Restoration Drama and Prose – Literature | Major English

Old English Literature - Major English | Grade XI

Restoration Drama and Prose – Literature | Major English | Meropaper | HSEB

Restoration Drama:

  • The Monarchy was restored in 1660 under Charles II.
  • Literature also changed, the theatres re-opened and the new dramas were written.
  • The heroic plays were popular during this period.
  • The men are splendidly brave and the women are shown wonderfully beautiful in the heroic plays.
  • ‘The conquest of Granada’ by John Dryden is written in heroic Couplets.
  • His heroic play Aurangzeb about the struggle for empire in India.
  • ‘The Rehearsal’ by the second the Duke of Backinghum is a comedy.
  • Similarly Thomas ottway’s ‘The Orphan’ and Venice preserved are tragedies.
  • The new kind of play, The comedy of manners was introduced by sir George in the end of the 17th
  • Comedy of manners are witty, heartless.
  • They give of picture of the immoral manners of society of the day.
  • ‘The man of mode’ by George Etherege is a comedy of manners.
  • William Congreve’s ‘the old bachelor’ is about an old man. He pretends to hate women bu marries a bad one.
  • Oliver Gold smith, Sir John Vanbrough, Sheridon etc are some dramatists of the restoration period.

Restoration Prose:

  • The prose of the restoration period was clear simple and direct.
  • The criticism was one of the trends of the prose work.
  • ‘Essay on Dramatic Prose’ by Dryden is about the comparison of English and French dramas.
  • John Bunyan’s Prose work is simple and clear. His ‘The pilgrim’s progress’ has given the English language some names of places and people.
  • Bunyan’s the Holy war is his own experiences as soldier on the side of the parliament in the civil war.
  • Similarly, John Locke’s ‘Essay on the Human understanding’ gave a new direction to thought.
  • Locke’s writing style is clear regarding language and ideas.
  • Writing of the diaries has the important places during the Restoration Period.
  • Samuel Pepys, John Evelyn etc. were some well known diarists of the time.
  • Samuel wrote a diary which gives details of many things and events.

Heroic Plays:

  • The heroic play is a form of drama in which men (male character) are splendidly brave and women are wonderfully beautiful.
  • There is a lot of shouting and a good deal of nonsense.
  • These plays are written in heroic couplets.
  • Heroic couplets a form of meter perfected by John Dryden.
  • These are extraordinary situations in the heroic plays.
  • There kinds of situations are sometimes criticized.
  • ‘The conquest of Granada’ is Dryden’s one of the best plays. It contains lyrics and good language.
  • Heroic plays were widely written during the Restoration Period.

Comedy of Manners:

  • A new kind of comedy that was written in the end of the 17th century is called the comedy of manners.
  • Comedy of manners is witty, heartless and hard.
  • This kind of comedy was introduced by George Etherege.
  • ‘The man of mode’ by Etherege is about the immoral manners of the society of the day.
  • Similarly, ‘The old Bachelor’ of William Congreve is about and old man who pretends to hate women but marries a bad one.
  • Williams other comedy of manners are ‘Double Dealer’ love for etc.
  • Sir John Vanbrugh wrote comedies like ‘The Relopse’ the provoked life etc.

Read more articles

Romeo and Juliet – Literature | Major English