📜British Literature I Unit 11 – The 17th Century & English Civil War

Historical Context

• The 17th century in England was marked by significant political, social, and religious upheaval
• The period saw the reign of the Stuart dynasty, including James I (1603-1625) and Charles I (1625-1649)
• The English Civil War (1642-1651) was a pivotal event that led to the temporary overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of the Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell
  • The war was fought between the Royalists (supporters of the king) and the Parliamentarians (supporters of the Parliament)
  • The conflict arose due to tensions between the monarchy and the Parliament over issues such as taxation, religion, and the extent of royal power
• The Restoration of the monarchy occurred in 1660 with the return of Charles II to the throne
• The Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed much of the city and led to a period of rebuilding and modernization
• The Glorious Revolution of 1688 saw the overthrow of James II and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy under William and Mary
• The rise of empiricism and the scientific method, exemplified by the work of Sir Isaac Newton, marked a significant shift in intellectual thought during this period

Key Literary Figures

• John Milton (1608-1674) was a prominent poet, polemicist, and intellectual who wrote extensively on political and religious topics
  • His most famous work is the epic poem "Paradise Lost" (1667), which retells the biblical story of the Fall of Man
  • Milton was a strong advocate for freedom of the press and argued against censorship in his tract "Areopagitica" (1644)
• John Donne (1572-1631) was a metaphysical poet known for his complex and witty poetry that explored themes of love, religion, and mortality
  • His works include "The Flea," "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning," and the "Holy Sonnets"
• Andrew Marvell (1621-1678) was another metaphysical poet who served as a member of Parliament and wrote politically charged poetry
  • His most famous poem, "To His Coy Mistress," is a carpe diem poem that urges the reader to seize the day and enjoy life's pleasures
• Aphra Behn (1640-1689) was one of the first English women to earn a living as a writer and is considered a pioneering female playwright and novelist
  • Her works, such as "The Rover" and "Oroonoko," often challenged societal norms and gender roles
• Samuel Pepys (1633-1703) was a naval administrator and Member of Parliament best known for his detailed private diary
  • His diary, which he kept from 1660 to 1669, provides a valuable firsthand account of life in Restoration London, including descriptions of the Great Fire and the Plague

Major Literary Works

• "Paradise Lost" (1667) by John Milton is an epic poem that retells the biblical story of the Fall of Man and explores themes of free will, sin, and redemption
• "The Pilgrim's Progress" (1678) by John Bunyan is a Christian allegory that follows the journey of the protagonist, Christian, from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City
  • The work was immensely popular and influential, and it remains one of the most significant works of religious literature in English
• "Hudibras" (1663-1678) by Samuel Butler is a mock-heroic poem that satirizes the Puritans and the political and religious conflicts of the English Civil War
• "The Country Wife" (1675) by William Wycherley is a Restoration comedy that satirizes the sexual double standards and social mores of the time
• "Absalom and Achitophel" (1681) by John Dryden is a political satire that uses biblical allegory to comment on the political intrigues of the Exclusion Crisis
  • The poem depicts the Whig leader, the Earl of Shaftesbury, as the biblical villain Achitophel, who encourages Absalom (the Duke of Monmouth) to rebel against his father, King David (Charles II)
• "The Diary of Samuel Pepys" (1660-1669) is a detailed personal account of life in Restoration London, providing insights into the social, political, and cultural landscape of the time

Themes and Motifs

• Religion and faith were central themes in 17th-century literature, as seen in works like Milton's "Paradise Lost" and Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress"
  • Authors grappled with questions of sin, redemption, and the relationship between God and humanity
• Politics and power were also prominent themes, particularly in the context of the English Civil War and the Restoration
  • Works like Dryden's "Absalom and Achitophel" and Marvell's political poems explored the complexities of political allegiance and the nature of authority
• Love, desire, and sexuality were common motifs in metaphysical poetry and Restoration comedy
  • Poets like Donne and Marvell used witty conceits and elaborate metaphors to explore the nature of love and desire
  • Restoration comedies often featured bawdy humor and sexual innuendo, challenging traditional notions of morality and decorum
• The transience of life and the inevitability of death were recurring themes, particularly in metaphysical poetry
  • Poets like Donne and Marvell meditated on the fleeting nature of existence and the need to make the most of one's limited time on earth
• The tension between appearance and reality was a common motif, as seen in the elaborate conceits of metaphysical poetry and the satirical portrayal of society in Restoration comedy

