Thomas Amory's eclectic novel The Life of John Buncle (1756–1766) presents a charmingly peculiar blend of philosophy, travel adventures, theological discourse, and engaging stories.
Amory’s unique literary style incorporates whimsical humor, intellectual curiosity, and personal eccentricities, winning a devoted readership. His work remains historically interesting for its originality and lively portraits of 18th-century thought.
Penelope Aubin’s The Life of Charlotta Du Pont combines moral allegory, adventurous romance, and Christian virtue. Aubin portrays Charlotta’s resilience through challenging life events, underpinning her adventures with moral strength.
Aubin’s works enjoyed considerable popularity for combining entertaining action with clear moral messages redefining female virtue.
Robert Bage's Hermsprong or Man as He is Not is a satirical novel that critiques societal hypocrisy and corruption. Bage contrasts conventional European society with the genuine virtues and rational philosophies represented by its unconventional hero Hermsprong.
The novel boldly questions cultural norms and asserts a progressive vision of human potential.
French playwright Pierre Beaumarchais is celebrated for his sparkling comedies The Barber of Seville (1775) and The Marriage of Figaro (1778). These plays, featuring the clever servant Figaro, are masterpieces of intricate plotting, witty dialogue, and pointed social satire, challenging aristocratic privilege on the eve of the French Revolution.
Their enduring popularity is also cemented by Mozart's famous opera adaptations.
Beckford wrote Vathek (1786), highlighting exotic fantasy, supernatural horror, and moral allegory inspired by Eastern tales. Vathek’s pursuit of power leads him into evil and tragedy, encapsulating moral instruction through vivid storytelling.
Its distinctive exoticism expanded the boundaries of the Gothic genre.
Anna Maria Bennett was known for her popular novel Anna (1785), which centers on themes of virtue, love, and response to adversity. Her accessible storytelling and genuine emotional depth attracted audiences seeking relatable romance and social commentary.
Bennett's work represents the sentimental novel tradition that dominated much of 18th-century literature.
Elizabeth Bonhôte's novel Bungay Castle (1796) is a significant work within the gothic tradition that intertwines supernatural suspense with emotional conflicts.
Bonhôte skillfully uses atmospheric settings and mystery to captivate readers, reflecting growing public interest in gothic romances. Her writing contributes notably to the period's fascination with romance, melancholy, and the supernatural.
Hugh Henry Brackenridge's Modern Chivalry humorously satirizes American politics immediately after independence.
Drawing from Cervantes's "Don Quixote," Brackenridge tells the story of Captain John Farrago and his naive servant, Teague O'Regan, who become embroiled in comedic adventures.
The novel critiques democratic excesses while celebrating the robust debates central to the young American republic.
Antoine Bret's La Belle Allemande offers a satirical portrayal of cultural misunderstandings through the narrative of the charming young German heroine navigating French society.
Combining humor, cultural observation, and engaging plot developments, Bret insightfully reflects the complexities of cross-cultural encounters.
Henry Brooke’s didactic novel, The Fool of Quality, portrays the moral education and adventures of young Harry Clinton, focusing on virtue, philosophy, and religious benevolence. Influenced by sentimentalism, Brooke embeds moral lessons within entertaining storytelling.
Its popularity lay in its optimistic portrayal of individual potential for goodness and social improvement.
Charles Brockden Brown brought gothic conventions to an American setting with his novel Wieland (1798), renowned for its exploration of psychological horror and fanaticism. The novel vividly portrays how unchecked passions and misguided religious fervor lead to tragedy.
Brown is considered one of America's earliest and most important novelists.
Widely acknowledged as the first American novel, William Hill Brown's The Power of Sympathy (1789) illuminates themes of sentimentality and moral instruction.
Focusing on scandal and tragic consequences within families, the novel examines the role that excessive sensibility plays in personal and social ruin. This pioneering work significantly shaped the early American literary landscape.
Irish-born statesman and philosopher Edmund Burke profoundly influenced political thought with works like Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790), a foundational text of modern conservatism.
