ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

18th century in literature

The 18th century was a time when people wrote books and stories that were different from what they wrote before. During this time, people started to pay more attention to science and reason. They wanted to write about things that were logical and factual, instead of just making up stories.

One type of story that became popular during this time was the novel. A novel is a long story that has lots of characters and a big plot. People enjoyed reading novels because they could follow the characters' lives over a long period of time.

Another type of writing that became popular was satire. Satire is when you make fun of something or someone to show how silly or wrong they are. People used satire to make fun of the government or society, and to point out things that were not working well.

Some famous writers from the 18th century include Jane Austen, who wrote books like "Pride and Prejudice" and "Sense and Sensibility." Another famous writer was Jonathan Swift, who wrote "Gulliver's Travels," a satire about a man who travels to different lands and meets strange creatures.

So, in short, the 18th century in literature was a time when people started to write about things that were logical and factual, and they enjoyed novels and satire.