NET (English) Complete Course

Learn English Literature with Kalyani Vallath

MODULE 4 READING
This reading material gives you information on the following:
Module 4: British Literature of the 17th Century: The Restoration Period
Lecture (a) Restoration Period and Restoration Comedy
Lecture (b) John Dryden
Lecture (c) Other Writers of the Restoration Period

British Literature of the 17th Century: The Restoration Period

Introduction

The Restoration period witnessed the end of the Puritan interregnum and the monarchy
was restored under the “Merry Monarch” Charles II in 1660. Theatres were reopened and the
Church of England was restored as the national church. The Restoration period was a turbulent
age, witnessing many events that changed the face of the English history. The wars with the
Dutch, the 1665-66 Plague, 1666 Great Fire of London, the establishment of the Royal Society,
the conspiracy of the “Popish Plot”, the spread of anti-Catholic hysteria, the Exclusion Crisis and
the Glorious Revolution are some of the important events. The Whigs introduced the Exclusion
Bill in the Parliament in order to exclude Catholics from inheriting the English throne. They
favoured the succession of Duke of Monmouth. The Tories favoured Charles’s brother James.
This resulted in a skirmish between the two political factions, Whigs and Tories. Though James
II came to power, he was ousted from power in the Glorious Revolution or the Bloodless
Revolution of 1688. Following the revolution, William and Mary established a joint monarchy.

During the Restoration period, libertine verse became popular and the epic was regarded
as the highest genre. Satire flourished and there was an immense influence of the French writers
on the literature of the period. Modern prose came into being. The most important writer of the
Restoration period was John Dryden. The other major writers before Dryden were Samuel Butler
and Sir William D’Avenant. Samuel Butler wrote the long burlesque poem Hudibras in 3 parts
(1663, 1664 and 1678). Hudibras is the first great verse satire in English composed in
octosyllabic couplets. The name Hudibras is taken from
Books for Detailed Reading Spenser’s Faerie Queene. The famous works of
for this Module William D’Avenant are Gondibert (an epic poem,
A Contemporary Encyclopedia of 1652) and The Siege of Rhodes (opera, perf. 1656).
British Literature Vol. 1. Ed. Kalyani
Vallath, published by Bodhi Tree John Dryden is the first neoclassical critic. He
Books and Publications, 2016.
became the Poet Laureate in 1668 and the
(Chapters 11)
Historiographer Royal in 1670. Dryden’s early poems
are historical while the later ones are satirical. He wrote the epillyon Absalom and Achitophel
(1681) to defend the king’s party. It is a Juvenalian satire written in heroic couplets. The epic
celebrates the victory of Charles II over his enemies in the Exclusion Crisis. The biblical story of
the rebellion of Absalom against his father David is used by Dryden in this poem. The characters
Absalom and Achitophel stand for Duke of Monmouth and the Earl of Shaftesbury respectively.
The second part of Absalom and Achitophel was mostly written by Nahum Tate. Here, Thomas
Shadwell, the Whig poet is satirised as Og. The Medal (1682) is a satirical attack by Dryden on
Shaftesbury and the Whig medal. Mac Flecknoe (1682) is composed in heroic couplets and
portrays Thomas Shadwell as the descendant of the dull poet Richard Flecknoe. In 1682, Dryden
wrote Religio Laici, or a Layman’s Faith in support of Anglicanism and in 1687, after his
conversion to Catholicism, he wrote The Hind and the Panther in support of the Roman Catholic
Church.

The two prominent genres of Restoration drama were Heroic Drama and Comedy of
Manners (Restoration comedy). The chief feature of heroic drama is the emotional turmoil
experienced by the hero as he struggles between duty and personal honour. The best heroic plays
of this age were written by John Dryden: The Rival Ladies (1664), The Indian Emperor (1665),
Tyrannick Love, or, The Royal Martyr (1669), The Conquest of Granada (1670) and Aureng-
Books for Reference for this Chapter Zebe (1675). The chief features of Restoration comedy
are intrigues, parallel plots, stereotypes, upper-class
European History in a Day. Ed Kalyani characters, conflict between the sexes, sexual deceit,
Vallath, published by Bodhi Tree Books
etc. Some of the writers of Restoration comedy are
and Publications, 2015.
William Wycherley, William Congreve, George
English Literature and Literary Theory: Etherege, George Farquhar and Sir John Vanbrugh.
A Compact Guide for Quick Revision. Ed. The popular plays of Wycherley is The Country Wife
Kalyani Vallath, published by Bodhi (1675) and The Plain Dealer (perf. 1676). The Way of
Tree Books and Publications, 2015.
the World (1700) is the masterpiece of William
Wycherley. In the play, Mirabell is in love with
Millamant and wins her hand after some intrigues. The Comical Revenge, or Love in a Tub (perf.
1664) and The Man of Mode, or Sir Fopling Flutter (1676) are the famous works of George
Etherege.

