Portret człowieka w literaturze oświeceniowej Skandynawii

Abstract

The period in European culture referred to as the enlightenment is, above all, associated with the mind, with its natural glow as a guide to understanding – it is a period connected to the potency of qualitative thought. In this study, what is important is the flagship of enlightenment principles – rational review of reality, and especially its criticism and the way it portrays the human. This critical review of reality, as defined by the people of the time, is well‑supported by literature, including satire, an instrument quite perfect for the job. The study will encompass two literary circles of satirical works from the enlightenment era – the Scandinavian (Ludvig Holberg, Olof von Dalin, Anna Maria Lenngren, Johan Henric Kellgren) and the Polish (Ignacy Krasicki) – and focus on their similarities to build an image of the enlightened human.