His earlier A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful (1757) was also a landmark in aesthetic theory, shaping Romantic conceptions of nature and art.
Frances Burney's Evelina (1778) offered sharp social commentary wrapped in an engaging epistolary style. Evelina, a young woman experiencing high society in London for the first time, faces humorous misunderstandings and growing romantic attraction.
The novel was acclaimed for its wit, humor, and insights into society and women's experiences.
Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns, celebrated rural life, love, patriotism, and social equality in poems and songs like Tam o' Shanter, Auld Lang Syne, and A Red, Red Rose (late 18th C.).
Writing often in Scots dialect, his work combined lyricism, humor, and satire, profoundly influencing Romantic poetry and preserving Scottish cultural identity.
Cao Xueqin authored Dream of the Red Chamber (mid-18th century), hailed as one of China's great literary masterpieces.
Following the decline of an aristocratic family, the vivid narrative explores complex interpersonal relationships, family tensions, romance, and the impermanence of worldly pleasures. The novel profoundly influenced Chinese literature and culture.
English poet William Cowper was one of the most popular poets of his time, known for works like the meditative blank-verse poem The Task (1785) and the "Olney Hymns" (co-written with John Newton).
His poetry often reflects on nature, rural life, and religious faith, marked by a gentle sensibility and sincerity that influenced early Romantic writers. He also candidly wrote about his struggles with melancholy.
Jacques Cazotte, a French author associated with mystical and occult literature, intrigued readers with tales that bridged reality and fantasy.
His short novel The Devil in Love (1772) tells the story of a young man who unwittingly summons the devil in a seductive female guise, mixing romance, supernatural events, and suspenseful storytelling.
Cazotte’s work significantly influenced later Romantic writers and the genre of fantastic fiction.
English novelist John Cleland stirred controversy with his daring novel Fanny Hill (1748), widely known as one of the first erotic novels published in English.
The book’s explicit representation of a young woman's sexual experiences and her social rise brought notoriety and censorship. Despite its controversy, Cleland’s frank, vivid narrative established the novel as a classic example of 18th-century erotic literature.
Richard Cumberland was a prominent dramatist and novelist whose 1795 novel Henry highlights the complexities of human nature, morality, and social connections.
Cumberland's writing is celebrated for its emphasis on compassion and realism, often showcasing morally worthwhile characters overcoming adversity. He played a significant role in bridging sentimental novel traditions and realistic portrayals of everyday life.
Thomas Day’s Sandford and Merton combines didactic instruction, moral teaching, and storytelling, recounting the education and moral enlightenment of two young boys, Tommy Merton and Harry Sandford.
Emphasizing virtues like self-control, kindness, and honesty, Day's work became influential in juvenile literature, embodying Enlightenment educational ideals.
Daniel Defoe was an English author best known for his innovative and influential adventure novel, Robinson Crusoe (1719). The story follows Crusoe, shipwrecked on a deserted island, and explores themes of survival, solitude, resourcefulness, and faith.
The novel is widely regarded as one of the first examples of realistic fiction.
Vivant Denon’s novella No Tomorrow ("Point de Lendemain") elegantly portrays seduction, pleasure, and fleeting love in sophisticated French society. The story's refined sensuality and elegant prose thoughtfully explore transient passion and pursuit of pleasure.
Denon exemplifies subtle storytelling characteristic of refined libertine fiction.
Diderot's experimental novel Jacques the Fatalist (1796, posthumously) playfully challenges conventions of storytelling, fate, and free will. The witty dialogue between Jacques and his master explores philosophical ideas about determinism, coincidence, and human agency in a playful manner.
Diderot was also the chief editor of the monumental Encyclopédie, a cornerstone of the Enlightenment.
François-Guillaume Ducray-Duminil was a French writer known for his moralistic novel Victor, or the Child of the Forest. The novel tells the story of Victor, brought up in wilderness loneliness, who undergoes various trials before learning his true noble heritage.
Ducray-Duminil was influential in shaping sentimental and morally instructive tales popular among 18th-century European readers.
