1. The Restoration 1660-1800

2. From Tumult to Calm 20 years of civil war Devastating plague Fire that left more than 2/3 of Londoners homeless The middle class grew

3. Augustan and Neoclassical Stuarts restored peace and order People were weary of war and suspicious of revolutionaries and radicals. Neoclassical – “new classical”; English writers modeled their works on the old Latin classics since they represented what was permanent and universal in human experience

4. Reason and Enlightenment Prior to now, people believed disasters to be warnings or punishments. In the Enlightenment, people gradually stopped asking “why” and started asking “how” – figuring out the workings behind it.

5. Changes in Religion New scientific and rational explanations gradually began to affect some people’s religious views. Deism – a Creator sets the universe into motion, then withdraws and lets it run itself Christianity still remains extremely influential over almost all Europeans

6. Religion and Politics Religion determined people’s politics. Charles II reestablished the Anglican Church (called Episcopal in the US) as the official church of England.

7. The Bloodless Revolution It was widely believed that Catholics had set fire to London, caused other disasters, and were plotting to hand the country over to the pope. James II, a practicing Catholic, succeeded Charles II. When his wife produced a Catholic heir, leaders transferred power to his daughter and her Protestant husband. James II and family fled the country.

8. Addicted to the Theater When Puritans were in power, theaters were closed, so Charles II repealed the ban on play performances. Boys and men no longer acted the female roles – actresses were available.

9. The Age of Satire Satire – writing that does not make a fair and balanced judgment of people and their behavior but rather says the worst things about them that the poet can think of saying (public ridicule).

10. Journalism & Poetry Journalists saw themselves as reformers of public manners and morals. Poets had no desire to expose their souls; they thought of poetry as having a public rather than a private function.

11. The First English Novels Novel – “something new”; long fictional narratives A development of the middle class Often broad and comical

12. Searching for a Simpler Life Writers began turning to external nature and writing about the effect of the natural landscape on the human soul. Looking back at the past, searching for simple poems and songs.