Essay Example on 18th-Century Literature: Relevance to Modern Times

The 18th-century literature was a literature that was written and read during the 18th century (Lutz 189). During this period, literature developed greatly by moving from one stage to another. The stage of restoration and enlightment saw literature develop greatly (Linda 11). The 18th-century authors wrote from what they learned from earlier authors. Through writers like Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, Addison, and Steele we boldly argue that the 18th-century literature is still relevant to modern literature (Connors 79). The 18th-century authors significantly influence contemporary literature writers through their works, publications, and styles used; hence, signifying the relevance of 18th century literature to modern literary works.

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During the 18th century, there emerged the essay format in literature (Yaussy 116). During this era, Adison and Steele broke the rules of classical literature and became the founders of the Romantic Movement. The article is written in an essay format, starting with an introduction, body, and conclusion. The essay format thereafter was received well. The essay format is still used by many modern-day writers and is preferred by most learners since it's easier to understand and write (Lutz 189). Steele and Adison either used topics like religion and romance to do their works. The same topics still make a constructive argument in the essay format in modern literature. Therefore 18th-century literature not only provides readers with a base through which today's literature is laid but also builds a strong foundation through which current literature is made.

The main themes and moods in the 18th-century literature included; gender and sexuality, which was mostly addressed during the restoration era by authors like Aphra Behn in her classic restoration comedy the Rover, politics, and religion was another dominant theme addressed by alexander pope (Bernard 553). On the other hand, the use of wit and satire became widely spread as seen by works by Jonathan Swift in his poem" Gulliver's Travels" (Swift). All these themes despite them existing a long time ago, still, exist in modern literature. Gender and sexuality is a hot topic where it addresses issues facing men and women in the modern world. Gender-based violence is a vice being addressed by many modern-day authors (Yaussy 121). Modern writers like Alice Tyler and Stephen King still use satire and wit in their works. The themes of love and marriage that began in the era of romanticism in the 18th century still form an interesting topic in modern literature. As we learn from the era of romanticism, literature changed and moved from manners (Yaussy 121). Today's literature is more interesting when it comes to romance, sex, and love. Authors call a spade by its name, which is a norm that began in the 18th century. Therefore the themes addressed in modern literature have their roots in the 18th century, only that the roots have grown deeper.

Consequently, the modern novels originated in the 18th century, it was initially known as the realistic novel because it used simple language, and its characters were real people using ordinary names. The novels included real geographical areas and addressed real issues in society. The novels started as a literary genre and have been developing over time. Interestingly, the novel is the youngest genre in literature, and most women writers have been successful through them. Many prominent authors of the first novels originate from this period; they include Daniel Defoe of 1719, who wrote the novel Robinson Crusoe and Samuel Richardson, who wrote the Epistolary novels, Pamela (Connors 87). The works of this novelist have been used as a reference point in modern literature. Either the phrase of romantic novels, which were written during the romantic era has been seen in today's literature they are reflected in novels talking about love and romance which are grouped under the pulp-fiction genre. The realism of the 18th-century novels is still applied in modern novels.

The publications of the 18th century paved the way for literary journals, newspapers, and the publishing industry today (Connors 86-87). During this period, there was a drastic increase in publications. The growth was made possible by several factors including the abolition of traditional control of literature and freedom of the press. On the other hand, there was a growth of wealthy and leisured readers which, led to the international development of the market of published media. In Africa, publications were first introduced by missionaries in the western part (Connors 88). The spread of literary knowledge and the development of reading as a form of entertainment led to the growth of the publishing industry. In today's publishing industry, publications have grown from small beginnings to big industry. The freedom of the press fought for and gained in the 18th century has seen the newspaper industry grow bigger. For example, the publishing industry has been able to publish a newspaper daily. Writers have the freedom to write about any issue without fear of contradiction. However, some rules were followed in the publishing industry in the 18th century. The rules stated that whoever published false and non-legit information could be judged in court for violation of freedom. These rules still apply in the publishing industry to date. Publishers have a mandate to ensure that all the information published is legit and does not violate human rights otherwise they can be judged too. Therefore the 18th-century publications act as a reference point to today's publishing industry.

During the 18th century, there existed many eras relative to literary works, and one of such remarkable era is the enlightment period (Lutz 189). In this period, there emerged specific authors who emphasized order, reason, balance, and ration ability. Thus, the enlightment was used to refer to a movement that emphasizes the use of scientific ideas to give people understanding and knowledge (Lutz 190). The concepts of scientific methods, reason, and progress were used to improve the standards of the people in the society in place of tradition and religion. Examples of such writers include the famous John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau, and Charles Montesquieu. They developed scientific ideas on the government that people should govern themselves and that everybody is a reader.

The enlightment period, therefore, several specific writers played a very crucial role in today's public disclose. Firstly, the enlightment period has influenced many government structures and their legal codes (Linda 12). Through Montesquieu's theory of separation of powers through the use of checks and balances, governments can promote order and equality. The independence fought for and gained by the enlightment movement has also contributed to a modern parametric society whereby liberty, equality, human rights, and dignity are accessed. The bill of rights provides guidelines on human rights and freedoms. Therefore people are free to access any information without fear of being victimized. The enlightment period contributed to a better understanding of how the governments work. More power is being manifested on the governed as they have the right to vote the leaders they want and complain appropriately whenever a need arises. Lastly, the invention of scientific methods in acquiring knowledge and understanding still acts as a critical historical point in intellectual knowledge (Linda 13). People have the right to access data and information.

Conclusion

18th-century literature is still relevant in modern literature through the writing formats that were invented, and which are still in use to date, like the essay format. Themes and moods that were used in the 18th century are still being used by modern authors. Additionally, the genre of the novel has seen great development over the eyes and has been received well by many readers and authors. Publications that were used are still in use today and act as a reference point to the publishing industry today. On the other hand, the enlightment era has acted as the main model in modern public disclose. Therefore, regardless of the change in times, 18th-century literature and modern literature are symbiotic as they both depend on each other for survival and continuity. They complement each other so well, and many modern reads and authors are advised to preserve the 18th-century literature even for more future use.

Work Cited

Bernard, Stephen. “Jonathan Swift and the Eighteenth-Century Book.” The Review of English Studies, vol. 65, no. 270, June 2014, p. 553. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsgac&AN=edsgac.A375977311&site=eds-live&scope=site.

Connors, Logan J. “The power of tragedy: An eighteenth-century debate on theater and its relevance to literature pedagogy today.” The French Review, vol. 87, no. 3, 2014, pp. 79-93. www.jstor.org/stable/24550382.

Linda Kirk. “The Matter of Enlightment.” The Historical Journal, vol. 43, no. 4, 2000, p. 11-29. www.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsjsr&AN=edsjsr.3020884&site=eds-live&scope=site.

Lutz, Donald. “The Relative Influence of European Writers on Late Eighteenth-Century American Political Thought.” The American Political Science Review, vol. 78, no. 1, 1984, pp. 189–197. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1961257.

Swift, Jonathan, and Alfonzo Gardiner. Gulliver's Travels in Lilliput & Brobdingnag. Leeds: E.J. Arnold, 2018.

Yaussy, Samantha L. “The Intersections of Industrialization: Variation in Skeletal Indicators of Frailty by Age, Sex, and Socioeconomic Status in 18th and 19th-Century England.” American Journal of Physical Anthropology, vol. 170, no. 1, 2019, pp. 116-130.