The Restoration

Renaissance “ends” 1660

Milton
Metaphysical poets – Donne. Herbert etc.
Drydan 1631-17

Restoration Comedy/Comedy of Manners

1674 Wycherly The Country Wife
1700 Congreve The Way of the World
Sheridan The Rivals/School for Scandal

Political Writings
1651 Hobbes – Leviathan – absolute government the only way for peace
1690 Locke Essay on Human Understanding
1667-1745 Jonathan Swift – Gulliver’s Travel’s Take of a Tub
Battle of the Books
1729 A Modest proposal

1728 Beggar’s Opera a mock Pastoral

1711 Pope Rape of the Lock
Essay on Criticism
Essay on Man
Knows the ancients and addresses critics directly,
“What oft was thought, but ne’r so well exprest.”
Looks at the big picture of the problems of society social satire
“Good Nature and Good sense must ever join
To Err is human; to forgive Divine.”

18th century – great rise of the novel. Better time telling – Diary
Rise of the reading public
Pamphlets
Rise of middle class
Circulating libraries

novels of low lives, not the kind of lives that is seen as important but how they are presented.
Swift Defoe Richardson Fielding
GT RC/MF Pamela Tom Jones/Joseph Andrews

Characteristics of Augustanism and the Eighteenth century

Augustan literary theory represented a reaction against the extravagance , disorder and incoherence of
the High Renaissance and its aftermath, its political, religious, and aesthetic upheavals. It was a reaction
against the excesses of the Renaissance, its boldness and extravagance. In literature the Augustans
favored a style that was clear, lucid, restrained, and regular; more than anything it represented –GOOD
SENSE.
In many ways, the Romanticism of the early nineteenth century was a similar reaction against the
excessive order, artificiality, and restrictions of 18th century Augustanism. The Romantics wanted a
literature that was bold, extravagant, emotional, and capable of communicating great individuality.

1. Aristocratic courtliness : high breeding and training.

2. Restraint and Dignity: a strong reaction against the public immorality of the Restoration, public
respectability was prized above all middle class morality and appropriate decorum.
3. Urbanity: cosmopolitanism, calm detachment and good nature are preferable to vulgar enthusiasm and
exuberance.
4. Nonchalant Gentility: “The mere amusements of a gentlemen are of more value than the profound
research of pedants.”
5. Conversational wit: Literary and personal style should b sociable and lively; not dull or tedious;
seldom majestic or even serious,
6. Symmetry and balance: emphasis on order and harmony
7. Artifice; Skillfully achieved man made order gave Augustans a sense of power over the forces of
nature. (Capability Brown gardens)
8. Preference for the Broad, the General and the Universal: universal permanence was preferred to the
individual or unusual experience.
9. Critical and Analytical Spirit: a deeply self-conscious age; it is preeminently an age of criticism and
evaluation.
10 Skepticism: tolerance of any faith, provided it was not fanatical – no radical changes please
11. Rationalism: Reason meant many things to the Augustan gentlemen, but mostly common sense.
Empiricism and reason were preferred to dogma. For dogma also read enthusiasm.