Restoration Literature

John Dryden

An Essay of Dramatic Poesy

• “dryden chooses shakespeare over johnson” - direct quote from rileys notebook

A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day

• musical references and literary devices
• god created the world using music - reference to how restoration was a time where people believed the world was made through pattern and liked to try and solve the mysteries of the universe, in this case dryden is using music as an explanation for the world’s creation
• a lot of repetition, music to represent emotions
• section 3 = trumpet, section 4 = flute, section 5 = violin
  • different diction and technique choices are used to recreate the feeling of each instrument
• section 6 represents an organ, which is also presented as the best instrument

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Samuel Pepys

The Diary

• never intended for public release, eventually deciphered by random college students
• pepys seems connected with the community around him
• “no sense of urgency regarding the London fire” - another direct quote from rileys notebook

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Jonathan Swift

Gulliver’s Travels

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Thoughts on Various Subjects

• literally just the guys thoughts on various subjects

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Alexander Pope

The Rape of the Lock

• very long and boring poem
• Anna = Queen Anne I
• satire, the poem had people talking about something serious and then something ridiculous with no transition/pause
• gossip about people with reputations
• used fans to flirt
• sunset (showcase), people are ready to go out
• they play cards and then have coffee
• someone tries to steal this girl belinda’s hair and its a whole thing
• im pretty sure its a comment on like vanity and how people are pretty shallow even when more important and serious things are going on but don’t quote me on this bc im not sure

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An Essay On Man

• comment on how people talk about what god wants/god’s will when they don’t even know themselves

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Samuel Johnson

A Dictionary of the English Language

• self explanatory

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James Boswell

The Life of Samuel Johnson

• boswell is a simp
• when he first meets samuel johnson he’s pretty rude to boswell and they don’t get along well
• but boswell wears him down by being really annoying
• and also boswell is literally obsessed with this guy its kind of concerning
• enemies to lovers <3

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