A Reader's Guide to the Development of the English Novel in the Eighteenth Century (Readers Guides)

In this book, the author shows that English novelists in the 18th century took an adversary position towards their society, challenging its assumptions, testing out its attitudes, probing its weaknesses. Professor Karl's thorough, original and illuminating book examines fist Don Quixote, the archetypal novel, and then each of the great novelists of the period: Defoe, Richardson, Fielding, Smollett and Sterne. he also discusses the novel which diverged from the mainstream of English fiction, like the Gothic novel and the novel of sentiment. He concludes with a chapter on the development of technique in the 18th century novel.