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. Appealing to a fairly narrow audience of aristocrats in the recently reopened theatres, restoration comedy relied upon. Yet any survey of english literature would be substantially poorer if it didnt mention aphra behn, william wycherley, or william congreve. It was drama in the epic mode grand, rhetorical and. The first situates the drama in its social context, the second explores the wide range of drama and. As compared to the tragedy of the restoration age, this. Some 500 plays survive, though only a handful of them are performed today, and few playwrights have achieved lasting fame. List of books and articles about restoration drama. But it was well that, before these general french influences had made themselves felt, a new dramatist, also schooled in france, began in his productions to give expression to the contemporary ideal of polite society and to adapt to the changed. Restoration as a historical period was a time when england was an established colonial power in the world. Restoration drama and modern criticism, forum for modern language studies, volume iii, issue 2, 1 april 1967, pages 184187. 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. Restoration drama and modern criticism forum for modern. This book is the first collection of modern critical essays on restoration drama, reflecting the variety in current approaches to a subject of critical interest and controversy since the time of john dryden.
We generally notice two kinds of developments in this period, namely the heroic plays and the comedy of manners. Restoration drama students britannica kids homework help. A manner is a method in which everyday duties are performed. The routledge anthology of restoration and eighteenthcentury drama kristina straub. However, restoration comedy was indebted to the jonsonian school as well as to beaumont and fletcher. The period from 1660 to 1700 is known as the restoration period or the age of dryden. Women a11d feminism in restoration drama university press of kentucky 1996. Epic church historywatch as the kirtland temple is dedicated and struggle with the willie martin handcart company who suffered in martins cove. This book is about the plays of the exclusion crisis, and more broadly about the relationship of restoration theatre and potential crisis. Presentation about the restoration period of drama, the most popular type of comedy of the age comedy of manners and richard sheridan, who wrote the school f slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. Restoration drama definition of restoration drama by the. Social behavior and social manners, then, are big themes in restoration literature. Oct 08, 2012 the period from 1660 to 1700 is known as the restoration period or the age of dryden. These plays were quite different from elizabethan plays in some ways.
The term is often used to refer to the entire period from 1660 to the fall of james ii in 1688, and in english literature the restoration period often called the age of dryden is. This article was originally published in a short history of the theatre. List of books and articles about restoration drama online. An introduction to restoration comedy the british library. The men are splendidly brave and the women are shown wonderfully. Through reenactments, live interviews, and onsite cinematography the awardwinning epic series of the docudrama of the restoration deepens testimonies through the astonishing history of the church while visiting historical sites. Without question, comic drama was the signature genre for the period in english history that began with the restoration of the monarchy when charles ii returned from exile in france.
The king was received with wild joy on his return from exile. The term restoration is also used to describe the period of several years after, in which a new political settlement was established. Restoration drama and prose literature major english meropaper hseb restoration drama. Restoration drama characteristics restoration tragedy and restoration comedy theatres were closed during the puritan age. A summary of restoration drama, the commedy of manner. The cynical decadence of the age was alien to the spirit of the elizabethan romantic comedy. Jun 21, 2018 restoration comedy was written and performed from about 1660 to 1700, flourishing in the period after the restoration of the stuart monarchy. The restoration and the augustan age the restoration 1660 1714 charles ii 1660 1685 two political parties are founded.
The theatres which were indoor were much smaller than the elizabethan theatres. 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. Restoration and eighteenthcentury drama british literature. This genre refers to english comedies written and performed in the restoration period from 1660 a. Dryden was the representative writer of this period. The topics cover questions of cultural history, poetics, and the career of the periods major artists. Without question, comic drama was the signature genre for the period in english history that began with the restoration of the monarchy when charles ii returned from exile in. They were interested in all the drama that went on in the society in which they lived. 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. A kind of english comedy, usually in the form of the comedy of manners, that flourished during the restoration period in england i. Restoration theatre is most noted for the comedy of manners values had changed since shakespeares day. It is an entertainment form which satirizes the manners and affections of social class or of multiple classes.
The restoration writers werent interested in silly things like nature ew, dirt, or grand philosophical questions ugh, boring. Jul 12, 2017 presentation about the restoration period of drama, the most popular type of comedy of the age comedy of manners and richard sheridan, who wrote the school f slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. Heroic plays showed the heroic virtues in noble men, and the women were described as wonderfully beautiful. Langhans restoration dramatic theory and criticism paul d. It was a time of materialism and commerce and the people of the period emphasized money, pleasure and sex. Artificiality and immorality were the defining features of the age. The monarchy was restored in 1660 under charles ii.
