Restoration comedy in detail

 Restoration comedy

Restoration comedy was being written to mock at aristocratic people. Scholars like to write it for breaking social or moral taboos. It is a kind of comedy known for it's representation of shallowness in upper class behaviour by showing pretentious nature of people during 18th century. Basically, It is satirical in nature in which obsecurity is a dominant factor. 

Restoration comedy faced criticism because people consider it as immoral due to very authentic nature of comedy (showing obscene things) but various scholars defended it by saying that it was the time period when people were unable to write romantic dramas.

Initially, writers from pre commonwealth period  started imitating the plays from Elizabethan era but that romanticism of Elizabethan comedy was missing in new writings.

Comedy was well flourished at that time but the growth was very slower in comparison to heroic plays. It was mostly influenced by Ben Johnson, Beaumont and Fletcher whereas Moliere provided English dramatists with ideas for plots. 

Replacement of emotions by wit , poetry by clear and concise prose was a remarkable feature of this type of comedy.

Jeremy collier provided a view of immortality and preferences of English stage whereas humour is predominantly found in works of Johnson.

Age of Dryden ( major features and writing style)

 Age of Dryden

Time period - 1660 to 1700

Also known as - Restoration period or 

                             Neoclassical period or

                         Age of Pop or   Age of Dryden

(Because Major writers of the age are Alexander Pop , John Dryden )

        Age of Dryden begins from 1660 after the restoration of monarchy in England. The name of period ' age of Dryden' is flourished from the name of a very popular writer john Dryden. It is also known as Augusten age because Dryden did for this age that is done by King Augustus for Rome.

       After the restoration of king Charles 2 the suppressed activities sprang up and the various forms of literature especially theatre were re introduced . But the two political groups Whigs and Tories came into power because of religious conflicts and impact the literary works deeply. That's why literature emphasize more on political rather than public affairs.

       The literary works are imitated from ancient writers but that romanticism is not there . Influence of French literature especially drama is also seen there and writers start writing heroic plays. The major writers like Dryden copied Elizabethan style but they bend their works according to their own will and it is known as correct school.

Major events and their impact on literature-

  *   Restoration - 

          The restoration of king Charles 2 brought a revolution in literature. It is not only a restoration of monarchy but also a restoration of drama and other forms of literature/ activities that are suppressed during the rule of puritan government. The age become very prominent in comedies. Hence , with the collapse of puritan government, the suppressed activities that were considered as immoral, sprang up.

    * Religious questions -

               Religion of king Charles and his brother was in suspect . There are two major political groups in England that are whigs and Tories.

         Tories ( Irish) believe in the authority of king and church. They were following pepist laws and hereditary rights of king to rule till further generations. That is why they supported James even after knowing about his roman Catholic prejudices.

         Whigs ( Scottish ) came in power after excluding their heir James from throne. They are the followers of puritan government and didn't believe in authority of church.

* The revolution- (1688)

            James succeeded to throne in 1685 but soon reveal his Catholic prejudices and rejected in three years . Literature have also faced a great influence by it and literary works emphasize more political rather than religious side of public affairs.