Restoration Literature and the Rise of the English Novel

The Restoration and the Origins of the English Novel

Restoration and Intellectual Origins of Enlightenment

The Restoration begins in 1660 with the return of the monarchy under Charles II after the Commonwealth. It marks a reaction against Puritan austerity and censorship. England experiences political stabilization and cultural renewal.

Science and Empiricism

There was a strong development of scientific thinking based on reason and observation. The influence of empiricism suggested that knowledge comes from experience. Francis Bacon promoted the scientific method, leading to the foundation of the Royal Society, which encouraged experimentation and rational inquiry.

Philosophy and John Locke

Emphasis was placed on rationalism, skepticism, and critical thinking. John Locke defended several key concepts:

• The mind as a tabula rasa.
• Individual rights (life, liberty, and property).
• Government based on consent.
• Rejection of blind authority and tradition.

Politics and Constitutional Monarchy

This era saw the growth of parliamentary power and constitutional monarchy. There was a defense of political balance and individual freedoms, forming the foundations of modern liberal thought.

Aesthetics, Culture, and Neoclassicism

There was a preference for order, clarity, balance, and realism. Literature became more didactic and moral, aimed at educating readers, with less imagination and symbolism than in the Renaissance. This saw the rise of neoclassicism and an admiration for classical models. Overall, this period prepared the way for the Enlightenment, based on reason, progress, and human improvement.

Mary Wollstonecraft and Enlightenment Values

Mary Wollstonecraft was a prominent woman of the Enlightenment. Despite having an abusive father and being self-educated, she wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792). She argued for women’s equality, education, and moral independence. She believed that virtue comes from reason, not religion, and supported political freedom and the ideals of both the American and French Revolutions.

As a key figure among the women of the Enlightenment, Mary Wollstonecraft overcame her background to advocate for equality. Her work, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), remains a cornerstone for moral independence. She maintained that virtue comes from reason and remained a steadfast supporter of political freedom and revolutionary ideals.

The Origins of the English Novel

Main Characteristics of the Genre

The novel is written in prose and focuses on realistic settings and believable characters. It emphasizes:

• Individual experience and moral development.
• Social mobility.
• Stories often presented as true accounts (diaries, memoirs, and travel narratives).
• Linear plots and detailed descriptions.

Literary Influences and Themes

Influences include journalism, newspapers, travel literature, autobiographies, confessions, conduct books, and moral essays. Key themes involve survival and self-improvement, work, discipline, and economic success, alongside moral lessons.

Daniel Defoe and the Realistic Novel

Daniel Defoe was a pioneer of the English novel, known for realistic detail and first-person narration. His novels reflect bourgeois values and Enlightenment ideas. The English novel became the dominant literary genre of the 18th century because it reflects real life and modern society.

Daniel Defoe's Moll Flanders (1722) depicts a woman forced by poverty into crime and prostitution, seeking redemption.