Difference between

Elizabethan Drama and

Restoration Drama
Saad ,5D
SM-22130
Historical Context
Elizabethan Drama (late 16th
century to early 17th century)
 This period coincides with the
reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–
1603).
 It is marked by the rise of
prominent playwrights such as
William Shakespeare, Christopher
Marlowe, and Ben Jonson.
 The era is known for the
flourishing of the English
Renaissance and the expansion
of English literature and the arts.
Restoration Drama (late 17th
century)
 This period begins with the
restoration of the monarchy in
1660, when Charles II was restored
to the English throne after the
Interregnum (a period of Puritan
rule under Oliver Cromwell).
 Theatres, which had been closed
during the Puritan Commonwealth,
were reopened.
 Notable playwrights include William
Congreve, Aphra Behn, and John
Dryden.
Theatrical Characteristics
Restoration Drama
Elizabethan Drama
 Themes and Style: Focused on a wide
range of human experiences, from tragedy
and history to comedy. Plays often explored
themes of power, betrayal, love, and the
supernatural.
 Structure: Often written in poetic form,
notably iambic pentameter, and included
soliloquies and asides.
 Performance: Performed in open-air theatres
like the Globe Theatre. The audience was
diverse, from commoners to nobility.
 Staging: Minimal scenery and props, with
more emphasis on elaborate costumes and
the actors' performances.
 Themes and Style: Known for its wit, sexual
explicitness, and the exploration of social mores
and manners. Comedies of manners, which
satirized the behaviors of the upper classes,
were particularly popular.
 Structure: More prose than poetry, and often
featured complex plots with subplots.
Restoration comedies are characterized by
sharp dialogue and repartee.
 Performance: Performed in indoor theatres like
the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. The audience
was more elite, including the king and his court.
 Staging: More elaborate sets and machinery
were used, along with the introduction of
actresses on the English stage (previously,
female roles were played by men).
Social and Cultural Influence
Elizabethan Drama
 Reflected the nationalistic
pride and humanistic spirit
of the Renaissance.
 Engaged with
contemporary political and
social issues, often through
historical and classical
allegories.
Restoration Drama
 Reflected the changing
social dynamics of the time,
including the rise of a more
libertine court culture under
Charles II.
 Often depicted and
critiqued the decadence
and moral ambiguity of the
aristocracy.
 NotableDrama
Elizabethan Playwrights and Works

Restoration Drama

 William Shakespeare:  William Congreve: "The

"Hamlet," "Romeo and Way of the World"
Juliet," "A Midsummer  Aphra Behn: "The Rover"
Night's Dream"  John Dryden: "Marriage à
 Christopher Marlowe: la Mode"
"Doctor Faustus,"
"Tamburlaine"
 Ben Jonson: "Volpone,"
"The Alchemist"
In summary, Elizabethan drama is
characterized by its poetic and varied
exploration of human experience within the
framework of the English Renaissance,
while Restoration drama is marked by its
witty, satirical treatment of social manners
and its incorporation of more elaborate
staging and the inclusion of women actors.