English writer Henry Fielding crafted one of the great comic novels of the 18th century, Tom Jones (1749). The book follows the adventures of Tom Jones as he navigates love, society, and morality.
Fielding's witty insights, vivid characters, and humorous storytelling made Tom Jones a literary landmark.
Sarah Fielding was a respected English novelist credited with contributing significantly to the development of sentimental and moral fiction in England.
Her novel The Adventures of David Simple (1744) follows a naive, kind-hearted hero seeking honesty and friendship in a morally dubious world. Fielding’s empathetic and gentle style deeply influenced literary realism and novels of sensibility.
Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian’s pastoral romance Estelle et Némorin beautifully captures rustic innocence and pure romance set against an idyllic rural background. Marked by charming simplicity and elegance, Florian’s storytelling evokes nostalgic pastoral scenes.
The delicate portrayal of love and nature made this work beloved among French readers.
The popular epistolary novel The Coquette by Hannah Webster Foster illustrates the realities faced by women navigating society, love, and reputation. Through its tragic heroine, the novel spreads a message of caution around seduction and women's virtue.
Foster's work remains a significant commentary on gender roles in early America.
Christian Fürchtegott Gellert's noteworthy book, Das Leben der schwedischen Gräfin von G*** (1747–48), is an early example of sentimental fiction, notable for its emotional depth and moral teaching.
Gellert, celebrated as an influential German literary figure, combined moral reflection with accessibility and emotional appeal. His narrative significantly impacted the development of sentimental literature in Europe.
English historian Edward Gibbon authored the monumental The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (published 1776–1789).
This masterpiece of historical writing, known for its magisterial prose, critical use of sources, and Enlightenment perspective (including its controversial treatment of Christianity), profoundly shaped the study of history.
William Godwin was a British novelist and philosopher who employed fiction to explore radical political and philosophical ideas. His novel Caleb Williams (1794) critiques aristocratic power and surveillance, while St. Leon blends Gothic fiction and philosophical reflection.
Godwin’s work explores morality, power, and the personal cost of knowledge.
German literary giant Goethe achieved early fame with The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774), dramatically portraying unrequited love and tragic emotional suffering.
Though much of his greatest work (Faust) came later, *Werther*'s portrayal of intense passion profoundly influenced European literature, inspiring a wave of sentimentality and Romanticism (Sturm und Drang).
Goldsmith gained popularity with The Vicar of Wakefield (1766), depicting the kindly but naïve Dr. Primrose facing family misfortunes through resilience and optimism. He was also a successful poet (The Deserted Village) and playwright (She Stoops to Conquer, 1773), admired for his gentle humor and sympathetic portrayals across genres.
Richard Graves's The Spiritual Quixote is a comic novel satirizing religious enthusiasm and fanaticism through the misadventures of its protagonist, Geoffrey Wildgoose. Gently humorous yet pointed, it highlights the excesses of Methodism popular in 18th-century England.
Graves employs wit and insightful commentary to examine the thin line between religious zeal and folly.
English poet Thomas Gray is best known for his profoundly influential Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard (1751).
This meditative poem, with its themes of mortality, humble lives, and melancholic sensibility, became one of the most popular poems in the English language and is considered a key work bridging the Augustan era and the rise of Romanticism.
Elizabeth Griffith’s novel The Delicate Distress (1769) sensitively explores personal relationships, emotional turmoil, and female friendships.
Noted for her thoughtful portrayals of female characters, Griffith contributed importantly to ongoing conversations about gender and society. Her novels invite empathy through delicate emotional insight.
In Almoran and Hamet, John Hawkesworth constructs an oriental tale rich in moral symbolism, depicting two princely brothers representing conflicting virtues and vices. Hawkesworth’s prose guides readers through an allegory exploring power, ambition, and morality.
Its philosophical musings and exotic setting made it an intriguing literary specimen of his age.
Mary Hays tackles feminist themes of passion, reason, and societal prejudices in Memoirs of Emma Courtney. The story portrays a strong female protagonist candidly expressing emotions and her intellectual struggles.
This bold examination of women's inner lives positions Hays among influential feminist writers.
Eliza Haywood was an influential English novelist and dramatist whose works reflected deep insight into human emotions and intimate relationships.
Her bestselling novel Love in Excess (1719-1720) tells a captivating story of passion, ambition, and emotional turmoil, becoming an immediate success and defining tastes and trends among fiction readers.
Haywood emerged as one of the leading writers of early popular fiction in England.
Elizabeth Helme was an English novelist whose work Louisa; or The Cottage on the Moor (1787) combines romance with gothic elements, focusing on virtue and personal morality.
Helme's stories often explore themes of education, family, and social standing, making her work relatable and appealing in her time. Her novels illustrate a growing trend toward realistic social portrayals within 18th-century literature.
Johann Timotheus Hermes's Sophiens Reise (Sophie’s Journey) combines the sentimental journey genre with an adventurous narrative. As Sophie travels across Europe, encountering various experiences and individuals, Hermes emphasizes moral lessons and emotional growth.
The novel's lively storytelling vividly portrays the spirit of Enlightenment thought.
Thomas Holcroft's novel Anna St. Ives examines issues of morality, politics, and social expectations through the story of its independent-minded protagonist Anna.
Holcroft’s narrative employs powerful characters engaged in deep philosophical debates, reflecting his own radical political beliefs. The novel remains an important representation of Enlightenment-era rationalist thought.
Scottish philosopher, historian, and essayist David Hume was a leading figure of the Enlightenment. His empiricist philosophy, explored in works like A Treatise of Human Nature (1739-40) and An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (1748), challenged rationalism and profoundly influenced subsequent thought.
His multi-volume History of England was also highly influential.
In her novel A Simple Story, Elizabeth Inchbald explores complex social themes such as marriage, authority, and morality through engaging characters. Inchbald's thoughtful examination of human behavior and choices highlights personal accountability and societal norms.
Her writing contributes significantly to early feminist perspectives in literature.
Padre Isla's Fray Gerundio sharply satirizes the excesses and absurdities of preacher rhetoric in contemporary Spanish society.
Humorously narrating the life of Fray Gerundio, who seeks grandeur through elaborate, yet meaningless sermons, Isla highlights the need for genuine piety and direct communication. The work's satirical potency resonated broadly within Enlightenment critiques of religious excess.
Dr. Samuel Johnson, a towering intellectual figure, authored the philosophical novella Rasselas (1759), exploring the nature of happiness. He was also a renowned poet, essayist, critic, and lexicographer, whose A Dictionary of the English Language (1755) was a monumental achievement that standardized English spelling and usage.
German philosopher Immanuel Kant revolutionized Western thought with his "critical philosophy," outlined in works like Critique of Pure Reason (1781), Critique of Practical Reason (1788), and Critique of Judgment (1790).
His exploration of epistemology, ethics, and aesthetics profoundly shaped metaphysics, morality, and subsequent philosophical inquiry, marking a culmination of the Enlightenment.
The Suffering of Young Sturm by Friedrich Maximilian Klinger presents intense emotional conflicts characteristic of the German "Sturm und Drang" (Storm and Stress) period, a literary movement Klinger himself named with his play *Sturm und Drang* (1776).
Through Sturm’s turmoil, Klinger explores artistic zeal and romantic sorrow, a literary reflection of passionate youth amidst societal constraints.
The Adventures of Nicholas Wisdom authored by Ignacy Krasicki, humorously tells the tale of a naïve young man's descent into misfortune through misplaced idealism, serving as a satirical reflection on society's pretenses and illusions.
Krasicki's clever prose combines wit, ironic commentary and deep human insight. Considered Poland's leading Enlightenment poet, he also wrote influential fables and satires.
Laclos' Les Liaisons dangereuses (1782) delivers a scandalous depiction of sexual manipulation, morality, and deceit within French aristocratic society.
Presented through witty, compelling letters exchanged among sophisticated yet morally corrupt characters, Laclos offers biting commentary on human nature, power dynamics, and hypocrisy.
The novel's influence endures through its psychological insights and sophisticated representation of cynicism.
Sophie von La Roche emerged as a pioneering female author in 18th-century German literature. Her notable work, Geschichte des Fräuleins von Sternheim (1771), was among the first German novels written by a woman, exploring the struggles and independence of a virtuous heroine.
La Roche's successful novel set a milestone for female-authored literature.
Alain-René Lesage, a French novelist and playwright, excelled in lively storytelling and vibrant, satirical portrayals of contemporary society.
His most celebrated novel Gil Blas, published between 1715 and 1735, details the humorous and often morally ambiguous adventures of its clever protagonist across various social strata. Gil Blas is considered an early masterpiece of the picaresque genre in French literature.
A pivotal figure of the German Enlightenment, Gotthold Ephraim Lessing was a dramatist, critic, and philosopher. His plays, like Minna von Barnhelm (1767) and Nathan the Wise (1779), promoted tolerance and reason.
His critical work Laocoön: An Essay on the Limits of Painting and Poetry (1766) explored the distinctions between visual art and literature, profoundly influencing aesthetics.
Charlotte Lennox humorously satirized romantic conventions in The Female Quixote (1752). Heroine Arabella’s overindulgence in French romances shapes her understanding of reality, leading to comedic misunderstandings.
Lennox offered a witty critique of sentimental fiction and women's roles.
Matthew "Monk" Lewis penned the sensational Gothic horror tale The Monk (1796). Shocking readers with its scandalous depiction of corruption, violence, and supernatural terror within the Catholic church, the novel challenged contemporary moral standards.
Its emphasis on horror and dark fantasy popularized Gothic excess and controversy.
In Les Amours du Chevalier de Faublas, Jean-Baptiste Louvet de Couvray crafts a lively tale of love, intrigue, and adventure in pre-revolutionary France.
Filled with elegant prose and witty dialogue, the novel follows the young aristocrat Faublas, whose escapades embody Enlightenment-era libertinism. Its sensual, humorous storytelling offers a vivid depiction of the decadent society of 18th-century Paris.
Henry Mackenzie's The Man of Feeling captures the sentimentality and emotional depth typical of 18th-century sentimental fiction. The novel's protagonist, Harley, embodies compassion and sympathy, navigating a world increasingly indifferent to such qualities.
Mackenzie's emphasis on empathy made the novel a defining work of its literary movement.
Delarivier Manley, a politically engaged English writer, became infamous for her scandalous novel The New Atalantis (1709).
Presented as allegorical satire, it revealed various political and private scandals among England’s elite, causing controversy and excitement among readers. Manley's bold satirical style made her a distinctly memorable literary figure of her time.
Pierre Carlet de Marivaux was a notable French dramatist and novelist famed for his keen psychological insights into human relationships and emotions.
His novel The Life of Marianne, published intermittently between 1731 and 1741, provides vivid observations of society and psychological realism through the narration of an experienced female protagonist.
His plays are also known for their subtle exploration of love ("marivaudage").
Jean-François Marmontel, a prominent French author and literary figure of the Enlightenment, was famous for blending historical narratives with moral and social commentary.
In Bélisaire (1767), Marmontel used historical fiction to address issues of governance, tolerance, and political authority, making the book an influential Enlightenment text.
His accessible and instructive prose widely influenced ideas circulating in 18th-century philosophical circles.
Mary Meeke's gothic novel Midnight Weddings is filled with dramatic intrigue, secret marriages, and mysterious circumstances. Playing upon themes of virtue and villainy, the novel exemplifies the extravagant emotional tension and gothic romance popular during Meeke's time.
Her detailed plotting and suspenseful storytelling made her work a thrilling sensation among her contemporary readers.
Sophie Mereau’s Blüthenalter der Empfindung explores youthful emotions, romantic idealism, and the inner psychological conflicts experienced in German Romanticism.
Written with emotional clarity and poetic language, Mereau illustrates the sensitive hearts and vivid imaginations of her young protagonists. The novel gives a compelling portrait of spiritual and emotional growth.
Louis-Sébastien Mercier, a provocative French visionary and writer, explored speculative and social themes through literature.
His utopian novel The Year 2440, published in 1771, imagines Paris centuries in the future, offering critical commentary on Enlightenment society's failings and presenting Mercier’s ideal vision.
This forward-looking novel positions Mercier as a pioneer in speculative fiction and a prominent Enlightenment social critic.
In the novel Zeluco, John Moore critiques moral decadence and selfish ambition through the characterization of a ruthless and manipulative protagonist. Moore uses humor and satire alongside tragedy to illustrate the dangers of immoral conduct and unchecked vice.
The novel serves as an insightful exploration of human weakness and ethical responsibility.
Anton Reiser, by Karl Philipp Moritz, is regarded as one of Germany's first psychological novels and presents a profound exploration of an individual's inner struggles. Moritz insightfully examines Anton's emotional turmoil, personal ambition, and gradual self-awareness.
Richly introspective, Anton Reiser influenced later developments in literary psychology and autobiography.
Johann Karl August Musäus captures Germany’s oral traditions with Volksmärchen der Deutschen, a collection of vividly narrated fairy tales. Musäus blends folktale traditions with humor and irony, popularizing narratives heard traditionally across the country.
His rich storytelling remains influential in fairytale scholarship and folklore history.
Robert Paltock's The Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins offers readers fantastic adventures blending realism with the supernatural.
Paltock's inventive novel explores an imaginary world and winged inhabitants, portrayed through the experiences of the shipwrecked protagonist, Peter Wilkins. Although largely overlooked in his time, Paltock's imaginative storytelling anticipated later fantastic literature.
Eliza Parsons’s The Castle of Wolfenbach exemplifies Gothic storytelling, featuring haunted castles, spectral appearances, and dramatic suspense.
The novel emphasizes female virtue amidst dark threats and sinister plots, reflecting themes of peril and vulnerability characteristic of Parsons's literary style. Its gripping atmosphere earned it acclaim in 18th-century Gothic literature.
The dominant English poet of the early 18th century, Alexander Pope mastered the heroic couplet. His works, including the mock-epic The Rape of the Lock (1712-1714), the philosophical poem An Essay on Man (1733-34), and biting satires like The Dunciad, exemplify Augustan ideals of wit, reason, and neoclassical form.
He was also a noted translator of Homer.
Samuel Jackson Pratt's Emma Corbett blends sentimentality and political drama to illustrate the emotional turmoil caused by the American Revolutionary War.
The novel follows the difficult love story between Emma Corbett, a young English woman, and her American fiancé caught on opposing sides. Pratt's work intimately portrays the devastating personal losses resulting from ideological conflict.
Abbé Prévost's novel Manon Lescaut (1731) poignantly depicts the passionate yet destructive relationship between charming Manon and young Chevalier des Grieux. The story explores themes of moral ambiguity, irresistible attraction, and fatal impulses.
Its vivid emotional power secured it lasting literary importance.
Leading Gothic novelist Ann Radcliffe wrote The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794), blending supernatural themes, romantic mystery, and psychological suspense.
Radcliffe depicts heroine Emily navigating imprisonment, emotional peril, and the threat of mysterious events in dark castle settings, often providing rational explanations ("the explained supernatural"). This novel largely defined literary Gothic conventions.
Clara Reeve's gothic novel The Old English Baron updates classic gothic tropes into a more realistic and morally grounded setting. Her narrative offers suspense and supernatural elements portrayed through believable human drama.
Reeve's work contributes significantly to the evolving gothic genre by balancing mystery with rationality.
Nicolas-Edme Restif de La Bretonne was an unconventional French novelist whose vivid portrayals of urban life and personal morality openly challenged societal norms. His novel Le Paysan perverti (1775) details the moral corruption of a naive country youth who moves to the city.
Filled with realistic observations and provocative themes, Restif de La Bretonne's work offers a compelling critique of contemporary society's vices.
Samuel Richardson was a major English novelist who gained prominence with his epistolary novels Pamela (1740) and Clarissa (1748). Through vivid letters, Richardson portrays the psychological depth and moral struggles of his heroines.
Clarissa, depicting the tragic plight of Clarissa Harlowe, is celebrated for its emotional intensity and complex characterizations, considered a masterpiece of the genre.
Marie-Jeanne Riccoboni became an influential figure in the 18th-century French literary scene through her intelligent and engaging novels.
Lettres de Miss Fanni Butlerd (1757) employs an epistolary style—popular at the time—to provide nuanced examinations of female emotions and societal expectations.
Riccoboni gained respect for her sensitive portrayal of complex emotional relationships within the constraints of society.
Regina Maria Roche authored Clermont (1798), a gothic romance filled with mystery, drama, and vivid character portrayals. Roche's engaging narrative style and suspenseful plots contributed significantly to the popularity of gothic fiction in the late 18th century.
Clermont, along with Roche’s other novels, helped define the genre's enduring traits.
Mary Robinson, a famed actress and writer, explores the perils of deception in her novel Vancenza: or, The Dangers of Credulity. Through the experiences of her heroine, Robinson addresses themes of innocence, betrayal, and societal injustice.
Her engaging prose challenged cultural assumptions of women and morality. She was also a noted poet associated with early Romanticism.
Philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau achieved literary fame with Julie; or, The New Heloise (1761), an epistolary novel examining love, morality, and social convention. The emotional and philosophical letters explore romantic passion and virtue.
Rousseau's other major works, like The Social Contract and Emile, or On Education (both 1762), profoundly influenced political thought, education, and the Romantic movement.
Susanna Rowson gained widespread popularity with her sentimental novel Charlotte Temple, detailing the struggles of a naive heroine drawn into ruin. The moralistic narrative cautions young women against deception and temptation.
The novel’s widespread influence made Rowson one of the first best-selling American novelists.
The Marquis de Sade was one of the most controversial authors of the 18th century, known primarily for his explicit portrayals of extreme libertinism, violence, and philosophical justifications for vice.
His infamous novel Justine, originally published in 1791, describes the sufferings of a virtuous young woman. Sade's provocative themes earned him a continued and contentious place in literary and philosophical history.
Schnabel’s Insel Felsenburg is a utopian novel narrating the establishment of an ideal community on a remote island. Combining adventure fiction, fantasy, and social critique, Schnabel explores human morality, society, and harmony.
The novel became significant for its imaginative depiction of philosophical ideals and societal dreams.
Sarah Scott achieved acclaim for her novel Millenium Hall, promoting women's autonomy and highlighting ideals of utopian community living. Scott used fiction as a vehicle for expressing her progressive views on gender equality and social reform.
Millenium Hall remains an influential example of feminist utopian literature from the 18th century.
Irish novelist and playwright Frances Sheridan gained considerable literary acclaim for her insightful portrayals of female experiences.
Her novel The Memoirs of Miss Sidney Bidulph (1761) charts a heroine's emotional struggles and moral quandaries amid challenging societal expectations.
Sheridan’s nuanced approach to character, morality, and female perspective earned her lasting recognition as an important literary voice.
Irish playwright and politician Richard Brinsley Sheridan revitalized English comedy of manners with plays like The Rivals (1775) and The School for Scandal (1777).
Celebrated for their brilliant wit, intricate plots, and memorable characters (like Mrs. Malaprop), his comedies satirized the affectations and hypocrisies of fashionable society.
Charlotte Smith was known for her emotive narratives, often infused with Gothic elements and social commentary, and strong female characters. Her novel Emmeline (1788) tells the story of a young heroine navigating heartbreak and societal expectations.
Smith was also an influential poet, whose Elegiac Sonnets (from 1784) helped revive the sonnet form and influenced the Romantics.
Scottish author Tobias Smollett penned several picaresque and satirical novels, including The Adventures of Roderick Random (1748) and The Expedition of Humphry Clinker (1771).
