Enlightenment

c. 1660-1800· 14 works

Swift to Goethe. Reason, satire, and the birth of the modern novel. Literature becomes a tool for social criticism.

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Enlightenment, Ranked

According to Groblé

  1. 1The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling1749Henry FieldingModerate·Epic·1,024 pagesInfluence62Popularity26EnlightenmentNovelEnglish
  2. 2Confessions1782Jean-Jacques RousseauModerate·Epic·606 pagesInfluence70Popularity38EnlightenmentBiography & MemoirFrench
  3. 3Candide1759VoltaireEasy·Quick·155 pagesInfluence72Popularity86EnlightenmentSatireFrench
  4. 4Robinson Crusoe1719Daniel DefoeEasy·Medium·304 pagesInfluence74Popularity82EnlightenmentAdventureEnglish
  5. 5Leviathan1651Thomas HobbesGrueling·Epic·688 pagesInfluence83Popularity36EnlightenmentPhilosophyEnglish
  6. 6Common Sense1776Thomas PaineBreezy·Quick·103 pagesInfluence47Popularity57EnlightenmentEssayEnglish
  7. 7The Pilgrim's Progress1678John BunyanBreezy·Medium·352 pagesInfluence64Popularity53EnlightenmentAllegoryEnglish
  8. 8The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin1791Benjamin FranklinBreezy·Medium·351 pagesInfluence48Popularity56EnlightenmentBiography & MemoirEnglish
  9. 9Pensées1670Blaise PascalGrueling·Medium·333 pagesInfluence70Popularity34EnlightenmentPhilosophyFrench
  10. 10Meditations on First Philosophy1641René DescartesGrueling·Quick·59 pagesInfluence82Popularity36EnlightenmentPhilosophyLatin
  11. 11An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding1748David HumeGrueling·Quick·142 pagesInfluence71Popularity36EnlightenmentPhilosophyEnglish
  12. 12The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman1759Laurence SterneGrueling·Epic·735 pagesInfluence63Popularity46EnlightenmentNovelEnglish
  13. 13Gulliver’s Travels1726Jonathan SwiftModerate·Medium·336 pagesInfluence73Popularity84EnlightenmentSatireEnglish
  14. 14Ethics1677Baruch SpinozaGrueling·Quick·208 pagesInfluence70Popularity35EnlightenmentPhilosophyLatin
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