The restoration age 16601700 the period from 1660 to 1700 is known as the restoration period or the age of dryden because monarchy was restored in england. It is a literature that includes extremes, for it encompasses both paradise lost and the earl of rochester s sodom, the highspirited sexual comedy of the country wife and the moral. The restoration writers werent interested in silly things like nature ew, dirt, or grand philosophical questions ugh, boring. Restoration literature introduction the restoration is a period in literary history full of humor and hankypanky. Student guest page by melody anderson and ian drinkwater, university of massachusetts boston. This is the first new fullscale anthology of restoration and eighteenthcentury drama in over sixty years. The cambridge history of english and american literature. This article examines the reestablishment of theatre in england after a gap of eighteen years. The best restoration comedies and tragedies restoration comedies and tragedies often get overlooked in our rush to celebrate the elizabethan and jacobean drama of marlowe, shakespeare, and jonson. Restoration and eighteenthcentury drama british literature. English literature dates back exceeding five centuries. List of books and articles about restoration drama online.
The literature is tightly interwoven with the turbulent political and social history of the period, and so the class will also be learning about english society in the aftermath of the civil war and interregnum, the restoration and reign of the stuart kings. The following article is reprinted from a history of english literature. Comedy of manners in english literature english summary. List of books and articles about restoration drama.
Jul 06, 20 after the restoration in 1660, when charles ii came to the throne, there was a complete repudiation of the puritan ideals and way of living. An introduction to restoration comedy the british library. Politically, the era followed nearly two decades of civil unrest and war. The restoration and the eighteenth century the period from 1660when the english crown was restored as charles ii became king to 1800 saw the vast transformation of english society and english politics as well as significant developments within english literature. Cambridge history of english and american literature contents index of an excellent resource with many articles on all aspects of restoration drama. For others, it excited the desire to celebrate kingship and even to turn the events of the new reign into signs of a divinely ordained. This genre refers to english comedies written and performed in the restoration period from 1660 a. The cambridge history of english and american literature in 18 volumes 190721. The term restoration is also used to describe the period of several years after, in which a new political settlement was established.
In general, the term is used to denote roughly homogenous styles of literature that center on a celebration of or reaction to the restored court of charles ii. The bestknown fact about the restoration drama is that it is immoral. She now works as a freelance editor specialising in seventeenth and eighteenth century drama. Owen teaches in the department of english literature at the university of sheffield. The restoration of king charles ii to the english throne in 1660 brought a new change in english literature. It is an entertainment form which satirizes the manners and affections of social class or of multiple classes. The age of dryden a website with detailed analyses of the literary, cultural, and political aspects of the restoration period. The term restoration in restoration drama refers to the return of the monarchy to england after something more than a decade of puritan rule. Naipaul was born in trinidad, and vladimir nabokov was russian, but all are considered important. Technically and historically, while the restoration began on charles iis return to the english throne in 1660, the characteristics of restoration drama began to appear in the carolinian dramas. Some literary historians speak of the period as bounded by the reign of charles ii 166085, while others prefer to include within. History of english literature pdf included periods of. Restoration literature is the english literature written during the historical period commonly referred to as the english restoration 16601689, which corresponds to the last years of the direct stuart reign in england, scotland, wales, and ireland. Restoration tragedy if the age of restoration 16601700 a.
George washington university excellent resource covering all aspects of restoration drama, including acting styles, costumes, audiences, set. A companion to restoration drama 17th century english. The course in the form of lectures aims at giving a survey of literary trends in the period beginning with the restoration and ending with 18thcentury new sensibility. It begins with charles ii returning to the throne following the rule of various republican governments that ruled. It started developing after reopening of the theatres in 1660. Restoration comedy is english comedy written and performed in the restoration period from. A video depicting the important historical moments of the 17th an 18th century and its impact on british literature. Restoration and eighteenthcentury drama british literature wiki. Slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. It offers a representative sampling of the types of play of the period, including plays by both men and women sex comedy, moral comedy, heroic drama, shakespearean adaptation and political history. In general, the term is used to denote roughly homogeneous styles of. Restoration drama characteristics restoration tragedy and restoration comedy theatres were. Restoration literature mcgill university school of.
