The Restoration and the 18th Century

The Age of Reason or the Augustan Age

- Enlightment in France, in French literature
- England was a protestant country dogmatic rules, religion of moral duty
The centre of concern in England shifted from the government to the individual
people. Decisions were made for men and by men.
- The Church of England it was the state religion. They had to fight
constantly with the Catholics to preserve the authority.
This fight reflected the fears of the church, the fears of the king, as the
kings power was in a state of instability.
Charles II was always afraid, love of pleasure, special taste for music,
entertainment, lacked moral depth
William II and Mary the Commons had more power
George III the state really started to flourish, time of developing in literature as
well
His chief minister was William Pitt
- reduced waste in government offices
- revised the tax and customs systems
- reduced the national debt
- stimulated trade
Time of Restoration break in the continuity of English literature
- The Royal Society great influence on language as well
Augustan Age looking back to the grace and prosperity of classical writers.
They imitated them. (Augustan was a patron of writers and authors.) The same
was true at the age of Charles II but not at George III.

Literature
The age of beginning of prose-fiction.
The Puritans closed the theatres in 1642. It destroyed the tradition of
playmaking and acting.
After the Restoration the need of the society was different.
The New Drama
- lot of comedies but only a few dramas
- different theatre stages far away from the audience lack of connection
- women players plays became more realistic
Theatres were not for everybody, only one class.
Writers: John Dryden
William Congreve: The Way of the World masterpiece of Restoration
comedy
Opera appeared, especially Italian ones.
John Gay: The Beggars Opera
Poetry
The age was classical - social conventions are more important than individual
convictions.
- reason is more important than emotion
- form is more important than content
poets: Alexander Pope
Oliver Goldsmith
George Crabbe
Dr Samuel Johnson

James Thomson
Thomas Gray
William Collins
William Cowper

Prose
The rise of the novel the rise of the middle-class. New class with new
requirements. New themes, new customers. Women has important part.
Sources of the novel: journalism, voyage literature, journal, biography, private
forms of prose, pieces of earlier prose fictions.