Political and Religious Influences

• The English Civil War (1642-1651) had a profound impact on literature, as writers grappled with the political and religious upheavals of the time
  • The conflict between the Royalists and the Parliamentarians was reflected in the divided loyalties of writers like Milton and Marvell
• The Puritan Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell (1649-1660) saw a strict moral code imposed on society and a censorship of the arts
  • This period saw a decline in theatrical productions and a rise in religious and political tracts
• The Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 brought about a resurgence of literary activity, particularly in the form of Restoration comedy
  • The libertine atmosphere of Charles II's court was reflected in the bawdy humor and sexual themes of plays like Wycherley's "The Country Wife"
• The Glorious Revolution of 1688 and the subsequent Bill of Rights (1689) established a constitutional monarchy and guaranteed certain civil liberties
  • This political settlement had a stabilizing effect on society and created a more favorable environment for literary production
• The rise of empiricism and the scientific method, as exemplified by the work of Sir Isaac Newton, contributed to a growing emphasis on reason and observation in intellectual life
  • This shift in thought was reflected in the rational, witty style of Restoration literature and the emergence of the essay as a literary form

Literary Styles and Techniques

• Metaphysical poetry, associated with poets like Donne and Marvell, was characterized by its use of elaborate conceits, wit, and intellectual complexity
  • Poets used far-fetched metaphors and paradoxes to explore abstract themes like love, faith, and mortality
• The heroic couplet, a rhyming pair of iambic pentameter lines, became the dominant poetic form during the Restoration period
  • Poets like Dryden and Pope used the heroic couplet to create a sense of balance, clarity, and epigrammatic wit
• Restoration comedy was known for its bawdy humor, sexual innuendo, and satirical portrayal of society
  • Playwrights like Wycherley and Congreve used witty dialogue and complex plots to expose the follies and vices of the upper classes
• The essay emerged as a new literary form, exemplified by the work of writers like Francis Bacon and John Locke
  • Essays were characterized by their brevity, clarity, and focus on a single topic or theme
• Allegory and symbolism were prominent techniques, particularly in religious and political works
  • Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress" and Dryden's "Absalom and Achitophel" used biblical allegory to convey moral and political messages
• Satire was a popular mode of writing, used to criticize and mock social, political, and religious institutions
  • Writers like Butler and Dryden used satire to expose hypocrisy, corruption, and folly in their society

Impact on Later Literature

• The metaphysical poets had a significant influence on later poets, particularly the modernists of the early 20th century
  • Poets like T.S. Eliot and W.B. Yeats admired the wit, complexity, and emotional intensity of metaphysical poetry and sought to incorporate these qualities into their own work
• Milton's "Paradise Lost" had a profound impact on the development of the epic poem in English literature
  • Later poets, such as William Blake and Percy Bysshe Shelley, drew inspiration from Milton's grand style and religious themes
• The Restoration comedy tradition influenced the development of the comedy of manners in the 18th century
  • Playwrights like Oliver Goldsmith and Richard Brinsley Sheridan continued to satirize the follies and vices of high society in their plays
• The rise of the essay as a literary form paved the way for the development of the periodical essay in the 18th century
  • Writers like Joseph Addison and Richard Steele used the essay form to comment on a wide range of social, cultural, and intellectual topics
• The emphasis on reason, wit, and clarity in Restoration literature had a lasting impact on English prose style
  • The balanced, epigrammatic style of writers like Dryden and Pope set a standard for English prose that would endure for centuries
• The political and religious themes explored by 17th-century writers continued to resonate with later generations
  • The ideas of liberty, tyranny, and the relationship between church and state that preoccupied writers like Milton and Locke would remain central concerns in English literature and thought

Important Terms and Concepts

• Metaphysical poetry: A style of poetry characterized by its use of elaborate conceits, wit, and intellectual complexity, associated with poets like John Donne and Andrew Marvell
• Conceit: An extended metaphor that makes a surprising or far-fetched comparison between two seemingly dissimilar things, often used in metaphysical poetry
• Heroic couplet: A rhyming pair of iambic pentameter lines, which became the dominant poetic form during the Restoration period
• Restoration comedy: A genre of comedy that emerged during the Restoration period, known for its bawdy humor, sexual innuendo, and satirical portrayal of society
• Satire: A mode of writing that uses humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to criticize and expose the follies, vices, and shortcomings of individuals or society
• Allegory: A narrative technique in which characters, events, and settings represent abstract ideas or moral qualities, often used to convey religious or political messages
• Empiricism: A philosophical approach that emphasizes the role of sensory experience and observation in the acquisition of knowledge, associated with thinkers like John Locke
• Glorious Revolution: The overthrow of James II in 1688 and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy under William and Mary, which had a stabilizing effect on English society and politics
• Carpe diem: A Latin phrase meaning "seize the day," which became a common theme in poetry urging readers to make the most of life's fleeting pleasures
• Wit: A quality of verbal cleverness, ingenuity, and intellectual playfulness, highly prized in 17th-century literature, particularly in metaphysical poetry and Restoration comedy