism is grounded on the expression of feelings 
 humanism is the sentimental advancement of feelings and asks how passions affect our minds through compassion for the poor and unhappy. Jean- Jacques Rousseau in La Nouvelle Héloïse glorifies heartstrings and passions, and as similar can be considered apre-romantic pen. 
 the development of a new type of psychology our sensations impact our minds. 
 The Rise of the Novel 
During the 18th century, the ultramodern novel came into being and came the most important variety in literature. 
 
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 The novel is characterized by its literalism and simplicity 


 the characters aren't noble but middle- class characters 
 it is frequently presented as autobiographies, letters or journals it looks ordinary, the language isn't delicate, the style is simple – all that make novels veritably realistic. 
 Daniel Defoe wrote Robinson Crusoe( 1719) and Moll Flanders( 1722). Defoe created a new way of thinking. He was Protestant and took side for the Protestant capitalistic values, supporting providence and perseverance. 

 Samuel Richardson, who wrote Pamela( 1740) and Clarissa( 1748), was a colonist in the novelettish novel and psychological novel. 
Henry Fielding, who wrote Joseph Andrew( 1742) and Tom Jones( 1749), was a specialist in comedy and parody. His books areanti-sentimental. 
 
 Lawrence Sterne, author of Tristan Shandy(1759), showed the artificiality of the novel. He questioned the conventions of the variety through the use of divagations, tone- referentiality and puns. 

 Two traumatic events can explain the medium of Gothic and Romanticism the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution.