Literaturgeschichte: Die Aufklärung | STARK erklärt

Summary

The Enlightenment period, spanning from 1720 to 1785, was a pivotal era of intellectual awakening. It marked a significant shift towards modernity, where people began critically questioning the influence of monarchs, princes, and the church. Key outcomes included the American Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the French Revolution in 1789, both reflecting the emerging self-confident citizenry. The motto 'Sapere aude!' ('Dare to know!') by Kant encouraged individuals to think independently and use reason. Literature aimed to educate and promote rational behavior, with genres like the Bildungsroman, fable, didactic poetry, and drama playing a crucial role. Gotthold Ephraim Lessing's works, particularly his bourgeois tragedies, highlighted moral values and challenged societal norms, emphasizing the importance of humanity and tolerance.

Takeaways

• 🕰️ The Enlightenment period is dated roughly from 1720 to 1785.
• 🌟 It signifies a significant step towards the modern world, particularly following the Thirty Years' War.
• 🗽 Key outcomes of the Enlightenment include the American Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the French Revolution in 1789 with its Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.
• 🧠 The Enlightenment emphasized the use of one's own reason to perceive the world, with each individual considered autonomous.
• 💡 The motto 'Sapere aude!' or 'Have courage to use your own reason' was formulated by Kant, encouraging independent thought and critical thinking.
• 📚 Science and philosophy committed to rationalism and empiricism, rejecting knowledge derived from God or outdated worldviews.
• 📖 Literature of the Enlightenment aimed to foster rational action among readers, serving as a means of education.
• 📚 The language of Enlightenment literature was to be clear and understandable, moving away from baroque ostentation.
• 📚 The Bildungsroman, fable, didactic poetry, and drama were prominent genres of Enlightenment literature.
• 🎭 Gotthold Ephraim Lessing invented the bourgeois tragedy, making citizens the protagonists in tragedies for the first time.
• 🌐 The Enlightenment is more than a literary epoch; it is an intellectual age with massive historical impacts.

Q & A

What is the English term for 'Aufklärung'?

The English term for 'Aufklärung' is 'Enlightenment'.

What is the approximate time frame for the Enlightenment period?

The Enlightenment period can be dated from around 1720 to 1785.

What significant historical event led people to start critically questioning the influence of monarchs, princes, and churches?

The devastating Thirty Years' War led people to start critically questioning the influence of monarchs, princes, and churches.

Which two major historical events are considered results of the Enlightenment?

The American Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the French Revolution in 1789 with its Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen are considered results of the Enlightenment.

What was the Enlightenment's view on how individuals should perceive the world?

The Enlightenment viewed that individuals should perceive the world with their own reason and that each person was considered an autonomous individual capable of independently recognizing truth and right.

What was the motto of the Enlightenment as formulated by Kant?

The motto of the Enlightenment, as formulated by Kant, was 'Sapere aude!' which translates to 'Have courage to use your own reason.'

What did the Enlightenment believe was the responsibility of each individual to achieve progress?

The Enlightenment believed it was the responsibility of each individual to use their own mind, exercise criticism, and not rely on the opinions of others out of convenience.

Which philosophers and thinkers are mentioned as having developed influential ideas and political theories during the Enlightenment?

Descartes, Locke, Voltaire, Hume, and Rousseau are mentioned as having developed influential ideas and political theories during the Enlightenment.

What was the intended effect of Enlightenment literature on its readers?

Enlightenment literature aimed to promote rational action among its readers, serving as a means of education and upbringing.

What was the significance of Gotthold Ephraim Lessing's contribution to drama during the Enlightenment?

Gotthold Ephraim Lessing invented the bourgeois tragedy, making citizens the protagonists in a tragedy for the first time, which was previously reserved for the nobility.

What is the main theme of Lessing's play 'Nathan the Wise'?

The main theme of Lessing's play 'Nathan the Wise' is humanity, with the protagonist Nathan illustrating the equality of the three major monotheistic world religions and the importance of tolerance towards those with different beliefs.

How did the Enlightenment view the role of science and philosophy?

The Enlightenment viewed science and philosophy as being committed to the methods of rationalism and empiricism, where all knowledge should be derived from reason and sensory experience, not from God or outdated world views.

