The eighteenth century – often referred to as the Age of Enlightenment – was a crucial period in the development of “modern” ideas about science and learning, religion, politics, race, gender, and emotions. In this course we shall have the opportunity to study by cultural and intellectual history of this fascinating era in detail. Through reading texts by women and men, literary stars of this period and lesser-known personages, we will endeavor to see what life was like in this period and what motivated people to question the status quo. We will also test the term “enlightenment” and see how far it went.