Enlightenment poetry: Verse written during the European Enlightenment emphasizing reason, clarity, social observation, and didactic purpose, characterized by formal discipline, satirical edge, and engagement with philosophical and social questions. Enlightenment poets valued wit, balance, and intellectual content over emotional expression or subjective vision. The period produced significant satirical, mock-heroic, and philosophical poetry that combined classical forms with contemporary concerns. Understanding Enlightenment poetry reveals historical relationships between poetry and intellectual culture, showing how formal choices reflect philosophical commitments to reason, order, and social improvement through clear, persuasive language.

Enlightenment poetry emphasizes reason, clarity, and philosophical reflection characteristic of 18th-century thought. It values wit, balance, and rational inquiry, often employing heroic couplets and neoclassical forms.