Character of Cecily in the importance of being earnest

Hello learners,

Today i want to discuss about character sketch of Cecily Cardew of the play "The Importance of Being Earnest". "The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People" is a play by Oscar Wilde. First performed on 14 February 1895 at the St James's Theatre in London, it is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious personae to escape burdensome social obligations. Working within the social conventions of late Victorian London, the play's major themes are the triviality with which it treats institutions as serious as marriage, and the resulting satire of Victorian ways. Some contemporary reviews praised the play's humour and the culmination of Wilde's artistic career, while others were cautious about its lack of social messages. Its high farce and witty dialogue have helped make The Importance of Being Earnest Wilde's most enduringly popular play. 

Here I'm going to share some v points about character of CECILY CARDEW. There are four female character in this play :

• Lady Augusta Bracknell, 

• Gwendolen Fairfax, 

• Cecily Cardew, 

• Miss Prism

The female character which is the most attractive to me among this all is Cecily Cardew. Because she is portrayed as realistic character among all the women in "The Importance of Being Earnest".

She is of a very nice age; she is 18. She has a governess Miss Prism who tutors her for a long time. She is a very romantic, imaginative, kind, sensitive girl who feels the repression of Prism's rules. Cecily is a little bit silly and naïve girl, and we understand it after she declares that she wants to meet a "wicked man." Also, she is described as less sophisticated than Gwendolen.

◆Dreaming Lady:-

She is known as “dreaming lady” for the reason that she always remains in dreams. “Earnest” is unknown to her yet she is engaged to him. She even writes him letters. She deeply in love with the name of Ernest, the younger brother of uncle jack ( in reality there isn't any character name Ernest, it's imaginative character by her uncle jack ). But she don't know about that. Even she once tell to uncle jack that she wants to meet his younger brother Ernest. If we think about today's generation some of us are living in dream world, they aren't think what is real, but they were like to live in that dreamy world. And sometimes they are fail to accept the reality which can hurt them a lot.

◆Habit of Writing Diary:-

She writes a diary on regular basis with the logic that she would forget everything if she does not write a diary. Furthermore, she is a keen observer. This is very good habit to write diary, if we forgot anything so we can see in it and take it advantage. If we see it with today's perspective we find that in day to day life we forget many things which is important for us. In ancient time people write diarys for their to remember. Some people still uses diary for their better convenient, but many of us uses mobile phone for saving and writing anything which is important and useful. The blog is one of the part of them. Cecily is clever and cunning with her exchanges with Gwendolen. 

◆Satire through Cecily :-

It is also matter of fact that most of the satirical dialogues are uttered from the mouth of Cecily Cardew. It seems that Oscar Wilde has created her for the purpose of satire. As compared to other characters of “The Importance of Being Earnest”,  she is sensible. We find many examples of satire through Cecily. Let's see some of them:

CECILY: Algy, would you wait for me till I was thirty-five? ALGERNON: Of course I could, Cecily. You know I could. 

CECILY: Yes, I felt it instinctively, but I couldn’t wait all that time. I hate waiting even five minutes for anybody. It always makes me rather cross. I am not punctual, myself, I know, but I do like punctuality in others, and waiting, even to be married, is quite out of the question. ALGERNON: Then what is to be done, Cecily? 

CECILY: I don’t know, Mr. Moncrieff. 

---●Cecily consults Algernon about the new requirement set down by her guardian, Jack: She can’t be married without Jack’s permission until she reaches the age of thirty-five. Algernon’s willingness to wait years confirms Cecily’s suspicion of his ambivalence about marriage. Here we see dominance of parents are upon to their children and children have to be performed like them. Here I'm sharing one video of the original play for understand the real conversation and dialogue.

* Video of Original Play :-

Gwendolen and Cecily meet in Act II of The Importance of Being Ernest. Gwendolen has traveled to Jack's country house to surprise him, but he is out when she arrives, so she meets Cecily. When the women first meet, Gwendolen finds out that Cecily is Jack's ward and feels somewhat threatened by Cecily's good looks. She says to her:

''. . .I wish that you were fully forty-two, and more than usually plain for your age. Ernest has a strong upright nature. He is the very soul of truth and honour. Disloyalty would be as impossible to him as deception. But even men of the noblest possible moral character are extremely susceptible to the influence of the physical charm of others.''

---●Here we can see the jealously between two womens. They think that they both are fall in love with same person named Ernest.  

