XVIII century is the century of the Enlightenment.He absorbed the ancient culture and the achievements of the Renaissance.A huge impact on science, ethics and morals had a literature of the 18th century, which made her an invaluable contribution to world culture.Enlightenment gave rise to the French Revolution completely changed the social order of Europe.
Literature of the 18th century served mainly educational functions, its spokesmen have become great philosophers and writers.They themselves had an incredible wealth of knowledge, sometimes encyclopedic, and not without reason to believe that only an enlightened person can change the world.They carried their humanistic ideas through literature, consisting mainly of philosophical treatises.These works were written for quite a wide range of readers, able to think and reason.The authors hoped to be heard by more people.
period from 1720 to the 1730s called Enlightenment classicism.Its main content was the fact that the writers ridiculed the absolute monarchy, based on examples of ancient art and literature.In these works feel pathos and heroism, which are aimed at the idea of the creation of the State of paradise.
Foreign literature of the 18th century did a lot.She was able to show characters who are true patriots.For this category of people equality, fraternity and freedom are the main priority.However, it should be noted that these characters are completely deprived of individuality, specificity, they possess only the sublime passion.
replaced Enlightenment classicism comes Enlightenment realism that brings literature to people closer to the concepts.Foreign literature of the 18th century received a new direction, a more realistic and democratic.The writers are turning to a man describe his life, tell of their suffering and agony.The language of the novels and poems of writers urge their readers to the mercy and compassion.Enlightened people of the 18th century starts to read the works of Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot, Montesquieu, Lessing, Fielding and Defoe.The main characters - ordinary people who can not withstand public morals, very vulnerable and often helpless.The authors of these works are still very far from realistic images of literary heroes 19th and 20th centuries, but has noticed a significant shift toward a description of the life of the characters.
Russian literature of the 18th century originated with the transformation of Peter I, is gradually replacing the position of enlightened classicism to realism.Prominent representatives of this period were authors like Antiochus Kantemir, Trediakovskii and Sumarokov.They have created a fertile ground on Russian soil for the development of literary talent.The undeniable merits Lomonosov, Fonvizin, Derzhavin, Radishchev and Karamzin.We still admire their talents and citizenship.
English literature of the 18th century characterized by the formation of several different directions.The British were the first to use such genres as social and family stories, which appeared talents Richardson, Smollett, Stevenson, and, of course, Swift, Defoe and Fielding.The writers of England were among the first to criticize not the bourgeois system, and the bourgeois themselves, their moral and ethical values.However, Jonathan Swift swung in his irony and very bourgeois system, showing their works in the most negative side of it.English literature of the 18th century is presented as a phenomenon called sentimentalism.It is filled with pessimism, lack of faith in ideals and directed only to a sense, as a rule, love the content.
