The restoration period (1660- 1700)

  1.  a) In English literature the period from 1660-1700 is called the restoration age.

 b) here Monarchy was restored in England.

 c) Charles 2 became the ruler (as Charles 1 was beheaded)

  1. a) This age is also called the age of Dryden.

b) Dryden was the most representative & Dominating literary figure of this age.

  1. All that the Puritans held was now rejected.

  2. Now looseness and foppery prevailed in England.

  • The poets and dramatists of this age left the Elizabethan writers

  • They turned towards French writers and copied their vices particularly. 

  1.  a) The results was that the patriotism and adventure of the Elizabethan and

 b) The liberty and its moral discipline of Puritans become a thing of the past.

  1. For a time there was nothing noteworthy in this age.

  2. Eventually, the writers of this period began to evolve something different.

  3. The two important contributions to English literature was 

  • form of realism and

  • the tendency to preciseness.

  1. a) In the beginning, things were not very proper.

b) writers painted the real picture.

c) vices well more portrayed their virtues.

    the result was a coarse and inferior type of literature 

  1. a) Later the tendency gradually changed.

b) and writers began to portray the human side as it was - The good as well  

     as the bad.

  1. The chief characteristic of this age, preciseness became a lasting contribution.

  2. It emphasised directness and simplicity of expression.

  3. Now, instead of grandiloquent phrases, the Restoration writers under the influence of French writers gave emphasis to reasoning.

  4. Now they evolved an exact, precise way of writing consisting of short, clear sentences.

  5. For poetry, Dryden adopted the new verse from the heroic couplet.

  6. Here evolved a style - precise, formal and elegant.

  7. This was called the classical style.

  8. And this style dominated English Literature for more than a century.