The Glorious Revolution, the Conformity Bill, the replacement of the Stuart dynasty, the persecution of the Roman Catholics, the scandals and corruption of the Walpole government and the struggle between the Whigs and the Tories all had an impact on the literature of that time. .
All these factors and many many more contributed towards shaping the characteristics of the novel in that century. The main and the most significant reason behind the overwhelming popularity of the novel lay in the fact that it catered to the dual needs of the middle classes. Although these newly rich sections of the once middle classes gained considerable power in the political and the economic infrastructure of the country, they were yet fumbling and felt awkward in the fashionable society This gave rise to an awkward social scene where the slightly coarse manners of the tradesmen and merchants needed refinement. They not only needed education but also being unable to comprehend the classical poetry of Pope and Dryden that was envogue, demanded a simpler medium to cater to their needs and to their tastes. The novel not only provided them entertainment and helped them while away their new found luxury of idleness but also educated them in more ways than one. The novel was just what the doctor ordered! It served the purpose splendidly. It was a simple, constructive, educative, moralizing and entertaining form of literature. the novel moulded itself according to the needs of the age by adopting certain positive characteristics. The prose style of the novels was simple and the vocabulary, easy to understand. This indeed was quite a contrast from the poetry being written at that time. Accompanying the change in language was the great change in the choice of subjects. Gone were the burlesque comedies of the Restoration age or the passionate romances of the Elizabethan period. Instead they came to be replaced by sedate, reasonable, practical and constructive stories which strove to create a harmonious balance between education and entertainment.