The Restoration Period: Verse (Part 2)

Please ensure to read the part 1 of the Restoration Literature.

1. Restoration Tragedy  – Heroic Tragedy – combination of Epic and tragedy; Tragedy – a tragic flaw but Heroic Tragedy, not because of tragic flaw but by Failure, hero failing by his failure may be in a duel/battle, in Restoration Tragedy – hero’s failure isn’t something inherent from the beginning of the play, but when he tries something –an act, he fails – Nicholas Rowe, John Dryden, Thomas Otway.
2. Epic – a lengthy poem – often poets never able to completely write it, due to its extreme length – a stylised life off a person, dictated in a formal manner, not a person existing alone but connected to society – it begins in media rest – not a liner progression of events but could begin anywhere. Alexander Pope wrote a Mock Epic, written using the style of the Epic, making fun of it.

3. Restoration Comedy – Comedies in Elizabethan Period – love and its tribulations – romances written in the Elizabethan Period is congratulatory praises the Monarch – Elizabeth mainly. With restoration, comedy comes back, but a different set; a class bound comedy – to deal with the upper classes, Shakespearean plays enacted by Shakespearean Company, which in Jacobean period the company was renamed under Jing James – ‘Kings Men’ – which catered to the needs on general people and not aristocracy, but was later seen to align to the needs of Aristocracy, therefore the comedies written during Restoration was class bound, and lot of upper class people were represented in that way. Metropolis – London, urbanised metropolitan – filled with stereotypes – innocent with faulty characters; ‘predatory widows’ looking for men with money, as well as men looking for women with good estates – money. Restoration Comedy emphasis on love triangle and rivalries, among parallel plots. Restoration Comedy – marriages are regarded as a boring restrictive system, ‘looking for estates’ as well as a boring restrictive system. Both narratives existed the latter was unique, where women had a voice of their own and men objecting towards the institution of marriage. Adultery/Carnality/Folly and Vices/ Proviso Scene – ‘Way of the World’ by William Congreve  – a prenup – a marriage bargaining scene. William Congreve, George Etherege, William Wycherley, George Fraquhar, John Vanburgh – Big five of Restoration Comedy – portraying the upper class yet critiquing – subverting them.  London – the urban side is a setting for all of them and there would be a juxtaposition between the urban and rural side of London.Attacks on Immorality – genre of drama is declining, Theatre Licensing Act of 1737, granting license to any play or refuse on any grounds – the initial half of 18th Century; revival of this particular form of writing – 1770’s Restoration Comedies – Oliver goldsmith – 1773, ‘She stoops to Conquer’ and Sheridan in 1775 and 1777 ‘Rivals’ ways in which the RC is revived in the 1770’s. And Oscar Wilde in ‘the Importance of Being Ernest’.