Indeed, the poetry was so slow that the author became known as "Never-ending Blackmore" (see Alexander Pope's lambasting of Blackmore in The Dunciad). Dryden's solution was a closed couplet in iambic pentameter that would have a minimum of enjambment. Classical Education in the Eighteenth Century, Religion, Politics, and the Glorious Revolution of 1688, Social and Family Life in the Late17th & Early 18th Centuries, http://www.victorianweb.org/previctorian/nc/ncintro.html. What was a "breeches part"? As the genre of "novel" did not exist, these histories were prose fictions based on biography. Those nobles living in Holland began to learn about mercantile exchange as well as the tolerant, rationalist prose debates that circulated in that officially tolerant nation. This was a fictional biography, published as a "true history", of an African king who had been enslaved in Suriname, a colony Behn herself had visited. John Dryden (1631-1700). In Congreve's plays, the give-and-take set pieces of couples still testing their attraction for each other have mutated into witty prenuptial debates on the eve of marriage, as in the famous "Proviso" scene in The Way of the World (1700). ( Log Out /  would enable the practitioners of various arts to imitate or reproduce the structures or themes of Greek or Roman originals” (Victorian Web). The Restoration refers to the restoration of the monarchy when Charles II was restored to the throne of England following an eleven-year Commonwealth period during which the country was governed by Parliament under the direction of the Puritan General Oliver Cromwell. There are few analogues to this prose work. Roger L'Estrange produced both The News and City Mercury, but neither of them was a sustained effort. There was a swing away from comedy to serious political drama, reflecting preoccupations and divisions following on the political crisis. The poetry of Dryden possess all the characteristics of the Restoration period and is therefore thoroughly representative of that age. It also contains a scathing personal attack on Thomas Shadwell who was once a friend of Dryden. Moreover, it was characterised by bombast, exaggeration and sensational effects wherever possible. Edward Bysshe would include numerous quotations from her verse in his Art of English Poetry (1702). John Bunyan (1628-1688). Instead of having Shakespeare and the Elizabethans as their models, the poets and dramatists of the Restoration period began to imitate French writers and especially their vices. The nobility who travelled with (and later travelled to) Charles II were therefore lodged for more than a decade in the midst of the continent's literary scene. Along with the figures mentioned above, the Restoration period saw the beginnings of explicitly political writing and hack writing. Comedies like William Congreve's Love For Love (1695) and The Way of the World (1700), and John Vanbrugh's The Relapse (1696) and The Provoked Wife (1697) were "softer" and more middle class in ethos, very different from the aristocratic extravaganza twenty years earlier, and aimed at a wider audience. For others, it excited the…, …the intimate playhouses of the Restoration and an unusually homogeneous coterie audience of the court circle. This writing for pay was despised by the literary authors, who called it "hack" writing. While some of the Puritan ministers of Oliver Cromwell wrote poetry that was elaborate and carnal (such as Andrew Marvell's poem, "To His Coy Mistress"), such poetry was not published. , and even of minor writers of the Puritan age. Fielding, Henry. After Charles II died in 1685, his brother, James II, took over the throne. However, such dashing heroes were also seen by the audiences as occasionally standing in for noble rebels who would redress injustice with the sword. Much Restoration poetry uses heroic couplets, which are made of rhyming lines of iambic pentameter. Phone: The misogyny in this poem is some of the harshest and most visceral in English poetry: the poem sold out all editions. What he wrote came straight from his heart, and he wrote in the language which came natural to him. For more details see Restoration Politics. is a work of superb literary genius, and it is unsurpassed as an example of plain English. Create your account. Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando Furioso engendered prose narratives of love, peril, and revenge, and Gauthier de Costes, seigneur de la Calprenède's novels were quite popular during the Interregnum and beyond. The period, which also included the reign of James II (1685–88), was marked by an expansion in colonial trade, the Anglo-Dutch Wars, and a revival of drama and literature (see Restoration literature). After 1672 and Samuel Butler's Hudibras, iambic tetrameter couplets with unusual or unexpected rhymes became known as Hudibrastic verse. Restoration period. Although Dryden's reputation is greater today, contemporaries saw the 1670s and 1680s as the age of courtier poets in general, and Edmund Waller was as praised as any. Services. . In addition to news reports, The Athenian Mercury allowed readers to send in questions anonymously and receive a printed answer. [2] Drama was public and a matter of royal concern, and therefore both theatres were charged with producing a certain number of old plays, and Davenant was charged with presenting material that would be morally uplifting. Writers were often found observing nature in their attempts to express their beliefs. They drew Londoners in unprecedented numbers, however, and left them dazzled and delighted. Milton rejected the cause of English exceptionalism: his Paradise Lost seeks to tell the story of all mankind, and his pride is in Christianity rather than Englishness. Bartholomew, A. T. and Peterhouse, M. A. The trend of newspapers would similarly explode in subsequent years; a number of these later papers had runs of a single day and were composed entirely as a method of planting political attacks (Pope called them "Sons of a day" in Dunciad B).• Later Romantic writers, who valued the idea of originality, also prized the meaning of "revolution" which signified a violent break with the past and often represented their work as offering just such a break with tradition. As a consequence, the prose literature of dissent, political theory, and economics increased in Charles II's reign. Restoration literature, English literature written after the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 following the period of the Commonwealth. . Aphra Behn modelled the rake Willmore in her play The Rover on Rochester;[6] and while she was best known publicly for her drama (in the 1670s, only Dryden's plays were staged more often than hers), Behn wrote a great deal of poetry that would be the basis of her later reputation. Dryden, Rochester, Buckingham, and Dorset dominated verse, and all were attached to the court of Charles. More dangerously, wealthy individuals would often respond to satire by having the suspected poet physically attacked by ruffians. This style is, in fact, the most admirably suited to strictly prosaic purposes—correct but not tame, easy but not slipshod, forcible but not unnatural, eloquent but not declamatory, graceful but not lacking in vigour. gives us an opportunity of comparing the method and art of a fourteenth century poet with one belonging to the seventeenth century. It is unusual in another way, as well, for it is a time when the influence of that king's presence and personality permeated literary society to such an extent that, almost uniquely, literature reflects the court. The Restoration refers to the restoration of the monarchy when Charles II was restored to the throne of England following an eleven-year Commonwealth period during which the country was governed by Parliament under the direction of the Puritan General Oliver Cromwell. Charles and his court had also learned the lessons of exile. But it has the formalism, the intellectual precision, the argumentative skill and realism which were the main characteristics of that age. Of course, it cannot be said that the Restoration prose enjoys absolute supremacy in English literature, because on account of the fall of poetic power, lack of inspiration, preference of the merely practical and prosaic subjects and approach to life, it could not reach those heights which it attained in the preceding period in the hands of Milton and Browne, or in the succeeding ages in the hands of Lamb, Hazlitt, Ruskin and Carlyle. The need to rise to the challenges of the other house made playwrights and managers extremely responsive to public taste, and theatrical fashions fluctuated almost week by week. Jonathan Swift would use the Hudibrastic form almost exclusively for his poetry. If "Restoration literature" is the literature that reflects and reflects upon the court of Charles II, Restoration drama arguably ends before Charles II's death, as the playhouse moved rapidly from the domain of courtiers to the domain of the city middle classes. It was, to its own people, an age dominated only by the king, and not by any single genius. The first was written when Dryden was a Protestant, and it defends the Anglican Church. While Charles II did have his own version of the Test Act, he was slow to jail or persecute Puritans, preferring merely to keep them from public office (and therefore to try to rob them of their Parliamentary positions). It can be considered to end with the Glorious Revolution, which is the disposition of James II by William III. Available to readers were versions of the stories of Reynard the Fox, as well as various indigenous folk tales, such as the various Dick Whittington and Tom Thumb fables. Jacob has his master's in English and has taught multiple levels of literature and composition, including junior high, college, and graduate students. Greater knowledge of the workings of the restoration stage helps to debunk one of the common criticisms of Aphra Behn: that is, the accusation that she could not be taken seriously as a writer because a perceived link between