A satirical comedy focused on the vices and hypocrisies of restoration. In english literature the period from 1660 to 1700 is called the period of restoration, because monarchy was restored in england, and charles ii, the son of charles i who had been defeated and beheaded, came back to england from his exile in france and. Restoration comedies and tragedies often get overlooked in our rush to celebrate the elizabethan and jacobean drama of marlowe, shakespeare, and jonson. Restoration drama restoration, in english history, the reestablishment of the monarchy on the accession 1660 of charles ii after the collapse of the commonwealth see. Restoration literature is the literature written in english during the period commonly referred to as the english restoration 1660 1689, corresponding with the last years of the direct stuart reign in england, scotland, wales, and ireland. Restoration literature is the english literature written during the historical period commonly. Examine representations of gender and sexuality in restoration and 18thcentury literature including paradise lost and the rape of the lock, and explore the works of early women writers such as aphra behn, frances burney and margaret cavendish. Restoration literature includes the roughly homogenous styles of literature that center on a celebration of or reaction to the restored court of king charles ii. The restoration and the 18th century english literature i. Jennifer airey specializes in restoration and eighteenthcentury british literature, with an emphasis on womens literature and theater history. In english literature the period from 1660 to 1700 is called the period of restoration, because monarchy was. Jul 28, 2019 in 1660, in what is known as the english restoration, general george monck met with charles and arranged to restore him in exchange for a promise of amnesty and religious toleration for his former. In english literature the period from 1660 to 1700 is called the period of restoration, because monarchy was restored in england, and charles ii, the son of charles i who. Check your understanding of the restoration period in literature with an interactive quiz and printable worksheet.
Restoration drama characteristics restoration tragedy and restoration comedy theatres were closed during the puritan age. English literature is the literature written in the english language, including literature composed in english by writers not necessarily from england. Restoration literature english literary period britannica. It discusses the influences at work on the kinds of play shown and considers the changes that occurred from 1660 until 1689 when william and mary took. The restoration period has given us some of the most important religious literature in the english language.
The cynical decadence of the age was alien to the spirit of the elizabethan romantic comedy. British drama comedy literature of england restoration comedy the. Restoration drama plays and performances in the period following the restoration of charles ii, when the theatres reopened. The restoration period of english literature roughly lasts from 1660 to 1688. English literature english literature the restoration. The restoration of king charles ii in 1660 marks the beginning of a new era both in the life and the literature of england. The civil wars and the restoration of the monarchy, the enlightenment or age of reason, and british colonialism. List of books and articles about restoration comedy online. With the theatres closed, the career of public drama did not end but moved from stage to page, taking on the form of the scurrilous pamphletplay. The theatres which were indoor were much smaller than the elizabethan theatres. The victorian period is in strong contention with the romantic period for being the most popular, influential, and prolific period in all of english and world literature. Old english literature, or anglosaxon literature, encompasses the surviving literature written in old english in anglosaxon england, in the period after the settlement of the saxons and other germanic tribes in england jutes and the angles c.
It is a literature that includes extremes, for it encompasses both paradise lost and the earl of rochesters so. The drama reflected the laxity of court morals through broad satire, farce, wit, and bawdy comedy. In both sentimental comedy and tragedy, the emphasis falls on feeling, especially feelings of pity and sympathy. Restoration, in english history, the reestablishment of the monarchy on the accession 1660 of charles ii after the collapse of the commonwealth see under. They were interested in all the drama that went on in the society in which they lived. During the restoration age, they reopened with new types of plays and performances which were different than the before. Restoration drama and prose literature major english. Which genre of literature emerged during the restoration period with dominant traits of.
The drama of the period was marked by brilliance of wit and by licentiousness, which may have been a reflection of the freeness of court. It can be said that the last years of the seventeenth century form a distinct period. Reference cambridge history the age of dryden the restoration drama bibliography. One of the first english settlers in america, anne bradstreet, wrote poetry about the international significance of the wars in britain. Choose from 500 different sets of restoration english literature flashcards on quizlet. The monarchy was restored in 1660 under charles ii.
