[The Restoration and the Augustan Age(1660-1798)]

The Restoration and the Augustan Age (1660-1798) A04U0801T

 

Restoration period of English literature, which lasted from 1660 to around 1688, and The Augustan Age started during the period of early 18th century, when writers such as Swift and Pope were active. Named for the Augustan period or "Golden Age" in Roman poetry, the English Augustans both translated and modelled their own verse after poets such as Virgil, Horace, and Propertius.

The name 'restoration' comes from the crowning of Charles II, which marks the restoring of the traditional English monarchical form of government following a short period of rule by a handful of republican governments. The writings of this time are both innovative and varied; the style and subject matter of the literature produced during the Restoration period spanned the spectrum from definitively religious to satirical and risqué. In 1688, James II, Charles II's brother, was removed from the throne, which many scholars use to mark the end of Restoration literature and the beginning of Augustan Age with main poets as Oliver Gold Smith and Alexander Pope. The Augustan era in English poetry is noted for its fondness for wit, urbanity, and classical (mostly Roman) forms and values.

 

Objectives:

·       The aim of introducing this paper to the students is to make them aware of the importance of the Golden age of literature with classical writings.

·       The seriousness of politics and philosophy of Restoration Era is reflected, which gradually takes the shape of satirical writings.

·       Both Restoration and Augustan ages depict the ideals and beliefs, which were cherished by the readers of that period.

·       The objective of this paper lies in comprehending the timeless poetry written by some famous poets of this era and to endure the concepts of critical comedy of that period.

·       It will open an avenue to understand the writings of this style and subject matter of the Restoration Literature.

Learning Outcome:

·       Identify queer features of Restoration and Augustan Literature

·       Distinguish it with preceding and succeeding Ages

·       Close analysis of the prescribed texts

 

 

Unit 1  

Thomas Gray: “An Elegy written in a Country Churchyard”

John Dryden: Absalom and Achitophel

 

Unit 2

Alexander Pope: Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot

 

Unit 3

 

Jonathan Swift: Gulliver’s Travels

 

Unit 4

 

William Congreve: The Way of the World

 

Suggested Readings:

 

Ø  Arata, Stephen, Madigan Haley, J. Paul Hunter, Jennifer Wicke. Editor(s).  A Companion to the English Novel. John Wiley & Sons, 2015.

Ø  Hammond, Paul. The Making of Restoration Poetry. Cambridge: Brewer. 2006.

Ø  MacLean, Gerald. Ed. Culture and Society in the Stuart Restoration: Literature, Drama, History. Wayne State University, Detroit. 1995.