MORAL PHILOSOPHY AND AESTHETIC EXPERIENCE IN THE ENLIGHTENMENT NOVEL

Abstract

This study examines how moral philosophy and aesthetic experience intersect in eighteenth-century novels. Enlightenment literature stressed reason, ethics, and emotional sensibility, often blending philosophical ideas with narrative art. Focusing on works by Samuel Richardson, Henry Fielding, and Laurence Sterne, the research investigates how narrative structures, character portrayal, and stylistic devices allow readers to engage both ethically and aesthetically. Using textual and historical analysis, the study shows that Enlightenment novels not only entertain but also promote moral understanding and aesthetic appreciation.