EN3F0-15 Restoration Drama
Introductory description
This module explores the drama during one of the most exciting and innovative periods of English theatre. When the monarchy was restored in 1660 - following more than a decade of Puritan rule - the theatres were reopened. But after 18 long years during which public performance had been criminalized and the playhouses shut, it wasn’t simply a case of actors and theatre managers picking up where they’d left off. New performance spaces, new kinds of drama, and new repertories had to be created. Crucially, women were, for the very first time, permitted to appear on the public stage: this is the age of the first actresses.
Module aims
In this module, we’ll particular attention to the relationship between the forms of drama that emerged in the period and the material and political contexts of the theatre. The late seventeenth century English stage is perhaps best known for its comedies and we’ll consider both how far the conventions of this genre changed over the course of the period and the extent to which comedy offered writers a vehicle for reinforcing or contesting contemporary conceptions of sexuality. At the same time, we will look at examples of heroic drama, the burlesque, Shakespearean adaptation and tragedy, as a means of exploring the broader history of generic experimentation in decades shaped by a sequence political and religious crises that saw the beginnings of party politics and constitutional monarchy.
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
Sample Outline Syllabus
Week 1, The First Restoration Plays: The Adventures of Five Hours (1662) by Samuel Tuke
Week 2, Heroic Drama: The Conquest of Granada, Parts 1 and 2 (1670) by John Dryden
Week 3, Burlesque: The Rehearsal (1671) by Buckingham
Week 4, The Rake’s Progress: The Rover (1677) by Aphra Behn
Week 5, Rewriting Shakespeare: All for Love (1677) by John Dryden
Week 6, Reading Week
Week 7, Comedy After the Revolution: Love's Last Shift (1696) by Colley Cibber and The Relapse (1696) by John Vanbrugh
Week 8, Negotiating Marriage: The Way of the World (1700) by William Congreve
Week 9, Comedy Outside the Capital: The Recruiting Officer (1706) by George Farquhar
Week 10, Comedy on the reformed stage?: The Busie Body (1709) by Susannah Centlivre
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Demonstrate broad knowledge and critical understanding of the set plays in the context of Restoration drama.
- Research and discuss the context of the development of Restoration drama in its political, religious and social contexts.
- Use a range of techniques to initiate and undertake an analysis of the major dramatic trends of the period 1660-1709.
- Critically analyse Restoration literary and dramatic criticism in theory and practice as it relates to Restoration drama.
- Demonstrate developed skills in critical analysis, decision making, oral and written communication, academic research, using the digital humanities, and academic writing.
Indicative reading list
The coursebook will be Restoration Drama: An Anthology, ed. David Womersley (Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2000).
Restoration Critical Writings
John Dryden, from An Essay of Dramatic Poesie (1668)
John Dryden, "Of Heroic Plays" (1672)
Thomas Rymer, from A Short View of Tragedy (1693)
Jeremy Collier, excerpts from A Short View of the Immorality and Profaneness of the English Stage (1698)
Congreve to Dennis, 'Concerning Humour in Comedy' (1700)
Subject specific skills
This module will explore the drama from 1660 to the advent of sentimental comedy at the turn of the eighteenth-century. We will pay particular attention to the playing conditions of the time which were affected both by the physical resources of the stage and the political context into which these works intervened. We will also take note of Restoration literary criticism to discover how playwrights explored these notions in their work. As we read some of the most famous plays of the period, we will develop an understanding of its major dramatic trends and the ways in which they reflect the political, religious and social concerns of their time.
Transferable skills
Use a range of established techniques to initiate and undertake critical analysis of information, and to propose solutions to problems arising from that analysis
Effectively communicate information, arguments and analysis in a variety of forms to specialist and non-specialist audiences and deploy key techniques of the discipline effectively
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 9 sessions of 1 hour (6%) |
| Seminars | 9 sessions of 1 hour (6%) |
| Private study | 132 hours (88%) |
| Total | 150 hours |
Private study description
Reading & research.
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
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| Assessed Essay | 70% | Yes (extension) | |
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1 x 3,000-word essay (including the use of at least 3 primary sources sourced by the student from EEBO or ECCO), title/subject devised by student |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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| Extract Question | 30% | Yes (extension) | |
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Students will be asked to comment on an extract in the context of Restoration drama, not writing a line-by-line commentary but using it to explore the dramatic and theatrical themes and conventions of Restoration Drama, with detailed reference to the play from which it comes and AT LEAST one other play. |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Feedback on assessment
Written feedback via Tabula and oral feedback in office hours if desired
Courses
This module is Core optional for:
- Year 3 of UTHA-QW34 Undergraduate English and Theatre Studies
- Year 4 of UENA-QW35 Undergraduate English and Theatre Studies with Intercalated Year
This module is Optional for:
- Year 3 of UCXA-QQ37 Undergraduate Classics and English
- Year 4 of UCXA-QQ38 Undergraduate Classics and English (with Intercalated Year)
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UENA-QQ00 Undergraduate English & Cultural Studies
- Year 3 of QQ00 English & Cultural Studies
- Year 3 of QQ00 English & Cultural Studies
- Year 3 of UENA-Q300 Undergraduate English Literature
- Year 3 of UENA-QP36 Undergraduate English Literature and Creative Writing
- Year 4 of UENA-QP37 Undergraduate English Literature and Creative Writing with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of UENA-Q301 Undergraduate English Literature with Intercalated Year
- Year 3 of UCXA-QQ39 Undergraduate English and Classical Civilisation
- Year 4 of UCXA-QQ3A Undergraduate English and Classical Civilisation (with Intercalated Year)
- Year 4 of UFRA-QR3A Undergraduate English and French
- Year 4 of ULNA-QR37 Undergraduate English and German
- Year 4 of UHPA-QR34 Undergraduate English and Hispanic Studies
- Year 3 of UENA-VQ32 Undergraduate English and History
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UENA-VQ33 Undergraduate English and History (with Intercalated year)
- Year 4 of VQ33 English and History (with Intercalated year)
- Year 4 of VQ33 English and History (with Intercalated year)
- Year 3 of UENA-VQ34 Undergraduate English and History (with a term in Venice)
- Year 4 of ULNA-QR38 Undergraduate English and Italian
- Year 3 of UFIA-QW25 Undergraduate Film and Literature
- Year 4 of UFIA-QW26 Undergraduate Film and Literature (with Study Abroad)
- Year 3 of ULAA-M136 Undergraduate Law with Humanities (3 Year)
- Year 3 of UVCA-LA99 Undergraduate Liberal Arts
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UVCA-LA98 Undergraduate Liberal Arts with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA85 Liberal Arts with Classics with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA72 Liberal Arts with Design Studies with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA79 Liberal Arts with Economics with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA78 Liberal Arts with Education with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA88 Liberal Arts with English with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA77 Liberal Arts with Film and Television Studies with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA76 Liberal Arts with Global Sustainable Development with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA86 Liberal Arts with Global Sustainable Development with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA90 Liberal Arts with History with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA98 Liberal Arts with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA84 Liberal Arts with Life Sciences with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA74 Liberal Arts with Modern Lanaguages and Cultures with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA89 Liberal Arts with Philosophy with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA87 Liberal Arts with Theatre and Performance Studies with Intercalated Year
- Year 3 of UPHA-VQ72 Undergraduate Philosophy and Literature
- Year 4 of UPHA-VQ73 Undergraduate Philosophy and Literature with Intercalated Year
- Year 3 of UPHA-VQ52 Undergraduate Philosophy, Literature and Classics
- Year 4 of UPHA-VQ53 Undergraduate Philosophy, