Rationality and empirical data became important cornerstones of Enlightenment thought. Meanwhile, John Locke broke with the religious doctrine of Original Sin in his An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. He argued that humans were a blank slate (tabula rasa) upon entering the world, and were subsequently shaped by temporal experiences. Like the later philosophes, Locke believed that the human condition could be improved. Britain’s domestic stability formed another major influence upon the philosophes, especially given the corruption and inefficiancy of the French government.
The realism movement of the late nineteenth century produced works in literature that were marked by reduced sentimentality and increased objectivity. The goal was to let details tell the story, and remove noticeable bias of the author through scientific and detailed descriptions. While this form of storytelling undoubtedly is most accurate, it creates difficulties for authors to incorporate their themes into the story. This resulted in an increase in symbolism in realist works. The objects and descriptions within the story are the author’s vehicle for displaying the values and themes of the work.
Romanticism responded to industrialization by shunning it and turning to nature, emotion, and mysticism. Realism was for the most part a reaction to Romanticism and its gaudy whimsicalness, but was also heavily influenced by industrialization. Rather than turning a
Often argued by historians like D.M.G Sutherland that Napoleon had initially intended to maintain the principles of revolution, however due to external factors i.e. the Napoleonic wars he was forced to go against the principles and change France into a more dictatorial state. Others such as Georges Lefebvre state Napoleon was ‘...a pupil of the philosophies, he detested feudalism, civil inequality and religious intolerance’ thus arguing that Bonaparte did nothing but maintain the revolutionary principles. It is argued that Napoleon generally maintained the revolutionary principles by resisting external threats, reforming and unifying France and transforming the French government into a meritocracy. But betrayed the revolution by reintroducing nobility terms that had been abolished
Politically, conversatism consisted of the hereditary monarchy, a democracy that was rejected, and political decisions made by the monarch and his personal advisors. Liberalism favored the governments that were based on constitutions and separation of powers. It was a supporter of a republican government, or a constitutional monarchy where the ruler is elected by the people. Socially, conservatism wanted social order, much like the Three Estates System, while liberalism defended the natural rights of all people to liberty, equality, and property. The Industrial Revolution was rejected by the conservatives because it brought more power to the bourgeoisie, who owned the means of production, while it weakened the nobles.
He called for the government to take a “hands off” role in economics (“laissez faire”). In essence, he tried to apply the natural liberty idea to economics. His idea was that what is good for the individual will be good for society because laws of supply and demand will work out naturally through an “invisible hand.” He argued that government has a place in the judiciary, the military, and the policing system but not in the economy. A less-studied, though also important, aspect of Smith’s thinking was his view of history and his attempt to apply scientific observation to history. He and others in the Scottish leg of the Enlightenment came up with the idea that history progresses in four distinct stages: 1) hunting 2) pasturage 3) agriculture and 4) commerce.
Pacino, however, contends with a time where it is increasingly becoming the norm, but still contends with a society that can be considered moral devoid in some manners, and thus the importance of spirituality and thought is evident in both. Pacino is able to effectively portray Shakespeare’s core values in a manner that is able to best serve his context, and the values he aims to present. Within Elizabethan times, power was a hereditary property, not based upon skill, but upon heritage, but still kept in check by the great chain of being. Shakespeare’s Richard usurps this natural order, and thus brings tyranny and corruption upon the Kingdom. From the outset, Richard makes his evil intent clear, noting cynically and declaratively “Since I cannot prove a lover … I am determined to prove a villain,” revealing that power itself has not corrupted him, but the desire for it.
Puritan vs. Enlightenment Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, which included the Puritan and Enlightenment Eras, writers used idealism and pragmatism in their literature. Idealism is defined as the impracticality by virtue of thinking of things in their ideal form rather than as they really are. Pragmatism is defined as the doctrine that practical consequences are the criteria of knowledge, meaning, and value. Writers during the Puritan and Enlightenment eras incorporated idealism and pragmatism in their writings because they had idealistic goals that ended with pragmatic results. Anne Bradstreet, a poet during the Puritan Era, wrote “Here Follows Some Verses upon the Burning of Our House July 10th, 1666”.
English A1 HL: World Literature Assignment 1 The Hollowness of Conventional 19th Century Christian Morality in Henrik Ibsen's A Doll’s House and Emile Zola's Therese Raquin. Both Ibsen and Zola were firm believers in portraying their characters and works from a realistic perspective. Zola founded the naturalist movement in fiction and shared the same general perspective on society as Ibsen, who was the first of a new generation of naturalistic modern playwrights. In both Therese Raquin and A Doll’s House, the alleged central place of Christianity in 19th century European society is indirectly subverted through subtle suggestions of its irrelevance, or lack of importance, in the characters’ lives. Because of the already morally controversial nature of both Ibsen’s play and Zola’s novel, thanks to their subversion of traditional gender roles, an obvious critique of the Church or of normative religious opinion in the 19th century would have landed both writers in difficult situations.
Limitations and strengths of Marxist theory Critics argue that Marxism is just another ideology (despite claims by some that historical materialism is an objective science). Some Marxists are accused of being 'too doctrinaire'. Fundamentalist Marxism is crudely deterministic, and also reductionist in its 'materialism', allowing little scope for human agency and subjectivity. Marxism is often seen as 'grand theory', eschewing empirical research. However, research in the Marxist 'political economy' tradition in particular does employ empirical methods.