restoration starting seventeenth century & restoration comedy

Report by: Mary Grace I. Valila

Restoration England is Marked By• English imitation

of the French• The Great Plague

of 1665 AND the Great Fire of 1666

• A turn to the scientific/rational (Age of Reason)

• John Locke, Isaac Newton, William Harvey

• Deism – “The Watchmaker Theory”

When the monarchy was restores and Charles II returned in 1666 from his exile in France, he established a court in London.

The King licensed two theaters which were supported by the nobles and people

of fashion. (Duke’s company & King’s company)The diary of Samuel Pepys details about

the performance was revealed.

• The French classical drama, called the heroic play, came to be written.

• The most prominent writer of this type was John Dryden. His heroic plays were filled with melodramatic situations.

• Struggle between love and honor and the speeches were very artificial.

• Aim to please sophisticated London society.

• Immoral and cynical in tone.• William Congreve – wrote the finest

of all the characterizations in restoration comedy with Mirabell and Millamant.

• Revived in New York and London.

• The audiences had tired of comedies of intrigue and loose morals.

• Jeremy Collier – published his short view of the immorality and profaneness of the English Stage, criticizing contemporary comedy, which invariably rewarded vice and ridiculed virtue.