Cecily may be younger, less fashionable, and less sophisticated than Gwendolen, but she can give as good as she gets. We can see it in this conversation:

Gwendolen: Are there many interesting walks in the vicinity, Miss Cardew?

Cecily: Oh! yes! a great many. From the top of one of the hills quite close one can see five counties.

Gwendolen: Five counties! I don't think I should like that; I hate crowds.

Cecily: [Sweetly] I suppose that is why you live in town? [Gwendolen bites her lip, and beats her foot nervously with her parasol.]

Gwendolen: [Looking round] Quite a well-kept garden this is, Miss Cardew.

Cecily: So glad you like it, Miss Fairfax.

Gwendolen: I had no idea there were any flowers in the country.

Cecily: Oh, flowers are as common here, Miss Fairfax, as people are in London.

---● Here we can see that Cecily is gives an answer to Gwendolen. Here she makes satire on this. 

◆Realistic Character :-

She is the most realistic character of the play “The Importance of Being Earnest”. Crcily is second most realistic character after jack. As we know that all characters are living double life for their benefits, like Jack (who make story of his elder brother Ernest) but jack is very reasonable man. He never do bad thing with the help of his imaginative character, and Algernon (who make story of his friend Banbury) moreover he become Ernest for Cecily. Thus we talk about the female characters we can see that lady Bracknell who is firstly won't agree with the engagement of Algernon and Cecily but after knowing the wealthiness of Cecily Cardew she agreed with the engagement of Algernon and Cecily. How selfish she is ! Cecily won't wear any mask for her personal ambition and desire. She speaks truth despite its bitter. 

If we talk about  present time,

"Real are Rare"

People live multiple lifes. They have lots of masks for hiding their truth, reality and relations. 

◆Jolly Nature:-

Like other characters of “Importance of Being Earnest”, Cecily has a good sense of humor but her nature is “jolly”. She does not like Uncle Jack’s seriousness. She has very good level of understanding. Furthermore, she is a keen observer. She knows that Dr. Chasuble is in love with Miss Prism. She develops link between them. If go through the play we can see that Cecily is very beautiful.

◆The Country Girl :-

Part of what makes Cecily attractive to Algernon is her seeming simplicity. She’s not intellectual like Gwendolen, who very early on scolds Jack, "Ah! that is clearly a metaphysical speculation, and like most metaphysical speculations has very little reference at all to the actual facts of real life, as we know them".

We can’t really imagine Cecily talking about metaphysics or facts, for that matter. Cecily does everything she can to vigorously avoid Miss Prism’s attempts to educate her. She’s innocent Gwendolen might say ignorant. She waters the plants, writes in her diary, and waits for the day that Ernest will come and propose.

In conclusion, The Importance of Being Earnest strongly focuses on those of the upper class society and the vanity of the aristocrats who place emphasis on trivial matters concerning marriage. Both Algernon and Jack assume the identity of “Ernest” yet ironically, they both are beginning their marital lives based on deception and lies. Lady Bracknell represents the archetypal aristocrat who forces the concept of a marriage based on wealth or status rather than love. Cecily and Gwendolyn are one type of women who loves the name ERNEST without knowing anything about him. Through farce and exaggeration, Wilde satirically reveals the foolish and trivial matters that the upper class society looks upon as being important. As said earlier, a satiric piece usually has a didactic side to it. In this case, Lady Bracknell learns that the same person she was criticising is actually her own flesh and blood.

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Analysis of Belinda's character

This task is assigned by vaidehi madam and here I'm going to share my points about the charecter of Belinda. If Belinda was born in this century what she will do. 

"The Rape of the Lock" was a mock-heroic narrative poem written by Alexander Pope and first published in 1712, then reworked and published again in 1714.

It was one of the most commonly cited examples of high burlesque, it was first published anonymously in Lintot's Miscellaneous Poems and Translations (May 1712) in two cantos a revised edition "Written by Mr. Pope" followed in March 1714 as a five-canto version accompanied by six engravings. Pope boasted that this sold more than three thousand copies in its first four days. The final form of the poem appeared in 1717 with the addition of Clarissa's speech on good humour. The poem was much translated and contributed to the growing popularity of mock-heroic in Europe.

