... in hand with a pronounced tendency to idealize the hero. This at first sight rather strange contradiction arose from the concept of freedom upheld by realism, which was based on Enlightenment philosophy and ethics. The historians of the novel have seen "realism" as the defining characteristic which differentiates the work of the early eighteenth century novelists from previous fiction. This use of ... ...

• Word Count: 3498
• Approx Pages: 14
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Graduate