The Enlightenment and 18th Century Literature

The Age of Enlightenment

The eighteenth century was called the Age of Enlightenment by reference to the "light of reason," which attempted to eliminate the superstition, ignorance, and obscurantism of the previous centuries.

Scientific and Intellectual Progress

Reason and applied research resulted in considerable scientific progress: the terrestrial meridian was measured, the metric system was established, living beings were classified, and vaccines were discovered. But the biggest shifts occurred in ideas and beliefs, which were systematically reviewed and questioned.

Core Ideas and Values

This ideological and literary critical movement was called the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment, which had its origin in English philosophers, took its final form in France, from where it spread to the rest of Europe and America. Writers, thinkers, and scientists questioned politics, science, religion, and traditional customs, advocating new ideas and values: tolerance, equality, freedom, and the right to govern democratically.

Political Transformations

In politics, the system of government shifted from enlightened despotism, which served the welfare of the people but excluded them from power, towards parliamentary systems and the subordination of religious authority to political power.

The Rise of the 18th-Century Novel

Meanwhile, the Novel, which began its revival in the previous century, reached its peak in the eighteenth century, establishing itself in England as the greatest form of art.

Novel Styles

There were several styles: didactic, bourgeois, picaresque, and philosophical.

Didactic Novel: Robinson Crusoe

Didactic production reached its peak with Robinson Crusoe by Defoe, which soon gained great popularity. Set in the Age of Enlightenment and reason, Defoe's novel is presented as a paradigm of overcoming adversity and mastering nature.

Cervantes's Enduring Influence

When seeking models, English writers turned to Cervantes, whose Don Quixote was the subject of numerous interpretations and imitations during this century.

Lessons from Don Quixote

From Cervantes's novel, they took:

• Its realism, reflecting facts and characters, and its parodic intent.
• The humanity of its characters, who are not heroes but ordinary people struggling against their environment and limitations.
• The ability to combine strongly opposed elements: realism and idealism, adventure and reflection, seriousness and humor, etc.