◆Analysis of Belinda's Character in 17th century◆ 

The protagonist of the poem, Belinda is a wealthy and beautiful young woman who travels to Hampton Court for a day of socializing and leisure. Her remarkable beauty attracts the attention of the Baron, who snips off a lock of her hair in his infatuation. At the beginning of the narrative, Ariel explains to Belinda through the medium of a dream that as she is a both beautiful and a virgin, it is his task to watch over her and protect her virtue though as the poem unfolds, it’s unclear if Belinda is really as virtuous as she seems. Despite the fact that Belinda is Pope’s protagonist, she’s actually a bit of a slippery character to come to terms with, as the reader is provided with relatively little access to her inner thoughts, and her actions are often governed by supernatural forces. For instance, it is unclear how much influence Ariel, a sylph, is able to exert over her, and there is some suggestion that he actively toys with her morality. He claims it is her virginity which makes her worthy of guarding but sends her a dream of a handsome young man, “A youth more glitt'ring than a birthnight beau,” tempting her sexuality. Similarly, at the end of the poem, Umbriel, throws over her and Thalestris a bag of “Sighs, sobs and passions” and also empties a vial of “sorrows” over her too, meaning the rage she flies into is not entirely of her own volition. Fundamentally, as her name suggests with its literal meaning of “beautiful”, all readers can really know about Belinda is that she is attractive.

Belinda is based on the real-life figure of Arabella Fermor, who also had a lock of her hair cut off by a suitor.

◆Analysis of Belinda's character with today's perspective◆

If we think about Belinda's character in today's perspective we find lot many changes in the character. Some of i want to discuss here:

Nowadays beauty is considered as costly clothes, beautiful faces filled with makeup. People judge everyone with their look ! As we know that hair is part of beauty, not for only girls but also for boys. And cutting down of hair is big thing for girls. If we cut hair without their permission it becomes  cause of fight also ! Everything is change with the change of time. So if Belinda is present today and the same thing is happened she will do FRI against Baron also. If Belinda is poor in present time then this matter is not affect to her and everybody but, if she is rich then it become spices for social media. They put headlines ,

•  Belinda's hair was cut !!!

• Was this a deliberate conspiracy? 

• What made Belinda so famous?  

• Belinda have secret affair with Baron !!!

• She is doing show-off with the help of her hair ?

• Has Belinda adopted this new style? Blah blah blah.. 

There is number of list for this topic. If we talk with other perspective we can see that cutting down of the hair is one type of insult. Girls can't tolerate her insult. Even they are very confuse about their hair and style, if they have long hair they want to cut their hair, and after haircut they feel like they want her hair back. 

Mood of girls are changing in 5 minutes ( not minutes but in seconds ! ). They mood is like that of China and they gets upset at any moment.

Girls are more conscious about their beauty and hair is one of the most important part of her beauty.

We know that womens are jealous with other womens. This is one thing that remain true since ancient time. And I think it will continue in future also ! Because some womens are can't see that another women can have more beautiful face, more money, good virtue and good family. They feel very jealous when some other guys praising other women.

Yes here we can't forget that Belinda's attitude is i think the same thing which Belinda refer in this 21st century. Belinda continue her Attitude in front of everyone. Then she share her beauty with the help of different medium of application.

Quote about life

It's true fact of my life, when I am happy i never notice any particular voice of anything but when I'm sad i think that these all sounds give some message, it reflects my emotion. I see it in some deeper meaning. 

"When we are happy we never notice any sound around us,

But when we are sad, in pain, in trouble we take every sound as a meaning"

                 -Latta Baraiya

(My own experience)

Absalom and Achitophel as satire

 Absalom and Achitophel 

Hello everyone, today I would like to discuss about Absalom & Achitophel as a satire. It's a very long poem by John Dryden. Now the first thing is arrive in our mind that what is satire ? Why poets and authors use satire ? So here is answer that;

"the use of humour, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues"

Poets and authors uses it for showing the harsh reality of society through some other event or examples. Satire is a form of literature, the proclaimed purpose of which is the reform of human weaknesses or vices through laughter or disgust. Satire is different from scolding and sheer abuse, though it is prompted by indignation. Its aim is generally constructive, and need not arise from cynicism or misanthropy. The satirist applies the test of certain ethical, intellectual and social standards to men and women, and determines their degree of criminality or culpability. Satire naturally has a wide range; it can involve an attack on the vices of an age, or the defects of an individual or the follies common to the very species of mankind. Absalom and Achitophel is "generally acknowledged as the finest political satire in the English language". It is also described as an allegory regarding contemporary political events, and a mock heroic narrative. On the title page, Dryden himself describes it simply as "a poem". In the prologue, "To the Reader", Dryden states that 

"the true end of satire is the amendment of vices by correction".