prostitution and professional writing. The literature of the period was incredibly diverse and included Restoration comedy, a sexually charged form of theatre, as well as the beginning of journalism. The Restoration also saw the beginning of formal journalism - people began learning about current events through large printed sheets. “Essay on Criticism.” The Longman Anthology of British Literature. However, he was attached to the Earl of Dorset's household, and Gould somehow learned to read and write, as well as possibly to read and write Latin. Cavalier and Puritan: Writers of the Couplet: Sir William D’Avenant; Critical and Historical Essays — Volume 2, The Age of Dryden: The Restoration Drama: Public Interest in Acting, The Cambridge History of English and American Literature, Literature of the Commonwealth and Protectorate, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Restoration_literature&oldid=979668937, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Rochester's poetry is almost always sexually frank and is frequently political. However, the period saw the beginnings of the first professional and periodical (meaning that the publication was regular) journalism in England. In addition to conveniently providing the title for the period, the restoration of Charles II has a particularly defining influence on the literature that was written in the second half of the 17th century. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Miller, H. K., G. S. Rousseau and Eric Rothstein. He had no schooling at all and worked as a domestic servant, first as a footman and then, probably, in the pantry. Thus with the change in the temper of the people, a new type of prose, as was developed in the Restoration period, was essential. Each of these poets wrote for the stage as well as the page. Human nature was considered a constant that observation and reason could be applied to for the advancement of knowledge. I. This form allowed writers to produce lofty and philosophical poetry; in a famous poem titled Absalom and Achitophel, for example, John Dryden uses heroic couplets. The novelty would show in the literature of sceptical inquiry, and the Gallicism would show in the introduction of Neoclassicism into English writing and criticism. 2. Its function was to acknowledge a problem in society and attempt to reform the problem in a comical manner while still educating the public. The mid-1670s were a high point of both quantity and quality, with John Dryden's Aureng-zebe (1675), William Wycherley's The Country Wife (1675) and The Plain Dealer (1676), George Etherege's The Man of Mode (1676), and Aphra Behn's The Rover (1677), all within a few seasons. ( Log Out /  As Janet Todd and others have shown, she was likely a spy for the Royalist side during the Interregnum. Therefore, it ran for six years, produced four books that spun off from the columns, and then received a bound publication as The Athenian Oracle. Under his guidance, the English writers evolved a style—precise, formal and elegant—which is called the classical style, and which dominated English literature for more than a century. The novel is highly romantic, sexually explicit, and political. credit-by-exam regardless of age or education level. When the court moved back to Whitehall later in the year, the title London Gazette was adopted (and is still in use today). But then the writers of the period began to evolve something that was characteristic of the times and they made two important contributions to English literature in the form of realism and a tendency to preciseness. He also pioneered the mock-heroic. Later this tendency to realism became more wholesome, and the writers tried to portray realistically human life as they found it—its good as well as bad side, its internal as well as external shape. He was an unlettered country tinker believing in righteousness and in disgust with the corruption and degradation that prevailed all around him. The divisions between those who supported a more traditional form of government and those who wanted a more republican form of government led to strong tensions throughout England. Sir William Davenant was the first Restoration poet to attempt an epic. One of Charles's first moves was to reopen the theatres and to grant letters patent giving mandates for the theatre owners and managers. John Dunton and the "Athenian Society" (actually a mathematician, minister, and philosopher paid by Dunton for their work) began publishing in 1691, just after the reign of William III and Mary II began. chronological order, is a brief description of each period and major writers within it. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Charles II arrived in London on the 30th birthday of what had already been a remarkably eventful life. Inasmuch as these novels were largely read in French or in translation from French, they were associated with effeminacy. Thanks I have been studying for my exam from your post , ur blog is always useful…..and ur writings are superb…professor… ! Charles spent his time attending plays in France, and he developed a taste for Spanish plays. As a woman, a commoner, and Kentish, she is remarkable for her success in moving in the same circles as the King himself. Always care for it up!Feel free to visit my web page – slc-wireless.com, Hw do I learn dis in a gud way .i dont speak languag proplt. 