1. The Literature of the Enlightenment

2. Age of Enlightenment Also called the Age of Reason
17th and 18th Centuries
Many people came to believe they could arrive at truth solely through human reason
Through rational, logical thinking, human beings could probe the secrets of the universe and understand the true relationship between themselves and God

3. A Time of Contrasts
Exotic goods, immense quantities of gold and silver from the East = VERY, VERY rich monarchs of Europe
Rich grew richer and the poor grew exceptionally poorer…
The Rich built lavish homes and became patrons to enhance their wealthy reputations (UNLIKE IN THE RENAISSANCE TIME PERIOD)
The Poor: flocked to cities in search of work, lived in slums, suffered from malnutrition, epidemic illnesses ravaged the cities, crime rate sky-rocketed
Based on this knowledge, what could one expect to happen in the near future???

4. Science Scientific Investigation on the rise
Rene Descartes: believed the deductive method in math was the way to discover universal truths
Newton: describes a clockwork universe government by absolute laws that can be expressed mathematically

5. Rationalism
Based on Descartes, Newton, and other philosophies/research, Rationalism is born.
Rationalism supports the idea that UNCHANGING laws govern politics and morality.
Thomas Hobbes- believed that people NEED the government to impose order because they were inherently greedy and selfish- Have to give up some freedoms to save/protect them from themselves
Hobbes- absolute monarchist

6. Social Theory: The Spark of Revolution
John Locke- Empiricist- someone who believes that experience rather than learned information is the only reliable source of knowledge
At birth the mind is a blank state on which experience is recorded
Believed people had natural rights that rulers were supposed to protect
Rousseau- wrote that humanity is naturally good but is corrupted by the environment, by education, and by government
Believed government MUST be subject to the will or the people

7. Literature: Age of Satire
SATIRE very, very popular during this time period.
La Fontaine wrote shrewdly satirical fables
Moliere wrote satirical dramas exposing the greed, hypocrisy, and faults of French society
Swift wrote the most scathing satire reflecting his bitter outrage at the corruption

8. Voltaire ADVERSARY of Rousseau
Always looking to discount Rousseau’s theory that human beings are innately good
Maintained that ART should be used to change society- his satires were directed at people who abused privilege and power

9. Try this analogy…
Ideas of the Enlightenment :: American and French Revolutions What is the RELATIONSHIP?!?!?