Dryden marks his satire with a concentrated and convincing poetic style. His satiric verse is majestic, what Pope calls: 

“The long majestic march and energy divine”

Absalom and Achitophel has inspired a great deal of discussion regarding satire: how satire was defined when Dryden wrote, and how this poem contrasts with the ancient models of Horace, Virgil, and Juvenal.

There are many topics in which Dryden make satire on. Some of i want to discuss here:

●Dark side of king :-

In this poem we can see that King David has so many affairs with so many womens. He has so many illegitimate childrens also. Absalom is one of them. But the thing is that it is common for king, they have right to do anything what they want !  Here Dryden make satire on king Charles || (the king of England) with the allegorical representation of king David (the king of Israel). This is the polygamy of king David. Dryden make satire on this term. We find this type of examples in Indian literature, in RAMAYANA King Dasharatha, who has three wifes. And another example is lord krishna who have 1600 wife's. It's example of the polygamy of king's.

●Divine Power :-

"All empire is no more than power in trust."

In this quotation, Dryden explains the nature of authority and this authority only king have. Authority is granted to those in power by those who are subject. In other words, those in power only have as much authority as the people will give to them; it's borrowed power. Thus an empire is a large collection of power which is concentrated in the hands of a few but which at any second can be taken back by the people. Another implication here is that empires are temporary establishments because none will last forever, as if they are merely loans. King David of Israel has all the power in theory, but in practice, he has little ambition. According to Achitophel, the King’s deceitful counselor, David is lacking “manly force,” and he gives in too easily to the people. The King is “mild” and hesitant to draw blood, and Achitophel, in his own ambition for increasing power, sees David as weak. Dryden's poem suggests that the desire for power is a common one in the hearts of men. Almost all men want it in some fashion or another, and they are easily swayed from their rightful place and beliefs if given the opportunity to amass it. Absalom is generally a good, loving, and moral son, but he cannot help himself when Achitophel comes calling with whispers of the throne. Achitophel also holds a significant position, but it is not enough for him. Whether one is in politics, the law, or religion, one still has these desires. Dryden doesn't condemn ambition outright, but he asserts that one must know his place and that, if it is not moral or legitimate to seek a specific office or position, then the one who occupies it has the right to resist with force.

●Divine Right:- 

In the poem "Absalom & Achitophel" Dryden make satire on this system. This system has been running since ancient time that king's son become the next king. Only the legitimate blood of king is become king. People are believe that the king is choose by God and they only have right to rule the country. So they believe that the king is angel of God. So they worship king like god !

●The Spirit of Revenge:-

We find the spirit of revenge in this poem through the character of Achitophel. Achitophel tries to take revenge against king David with the help of Absalom. He didn't do anything but he used Absalom as his wapen against king and provoke Absalom  for rebel against his father.

●Religious sectarian:-

As we know that religious topics are also causes for any fight and any arguments.   At the center of John Dryden’s poem “Absalom and Achitophel” is God and religion. The poem is a satirical critique of contemporary politics, but Dryden couches his argument in a biblical story from the Book of Samuel. That time state is divided into two team the Jews and the Jebusites. And some are wants to continue that system. In present time politicians are also trying to make against the people of country. This is what the politicians doing nowadays. Religion is enough matter for any fight ! People are divided into the path of many religion and it's also cause of inside breaking of Our nation. Politicians tame advantage of it. They keep people busy in this type of religious matters and people miss the true topics of discussion about the country which is very pivotal. There is nobody who understand what humanity is trying to do. This video can give idea about this ,

●Conspiracy theory :-

Here in the poem "Absalom & Achitophel" we can see conspiracy theory of Achitophel. He is  provoking Absalom to doing rebel against his father. There are lots of examples of people who prepare conspiracy for their personal ambition and benefits. We can connect it with our life also. There are many people, relatives and friends also who doing conspiracy against us with the help of our other close friends and relatives.

