Lesson 8: The Restoration 18th century - Milton & Behn

What event marks the beginning of the Restoration period?

The return of the monarchy in 1660 with Charles II.

What did the Act of Union (1707) establish?

The creation of Great Britain by uniting England, Scotland, and Wales.

What major global developments shaped this period?

Expansion of empire, global trade, and the transatlantic slave trade.

What social changes occurred in this period?

Increased literacy, rise of the middle class, and expansion of print culture.

What genre becomes central in the 18th century?

The novel.

What is characteristic of Restoration comedy?

Wit, satire, sexual openness, and critique of social manners.

Why is Milton important in literary history?

He combines epic tradition, biblical narrative, and political thought.

How does Milton redefine heroism?

As moral strength and obedience rather than military power.

What is Milton’s major innovation in form?

The use of blank verse in epic poetry.

What is the central theme of Paradise Lost?

“Man’s first disobedience” and the Fall of humanity.

What is the main conflict in the poem Paradise lost?

Disobedience versus obedience (Satan vs God; Adam and Eve’s fall).

How does Paradise Lost begin?

With Satan and the fallen angels in Hell (in medias res).

What is Satan’s plan?

To corrupt God’s new creation, humanity.

What causes the Fall of mankind in Paradise lost?

Eve eats the forbidden fruit and persuades Adam to do the same.

What happens after the Fall in Paradise lost?

Adam and Eve experience guilt and are expelled from Eden.

What is the “hero debate” in Paradise Lost?

Whether Satan, Adam, or God is the true hero.

Why is Satan seen as a “false hero”?

He is rhetorically powerful but morally corrupt.

What does Adam represent in Paradise lost?

Human fallibility and the possibility of repentance.

What verse form is Paradise Lost written in?

Blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter).

Why does Milton reject rhyme?

He sees it as restrictive and calls it “bondage.”

What is enjambment?

When a sentence continues across multiple lines without pause.

What does the line “Better to reign in Hell…” express?

Satan’s ambition and pride.

What does “Of Man’s First Disobedience…” introduce?

The central theme of the poem.

What does “What in me is dark / Illumine” refer to?

Milton’s blindness and reliance on divine inspiration.

What is illustrated by the bee simile in Pandemonium?

Order and political organisation among the fallen angels.

Why is Behn important for literary history?

She pioneers professional female authorship and early prose fiction.

What themes does Behn often explore?

Gender, power, colonialism, and slavery.

What genre is Oroonoko?

A mix of memoir, travel narrative, and romance.

What does the narrator claim about the story?

That it is a true eyewitness account.

Who is Oroonoko?

An African prince who becomes enslaved.

What happens to Imoinda?

She is sold into slavery and later reunited with Oroonoko.

What is the climax of the story Oroonoko?

Oroonoko kills Imoinda and is executed after a failed rebellion.

What type of narrator is used in Oroonoko?

A first-person narrator claiming eyewitness authority.

Why is the narrator considered unreliable in Oroonoko?

She blends fact and fiction and reflects colonial bias.

How is Oroonoko described physically?

With European (“Roman”) features.

What major theme does Oroonoko address?

Slavery and colonialism.

What is the “noble savage” trope?

The idea that non-European people are noble but idealised.

How does the text show ambivalence about slavery?

It criticises cruelty but still reflects colonial ideology.

What does “I was myself an eye-witness…” suggest in Oroonoko?

The narrator’s claim to authority and authenticity.

What does the use of “we” in the narration reveal in Oroonoko?

Alignment with colonisers and a problematic worldview.

How can you recognise a Milton passage in an unseen text?

Blank verse, long sentences, biblical tone, epic similes.

How can you recognise a Behn passage?

First-person narration, colonial setting, emotional and descriptive style.