The restoration age witnessed the birth of modern prose. There were two major diarists in
this period, Samuel Pepys (1633-1703) and John Evelyn (1620-1706). The other prose writers
are John Locke who wrote Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1690) and Sir William
Temple who wrote An Essay upon the Present State and Settlement of Ireland (1668). The most
famous religious allegory written during this period is The Pilgrim’s Progress (1678) by John
Bunyan. It is a dream allegory of the character Christian’s pilgrimage from the City of
Destruction to the Celestial City, the Heavenly Jerusalem. The part two of this work recounts the
journey of his wife Christiana with her four sons and neighbour Mercy to the Celestial City.
Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (1666) is Bunyan’s spiritual autobiography. Mrs. Aphra
Benn was the first Englishwoman to perceive herself as a professional writer. Oroonoko: The
Royal Slave (1688) is her famous novel. Eliza Heywood is another female writer of the period.

In a Nutshell

 Monarchy restored under Charles II in 1660

o “Merry Monarch”
 Features of the Age
o Wars with the Dutch
o 1665-66 – Plague broke out again
o 1666 Great Fire of London
o Religious tolerance; but Charles secretly favoured Catholicism
o Literature flourished
o Royal Society established
o “Popish Plot” and anti-Catholic hysteria
o Exclusion Crisis
 Whigs favoured the succession of Duke of Monmouth
 Tories favoured Charles’s brother James
 Brother James II came to power, but was ousted from power in the
Glorious Revolution
 Poetry
o The epic was held as the highest genre
o Satire also flourished
o Emphasis on urbanity, decorum, elegance and “sweetness of numbers”
o Samuel Butler (1612-80)
 Hudibras (1663, 1664, 1678)
o Sir William D’Avenant (1606-68)
 Gondibert (1652)
 John Dryden (1631-1700)
o Absalom and Achitophel (1681)
o The Medal (1682)
o Mac Flecknoe (1682) Useful Books for Reference
o Religio Laici, or a Layman’s Faith for this Chapter
(1682) Analysis of Literary Texts. Ed. Kalyani
 Drama Vallath, published by Bodhi Tree
o Development of Restoration drama Books and Publications.
illustrated the rise and decline of an
Complete Guide to English Literature.
aristocratic ideal in England Ed. Kalyani Vallath, published by
o Two predominant genres Bodhi Tree Books and Publications.
 Heroic drama
 Dryden
  Comedy of Manners (Restoration Comedy)
 William Wycherley (1640-1716)
o The Country Wife (1675)
o The Plain Dealer (perf. 1676)
 William Congreve (1670-1729)
o The Way of the World (1700)
 George Etherege (1635-91)
o The Comical Revenge, or Love in a Tub (perf. 1664)
o The Man of Mode, or Sir Fopling Flutter (1676)
 George Farquhar (1678-1707)
o The Recruiting Officer (1706)
o The Beaux’ Stratagem (1707)
 Sir John Vanbrugh (1664-1726)
o The Provoked Wife (1697)
 Colley Cibber (1671- 1757)
o Love’s Last Shift: The Fool in Fashion (1696)
 Thomas Shadwell (c. 1642-92)
o The Sullen Lovers (1668)
o The Squire of Alsatia (1688)
 Prose
Useful Test Papers:
o The age witnessed the birth of modern prose
o Critical prose A Treasurehouse of Multiple Choice
o Prototypes of the novel Questions Vol. 1-9. Ed. Kalyani
o Diary Writers Vallath, published by Bodhi Tree
 Samuel Pepys (1633-1703) Books and Publications.
 John Evelyn (1620-1706)
o Other Prose Writers Glimpses of British Literature. Ed.
 John Locke (1632-1704) Kalyani Vallath, published by Bodhi
Tree Books and Publications.
 Essay Concerning Human
Understanding (1690)
 Sir William Temple (1628-99)
 An Essay upon the Present State and Settlement of Ireland (1668)
 John Bunyan (1628-88)
 The Pilgrim’s Progress (1678)
 Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (1666)
 Women Writers
o Aphra Behn (1640-89)
 Oroonoko: The Royal Slave (1688)
o Eliza Haywood (1693-1756)
 The History of Jemmy and Jenny Jessamy (1753)