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. Thomas betterton is widely regarded as the greatest actor of the english restoration period. The drama, especially comedy of manners proved to be one of the most important genres in the restoration era. The restoration age is probably one of the most interesting and important, if not one of the richest, periods in the history of english literature. Literature during this period was often considered a tool for the advancement of knowledge. Restoration drama and prose literature major english. Literature also changed, the theatres reopened and the new dramas were written.
Restoration drama and prose literature major english meropaper hseb restoration drama. 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. 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. Samples of prescriptiv e criticism in english literature 106 periods reverence for the classics, dennis argues t hat a strict adherence to. Restoration prose in literature characteristics and writers. The restoration period of english literature roughly lasts from 1660 to 1688. Charles ii comes to the throne from exile, he is later followed by his brother james ii who is eventually deposed and exiled as a result of the glorious revolution of 1688. What are some restoration period features, important.
This restoration brought about a revolutionary change in social life and literature. Literature of the reformation era gives the website addresses of the literature so students wanting to study certain works more in depth may do so. English abstract the restoration age is probably one of the most interesting and important, if not one of the richest, periods in the history of english literature. For literature from specific englishspeaking regions, see the see also section at the bottom of the page. This chronology is meant to help provide a sense of historical context for students of restoration and 18thcentury british literature.
The chronology is intended for browsing, with the assumption that meandering through portions of it is the best way to get a sense of the historical context around the specific moment or era you are interested in. Sample writers include john dryden, john lock, sir william temple. The age of dryden a website with detailed analyses of the literary, cultural, and political aspects of the restoration period. Politics, religion, and society under the tudors and stuarts hist 251 in this lecture professor wrightson discusses the restoration settlement of 1660 and the reigns of. Restoration period in english history english summary. Restoration literature is the english literature written during the historical period commonly referred to as the english restoration 16601689, which. The old english language or anglosaxon is the earliest form of english. Dec 26, 2016 the period from 1660 to 1700 is named as the restoration period.
Human nature was considered a constant that observation and reason could be applied to for the advancement of knowledge. The literature tendencies of the restoration age in the. Understand the basic concept of history of english literature. The people of england were suffering from tension due to strict rule of cromwell. Restoration comedy reveals both the influence of french farce the english court spent its exile in france and of jacobean comedy. The monarchy was restored in 1660 under charles ii. The monarchical restoration was accompanied by the reopening of english theatres that were closed during. Restoration literature, english literature written after the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 following the period of the commonwealth. It generously fed the publics appetite for broad satire, high style, and a licentiousness that justified the worst puritan imaginings.
Politically, the era followed nearly two decades of civil unrest and war. Choose from 500 different sets of restoration english literature flashcards on quizlet. This lesson explores what is known as the restoration era of english literature, which lasted from 1660 to about 1688. In academia, the term often labels departments and programmes practising english studies in secondary and tertiary educational systems. The restoration period in english literature is a short one, lasting from 16601688 and corresponding with the restoration of the stuart monarchy to the english throne. 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 period from 1660 to 1700 is named as the restoration period. The period begins with the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 bringing charles ii from his exile in france. The cynical decadence of the age was alien to the spirit of the elizabethan romantic comedy. 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. In the restoration period, charles ii was restored to the throne. Writers were often found observing nature in their attempts to express their beliefs. The term restoration is used to describe both the actual event by which the monarchy was restored, and the period of several years afterwards in which a new. And we hope a course using literature of the reformation era.
The restoration period has given us some of the most important religious literature in the english language. Learn restoration english literature with free interactive flashcards. Literary criticism implies the intellectual capacity to evaluate and understand the literary text, the analysis of particular works being the main aim of literary criticism, but, though achieved by most of the critics prior to the twentieth century. The restoration and the 18th century british literature wiki. The old english period or the anglosaxon period refers to the literature produced from the invasion of celtic england by germanic tribes in the first half of the fifth century to the conquest of england in 1066 by william the conqueror. Thus the nation welcomed the restoration of charles ii. Restoration period 16601700 the restoration age begins in 1660. However, restoration comedy was indebted to the jonsonian school as well as to beaumont and fletcher. Pdf the beginnings of british literature old english anglo. 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. In general, the term is used to denote roughly homogeneous styles of literature that center. This means chiefly 1 tracing in a general way, from period to period, the social life of the.