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 most popular form of drama was the Comedy of Manners which portrayed the sophisticated life of the dominant class of society—its gaiety, foppery, insolence and intrigue. We'll look at the context, themes, and styles that define this period of literature. It was, to its own people, an age dominated only by the king, and not by any single genius. 15 chapters | Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. In contrast to the poetry popular in the first half of the 17th century that emphasized religious truths, Restoration poetry focused more on the glory and powerful potential of human beings to understand and improve the world. Therefore, a top-down view of the literary history of the Restoration has more validity than that of most literary epochs. All rights reserved. Restoration Period (1660-1700) This period marks the British king's restoration to the throne after a long period of Puritan domination in England. They were more concerned with vices rather than with virtues. Create an account to start this course today. Additionally, the age also developed the mock-heroic couplet. Charles II sponsored the Royal Society, which courtiers were eager to join (for example, the noted diarist Samuel Pepys was a member), just as Royal Society members moved in court. is one of the best odes in the English language. The industry of religious tract writing, despite official efforts, did not reduce its output. Afraid of the policies James II might introduce, William III removed James II in 1688 and took over the English throne in 1689. He also published the first periodical designed for women "The Ladies' Mercury". just create an account. [1] Courtiers also received an exposure to the Roman Catholic Church and its liturgy and pageants, as well as, to a lesser extent, Italian poetry. As the common people still under the influence of Puritanism had no love for the theatres, the dramatists had to cater to the taste of the aristocratic class which was highly fashionable, frivolous, cynical and sophisticated. Figures such as the founder of the Society of Friends, George Fox, were jailed by the Cromwellian authorities and published at their own peril. | 10 Locke's empiricism was an attempt at understanding the basis of human understanding itself and thereby devising a proper manner for making sound decisions. Thomas Sprat wrote his History of the Royal Society in 1667 and set forth, in a single document, the goals of empirical science ever after. He came of age in Europe, a child... Charles II arrived in London on the 30th birthday of what had already been a remarkably eventful life. Coincidentally or by design, England began to have newspapers just when William came to court from Amsterdam, where there were already newspapers being published. Most of these were in verse, but some circulated in prose. As Dr. Johnson remarked: “This is the great merit of the book, that the most cultivated man cannot find anything to praise more highly, and the child knows nothing more amusing.”. Like. In the beginning realism took an ugly shape, because the writers painted the real pictures of the corrupt society and court. www.profnaeem.blogspot.com Many poets cited the importance of learning from Greek and Roman poets, and some became famous for their translations of ancient poetry. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Restoration drama had a bad reputation for three centuries. Anyone can earn In the 1660s and 1670s, the London scene was vitalised by the competition between the two patent companies. The Restoration spectacular, or elaborately staged machine play, hit the London public stage in the late 17th-century Restoration period, enthralling audiences with action, music, dance, moveable scenery, baroque illusionistic painting, gorgeous costumes, and special effects such as trapdoor tricks, "flying" actors, and fireworks. Thus the basis of the Restoration drama was very narrow. To learn more, visit our Earning Credit Page. Dryden Epic). In 1665, Muddiman produced the Oxford Gazette as a digest of news of the royal court, which was in Oxford to avoid the plague in London. This page was last edited on 22 September 2020, at 02:29. You recognize thus significantly with regards to this topic, made me for my part believe it from numerous numerous angles. degrees in Curriculum and Development and Mental Health Counseling, followed by a Ph.D. in English. One of the most significant figures in the rise of the novel in the Restoration period is Aphra Behn. As it was not based on the observations of life, there was no realistic characterisation, and it inevitably ended happily, and virtue was always rewarded.