The Restoration and the Age of Dryden: Satire and Reason
The Restoration of 1660, which saw King Charles II reclaim the throne, brought a new literary atmosphere. After years of Puritan rule, England embraced wit, satire, and rationalism. This was the age of John Dryden, the dominant literary figure of the late 17th century.
The Rise of Satire
With the monarchy restored, literature reflected the shifting political and social climate. Theaters, previously shut down by the Puritans, reopened, and a new style of drama emerged—witty, sexually charged, and cynical about human nature.
Dryden, poet laureate under Charles II, became the voice of the era. His satirical poem Absalom and Achitophel (1681) used biblical allegory to comment on political conflicts:
“Beware the fury of a patient man.”
His Mac Flecknoe was a brutal takedown of the poet Thomas Shadwell, establishing Dryden as the master of mock-epic satire:
“Sh— alone, my perfect image bears,
Mature in dullness from his tender years.”
Restoration Comedy and the Theatrical Revival
Theater flourished in this period, led by playwrights like William Congreve and Aphra Behn, one of the first professional female writers. Restoration comedies, such as Congreve’s The Way of the World, were sharp, fast-paced, and full of biting social critique.
Meanwhile, Behn’s novel Oroonoko (1688) was groundbreaking in its depiction of colonialism and slavery:
“I ought to tell you, that the Christians never buy any slaves but they give ’em some name of their own.”
Poetry and the Shift Toward Classicism
Beyond satire, poets like John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester, pushed boundaries with their scandalous and often obscene poetry. But by the end of the century, a shift toward Neoclassicism—order, restraint, and reason—was taking hold. Dryden himself championed this shift, emphasizing clarity and balance in verse.
A Lasting Influence
The Restoration was a period of bold satire, irreverent wit, and a return to theatrical brilliance. But as the 18th century approached, literature would become even more refined, led by figures like Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift, who would elevate satire to new heights.