Literature
The Age of Enlightenment. Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.
Introduction In this essay, we would like to dwell on the Age of Enlightenment as a period that has diverted the course of the literature in XVII-XVIII centuries in America. We will discuss the main features and representatives of this period. We chose Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson as two of the most prominent writers of this age. With the help of their works, we will describe their view, beliefs, and ideas.
Thesis statement The Age of Enlightenment was a wide ideological movement. It reflected new social, political, cultural, and philosophical ideas of educated part of the population in the second half of the XVII -XVIII centuries. A lot of scientists, philosophers, writers believed that the aim of society is human happiness, and the only way to achieve it is a reorganization of the society according to the principles of mind and with the help of knowledge. Freedom proclamation, civic education, and education spreading were the main tasks of this age representatives.
Evidence #1 Enlighteners developed the trust in the power of knowledge and the possibility of a reasonable arrangement of social life in people.
Explanation of Evidence #1 They persuaded people in the improvement of life through the obtaining of new knowledge. Enlighteners had a broad outlook, which allocated the concept of enlightened absolutism, the idea of human values, criticism of the church, patriotism, strengthening of the identity and self-esteem of a person. That is why social duty was put above spiritual (Baym and Levine, 367).
Those writers, scientists, and philosophers who tried to explain the creation of the world and the entire humanity with the help of science and not the Bible were called Deists.
Explanation of Evidence #2 Deists didn't object the existence of God but they thought that he didn't interfere in anything on the Earth after its creation (Baym and Levine, 368). Deism seeks to bring harmony to the science and the idea of God existence without any opposition.
Evidence #1 In their works, they both described the value of human reason and hard work as the best way to perfection, well-being, and progress. They both were great writers and left works that described the period of Enlightenment in its full bloom (Robert A. Ferguson, 19).
Explanation of Evidence #1 For example, Notes on the State of Virginia (1785) written by Thomas Jefferson where he described his strong beliefs in human rights without interference of church and rational work of government. Thomas Jefferson believed in American open mind. The progress of human mind was something that Jefferson expected to see as a result of the Enlightenment trend (Baym and Levine, 367).
Evidence #2 Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography (1791) is another work of a true representative of the Enlightenment period where the author tried to show how a man can succeed in life with the help of the hard work.
Explanation of Evidence #2 The book is a retelling of Franklin's early years of life while he was working as a printer. We cannot but mention that the work is a bit idealized. Still, the position of the author's ideas remained clear. Franklin was Deist. He believed in God but he was sure that to achieve success a person should rely on his or herself.
Conclusion In conclusion, it should be mentioned that the period of Enlightenment was a controversial one. It was a period of a great changing of people's views and beliefs in the age of church supremacy. That is why it was so hard for its representatives to achieve superiority.
Works Cited
Baym, Nina and Robert S Levine. The Norton Anthology Of American Literature. New York, N.Y.: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. Print.
Ferguson, Robert A. The American Enlightenment, 1750-1820. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1997. Print.