Outlines

00:00

💡 Enlightenment: The Age of Reason

The Enlightenment, spanning from approximately 1720 to 1785, marked a significant step towards modernity. It was a period where people began to critically question the influence of monarchs, princes, and the church after the devastating Thirty Years' War. Key events like the American Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the French Revolution in 1789, with its Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, were products of Enlightenment thinking. Enlightenment emphasized the use of one's own reason to perceive the world, with every individual seen as capable of independently discerning truth and righteousness. The motto 'Sapere aude!' or 'Have courage to use your own reason,' as formulated by Kant, encouraged people to think for themselves and exercise criticism. Science and philosophy committed to rationalism and empiricism, with knowledge derived from reason and sensory experience, not from God or outdated world views. Thinkers like Descartes, Locke, Voltaire, Hume, and Rousseau developed influential ideas and political theories. Literature aimed to promote rational action among readers, serving as a means of education. The language had to be clear and understandable, moving away from the ornate style of the Baroque period. Various genres were active during the Enlightenment, including the Bildungsroman, fables, didactic poetry, and drama, with Gotthold Ephraim Lessing inventing the bourgeois tragedy and making citizens the protagonists in tragedies for the first time. His 'Nathan the Wise' emphasized the equality of the three major monotheistic world religions and the importance of tolerance, as a reflection of the limitations of one's own reason.

05:07

📚 Enlightenment Literature: Educating and Guiding

The literature of the Enlightenment aimed to educate and guide readers towards rational and moral behavior. The Enlightenment period emphasized the role of the individual in perceiving and improving the world through reason and scientific methods. Important genres included the Bildungsroman, which depicted the development of an individual; fables, which often used animals as moral actors; didactic poetry, which sometimes presented scientific knowledge; and drama. Gotthold Ephraim Lessing was particularly influential with his bourgeois tragedies, which for the first time made citizens the central figures in tragedies, traditionally reserved for the nobility. This shift reflected the broader Enlightenment values of questioning the power of the nobility and the church and placing humans at the center of societal importance.

Keywords

💡Enlightenment

The Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, was an intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the world of ideas in Europe during the 18th century. It emphasized reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority. In the script, the Enlightenment is described as a period of significant change leading to the modern world, where people began to critically question the influence of monarchs, princes, and the church.

💡Self-determination

Self-determination is the concept that individuals should have the right to freely choose their own actions and make decisions about their own lives. In the context of the video, it is highlighted as a key principle of the Enlightenment, where individuals were encouraged to use their own reason to perceive the world, rather than relying on the authority of others.

💡Rationalism

Rationalism is a philosophical view that emphasizes reason and logic as the primary source of knowledge. It contrasts with empiricism, which relies on sensory experience. The script mentions that during the Enlightenment, science and philosophy committed to the methods of rationalism and empiricism, rejecting knowledge derived from God or outdated worldviews.

💡Empiricism

Empiricism is a philosophical theory that asserts that knowledge is acquired primarily through experience, particularly through the senses. In the script, empiricism is mentioned alongside rationalism as a method to derive knowledge, suggesting that Enlightenment thinkers valued both logical reasoning and sensory experience.

💡Individualism

Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, or social outlook that emphasizes the moral worth of the individual. In the video, individualism is portrayed as a core value of the Enlightenment, where each person was considered an autonomous individual capable of discerning truth and right.

💡Bürgerliche Trauerspiele

Bürgerliche Trauerspiele, or bourgeois tragedies, are a genre of drama that focuses on the lives and moral dilemmas of middle-class characters. The script highlights Gotthold Ephraim Lessing's innovation in making ordinary citizens the protagonists of tragedies, which was previously reserved for the nobility.

💡Humanity

Humanity refers to the quality of being human, including characteristics such as kindness, compassion, and understanding. In the context of the video, Lessing's play 'Nathan the Wise' is mentioned as a work that revolves around the theme of humanity, emphasizing the equality of the three major monotheistic religions and the importance of tolerance.

💡Tolerance

Tolerance is the acceptance of behavior, beliefs, or opinions that are different from one's own. The script points out that the Enlightenment advocated for tolerance towards those with different beliefs, recognizing the limits of one's own understanding as a reason for this acceptance.

💡Education

Education, in the context of the Enlightenment, is not just about teaching facts but also about promoting rational and moral behavior. The script mentions that literature during the Enlightenment aimed to educate readers and guide them towards reasonable and moral actions.

