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BLOCK - 6
ENGLAND UNDER STUARTS
UNIT - 4
THEATRE ,SATIRE AND POLITICAL PAMPHLETEERING
OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS
1. Who wrote Pilgrim's Progress?
Ans. John bunyan
2Name any two satirists of the period.
Ans. William wycherely and John vanbrugh
3. What type of culture was prominent during the restoration period?
Ans. Court culture
4. Which are the two companies became prominent under Charles II during the
restoration period?
Ans. Killigrew and devanant
5. Who was hailed as the most famous dramatist of the period?
Ans. Dryden
6. Who was the author of the work Provoked Wife?
Ans. John vanbrugh
7. Give two examples of verse satire.
Ans. Spencers ghost by Oldham and Mac fleckhoe by Dryden
8. Who was the author of the Critical History of Pamphlets (1917)?
Ans. Myles Davies
9. Name the famous play written by William Congreve?
Ans. Old bachelor
10. Name the work of Richard Ames in which men became a subject.
Ans. Sylvia revenge
1. Explain the transformation changes that took place in the satire field in the restoration period
Ans. Later half of the seventeenth century was
a flourishing period for satire in English
literature. Roman satirists Horace and Juvenal
were imitated. The verse satire was represented
by Dryden, Oldham and Rochester. Oldham's
Spenser's Ghost was an example of verse satire
to be remembered along with Dryden's Mac
Flecknoe and Absalom and Achitophel. Prose
satire was presented under the impression
that the audience was well acquainted with
contemporary events. Women were frequent
prey for satirists during this period. Gould
and Rochester were important among such
satirists. Men became a subject of satire in
the work of Richard Ames through Sylvia's
Revenge (1693). In all its various forms satire
played a vital role in England during this
period. It also influenced the satirists of the
coming century, too.
2.what are the features of restoration theatre
Ans. The period preceding the Commonwealth w
was not a happy one for the theatre in England.
The puritans pledged to get rid of the theatre.
which they considered sinful in nature. There a
was a ban on performances or plays. The
theatres were shut down in 1642 when the Civil
War started. Oliver Cromwell's government
declared all actors were to be considered
rogues. There was of course evasion of the
law; but whatever performances were offered
had to be given in secrecy, before small
companies in private houses, or in taverns
located three or four miles out of town. No
actor or spectator was safe, especially during
the early days of the Puritan rule.
Literally, the Restoration of Charles
II was also a restoration of the plays in
English literature. Charles II, the king, had
been in France during the greater part of the
Protectorate, together with many of the royalist
party, all of whom were familiar with Parist and its fashions. Thus, it was natural, upon
the return of the court, that French influence
should be felt, particularly in the theatre. In
August 1660, Charles issued patents for two
companies of players, and performances
immediately began. Certain writers, in the
field before the civil war, survived the period
of theatrical eclipse, and now had their chance.
Among these were Thomas Killigrew and
William Davenant, who were given patents to
establish theatres.
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However, these two companies dominated
the theatre which hindered the growth of
theatrical literature. With the royal patents, the
theatres were under government control. There
was close contact between theatre and court
politically, economically and legally. Puritans
began to be satirised, and the monarch and
his family were flattered. Restoration theatre
was looked upon as a means to celebrate
monarchy and declare the end of puritanism.
Theatre symbolised the social mind which
was relieved after years of division and unrest.
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