Humphry Clinker, a lively epistolary novel depicting a family's journey, humorously describes eccentric characters and society's foibles. Smollett was known for his energetic prose and comedic realism.
In his novel Das Petermännchen, Christian Heinrich Spiess combines elements of gothic horror with psychological depth, bringing Germany's early gothic tradition vividly to life. His story revolves around haunting supernatural events and dark moral challenges.
Spiess's imaginative narration creates an atmosphere marked by eerie tension and unsettling mystery.
Laurence Sterne was an Irish-born novelist known for the highly experimental novel Tristram Shandy (1759–1767) and the sentimental travelogue A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy (1768).
Tristram Shandy humorously subverts traditional narrative structures through digressions, interruptions, and playful typography, making Sterne an early pioneer of metafiction and modern literary experimentation.
Irish author Jonathan Swift is best known for his satirical masterpiece, Gulliver's Travels (1726), in which he vividly satirizes human society, politics, and folly. He was also a master of prose satire in essays like A Modest Proposal (1729).
Swift's incisive wit and sharp observations remain relevant for their critical commentary on human nature and institutions.
A leading figure of the French Enlightenment, Voltaire wrote across genres. His satirical novella Candide (1759) criticizes optimism and societal injustices.
He was also a prolific historian, philosopher (Philosophical Dictionary), poet, and playwright, advocating for reason, tolerance, and freedom of thought. His wit and critical spirit defined much of the era's intellectual landscape.
German writer Christian August Vulpius gained popularity through his adventurous novel Rinaldo Rinaldini. Centering on an outlaw protagonist whose escapades span dramatic encounters and daring escapes, the novel captured the curiosity of an international readership.
Vulpius's adventurous tales added a vivid, romantic thrill to late 18th-century literature.
Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto (1764) is widely regarded as the first true Gothic novel. Supernatural events, gloomy settings, and intense emotions permeate this tale of family secrets and ancient prophecy.
Walpole sparked a highly influential trend marked by romance, terror, and supernatural suspense, and also popularized the term "Gothic" in this context.
Jane West, in her influential book The Advantages of Education (1793), stresses the crucial role proper education plays in developing virtue and securing personal happiness.
West was an advocate for women's intellectual empowerment, emphasizing practical knowledge and solid moral guidance. Her work remains a valuable reflection of educational and social debates at the time.
Johann Karl Wezel's satirical novel Belphegor (1776) is an incisive commentary on human folly, emphasizing psychological complexity and humorously critical insights.
Wezel's work is characterized by sharp wit and intelligent narrative structure, marking him as an innovative thinker within the German Enlightenment. His satirical perspective exposes societal absurdities and individual weaknesses with striking liveliness.
Christoph Martin Wieland was a prominent German writer known for his refined, philosophical narratives.
His novel, History of Agathon, published in 1766-67, is considered one of Germany's first Bildungsromane (coming-of-age novels), incorporating Enlightenment ideas into an engaging fictional biography. Wieland's style is marked by poetic charm, wit, and sophisticated irony.
Renowned for her groundbreaking feminist treatise A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), Mary Wollstonecraft also explored themes of female independence and societal constraints in her novels Mary: A Fiction (1788) and The Wrongs of Woman, or Maria (published posthumously 1798).
Her fiction anticipates her influential arguments for women's rights and education.
Caroline von Wolzogen's novel Agnes von Lilien offers a sensitive portrayal of a young woman's personal and social hardships in late 18th-century German society.
Insightfully depicting the struggles between individual desires and societal expectations, Wolzogen addresses women's limited roles with compassion and psychological insight. Her nuanced approach exemplifies early explorations into feminist literature.
Wu Jingzi authored The Scholars (mid-18th century), satirically depicting the lives and moral shortcomings of scholars and government officials in imperial China. Through witty scenes and vivid characterization, he exposes societal corruption, vanity, and human faults.
The book remains a celebrated satire of scholarly elitism and traditional education.