●Malleability and Malcontentedness of The People :-

Dryden does not have a lot of positive things to say about the people of England (who are the Jews in the poem). They are fickle, self-interested, foolish, and easily swayed. Dryden make satire on this also about people. As Achitophel knows well, "Weak arguments! which yet he knew full well, and Were strong with people easy to rebel". They are a "Solymaean rout" who are "In godly faction, and in treason bold; and Cow'ring and quaking at a conqu'ror's sword" . They fall for weak and specious arguments, they are swayed by emotion and sentimentality, and, ultimately, "the most may err as grossly as the few". The strong, legitimate ruler should use his power to quell their unrest and punish those who step out of line.

●Paternity and Patriarchy :-

There are numerous evocations of fathers and sons in this poem. David is the father of Absalom, but God is his Father. David is the patriarch of the land and must put aside his earthly fatherly feelings for Absalom in order to do his own Father's bidding. Absalom loves his father and wishes to emulate him, but whereas David is god-like, Absalom is purely a man. A parallel to Absalom is Barzillai's son, who remains untarnished in his reputation because he served his post faithfully (and even died for it). If David is to be the father to the people and to retain his paternal authority bestowed from God, then he must set his earthly son in his place. Dryden  made satire of this patriarchy system.

●Women Helplessness :-

As we see in the poem "Absalom and Achitophel" Dryden explore Michal (King David's wife) as a women without son. She is not able to give birth of any child to king. If we think with today's perspective  theory people believe that the women is only a baby feeding machine, They have to do all housework, taking care of babies etc. And women feel it very seriously. They broke down inside.

Dryden chose the well known Biblical story of Absalom revolting against his father David, at the wicked instigation of Achitophel, in order to satirise the contemporary political situation. The choice of a Biblical allegory is not original on dryden’s part, but his general treatment of the subject is beyond comparison, as Courthope points out. But all the while Dryden takes care to see that the political satire in not lost in the confusion of a too intricate Biblical parallelism. The advantage of setting the story in pre-Christian times is obvious as it gave Dryden had at once to praise the King and satirise the King’s opponents. To discredit the opponents he had to emphasise on Monmouth’s illegitimacy; but at the same time he had to see that Charles (who was Monmouth’s father) was not adversely affected by his criticism.

To wind up Dryden is correctly regarded as the most vigorous and polished of English satirists combining refinement with fervour. Dryden is unequalled at debating in rhyme and Absalom and Achitophel displays his power of arguing in verse. It may be said that Absalom and Achitophel has no rival in the field of political satire. Apart from the contemporary interest of the poem and its historical value, it appeal to the modern reader lies in its observations on English character and on the weaknesses of man in general. His generalisations on human nature have a perennial interest. Dryden triumphed over the peculiar difficulties of his chosen theme. He had to give, not abuse or politics,but the poetry of abuse and politics. He had to criticise a son whom the father still liked; he had to make Shaftesbury denounce the King but he had to see to it that the King’s susceptibilities were not wounded. He had to praise without sounding servile and he had to criticise artistically. Dryden achieves all this cleverly and skilfully. Achitophel’s denunciation of the king assumes the shades of a eulogy in Charles’ eyes. Absalom is a misguided instrument in Achitophel’s hands. The poem is certainly a political satire, but it is a blend of dignity with incisive and effective satire.

1830 words

Characteristics of the Puritan age and the Restoration age

 Hello readers,

Today I would like to share my views on characteristics of Puritan age and restoration age. So let's discuss about it. 

◆Literary Characteristics of the Puritan Age◆ 

The first half time period of the 17th century is considered as Puritan age. During this period Puritanism was dominating force. This time period is also famous with the name, Age of Milton. He was the greatest poet during this period. King James I was ruling during the Puritan period. Puritan age is considered as the renaissance of the moral sense of the man. The main aim of the Puritan age was:

• To facilitate religious freedom.

• Full civil liberty.

Puritans want the purity of life. During this period, church and court were highly criticized and this lead to the civil war and Charles I was beheaded.

In literature also the Puritan Age was one of confusion, due to the breaking up of old ideals. Mediaeval standards of chivalry, the impossible loves and romances of which Spenser furnished the types, perished no less surely than the ideal of a national church; and in the absence of any fixed standard of literary criticism there was nothing to prevent the exaggeration of the "metaphysical" poets,

who are the literary parallels to religious sects like the Anabaptists. (If you want to read more about metaphysical poetry read this blog 👉https://lattabaraiya1999.blogspot.com/2020/12/metaphysical-poetry.html). Poetry took new and startling forms in Donne and Herbert, and prose became as somber as Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy. The spiritual gloom which sooner or later fastens upon all the writers of this age, and which is unjustly attributed to Puritan influence, is due to the breaking up of accepted standards in government and religion. No people, from the Greeks to those of our own day, have suffered the loss of old ideals without causing its writers to cry, 

"Ichabod! the glory has departed." 

