Which literary form is often associated with Enlightenment ideals?

The literary form most associated with Enlightenment ideals is satire. During the Enlightenment, thinkers emphasized reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority, which included questioning government, religion, and society. Satire emerged as a powerful tool for critiquing and challenging these established norms. Through wit, irony, and exaggeration, satirists like Jonathan Swift and Voltaire were able to expose the follies and corruption of their times, encouraging audiences to think critically and embrace rational thought.

Other literary forms, such as epic poetry, allegory, and tragedy, while significant in their own contexts, are not as directly aligned with the core principles of the Enlightenment. Epic poetry often focuses on heroic narratives and grand themes, which may not engage in the critical examination of societal norms central to Enlightenment thought. Allegory can convey moral lessons but may lack the sharp, pointed critique that satire provides. Tragedy, centered on serious and often somber themes, does not typically emphasize the rational inquiry and skepticism characteristic of the Enlightenment movement in the same way that satire does.