Restoration literature is the English literature written during the historical period commonly referred to as the English Restoration(1660–1689), which corresponds to the last years of the direct Stuart reign in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. In general, the term is used to denote roughly homogeneous styles of literature that center on a celebration of or reaction to the restored court of Charles II. It is a literature that includes extremes, for it encompasses both Paradise Lost and the Earl of Rochester’s Sodom, the high-spirited sexual comedy of The Country Wife and the moral wisdom of The Pilgrim’s Progress. It saw Locke’s Treatises of Government, the founding of the Royal Society, the experiments and holy meditations of Robert Boyle, the hysterical attacks on theaters from Jeremy Collier, and the pioneering of literary criticism from John Dryden and John Dennis. The period witnessed news become a commodity, the essay developed into a periodical art form, and the beginnings of textual criticism.

1. Hajat Hussain 2016-Kiu-2242

2. Hajat Hussain 2016-Kiu-2242

3.  Prepared by Hajat
Hussain
 Reg No. 2016-kiu-2242
Hajat Hussain 2016-Kiu-2242

4.  Introduction
 Characteristics
 Restoration Poetry
 Restoration Poets
 Restoration Drama
 Famous Dramatist
 Restoration Prose
 Famous Prose writers
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5.  When Charles II came to the throne, there was a
complete repudiation (rejection) of Puritan ideas.
 From 1660-1700 is called Restoration Period,
because monarchy was restored in England.
 This period is also Age of Dryden, because Dryden
was dominating literary figure.
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6.  The poets and dramatists began to imitate French
writers.
 In poetry, drama and prose nothing was produced in
this period.
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7.  The two important characteristics were realism and
tendency to preciseness.
 Realism
In beginning realism took an ugly shape, because the
writers the real pictures of corrupt society and court.
The result was a coarse and type of literature. Later
writers tried to portray realistically human life as they
found it.
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8.  This was chief characteristic of Restoration period. It
emphasized directness and simplicity of expression and
counteracted the tendency of exaggeration.
 Instead of using grandiloquent phrases, they used
sentences full of Latin quotations and classical
allusions.
 Writers emphasis to reasoning.
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9.  The Royal Society, was established enjoined on all its
members to use a close, naked, natural way of speaking
and writing as near the mathematical plainness as they
can.
 Dryden accepted this rule and under his guidance
English writers evolved a style--- precise, formal and
elegant which is called the classical style.
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10.  The Restoration poetry was mostly satirical, realistic
and written in heroic couplet.
 Dryden was the supreme master and dominating figure.
 He wrote in clear and forceful style. They focus on
reasoning and laid Classical school of poetry.
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11.  John Dryden (1631-1700)
He was chief literary figure. He made
mark in fields of poetry, drama and
prose.
 His early poetry has characteristics of metaphysical
school like exaggeration and artificial style.
 He wrote in clear and forceful style. They focus on
reasoning and laid Classical school of poetry.
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12.  His poetry can be divided into three parts.
1) Political Satires
2) Doctrinal Poems
3) The Fables
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13.  Of his political satires, Absalom and Achitophel and
The Medal are famous.
 Absalom and Achitophel, was greatest political satires,
He defended the King against the Earl of Shaftesbury,
who was represented as Achitophel.
 The Medal, a satirical poem full of invective against
Shaftesbury and MecFlecknoe and a scathing personal
attack on Thomas Shadwell, who was once a friend of
Dryden.
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14.  The two poems are Religio Laici and The Hind and the
Panther. These poems are neither religious nor
devotional but theological and controversial.
 The first was written when Dryden was a protestant and
he defended Anglican Church.
 The second was written when he was a Catholic and
defends Catholicism.
 This shows his defending skill.
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15.  These were written during last years of his life, show
no decrease in his poetic power. Written in the form of
a narrative and entitled him a best story teller in verse.
 The Palamon and Arcite which is based on Chaucer’s
Knight Tale.
 Annus Marabilis is a fine example of his narrative
power.
 Alexander’s feast is one of the best odes in English
Language.
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16.  In 1642 the theatres were closed by Puritans and re-
opened in 1660. The drama after 1660 is Restoration
drama.
 Dramatist was deficient in poetic feeling, imagination
and emotional approach to but laid emphasis on
intellectuality, realistic and critical approach to life.
 Common people still under the influence of Puritanism
had no love for dramas, the dramatist had to cater to the
taste of aristocratic class.
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17.  The most popular form of drama was the Comedy of
Manners, which portrayed the sophisticated life of
dominant class of society---- its gaiety, foppery,
insolence and intrigue.
 The basis of the Restoration drama was very narrow.
The plays of this period do-not give us a picture of
whole nation.
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18.  John Dryden (1631-1700)
He wrote Wild Gallant, Etheredge’s, The Comical
Revenge and The Plain Dealer.
William Congreve (1670-1720)
He wrote all his best plays before he was thirty. His
well known comedies are Love for Love and The Way
of the World.
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19.  This period was specialised in Heroic Tragedy, which
dealt with the themes of epic magnitudes. In which
heroes and heroines possessed superhuman qualities.
 It was written in heroic couplet. It was not based on the
observations of life, there was no realistic
characterisation and ended happily.
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20.  The chief writer of heroic tragedy was Dryden. His
first play in heroic couplet was Tyrannic Love and The
Conquest of Granada.
 His play Aurangzeb admitted the superiority of
Shakespeare’s method.
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21.  This period holds higher position in prose as compared
to poetry and drama. It could not reach height because
fall of poetic power, lack of inspiration and preference
of practical and reasoning.
 In this period prose was developed as a medium for
expressing clearly and precisely ideas and feelings. For
first time a prose style was evolved which could be
used for narrative, argumentative and handling of
practical business.
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22.  John Dryden (1631-1700)
He was practitioner of new prose. His greatest critical
work was Essay of Dramatic Poesy, in which he
presented a new model of prose.
He wrote in a plain, simple and exact style, free from
all exaggerations.
 His Fables and Preface to them are fine examples of the
new prose style.
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23.  John Bunyan (1628-1688)
he was the greatest prose writer of this period. He was
imbued with the spirit of Puritanism.
 His greatest work is The Pilgrim’s Progress, in which he
described the pilgrimage of the Christian to the Heavenly
City. It is an allegory. The style is simple and vivid.
 His other’s work are Grace Abounding to the Chief of
Sinners, The Holy War and The Life and Death of Mr.
Badman.
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24.  A Critical History of English Literature by B.R Mullik
 History of English Literature By David Daiches
Hajat Hussain
2016-Kiu-2242

25.  A Critical History of English Literature by B.R Mullik
 History of English Literature By David Daiches
Hajat Hussain
2016-Kiu-2242

26. Hajat Hussain 2016-Kiu-2242