Restoration period

Restoration Age (1600-1700)

The Restoration Period in England began with the reinstatement of Charles II and spanned 28 years of the 17th century. The people of England were suffering from tension due to the strict rule of Cromwell. Thus the nation welcomed the restoration of Charles II. This restoration brought about a revolutionary change in social life and literature. 

Dryden was the representative writer of this period. This age is also known as Age of Dryden. The restoration of King Charles II in 1660 marks the beginning of a new era both in the life and the literature of England. The King was received with wild joy on his return from exile. The change of government from Commonwealth to Kingship corresponded to a change in the mood of the nation. The historical events like the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, the religious controversy and the revolution of 1688 deeply influenced the social life and the literary movements of the age. 

During the Restoration period there was a rapid development of science. The establishment of the Royal Society was a landmark in the history of England. The interest in science began to grow. The growing interest in science resulted in the beginning of rational inquiry and 

scientific and objective outlook. Objectivity, rationality and intellectual quality also enlivened the literature of this period. The French influence was predominant during this period because the King had spent the period of his exile in France. The French manners and fashion spread from the court to the aristocracy. It also influenced contemporary literature.  Following characteristics distinguish this period.

Characteristics of Restoration Period:

1)THE RESTORATION: 

During this period gravity, spiritual zeal, moral earnestness and decorum were thrown to winds. The king was a through debauchery. He had a number of mistresses. He was surrounded by corrupt courtiers. Corruption was rampant in all walks of life.

2) RISE OF NEO-CLASSICISM:

During the Restoration period a new literary movement started. It is known as the Neo-Classical movement. This reflected the mood of the century. Reason occupied an important place. The writers of this period agreed upon the rules and principles. Rules and literary conventions became more important than the seriousness of subject matter. The writers expressed superficial manners and customs of the aristocratic and urban society. They did not pry into mysteries of the human mind and heart. The new epoch is the antithesis of the previous Elizabethan age. It is called classical. 

3) IMITATION OF FRENCH MASTERS:

King Charles II and his companions had spent the period of exile in France. They demanded that poetry and drama should follow the style to which they had become accustomed in France. Shakespeare and his contemporaries could not satisfy the popular literary taste. W.H. Hudson writes about this period, Now the contemporary literature of France was characterized particularly by lucidity, vivacity, and by reason of the close attention given to form correctness, elegance and finish. It was essentially a literature of polite society, and had all the merits and all the limitations of such a literature. I was moreover a literature in which intellect was in the ascendant and the critical faculty always in control. English writers imitated the French blindly; rather they copied the worst vices of the French, instead of their wit, delicacy and refinement. The French influence is seen in the coarseness and indecency of the Restoration comedy of manners. The combined influence of French and classical models of tragedy is seen in the heroic tragedy. The French influence is responsible for the growth and popularity of opera.  

4) IMITATION OF ANCIENTS:  

The authors of this period turned to the great classical writers. Thus grew the neo-classical school of poetry. The neoclassicists imitated the rules and ignored the importance of subject matter. They could not delve deep into human emotions. These things can be noticed in the age of Dryden and Pope. 

5) REALISM AND FORMALISM:

The writers of the Restoration age reacted against the romanticism of Elizabethan age. They developed realism to a marked degree. The early Restoration writers presented the realistic picture of a corrupt court and society. They emphasised vices rather than virtues. They gave us coarse, low plays without moral significance. They saw only the externals of man, his body and appetites. They did not see his soul and his ideals. The writers of the age followed formalism of style. They aimed at achieving directness and simplicity of expression. 

6) RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL QUARRELS:

In the Restoration period we see the rise of two political parties. They were the Whigs and the Tories. The Whigs were opposing and the Tories were supporting the king. The rise of these parties gave a fresh importance to men of literary ability. Both the parties supported them. The religious controversy was also going on. It was very bitter. The Protestant and the Catholics were face to face. The nation was predominantly Protestant. The Catholics were being punished. Dryden’s 'Absalom and Achitophel' reflects these religious and political conflicts of the day. 

The Theatre:

One of the most significant aspects of Restoration literature is the return of the theatre. As a result of the influence of religious and political leaders who believed it to be sinful, the theatre had been closed for 18 years. Charles II, however, was a big fan of drama and quickly allowed and encouraged the theatre's presence. 

This period saw many innovations in theatre, including the important new genre called Restoration comedy. In stark contrast to the humble spiritual themes that were common to the literature before 1660, Restoration comedy was frequently crass, largely sexual, and often focused on the interactions of the elite members of English society.

Popular writers of Restoration comedy include John Dryden, George Etherege, and William Congreve. Although Restoration literature is commonly considered to end around 1688, Restoration comedy was written into the 1700s.