University:
College
Course:
College Literature
Academic year:

2023
Views:

480

Pages:

1
Author:

Daphne S.

18th Century Literature1. Age of Enlightenment: The 18th century was marked by the Enlightenment, anintellectual movement emphasizing reason, science, and human progress.Literature of this era often reflected these rational and empirical ideals.2. Satire and Social Critique: Satirical works like Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver'sTravels" critiqued society, politics, and human nature through fantasticalallegory. Satire was a tool to expose absurdities and challenge societal norms.3. Epistolary Novels: The 18th century saw the rise of epistolary novels, written inthe form of letters exchanged between characters. Samuel Richardson's"Pamela" and "Clarissa" and Jean-Jacques Rousseau's "Julie, or the NewHeloise" are notable examples.4. Daniel Defoe: Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe" is considered one of the earliestnovels in English. It tells the story of a castaway's survival on a deserted islandand explores themes of self-reliance and isolation.5. Sentimental Novels: Novels with sentimental themes gained popularity, oftenfocusing on emotional and moral development. Samuel Richardson's "Clarissa"and Laurence Sterne's "Tristram Shandy" are examples of this genre.6. Comedy of Manners: This comedic genre, exemplified by Richard Sheridan's"The School for Scandal," satirized the manners, social conventions, andhypocrisies of the upper classes.7. The Romantic Sublime: The idea of the sublime-awe-inspiring and oftenterrifying nature-was explored in poetry by poets like Edmund Burke and laterby Romantic poets like William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge.8. Samuel Johnson and the Dictionary: Samuel Johnson's "A Dictionary of theEnglish Language" (1755) was a monumental lexicographical work that helpedstandardize the English language.9. Philoctetes and Tristram Shandy: Laurence Sterne's "The Life and Opinions ofTristram Shandy, Gentleman" is a pioneering novel known for its experimentalnarrative structure and metafictional elements.10. Fanny Burney and the Novel of Manners: Fanny Burney's "Evelina" was asignificant work in the novel of manners genre, depicting the socialexperiences and challenges of a young woman.