💡Baroque

Baroque is an artistic style that uses exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, and grandeur. The script contrasts the baroque style with the clarity and simplicity sought in Enlightenment literature, indicating a move away from ornate language towards a more accessible and rational style.

💡Poetiken

Poetiken refers to the poetics or guidelines for writing during the Enlightenment. The script mentions that these were precise instructions for writers on how to write rationally, reflecting the period's emphasis on clarity and reason in literary expression.

Highlights

The Enlightenment was not about bees and flowers but about the 'enlightenment' of people.

The Enlightenment period can be dated from approximately 1720 to 1785.

It marked a significant step towards our modern world, especially after the devastating Thirty Years' War.

People began to critically question the influence of kings, princes, and the church.

The American Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the French Revolution in 1789 with its Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen are results of the Enlightenment.

The Enlightenment emphasized that humans should perceive the world with their own reason.

Each person was considered an autonomous individual capable of independently recognizing truth and right.

The motto 'Sapere aude! Have courage to use your own reason,' was formulated by Kant.

People were encouraged not to rely on the opinions of others out of convenience but to use their own heads and practice criticism.

The task of every individual was to make progress for humanity.

Science and philosophy committed to the methods of rationalism and empiricism.

All knowledge should be derived from reason and sensory experiences, not from God or outdated worldviews.

Thinkers like Descartes, Locke, Voltaire, Hume, and Rousseau developed influential ideas and political theories based on this foundation.

Literature should promote rational action among its readers, serving as a means of education and upbringing.

The language had to be clear and understandable, moving away from the baroque pomp.

So-called 'poetics' were created, which were precise guidelines for writers on how to write rationally.

Enlightenment literature was active in all genres.

In the Bildungsroman, the development of the individual is shown, for example, in Wieland's 'History of Agathon'.

In fables, such as those by Gellert, animals are the acting persons with moral instruction at the forefront.

In didactic poems, natural scientific knowledge was sometimes even represented.

The most important genre of the Enlightenment was drama.

Gotthold Ephraim Lessing invented the bourgeois tragedy, making citizens the protagonists in a tragedy for the first time.

In Lessing's 'Emilia Galotti,' the bourgeoisie with its moral values meets the corrupted aristocratic society of power hunger and corruption.

Often, the love between people of different classes is the driving force to resist valid conventions and restrictions, usually ending tragically.

Lessing's 'Nathan the Wise' revolves around humanity, using the so-called ring parable to show the equality of the three major monotheistic world religions.

Tolerance towards those who think differently is important because it sets limits to one's own reason – a rather modern idea.

The Enlightenment is more than a literary epoch; it is an intellectual age that had tremendous impacts on the course of history.

Without the achievements of the Enlightenment, our present time would be inconceivable.

In summary, the literary Enlightenment lasted from about 1720 to 1785, questioning the power of the nobility and the church.

The focus was on humans who should perceive and improve the world with their minds and scientific methods.

Literature aimed to educate readers and guide them to act rationally and morally.

Important genres included the Bildungsroman, fable, didactic poem, and drama.

Lessing made citizens the figures of tragedies with his bourgeois tragedies.

Transcripts

Nein, die Epoche der Aufklärung hat nichts mit  Bienen und Blüten zu tun! Vielmehr findet eine  

Erleuchtung der Menschen statt, wie es der  englische Begriff Enlightenment zum Ausdruck  

bringt. Also Licht an! Wir erklären dir, was  du zu dieser literarischen Epoche wissen musst!

Die Aufklärung lässt sich ungefähr von 1720 bis  1785 datieren. Mit dieser Epoche vollzieht sich  

ein bedeutender Schritt in unsere moderne  Welt. Insbesondere nach dem verheerenden  

Dreißigjährigen Krieg begannen die  Menschen, den Einfluss der Könige,  

Fürsten und Kirchen kritisch zu hinterfragen.  Die amerikanische Unabhängigkeitserklärung 1776  

und die Französische Revolution 1789 mit ihrer  Erklärung der Menschen- und Bürgerrechte sind  

ein Resultat der Aufklärung und Ausdruck  des neuen selbstbewussten Bürgertums.

Aus Sicht der Aufklärung sollte der Mensch die  Welt mit seinem eigenen Verstand wahrnehmen,  

jeder galt als autonomes Individuum, das das  Wahre und Richtige selbstständig erkennen kann.  