Literature also changed, the theatres reopened and the new dramas were written. 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 stuart reign in england, scotland, wales, and ireland. The restoration of king charles ii in 1660 marks the beginning of a new era both in the life and the literature of england. Aspects of the political language of the toryism of the.
Comedy of manners is used as a synonym of restoration comedy. The drama of this period can be broken into two categories, comedies and tragedies. Four great restoration comedies dover thrift editions. The drama reflected the laxity of court morals through broad satire, farce, wit, and bawdy comedy.
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. The material covered ranges from milton to blake, and focuses on literary forms which include elements of fiction epic, drama, novel. Four great restoration comedies dover thrift editions william wycherley. Notes on restoration comedy or comedy of manners all about. How did edith whartons home end up threatened with foreclosure. 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.
The first part of the book considers the drama s engagement with its times from a chronological perspective and the drama s relationship to political ideology in a wider sense. Heroic tragedy is a name given to the form of tragedy which had some vogue in the beginning of the restoration period 16601700. Owen teaches in the department of english literature at the university of sheffield. A witty, bawdy seventeenthcentury comedy of the type popular in england after the restoration of charles ii to the throne. Lingua inglese contesto storico del periodo che va dalla restoration allaugustan age. As compared to the tragedy of the restoration age, this genre achieved greater distinction and shame. The first part of the book considers the dramas engagement with its times from a chronological perspective and the dramas relationship to political ideology in a wider sense. Restoration, in english history, the reestablishment of the monarchy on the accession 1660 of charles ii after the collapse of the commonwealth see under commonwealth and the protectorate. 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. Publication date 1918 topics english drama publisher madison, wis. Cannan theatrical regulation during the restoration period matthew j.
Restoration drama and prose literature major english. During the restoration age, they reopened with new types of plays and performances which were different than the before. Much of the elizabethan play writers blended tragedy and comedy, whereas the restoration dramatists chose to separate the two nettleton. The drama, especially comedy of manners proved to be one of the most important genres in the restoration era. When they reopened, during the restoration, it was with a new type of play and changed. It started developing after reopening of the theatres in 1660.
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. Types of restoration drama during the time of the restoration, 18th century drama was very critical. This book is the first collection of modern critical essays on restoration drama, reflecting the variety in current approaches to a subject of. Restoration drama unique fusion between elizabethan stage conventions and italian and french styles french culture was especially influential in restoration society charles ii had spent his exile in france james ii had ties with catholic europe serious drama heroic tragedy dealt with extraordinary characters who undertook. Restoration drama appunti di inglese letteratura gratis. The reality and the myth, an attack upon restoration comedy. Restoration drama synonyms, restoration drama pronunciation, restoration drama translation, english dictionary definition of restoration drama. T hen came the gallant protest of the restoration, when wycherley and his successors in drama commenced to write of contemporary life in much the spirit of modern musical comedy. Under invitation by leaders of the english commonwealth, charles ii, the exiled king of england, lands at dover, england, to assume the throne and end 11 years of. Restoration comedy is english comedy written and performed in the restoration period from 1660 to 1710. Covering dramatic work in the period from 1660 to 1710, this book is divided into three sections. Notes on restoration comedy or comedy of manners all. Etherege and his place in the history of restoration drama.
In relation to restoration drama, the category of social class functions both synchronically, as the basis of late twentieth. After public stage performances had been banned for 18 years by the puritan regime, the reopening of the theatres in 1660 signalled a renaissance of english drama. Restoration comedy was written and performed from about 1660 to 1700, flourishing in the period after the restoration of the stuart monarchy. Leading names include william wycherley the country wife, 1675, george. Aspects of the political language of the toryism of the exclusion crisis have. In certain contexts it may be used to cover the whole period of the later stuart monarchs as far as the. Restoration drama plays and performances in the period following the restoration of charles ii, when the theatres reopened. The oriental in restoration drama by wann, louis, b. The post1660 theatres as performance spaces edward a. Reading the politics of restoration drama oxford scholarship. So writers began to look for new models to follow classics of the past. Sep 03, 2016 continues the restoration trend for satire and mockheroic poems. A companion to restoration drama wiley online books.