What are the factors responsible for the rapid growth of the novel during the 18th century?
History of English Literature is a notable literary work by ___. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of History of English Literature.
Answer
What are the factors responsible for the rapid growth of the novel during the 18th century?
The eighteenth century/The Neo-classical age (1660-1785) is an influential period of English literature. During this time, the novel becomes very popular. Many people start reading books for fun and learning. During that time many New stories are written about everyday life, love, adventure, and society. The novel becomes a way to understand human emotions, society, and history. The novel developed rapidly during this period for various reasons.
Growth of the Middle Class: Before the 18th century, only rich people read books. However, during this time, a new group called the middle class became important. They were not as rich as the nobles but had money to spend. They wanted stories about people like them in books and stories. They wanted stories about ordinary men and women facing real-life problems. As Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote:
“Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.”
The middle class related to this idea. They often felt trapped by society’s rules. Hence, the novel becomes a way to better understand their lives.
Expansion of Education: More people learned how to read during the 18th century. Schools were built. Education became important. Women also started reading. When more people could read, they wanted books in simple language. Novels are easy to understand compared to poetry and plays. Because of this, novels became a favorite choice for many readers. As Samuel Johnson says,
“A writer only begins a book. A reader finishes it.”
This means that reading has become an important part of life, and novels have played a big role in that.
Printing Press and Cheap Books: The printing press improved in that time. Books became cheaper and easier to print. Before this, books were written by hand, so they were expensive. Later on, publishers could print many copies of a book at a low price. This helped people buy novels and enjoy reading. Because books were cheaper, evenUnlock this study guide now