That is the unconscious tendency of literary men in all times, who look backward for their golden age; and it need not concern the student of literature, who, even in the break-up of cherished institutions, looks for some foregleams of a better light which is to break upon the world. This so-called gloomy age produced some minor poems of exquisite workmanship, and one great master of verse whose work would glorify any age or people, John Milton, in whom the indomitable Puritan spirit finds its noblest expression.

●Puritan and Elizabethan Literature :-

There are three main characteristics in which Puritan literature differs from that of the preceding age: 

(1)Elizabethan literature, with all its diversity, had a marked unity in spirit, resulting from the patriotism of all classes and their devotion to a queen who, with all her faults, sought first the nation's welfare. Under the Stuarts all this was changed. The kings were the open enemies of the people; the country was divided by the struggle for political and religious liberty; and the literature was as divided in spirit as were the struggling parties. 

(2)Elizabethan literature is generally inspiring; it throbs with youth and hope and vitality. While Puritan age speaks about sadness; even its brightest hours are followed by gloom, and by the pessimism inseparable from the passing of old standards. 

(3)Elizabethan literature is intensely romantic; the romance springs from the heart of youth, and believes all things, even the impossible. The great schoolman's credo,

 "I believe because it is impossible," 

is a better expression of Elizabethan literature than of mediaeval theology. In the literature of the Puritan period one looks in vain for romantic ardor. Even in the

lyrics and love poems a critical, intellectual spirit takes its place, and whatever

romance asserts itself is in form rather than in feeling, a fantastic and artificial adornment of speech rather than the natural utterance of a heart in which sentiment is so strong and true that poetry is its only expression.

●Realism in the poetry :-

Puritans believed that fictional elements in the work of art should be limited. 

"They perceive literary work as a religious practice rather than any piece of entertainment". 

The literary work of Puritans was all about spirituality. They talk about pilgrims and journey. They tried to motivate society by creating the allusion of an ideal state.

Earlier forms of love poetry were Petrarchan. One can see the platonic form of love in earlier forms of poetry but Puritan love poetry was based on realism. Women were not seen as a Goddess but a human with flesh and blood.

●The trend of sonnets :-

Poets largely used sonnets during Puritan age. Sonnets were popular because it was largely written during Elizabethan age.

●Major Poets of the Period●

The Puritan movement was one for very ugly literal expression and teaching. But, over time, some room for creative expression arose and Puritan poets such as John Milton, Anne Bradstreet, Edward Taylor,Samuel Daniel, George Herbert, and John Dryden produced some of the greatest verse of their old age.

◆Characteristics of the Restoration Age◆

Let's discuss about what was the Major things in the period of restoration.

The restoration period began when King Charles II came to the English throne. It started in the year 1660 and lasted till 1785.  The period is known as restoration because monarchy was restored in England.  During the restoration period English, Irish and Scottish monarchy was restored. This period denotes the event of restoration of the monarchy and new political establishment. During the reign of King Charles II there was an increase in commercial and global trade for Britain. Education was also expanded during this period, middle classes and lower classes were also included for education.

[1]THE RESTORATION:- During this period gravity, spiritual zeal, moral earnestness and decorum were thrown to winds. The king was a thorough debauch. He had a number of mistresses. He was surrounded by corrupt courtiers. Corruption was rampant in all walks of life.

[2]Religious and Political Quarrels:- 

In the Restoration period we see the rise of two political parties. They were the Whigs and the Tories. The Whigs were opposing and the Tories were supporting the king. The rise of these parties gave a fresh importance to men of literary ability. Both the parties supported them. The religious controversy was also going on. It was very bitter. The Protestant and the Catholics were face to face. The nation was predominately Protestant. The Catholics were being punished. Dryden’s 'Absalom and Achitophel' reflects these religious and political conflicts of the day.

[3]The Revolution:-

Charles' brother James II ascended the throne in 1685. He tried to establish Catholicism in the country. He became unpopular very soon. The entire nation rose against him. He lost his seat due to the bloodless revolution of 1688. The Restoration, the controversies and the revolution of 1688 deeply influenced the literature of the age.