In this lesson, we will examine the characteristics and literature of this time period. Historically speaking, the period is rather homogenious and in many ways it seems to be mirroring the. Political, social and economic background to restoration england. The period is a long one and it is generally considered that old english was spoken from about a. 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. Neoclassical literature was written between 1660 and 1798. Another of the twentieth centurys defining features is radical artistic experiment. The boundarybreaking art, literature, and music of the first decades of the century are the subject of the topic modernist experiment. 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. Restoration through 18thcentury english literature dr. The restoration and the eighteenth century the period from 1660. Oct 08, 2012 the period from 1660 to 1700 is known as the restoration period or the age of dryden. The king was received with wild joy on his return from exile.
It begins with charles ii returning to the throne following the rule of various republican governments that ruled. Jul 18, 2018 a brief history of english literature pdf. Slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. The restoration age was an important era in the development of english prose. Pdf version by solitude among the most important works of this period is the poem beowulf, which has achieved national epic status in britain. 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. During the old english period, written literature began to develop from oral. 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. Its symptoms include the dominance of french and classical influences on poetry and drama. Beowulf, the earliest literature, the national epic of the anglosaxon, one of. Feb 05, 2010 hindi lecture on restoration age and neoclassical age fornta net, dsssb,tgt, pgt, kv, lt grade exams duration. This period marks the british kings restoration to the throne after a long period of puritan domination in england. The cambridge history of english and american literature. Many of the poems of the period are pagan, in particular widsith and beowulf.
Apr 28, 2014 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. English literature is as diverse as the varieties and dialects of english spoken around the world. It started developing after reopening of the theatres in 1660. There is now a plethora of such resources available on the internet.
The important periods in the history of english literature the old english 450ad 1066ad the middle english 1066ad1500ad the renaissance period 15001600 the elizabethan period 15581603 the jacobean period 16031625 the caroline period 16251649 the puritan period 16491660 the restoration period 1660. The literature not only represents authors or writers from almost every part of the world but also it had untapped almost every major genre of writings that one could possibly imagine. Restoration literature english literary period britannica. Download pdf of the 8 different ages of english literature and get quick easy notes on them. 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. History of english literature pdf included periods of. For some, the restoration of king charles ii in 1660 led many to a painful revaluation of the political hopes and millenarian expectations bred during two decades of civil war and republican government. In general, the term is used to denote roughly homogenous styles of literature that center on a. English literature english literature the restoration.
In certain contexts it may be used to cover the whole period of the later stuart monarchs as far as the death of. The monarchical restoration was accompanied by the reopening of english theatres that were closed during cromwells puritan regime and the restoration. Among the leading aesthetic innovators of this era were the composer igor stravinsky, the cubist pablo picasso, and. Dryden was the representative writer of this period. 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. Pdf the beginnings of british literature old 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. The term restoration is also used to describe the period of several years after, in which a new political settlement was established.
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. The period from 1660 to 1700 is known as the restoration period or the age of dryden. The men are splendidly brave and the women are shown wonderfully. The british restoration period 1660 1798 also known as the augustan age, the neoclassical period, the enlightenment, and the age of reason i. Poets of this time include robert and elizabeth barrett browning, christina rossetti, alfred lord tennyson, and matthew arnold, among others. It was the period when english prose moved from antiquity to modernity. Betterton was born in or around the year 1635 in london, england. Hindi lecture on restoration age and neoclassical age fornta net, dsssb,tgt, pgt, kv, lt grade exams duration. John miltons paradise lostwhich 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. One such peak for the english language was the early modern period of the 16th to 18th century, a period sometimes referred to as the golden age of english literature other peaks include the industrial revolution of the late 18th and early 19th century, and the computer and digital age of the late 20th century, which is still continuing today. The literature tendencies of the restoration age in the perspectives of john dryden and robert burns dr.
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