How did literary societies affect Dutch writing in the 18th century?

The emergence of the first literary society (dichtgenootschap) in 1669 is often cited as an omen of a decline in Dutch literature that persisted throughout the 18th century. During this period, these societies and the prevailing literary culture were characterized by an emphasis on rococo flourish and rigid, prescribed forms, which many critics argue sapped the vitality of Dutch writing.1

While the rederijkerskamers (chambers of rhetoric) had historically played a significant role in fostering Dutch drama and poetry since the 15th century—perfecting forms like the rhymed alexandrine couplet—many had degenerated into "mutual admiration societies for poetasters" by the end of the 16th century. By the 18th century, the influence of such societies contributed to a literary environment where prose was largely limited to translations and bombastic disquisitions.21

However, toward the end of the 18th century, a reaction against these stagnant trends began to emerge, influenced by writers who sought to move beyond the excesses of Neoclassicism and the limitations of established literary conventions.13