[4]Rise of Neo-Classicism:- 

During the Restoration period a new literary movement started. It is known as Neo-Classical movement. This reflected the mood of the century. Reason occupied an important place. The writers of this period agreed upon the rules and principles. Rules and literary conventions became more important than the seriousness of subject matter. The writers expressed superficial manners and customs of the aristocratic and urban society. They did not pry into mysteries of human mind and heart. The new epoch is the antithesis of the previous Elizabethan age. It is called classical.

[5]Imitation of the Ancients:- The authors of this period turned to the great classical writers. Thus grew the neo-classical school of poetry. The neoclassicists imitated the rules and ignored the importance of subject matter. They could not delve deep into human emotions. These things can be noticed in the age Dryden and Pope.

[6]Imitation of the French:- 

The influence of France counted for much. Charles II and his companions demanded that poetry and drama should follow the French style. Now began the so-called period of French influence. Pascal, Racine, Boileau and other French writers were imitated blindly. The French influence is seen in the Restoration comedy of manners of Dryden, Wycherly and Congreve. This French influence is also responsible for the growth of opera.we read in the diary of Evelyn, another writer who reflects with wonderful accuracy the life and spirit of the Restoration,

"I saw Hamlet played; but now

the old plays begin to disgust this refined age, since his Majesty's being so long

abroad." 

Since Shakespeare and the Elizabethans were no longer interesting, literary men began to imitate the French writers, with whose works they had just grown familiar; and here begins the so-called period of French influence, which shows itself in English literature for the next century, instead of the Italian influence which had been dominant since Spenser and the Elizabethans.

[7]Realism and Formalism:- 

The writers of the Restoration age reacted against the romanticism of Elizabethan age. They developed realism to a marked degree. The early Restoration writers presented the realistic picture of a corrupt court and society. They emphasised vices rather than virtues. They gave us coarse, low plays without moral significance. They saw only the externals of man, his body and appetites. They did not see his soul and his ideals. In realism that is, the representation of men exactly as they are, the

expression of the plain, unvarnished truth with ideals or romance. The writers of the age followed formalism of style. They aimed at achieving directness and simplicity of expression. In both the Elizabethan and the Puritan ages the general tendency of writers was towards extravagance of thought and language. Sentences were often involved, and loaded with Latin quotations and classical allusions. The Restoration writers opposed this vigorously. From France they brought back the tendency to regard established rules for writing, to emphasize close reasoning rather than romantic fancy, and to use short, clean-cut sentences without an unnecessary word.

[8]The Couplet :-

Another thing which the reader will note with interest in Restoration literature is the adoption of the heroic couplet; that is, two iambic pentameter lines which rime together, as the most suitable form of poetry. Waller, who began to use it in 1623, is generally regarded as the father of the couplet, for he is the first poet to use it consistently in the bulk of his poetry. Chaucer had used the rimed couplet wonderfully well in his "Canterbury Tales", but in Chaucer it is the poetical thought more than the expression which delights us. With the Restoration writers, form counts for everything. Waller and Dryden made the couplet the prevailing literary fashion, and in their hands the couplet becomes

"closed"; that is, each pair of lines must contain a complete thought, stated as precisely as possible. Thus Waller writes:

The soul's dark cottage, battered and decayed,

Lets in new light through chinks that time has made.

●Leading Authors● 

Dryden was the representative poet of this age. His Absalom and Achitophel and Mac Flecknoe are very popular satires. Samuel Butler and John Oldham are also famous for their satires. John Dryden, John Bunyan, Hobbes, Locke, Temple etc. were eminent prose writers of this age. Congreve, Etherege and Whycherly were the eminent writers of comedy of manners.

            

Thus the Restoration age has great importance in the literary history of England. This age offered leading authors like Dryden and Congreve whose contribution to the literature is memorable.

In short The greatest writer of the age is John Dryden, who established the heroic couplet as the prevailing verse form in English poetry, and who developed a new and serviceable prose style suited to the practical needs of the age. The popular ridicule of Puritanism in burlesque and doggerel is best exemplified in Butler's Hudibras. The realistic tendency, the study of facts and of men as they are, is shown in the work of the Royal Society, in the philosophy of Hobbes and Locke, and in the diaries of Evelyn and Pepys, with their minute pictures of social life. The age was one of transition from the exuberance and vigor of Renaissance literature to the formality and polish of the Augustan Age. In strong contrast with the preceding ages, comparatively little of Restoration literature is familiar to modern readers.

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