3.2 Restoration comedy: characteristics and key playwrights
5 min read•august 1, 2024
Restoration comedy brought laughter back to English theaters after years of Puritan rule. These witty, risqué plays poked fun at society's upper crust, featuring clever dialogue and scandalous plots about love and .
Key playwrights like Wycherley, Etherege, and Congreve shaped the genre. Their works showcased stock characters like the rake and the fop, used elaborate staging, and ended with cynical takes on romance.
Restoration Comedy Characteristics
Defining Features
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- Emerged in England during 1660-1710 following monarchy restoration under Charles II
- Featured witty, sexually explicit dialogue and plots revolving around love, marriage, and infidelity
- Employed stock characters (rake, fop, country bumpkin)
- Utilized complex plots with multiple subplots and intrigues
- Satirically portrayed contemporary society, particularly upper classes and their manners
- Concluded with cynical or ambiguous marriages rather than genuinely romantic resolutions
- Performed in technologically advanced theaters allowing elaborate staging and special effects
Theatrical Elements
- Incorporated prologues and epilogues addressing the audience directly
- Utilized asides and soliloquies to reveal characters' true thoughts and intentions
- Featured elaborate costumes reflecting contemporary fashion trends
- Employed music and dance interludes between acts
- Used artificial lighting techniques to enhance dramatic effects
- Incorporated movable scenery and trapdoors for dynamic staging
Language and Style
- Emphasized witty repartee and verbal sparring between characters
- Employed double entendres and innuendos for comedic effect
- Utilized puns and wordplay to showcase characters' intelligence and
- Incorporated French and Latin phrases to reflect the cosmopolitan nature of society
- Used exaggerated language and hyperbole for comedic emphasis
- Employed to create humorous situations and misunderstandings
Restoration Comedy Playwrights
Major Contributors
- (1640-1716) wrote "" (1675) and "The Plain Dealer" (1676)
- (1635-1692) authored "" (1676) and "She Would if She Could" (1668)
- (1670-1729) penned "" (1700) and "Love for Love" (1695)
- (1640-1689) created "" (1677) and "The Lucky Chance" (1686)
- (1664-1726) composed "The Relapse" (1696) and "The Provoked Wife" (1697)
- (1677-1707) wrote "" (1707) and "The Recruiting Officer" (1706)
- (1642-1692) contributed "The Virtuoso" (1676) and "The Squire of Alsatia" (1688)
Stylistic Differences
- Wycherley focused on biting and explicit sexual content
- Etherege specialized in portraying the manners and affectations of the upper class
- Congreve excelled in crafting intricate plots and sophisticated dialogue
- Behn brought a female perspective to the genre, often challenging gender norms
- Vanbrugh pushed boundaries with controversial themes and characters
- Farquhar incorporated elements of sentimentalism into his later works
- Shadwell emphasized social commentary and topical references in his plays
Career Trajectories
- Many playwrights began their careers writing for the Duke's Company or the King's Company
- Some, like Congreve, transitioned to other literary forms later in their careers
- Behn's success paved the way for future female playwrights in English theater
- Several playwrights, including Vanbrugh, had careers in fields outside of theater (architecture)
- Some faced censorship or controversy due to the risqué nature of their works
- Many collaborated with actors and theater managers to tailor roles for specific performers
- Several playwrights, like Wycherley, enjoyed royal patronage and support
Themes in Restoration Comedy
Social Critique
- Explored conflict between libertinism and social propriety through characters' pursuit of pleasure
- Satirized marriage as a social contract rather than a romantic ideal (financial arrangements)
- Depicted battle of the sexes through witty dialogues and power struggles between genders
- Examined social mobility and tension between old and new money (social climbing characters)
- Portrayed hypocrisy and through characters adopting disguises or false personas
- Contrasted town and country life, usually favoring sophisticated urban setting
- Emphasized wit as social currency, with characters competing in clever repartee
Gender and Sexuality
- Challenged traditional gender roles through strong female characters
- Explored sexual double standards prevalent in society
- Depicted the commodification of marriage and relationships
- Portrayed female sexual desire and agency more openly than previous theatrical traditions
- Examined the concept of cuckolding and its social implications
- Satirized masculine ideals through characters like the fop and the rake
- Addressed issues of consent and coercion in romantic relationships
Class and Power Dynamics
- Critiqued the aristocracy's excesses and moral failings
- Explored the rising influence of the merchant class and "new money"
- Examined the role of servants and their relationships with their masters
- Portrayed the clash between rural and urban values and lifestyles
- Satirized the importance of titles and social status in society
- Depicted the power dynamics within marriages and families
- Explored the concept of meritocracy versus inherited privilege
Influences on Restoration Comedy
Political and Historical Context
- Reopening of theaters in 1660 after 18-year Puritan-imposed closure led to theatrical innovations
- Libertine culture of Charles II's court encouraged risqué themes and dialogue
- Growing middle class and changing social dynamics reflected in plays' exploration of class tensions
- English Civil War and its aftermath influenced themes of social upheaval and changing power structures
- shaped the genre's focus on aristocratic life and manners
- Political intrigues and scandals of the period provided material for satirical plots