„Sāpéré āūdé! Habe Mut, dich deines eigenen  Verstandes zu bedienen“, lautete das Motto,  

das Kant formuliert hat. Vereinfacht:  Man soll sich nicht aus Bequemlichkeit  

auf die Meinung anderer verlassen, sondern  den eigenen Kopf benutzen und Kritik üben!  

Das sei die Aufgabe jedes Einzelnen, nur so  könne die Menschheit Fortschritte erzielen!

Die Wissenschaft und die Philosophie  verpflichteten sich auf die Methoden  

des Rationalismus und der Empirie: Alle  Erkenntnisse sollten nur noch von der  

Vernunft und den Sinneserfahrungen  abgeleitet werden – nicht mehr von  

Gott oder veralteten Weltbildern. Denker  wie Descartes, Locke, Voltaire, Hume und  

Rousseau entwickelten auf dieser Grundlage ihre  einflussreichen Ideen und politischen Theorien.

Die Literatur sollte bei ihren Lesern  vernünftiges Handeln fördern - sie war damit  

Mittel der Bildung und Erziehung. Die Sprache  musste deshalb klar und verständlich sein,  

vom barocken Schwulst wollte man nichts  mehr wissen. Es entstanden sogenannte  

Poetiken, also genaue Anleitungen für  Schriftsteller, wie man vernünftig schreibt.

Die aufklärerische Literatur war in allen  Gattungen tätig. Im Bildungsroman wird das  

Individuum in seiner Entwicklung gezeigt  – in Wielands Geschichte des Agathon zum  

Beispiel. In Fabeln – etwa von Gellert – sind  Tiere die handelnden Personen, die moralische  

Belehrung steht im Vordergrund. In Lehrgedichten  wurden teilweise sogar naturwissenschaftliche  

Erkenntnisse dargestellt. Die wichtigste  Gattung der Aufklärung war aber das Drama.

Gotthold Ephraim Lessing hat das bürgerliche  Trauerspiel erfunden: Erstmals machte er  

Bürger zu Protagonisten in einer Tragödie –  das war bis dahin nur Adeligen vorbehalten,  

nur sie hielt man für würdig. Bei Lessing –  zum Beispiel in Emilia Galotti – trifft das  

Bürgertum mit seinen moralischen Werten  auf die von Machthunger und Korruption  

verdorbene Adelsgesellschaft. Oft ist die Liebe  zwischen Menschen unterschiedlicher Stände die  

treibende Kraft, gegen gültige Konventionen  und Beschränkungen aufzubegehren – meistens  

endet das tragisch! Solche Geschichten  sollten beim Zuschauer eine Reinigung  

von Emotionen und tugendhaftes Verhalten  bewirken – so zumindest die Hoffnung…

Lessings Ideendrama Nathan der Weise dreht sich um  Humanität. Darin macht der Protagonist Nathan mit  

der sogenannten Ringparabel die Gleichberechtigung  der drei großen monotheistischen Weltreligionen  

deutlich. Und Toleranz gegenüber  Andersdenkenden sei auch deswegen wichtig,  

weil dem eigenen Verstand Grenzen gesetzt  sind – ein ziemlich moderner Gedanke, oder?

Nicht nur Lessings Nathan hat uns heute  noch etwas zu sagen. Die Aufklärung ist  

mehr als eine literarische Epoche, sie  ist ein geistesgeschichtliches Zeitalter,  

das gewaltige Auswirkungen auf den  geschichtlichen Verlauf hatte. Ohne

die Errungenschaften der Aufklärung  wäre unsere heutige Zeit undenkbar!

So, jetzt nochmal zusammengefasst:  

Die literarische Aufklärung dauerte etwa von  1720 bis 1785. In dieser Epoche begann man,  

die Macht des Adels und der Kirche kritisch zu  hinterfragen. Im Mittelpunkt stand der Mensch,  

der die Welt mit seinem Verstand und durch  wissenschaftliche Methoden wahrnehmen und  

verbessern sollte. Die Literatur wollte den Leser  bilden und ihn zu vernünftigem und moralischem  

Handeln anleiten. Wichtige Gattungen waren der  Bildungsroman, die Fabel, das Lehrgedicht und  

das Drama. Lessing machte mit seinen bürgerlichen  Trauerspielen erstmals Bürger zu Tragödienfiguren.