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Rosa Martinez
Purpose and perspectives
Sonja LInman
09-28-2015
Enlightenment Period
The literary period i'm going to write about is the enlightenment period,
1700-1800. the two writers i wanted to research were Jane Austen and Charles
Dickens.
In the enlightenment world everything was changing in politics, religion, art, and
literature. This era inspired the whole idea that reason and logic could advance the
human life in many areas. There were huge advances in science, medicine, philosophy,
religion, and art. People began to realize that the religious people who were telling other
people how to live their lives didnt have all the answers but that peoples own minds
could advance the human race. Important philosophies of that time were John Locke,
Voltaire, and Rousseau. Science changed dramatically by the discoveries of
Copernicus, and Newton. Countries began to question the roles of kings and queens
and democracy started to be thought about
Jane Austen was a part of the enlightenment era she was born in Steventon
England. She had seven siblings but only one other sister. Janes family had money but
then they broke and she had to finish school from her fathers library. Jane later fell in
love with a man but he left and engaged to another woman a month later. She then
engages to another man for financial help but breaks it off with him the next day and

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she never again get into a relationship with anyone. I think this inspired her to write
book about love sorrow and financial need. Her first book was published in 1814 and
two years later she dies of an illness.
Charles Dickens was also another writer from the enlightenment period
who was born on February 7, 1812 in Portsmouth England. Charles loses a brother
from brain inflammation and then moves to london. His dad was in so much debt that
charles mom had to open an all girls school but no one attended it. His family was so
poor that he had to work in a factory at age 12. Then his father gets imprisoned and
they get money from a small inheritance and he pays to get out but then they fall again
in financial debt. Dickins then falls in love with a girl but her parents disagree on the
relationship and send her away. Charles then punishes his first piece of writing in 1834.
Charles then gets married in 1836 and has ten children which two unfortunately pass
away then later in 1851 his father dies and in 1863 his mother dies. Charles then dies in
1870. Charles had a life full of sadness and sorrow I think that all the pain he felt
through those rough times inspired him to write.
The piece of literature i picked was pride and prejudice and it was written
by Jane Austen it was published in 1813. the book's plot follows a girl named
Elizabeth Bennett who is the oldest of five daughters. Thier mom pressures them
to get married to wise rich men so they can save their house that gets taken
away if Elizabeth's dad passes away. Elizabeth then falls in love with a neighbor
which leads to a playful and funny relationship. Some of the characters are Mr
Bennett, Mrs Bennett, Mary Bennett, Catherine Bennett, Lydia Bennett Charles,

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and Bringley. some of the major themes were wealth, class, and self knowledge.
the setting of the book is in the 19th century in Longbourn England. A pride and
prejudice quote is His pride said Miss Lucas, does not offend me so much as
pride often does, because there is an excuse for it one cannot wonder that so
very fine a young man, with family, fortune, everything in his favor, should think
highly of himself. If I may so Express it he has a right to be proud.
The literary period I picked was the Enlightenment era this was period in
time where people started to develop different perspectives on life and tried to advance
the human race in science, art, literature, and medicine. This era had a lot of wonderful
writers like Charles Dickens and Jane Austen who wrote a lot of great novels that came
out because of the sadness and sorrow they had to go through their lives and inspired
them to make great literature that opened up peoples way of thinking and inspired other
people to become great writers as well.

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Work Cited

http://www.shmoop.com/charles-dickens/timeline.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/18th_century_in_literature
http://www.shmoop.com/jane-austen/timeline.html
And RIck woolcott