- Religious tensions between Anglicans, Catholics, and Dissenters informed character portrayals
Literary and Theatrical Influences
- French dramatic influences, particularly Molière's works, shaped style and structure
- Emergence of female actors on English stage led to more complex female characters
- Spanish Golden Age drama influenced plot structures and themes
- Commedia dell'arte traditions informed stock character types and plot devices
- Classical Roman comedies, especially those of Plautus and Terence, provided models for plot structures
- Shakespeare's comedies influenced character development and use of disguise plots
- Ben Jonson's comedy of humours influenced character typology and satirical elements
Cultural and Intellectual Trends
- Scientific advancements and rise of empiricism influenced rational and skeptical tone
- Coffee house culture encouraging wit and debate mirrored in clever dialogues and social critiques
- Enlightenment philosophy shaped characters' attitudes towards reason and skepticism
- Increased global trade and exploration influenced depictions of exotic settings and characters
- Growing literacy rates and print culture affected the sophistication of dialogue and references
- Changing attitudes towards marriage and romantic relationships reflected in plot structures
- Emerging concepts of individual rights and personal liberty informed character motivations
Key Terms to Review (26)
Aphra Behn: Aphra Behn was a 17th-century English playwright, poet, and novelist, often recognized as one of the first professional female writers in England. Her work reflects the political and social shifts of the Restoration era, challenging gender norms and establishing her as a pivotal figure in the development of English literature and drama.
Courtly love: Courtly love is a medieval European literary concept that idealizes chivalric romance, typically involving a knight's devotion to a noblewoman. It emphasizes emotional connections, often fraught with obstacles and unrequited feelings, celebrating themes of admiration, longing, and the pursuit of love in a socially constructed framework.
Deception: Deception refers to the act of misleading or tricking others through falsehoods or distortions of the truth. In the context of Restoration comedy, deception is a central theme that often drives the plot and character interactions, showcasing the complexity of human relationships and societal norms. It serves as a mechanism for humor, conflict, and resolution, revealing the characters' desires, motives, and moral dilemmas while exposing the often hypocritical nature of social conventions.
Dramatic Irony: Dramatic irony is a literary device where the audience knows more about a situation than the characters in the story, creating a contrast between their understanding and that of the characters. This technique often builds tension and engages readers or viewers, making them more invested in the unfolding events.
George Etherege: George Etherege was an English playwright of the Restoration period, known for his contributions to the development of Restoration comedy. His works, characterized by sharp wit, social commentary, and a focus on romantic intrigue, paved the way for later playwrights and defined the conventions of comedic theater during this era.
George Farquhar: George Farquhar was an Irish playwright and a significant figure in Restoration comedy, known for his sharp wit and lively characters. His works often combined elements of humor with deeper social commentary, reflecting the complexities of human nature and societal norms during the late 17th century. Farquhar's most famous plays, such as 'The Recruiting Officer' and 'The Beaux' Stratagem,' exemplify the characteristics of Restoration comedy, including intrigue, romance, and a focus on the upper classes.
John Vanbrugh: John Vanbrugh was a prominent English playwright and architect known for his significant contributions to Restoration comedy in the late 17th century. His works are characterized by their witty dialogue, satirical commentary, and intricate plots, often focusing on themes of love, social status, and moral dilemmas. Vanbrugh's ability to blend humor with critical social observations helped to define the Restoration period's comedic style, establishing him as one of the key playwrights of this era.
Licentiousness: Licentiousness refers to a lack of moral restraint, especially in sexual behavior. It embodies the idea of indulgence in excess and often disregards social norms and conventions, making it particularly relevant in the context of the Restoration period, when societal attitudes towards sexuality and morality were undergoing significant transformations.
Marriage: Marriage is a social, legal, or religious union between individuals that often involves a commitment to shared life and mutual support. In literature, particularly during the late-17th to mid-19th century, marriage serves as a crucial plot device and a lens through which societal norms, gender roles, and personal aspirations are explored, often reflecting the tensions between individual desires and social expectations.
Mock-heroic: Mock-heroic is a satirical literary style that imitates the conventions of epic poetry or heroic literature, but applies them to trivial or mundane subjects. This technique creates a humorous contrast between the elevated language and grandiose themes typically found in heroism and the triviality of the actual events or characters being described. By exaggerating these heroic elements, mock-heroic works highlight the absurdity of the situations they portray, often providing social commentary.
Neoclassicism: Neoclassicism is an artistic and literary movement that emerged in the late 17th century, emphasizing reason, order, and classical ideals derived from ancient Greek and Roman culture. This movement was characterized by its focus on clarity, harmony, restraint, and a structured approach to both art and literature, reflecting the political and social contexts of its time.
