3. DRAMA AND PROSE IN THE RESTORATION PERIOD, THE RISE OF THE NOVEL IN THE 18TH CENTURY AND THE REGENCY ERA

What is the Comedy of Manners?

A genre that satirizes the manners and affectations of the upper class, focusing on witty dialogue, sexual intrigue, and societal hypocrisies.

What is Heroic Drama?

A genre featuring grand themes of love and honor, often in a poetic form, highlighting heroic and moral struggles.

Who was William Congreve?

A playwright known for "The Way of the World" (1700), epitomizing the wit and complexity of the comedy of manners.

Who was Aphra Behn?

One of the first professional female playwrights, known for "The Rover" (1677), notable for its lively plot and strong female characters.

Who was John Dryden?

A playwright and poet, known for works like "All for Love" (1677), exemplifying the heroic drama style.

What were key characteristics of Restoration prose?

It reflected individualism and realism, focusing on personal narratives, satirical works, and political commentary.

Who was John Bunyan

Author of "The Pilgrim's Progress" (1678), an allegorical narrative about a Christian's journey to salvation.

Who was Samuel Pepys?

Known for his diary covering 1660-1669, offering a personal account of life during the Restoration period

What was the significance of the novel in the 18th century?

Novels were seen as realistic representations of modern life, reflecting cultural episodes like debates about novel reading's pleasures and moral dangers.

Who was Daniel Defoe?

Author of "Robinson Crusoe" (1719), a novel that marked a turning point in the history of English literature, presenting a single individual's experiences with great emphasis on inner life and spiritual growth

What made Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe" significant?

It was a novel about an ordinary individual’s extraordinary ordeals, emphasizing realism and spiritual reflection, though the word "novel" was not yet used for this genre.

Who were some of the leading female novelists of the early 18th century?

Aphra Behn, Delarivière Manley, and Eliza Haywood, who wrote novels of amorous intrigue that appealed to readers in the emerging print market.

What is the genre of the "novel of amorous intrigue"?

A genre focusing on erotic love and romance, often scandalous, with simple plots that appeal to readers' desires.

What role did women play in the rise of novels in the 18th century?

Women writers, such as Behn, Manley, and Haywood, were key in shaping the early novel, despite the social barriers to women's public writing.

What is an Epistolary Novel?

A novel written in letters, which explores self-expression and everyday experiences. It reflects a shift towards more psychological and introspective realism in 18th-century fiction.

What is the significance of letters in 18th-century literature?

Letters provided a glimpse into people's thoughts and feelings, often being used to tell stories in an authentic and immediate way.

What characterizes the literature of the Regency Era?

Social commentary, critiques of class and gender roles, and the rise of Romanticism, emphasizing emotion, nature, and individualism.

Who was Jane Austen?

A novelist of the Regency Era known for her wit, social commentary, and works like "Pride and Prejudice" (1813), exploring love, class, and reputation.

What themes are explored in Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice"?

Love, reputation, and class through the relationship of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy.

Who was Sir Walter Scott?

A writer known for his historical novels, such as "Ivanhoe" (1819), combining history and fiction with famous historical figures.

How did novels change literary consumption in the 18th century?

Novels became a major form of print entertainment, encouraging individualism, self-expression, and critique of societal norms.

What role did circulating libraries play in the rise of novels?

they allowed readers to borrow novels, making literature more accessible and popular, especially in small provincial towns.

The Rise of the Novel - The Role of Print Culture:

The development of novels was closely tied to the growth of print culture and the expanding market for books. The proliferation of printed works made literature more accessible, allowing for a more widespread readership. This was key to the rise of the middle class and the democratization of literature, with novels offering more relatable and engaging content for ordinary readers.

Realism and the Novel:

Early 18th-century novels, like those by Defoe and Richardson, laid the groundwork for what would later be considered the "realistic" novel. They were among the first to focus on individual characters with complex inner lives, moral dilemmas, and relatable experiences, setting the stage for more nuanced explorations of character and society in later literary movements.

Regency Era

• Political and Social Change:

he Regency era (1811-1820) was a time of significant political and social change in Britain, including the impact of the Napoleonic Wars and the social unrest caused by the Industrial Revolution. Writers like Jane Austen subtly reflected these changes in their works, often critiquing class structures, gender roles, and social mobility.

Romanticism and the Novel:

While Jane Austen’s works are often associated with wit and social commentary, the Regency period also saw the rise of Romanticism, exemplified by poets like Lord Byron and writers like Mary Shelley. Romanticism emphasized emotion, nature, and individualism, offering a contrast to the more restrained social manners depicted in Austen’s novels.

Neoclassicism vs. Romanticism

The transition from Neoclassical ideals to Romanticism is an important literary shift that spans from the Restoration to the Regency period. While Neoclassical writers (like Pope and Dryden) emphasized reason, order, and classical ideals, the Romantics, emerging in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, focused more on emotion, individual expression, and the sublime.

The Development of the Social Novel:

In the 18th century, we begin to see the development of the "social novel," with works that reflect on the roles of individuals within society. Authors like Austen and Scott explored the tensions between personal desires and societal expectations, often using marriage and relationships as a metaphor for broader social structures