It is very often used to cover the whole reign of charles ii 16601685 and often the brief reign of his younger brother james ii 16851688. After the restoration in 1660, when charles ii came to the throne, there was a complete repudiation of the puritan ideals and way of living. Technically and historically, while the restoration began on charles iis return to the english. Restoration drama characteristics tragedy and comedy english. Yet any survey of english literature would be substantially poorer if it didnt mention aphra behn, william wycherley, or william congreve. Literature also changed, the theatres reopened and the new dramas were written. Learn restoration english literature with free interactive flashcards. She is the author of restoration theatre and crisis 1996 and perspectives on restoration drama forthcoming, as well as numerous articles and essays on restoration drama, a piece on andrew marvell and a theoretical article, chaos theory, marxism and literature. Some literary historians speak of the period as bounded by the reign of charles ii 166085, while others prefer to include within its scope the writings. Concentrating on plays from the heyday of 16601737, it focuses especially on restoration drama proper 16601688 and revolution drama 16891714, with a smaller selection of plays from the early georgian period 17151737 and a glimpse at the later georgian periods.
The drama of this period can be broken into two categories, comedies and tragedies. Loosely, the consciously reformed writing usually drama with deliberate didacticism and emotional manipulation. Aug 21, 2018 english notes helper aims to provide helping notes for english literature topics for the preparation of english exam as well as to build up your knowledge in any drama, novel, poetry, short stories, history and concept of english, and little of grammar. Some literary historians speak of the period as bounded by the reign of charles ii 166085, while others prefer to include within its scope the writings produced during the reign. Feb 05, 2010 a video depicting the important historical moments of the 17th an 18th century and its impact on british literature. Late seventeenth century british drama enjoyed a restoration in more than a political sense. Restoration tragedy refers to neoclassical rules making it very imitative.
Restoration drama and prose the restoration of king charles ii to the english throne in 1660 brought a new change in english literature. Students exploring this collection will be presented with a wealth of fascinating and innovative writing in reliable editions, and the richest sampling of the post1660 drama currently available in a single volume. Poets of this time include robert and elizabeth barrett browning, christina rossetti, alfred lord tennyson, and matthew arnold, among others. Social behavior and social manners, then, are big themes in restoration literature. This new anthology provides seventeen key plays by twelve dramatists of the restoration period in an anthology designed specifically for course use, with annotations and judiciously modernized texts. This lesson explores what is known as the restoration era of english literature, which lasted from 1660 to about 1688. John miltons paradise lost which tells the epic tale of the banishment of man from the garden of edenwas published during this period though milton himself was a bit of an outsider to the restoration literary scene, because he identified as a puritan. Dryden was the representative writer of this period. Much of the elizabethan play writers blended tragedy and comedy, whereas the restoration dramatists chose to separate the two nettleton. Restoration through 18thcentury english literature dr. Influence of french literature on the restoration drama. The period from 1660 to 1700 is known as the restoration period or the age of dryden. This course surveys british literature from 16601700 with a focus on poetic forms, drama and emerging prose fiction.
With the political and moral transformation which began in 1688, the very keynote of english literature, as of english life, was greatly changed. The drama, especially comedy of manners proved to be one of the most important genres in the restoration era. Her research concentrates on depictions of gender and sexuality, and she is particularly interested in interrogating the relationship between extraliterary sourcespropaganda pamphlets, circulating broadsides, and popular sermonsand british. Thus, the restoration in drama may last until 1700, while in poetry it may last only until 1666 see 1666 in poetry and the annus mirabilis. It is a brief but wellmarked transition separating the restoration from the age of classicism. Restoration literature, english literature written after the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 following the period of the commonwealth. The restoration and the 18th century british literature wiki. In literature perhaps the most outstanding result of the restoration was the reopening of the theaters, which had been closed since 1642, and a consequent great revival of the drama see english literature. During the restoration period a new literary movement started. The socalled heroic tragedy which had a brief run concurrently with the comedy of manners had also a little of popularity, but was too unnatural and artificial and merely a type of french soil. Restoration literature is the english literature written during the historical period commonly referred to as the english restoration16601689, which corresponds to the last years of the direct stuart reign in england, scotland, wales, and ireland. It was, in brief, a new invention in english literature.
In general, the term is used to denote roughly homogeneous styles of literature that centre on a celebration of or reaction to the restored court of. The restoration refers to the restoration of the monarchy when charles ii was restored to the throne of england following an elevenyear commonwealth period during which the country was governed by parliament under the direction of the puritan general oliver cromwell. Restoration literature is the english literature written during the historical period commonly referred to as the english restoration, which corresponds to the last years of stuart reign in england, scotland, wales, and ireland. The restoration, the controversies and the revolution of 1688 deeply influenced the literature of the age. Usually these tragedies are reworkings of shakespearean plays.
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