Enlightenment in Europe the Enlightenment

¶ … Enlightenment in Europe

The Enlightenment was a stage in Western philosophy and culture which spanned the eighteenth century, and advocated Reason as the primary source of authority. England anticipated the rest of Europe by decapitating its king in the seventeenth century. In this sense, the task of understanding the character of English literature during the Age of Reason cannot be separated from the social and political context of the movement. Furthermore, it is important to identify the thinkers who influenced, and ultimately helped develop English literature in the eighteenth century. The Glorious Revolution of 1688 was the overthrow which led to the decapitation of King James II of England by a union of Parliamentarians and the help of a Dutch army led by William III of Orange-Nassau who would become King William III of England. Despite the fact that the monarchy was restored, this episode created openness toward change which was exhibited not only in literature, but also as far as religion, or social order which was concretized in the transition of English society towards a bourgeois order. As far as their sources of inspiration, English Enlightenment writers were influenced by thinkers such as John Locke, Francis Bacon, or the Scot David Hume.

During the Age of Reason, literature reflected the principles of the Enlightenment, and adopted a rational and scientific standpoint to religion, society, politics and economic issues. Literature tackled themes of social upheaval, political satire, and geographical exploration; moreover, literature started to consider the opposition between the state of nature, and civilization in works such as Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe (1720), or Edmund Burke's a Vindication of Natural Society (1757). In addition, during this era, English literature took on a more serious role, i.e. that of instruction through entertainment in the sense that novels were aimed at conveying a deep moral message; thus writing, and consequently reading, transcended the purpose of mere entertainment. Some of the most famous writers of English Enlightenment are Alexander Pope, Samuel Johnson, Henry Fielding, Daniel Defoe, William Blake and Jonathan Swift. As far as literary trends, this period marks the rise of neoclassicism (Pope, John Dryden and Samuel Johnson) and pre-romanticism with its foremost representatives, William Blake and Robert Burns. This paper looks at some of the most important novels pertaining to English literature during the Age of Reason because it was during the eighteenth century that the novel was born and developed in England.

Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe was published in 1720, and is considered the first English novel. Defoe was a middle class liberal thinker who valued Puritan ethics such as diligence and self-reliance. Robinson Crusoe's adventures reflect the bourgeois qualities of individualism and private enterprise. Crusoe does not doubt his ability to recreate his universe anywhere in the world, and build a life for himself in the process by controlling nature, his enemies and manage to found his colony in uncharted territories thus fulfilling the profile of the colonist. In this sense, although the novel describes the adventures of Robinson Crusoe, the character itself must be understood from the perspective of eighteenth century moral percepts: Crusoe uses his knowledge and skills to rebuild society; he is not an adventurer seeking the thrills of discovery, but a colonist who knows how to use skills that have been developed by previous generations. However, above all else, Crusoe legitimizes himself through reason thus becoming the ruler of the island.

Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels was published in 1726. The narrator, Lemuel Gulliver, is a practical-minded Englishman who embarks on a long journey when his business fails. However, Gulliver's Travels is much more than an adventure book; it is a satire aimed at English society, as well as a sketch of the human condition, and its basic instincts. What is truly remarkable about Swift's novel is the fact that the protagonist rarely generates any kind of emotional response to what he encounters, and the adventures that befall him. In this sense, Swift's novel aims at challenging the norms, tradition, mentalities and institutions of English society by attempting to uncover what lies behind them.

Henry Fielding's novel Tom Jones was published in 1749, and is regarded as his most famous writing. The novel reflects many aspects of its author's life, with the main character being built as a reflection of Fielding himself. One of the most prominent themes of the novel is the opposition between two perspectives on virtue. Fielding creates characters such as Square and Thwackum who only theorize and invoke virtue, and others, such as Tom or Allworthy who practice it. In fact, this duality expresses Fielding's personal belief that virtue is synonymous to action. The first category of characters which comprises those talk about virtue but do not practice it is very interesting because these characters represent what Fielding despises in contemporary society i.e., hypocrisy and deceit. For instance, Square is a philosopher who finds justifications for his immoral behavior by turning to philosophical notions; similarly, Thwackum is a violent man who invoked religion, and claims that his values are derived from it when in fact, his behavior is despicable and completely selfish.

Samuel Richardson's novel Clarissa, or the History of a Young Lady was published between 1747 and 1748. Pertaining to the realist genre, Clarissa is a series of letters written by the characters. Similarly to the case of his previous novel, Pamela, Richardson's goal was to instruct the audience through a new approach to writing, one which emphasized entertainment; in fact, his novels along with Defoe's and Fielding's represented a serious step towards the legitimization of the novel as a form of literature. Clarissa also tackles the theme of virtue with the characters being either rewarded or punished for their actions. The characters whose behavior is virtuous get married and live happily (for instance, Anna or Belford) while those whose behavior is immoral die in misery and loneliness with Lovelace as the best example. Richardson's ultimate goal was to build a Christian parable which focused the idea that morality and instruction could be achieved through literature.