One of the authors who directed the intellectual life of 18th century England: Who is Joseph Addison?

(1672-1719) English writer, journalist, and politician. He is one of the main writers of The Spectator newspaper, which influenced the cultural environment of the period. He was born in Wiltshire. He is the son of a clergyman. He graduated from Oxford in 1691 and made a long trip to Italy and France. His literary culture, especially his knowledge of classical literature, was convenient for him to develop his studies in these areas. He had joined the Whigs as early as 1693, as the benefits of political allegiance became a necessity. His loyalty to the party was further strengthened by his poem "The Campaign", which praised the victory over the French at Blenheim in 1705, and he was elected to parliament in 1707. He wrote influential articles on current issues in The Spectator newspaper, which was started by Steel in 1711. His historical tragedy Cato, which he wrote in 1713, was a great success as it reminded the political conflicts of the period. He was taken into government in 1717. He retired after serving a year and died in 1719.

Joseph Addison is one of the writers who directed the intellectual life of 18th-century England. He started journalism in The Tatler, published by Steel in 1709, and later, together with Steel, published a daily newspaper called The Spectator (1711-1714). In this newspaper, which covered all kinds of current issues from fashion to politics, Addison aimed to create new cultural values. Considering the expectations of the increasing number of middle-class readers, he avoided harsh and sarcastic criticism; He wrote articles that educate the reader without belittling. Although he was a party in politics, he denounced partisanship and tried to establish an agreement with the Tories, who represented the conservative wing at that time. As a person who believed in "reason" and "common sense", the main concepts of the Age of Enlightenment, he tried to soften and reconcile the excesses and hard beliefs in his cultural life. In accordance with this purpose, he created characters representing various segments of society and discussed current issues through them. Among the types he created, Sir Roger de Coverly, who represented the landed aristocracy, was very popular.

Addison has an important place in the history of criticism with a series of essays he wrote in the field of literature. At a time when the neo-classical movement was dominant, he criticized the adherence and normativeness of this movement to classical literature. He criticized the understanding that evaluates a work of art according to the criteria of complying with specific rules. He opposed the determination of tastes according to the creation of art and defended the view that the work of art should conform to the taste. In all his writings, he tried to create a "high pleasure". Although Addison's criticism is generally considered inconsistent, it is important for his age to approach the literary understanding of the next period by defending the idea that the act of creation should be independent of rules.