Intro to literature 7

1. SeventhMeeting – restorationdrama and prose
In this age, the tragic drama was mainly made up of
heroic plays.
In 1642, theaters were closed. In 1660 (King Charles II’s
era), they were opened again. So, it is called Restoration
Era.
Characteristics:
• the men were splendidly brave
• the women were extremely beautiful
• there was a lot of shouting
• there was a good deal of nonsense..

2. Authors and their literary works:
• John Dryden:
The Conquest of Granada (1670): a heroic play about the
battle between the Moors and the Spanish during the fall of
Granada.
Auren-gzebe (1676): a heroic play about the struggle of an
empire in India led by Aurengzeb.
Why should a foolish marriage vow,
Which long ago was made,
Oblige us to each other now,
When passion is decayed?
So, from those verse above, what do you think Dryden’s view
on marriage was?
Marriage-a-la-Mode (1672): Dryden’s first comedy, in bad
blank verse.

3. Authors and their literary works:
All for Love (or The World Well Lost) (1678): a blank verse
play based on Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra.
Don Sebastian (1691): a play based on the possibility that
Sebastian, King of Portugal, did not die in battle.
The Rehearsal (1672): a play with intentionally foolish plot
made as a satire to show the stupidity of the extraordinary
situations in heroic plays.
• John Dryden:
• Duke of Buckingham II:

4. Authors and their literary works:
• Thomas Otway
Don Carlos (1676): a rhymed-verse tragedy about Carlos,
the Prince of Spain.
The Orphan (1680): a blank-verse domestic tragedy about
twin brothers loving the same woman, an orphan whom
their father was taking care of.
Venice Preserved (1682): Otway’s best play, a blank-verse
tragedy. Here, the main character, Jaffer, joined a plot
against the State of Venice, but his wife Belvidera was
against it.

5. Authors and their literary works:
• Sir George Etherege
Notes: Commedy of Manners appeared at the end of 17th
century. It is: hard and bright, witty and heartless.
The Man of Mode (1680): a comedy without proper plot
which gives a picture of the immoral manner of the society
at that time.
The Country Wife (1675): a comedy, controversial for its
sexual explicitness about a man pretending to be impotent
so that he can freely have an affair with married women,
the married life of a naïve country wife, and the courtship of
two lovers.
• William Wycherley

6. Authors and their literary works:
The Plain Dealer (1676): a comedy about Captain Manly, a
sailor who tried to get revenge because his lover, Olivia,
married his best friend Vernish.
The Old Bachelor (1693): a comedy about an old fellow who
pretends to hate women but marries a bad one.
The Double Dealer (1682): a comedy which is concerned
with angry lovers
• William Wycherley
• William Congreve
Love for Love (1682): a comedy which contains clever
speeches and foolish but interesting characters.

7. Authors and their literary works:
The Way of the World (1700): a comedy, now it is
considered better for the era, but at that time it was not
well received.
• William Congreve

8. Authors and their literary works:
The Relapse (1696): a comedy, sequel of Colley Ciber’s Love
Last Shift, but earned more acknowledge than its prequel.
The Provoked Wife (1697): a comedy, stating that a wife
trapped in an abusive marriage might consider either
leaving or taking a lover.
• Sir John Vanbrugh
The Confederacy (1705): another comedy by Vanbrugh.

9. Authors and their literary works:
She Stoops to Conquer(1773): a play in which a private
house is mistaken for a hotel.
The Rivals (1775): Sheridan’s first comedy featuring Mrs.
Malaprop from whom the term ‘malapropism’ (using wrong
words which sound similar) was derived.
The School for Scandal (1777): a comedy which introduces
three characters who loved scandal so much that they
“strike a character reputation dead at every word.”
• Oliver Goldsmith
• Richard Brinsley Sheridan
The Critic (1779): a satire which satirizes drama and literary
criticism. It is about a foolish play followed by the funny
discussion between the author and two critics.

10. Authors and their literary works:
Essay on Dramatic Poesie (1773): a prose comparing English
and French drama, written in clear, reasonable and
balanced way of writing.
The Pilgrim’s Progress (1678): an allegory of Christian’s
journey to heaven through the evils of the worlds.
The Holy War (1682): another allegory inspired from the
author’s experiences as a soldier on the side of the
Parliament in the civil war.
• John Dryden
• John Bunyan

11. Authors and their literary works:
Essay on the Human Understanding (1690): a prose, one of
the most important works of English philosophy. It gave a
new direction to thought in Europe.
Samuel Pepys’ Diary(1660-9, 1825): the diary started in
January 1660 and ended in May 1669, written in secret
signs and could be read only after 1825. It gives detail of
many events and ways of life during that period.
John Evelyn’s Diary(1818): a diary describing Evelyn’s
travels in Europe and the men of his time.
• John Locke
• Samuel Pepys
• John Evelyn

12. See You next week!