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THE RESTORATION AND THE AUGUSTAN AGE - Coggle Diagram
THE RESTORATION AND THE AUGUSTAN AGE
The Restoration of the Monarchy (1660-1714):
After Oliver Cromwell’s death, the monarchy was restored in 1660
when Charles II returned from exile in France to become king
real power shifted to Parliament, and a group of ministers held most political power
The period also saw the emergence of two political parties:
the Tories, supported by the landed gentry,
the Whigs, supported by the urban middle classes.
London faced two major crises
the 1665 plague that killed around 100,000 people
the 1666 Great Fire, which destroyed much of the city
However, the city's reconstruction led to a changed urban landscape and new social dynamics.
The Augustan Age (1714-1760):
The Augustan Age began with the accession of George I in 1714
and was named after the Roman Emperor Augustus, whose reign symbolized stability
The period aligned with the Enlightenment, emphasizing reason, equality, and individual liberty
The Age of Reason promoted rational thought over tradition or religious authority
The middle class grew during this time, including merchants and artisans, and coffee houses became popular meeting places for exchanging ideas
This era also saw the rise of journalism,
with notable publications like The Tatler, The Spectator, and The Times (founded in 1785).
Augustan Prose and Poetry:
Prose flourished in journalism and essays
linked to new public spaces like coffee houses and literary clubs.
The 18th century saw the rise of the novel
but poetry
mainly satirical and often used mock-heroic forms
Alexander Pope was the leading poet of the period,
with The Rape of the Lock being one of his finest works.
Augustan drama was less developed due to censorship under the Theatres Licensing Act
which restricted satirical works.
The Rise of the Novel:
Several factors contributed to the rise of the novel during this period:
Expansion of the Reading Public:
More people, including women, had access to books, and they desired stories reflecting their own lives
Influence of Episodic Narratives:
Novels adopted episodic structures and comic elements, influencing writers like Henry Fielding.
Philosophical Rationalism
Novels reflected the individual’s experience and perception of reality.
Key Authors and Styles:
Daniel Defoe:
realistic, episodic narratives in works like Robinson Crusoe,
where the protagonist overcomes misfortunes through personal resourcefulness.
Jonathan Swift
Famous for Gulliver’s Travels, a satirical novel that uses fantastical worlds to explore complex philosophical and political issues
. It was initially seen as a children’s story but held deeper satirical and philosophical meanings