Restoration of the Monarchy: The Restoration of the Monarchy refers to the period in English history, specifically starting in 1660, when the monarchy was re-established after the Interregnum that followed the English Civil War. This significant event saw Charles II ascend to the throne, marking a return to royal authority and the end of republican rule. The Restoration not only influenced political structures but also had a profound impact on cultural and artistic expressions, including the rise of Restoration comedy, which embraced themes of wit, romance, and social commentary.
Romanticism: Romanticism was an artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe in the late 18th century and emphasized emotion, individualism, and the glorification of nature. It was a response to the industrial revolution and the scientific rationalization of nature, advocating for a return to emotional depth and a focus on personal experience in art and literature.
Satire: Satire is a literary technique that uses humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to criticize or mock social, political, or moral issues. It serves as a powerful tool for social commentary and is often employed to provoke thought and encourage reform by highlighting the flaws in individuals, institutions, or society as a whole.
Sexual innuendo: Sexual innuendo is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase has a hidden meaning, often suggestive of sexual undertones. This form of expression relies on double meanings to create humor or tension, making it a common element in literature and theater, particularly in the context of comedy. The clever use of sexual innuendo allows playwrights to address taboo subjects indirectly while still engaging the audience's interest and imagination.
Social class: Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions between groups of people in society based on factors such as wealth, occupation, education, and social status. It plays a crucial role in shaping characters, themes, and conflicts in literature, often highlighting the disparities and dynamics of power within society.
The Beaux' Stratagem: The Beaux' Stratagem is a comedic play written by George Farquhar in 1707, notable for its lively exploration of romantic pursuits and social maneuvering. The play exemplifies the hallmark characteristics of Restoration comedy, showcasing wit, clever plots, and a focus on the complexities of relationships. It highlights themes such as deception, love, and the interplay of social classes while utilizing humor to critique societal norms.
The Country Wife: The Country Wife is a comedic play written by William Wycherley, first performed in 1675, and is a quintessential example of Restoration comedy. It satirizes the social manners and sexual mores of its time, focusing on themes of deceit, sexual liberation, and the complexities of marriage. The character of Mrs. Pinchwife, who embodies the tension between rural innocence and urban sophistication, serves as a vehicle for exploring these themes through witty dialogue and intricate plot twists.
The Great Plague: The Great Plague refers to a devastating outbreak of bubonic plague that swept through London in 1665, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 100,000 people. This epidemic had significant social, cultural, and economic repercussions, influencing literature and the arts during the Restoration period that followed.
The Man of Mode: The Man of Mode is a type of character found in Restoration comedy, typically representing the fashionable and often morally ambiguous gentleman of the time. This character embodies the wit, charm, and social aspirations of the emerging middle class while also satirizing their vices and superficiality. The Man of Mode plays a crucial role in exploring themes like love, courtship, and the conflicts between appearance and reality in society.
The Rover: The Rover is a Restoration comedy play written by Aphra Behn, first performed in 1677. It showcases the themes of love, desire, and social dynamics within a lively setting of carnival and revelry, highlighting the complexities of romantic pursuits and gender roles in a time of changing social norms. The play reflects Restoration literature's characteristic wit and humor, combining intricate plot structures with a focus on the misadventures of its characters, particularly exploring the dynamics between men and women.
The way of the world: The way of the world refers to the prevailing social norms, behaviors, and attitudes that dictate human interactions and relationships, especially in the context of love, marriage, and moral conduct. This concept serves as a lens through which Restoration literature examines the complexities of human nature, societal expectations, and the often hypocritical moral standards of the time.
Thomas Shadwell: Thomas Shadwell was a prominent English playwright and poet of the Restoration period, known for his comedic works that often satirized contemporary society. His writing reflects the characteristics of Restoration comedy, which included themes of sexual intrigue, witty dialogue, and a focus on the lives of the upper classes. Shadwell was notable for his rivalry with other playwrights, especially with John Dryden, which highlighted the competitive nature of the theatrical scene during this era.
William Congreve: William Congreve was an influential English playwright and poet of the late 17th and early 18th centuries, best known for his comedies that reflect the social dynamics and moral complexities of Restoration England. His works are characterized by sharp wit, intricate plots, and a keen understanding of character, making him a key figure in the development of Restoration comedy and its themes of love, deception, and social commentary.
William Wycherley: William Wycherley was a prominent English playwright of the Restoration period, best known for his comedic works that satirize the manners and morals of his time. His plays often feature sharp wit, sexual innuendo, and complex characters, highlighting the social changes and cultural dynamics of the late 17th century. Wycherley's writing exemplifies the characteristics of Restoration comedy, making him a key figure in this genre alongside contemporaries like Congreve and Farquhar.
Wit: Wit refers to a form of intelligent humor characterized by quick thinking and a clever use of language. In various literary movements and genres, wit serves not only as a source of entertainment but also as a tool for social commentary and criticism, allowing writers to convey complex ideas in an engaging manner.