Age of Revolutions Essay
The age of revoltion was a historical time frame that took place between 1775 to 1848 which encompassed numerous social, cultural and political shifts that harboured significant implications on the growth of the development of the novel as a genre. Through the social mechanics of increased living standards, the creation of the middle class, elevated literacy levels and wider book distribution and publication, the novel genre saw indespensible changes which have persisted throughout time.
Prior to the age of revolution, novels were written and centered upon themes pertaining to, imagination, philosophy, realism which coincided with what peoples interest were. Throughout the 18th century with the works of Rousseau’s, Laclos, Goethe and Shelley, novels began to adopt a epistolary structure, which garnered wide spread popularity. Previously, chapters of stories were written in newspapers and letters and produced daily. With the emergence of the epistolary form, a greater realism and depth was added towards stories through the differing points of view that would be explored through first person character perspective. Thus, chapters that used to be produced daily were then transformed into books. Moreover the novels pertained interest in middle class values, shared a distinct correlation with the growth of the middle class during the 18th century.
Within the industrial revolution of the eighteenth century, the invention of the printing press further diminished the status quo of the medieval age. With the ascension of the enlightment ideals, the greater public were exposed to a greater range of accessible information, relative to the medieval period where, people were required to contact copyist, so the individual could have access to the book. This era hindered the promulgation of enlightenment ideals, such that the hoi polloi (masses) were denied proper access to sources of knowledge and wisdom. This can be seen through the burgeoning of printed items produced from,
Prior to the age of revolution, novels were written and centered upon themes pertaining to, imagination, philosophy, realism which coincided with what peoples interest were. Throughout the 18th century with the works of Rousseau’s, Laclos, Goethe and Shelley, novels began to adopt a epistolary structure, which garnered wide spread popularity. Previously, chapters of stories were written in newspapers and letters and produced daily. With the emergence of the epistolary form, a greater realism and depth was added towards stories through the differing points of view that would be explored through first person character perspective. Thus, chapters that used to be produced daily were then transformed into books. Moreover the novels pertained interest in middle class values, shared a distinct correlation with the growth of the middle class during the 18th century.
Within the industrial revolution of the eighteenth century, the invention of the printing press further diminished the status quo of the medieval age. With the ascension of the enlightment ideals, the greater public were exposed to a greater range of accessible information, relative to the medieval period where, people were required to contact copyist, so the individual could have access to the book. This era hindered the promulgation of enlightenment ideals, such that the hoi polloi (masses) were denied proper access to sources of knowledge and wisdom. This can be seen through the burgeoning of printed items produced from,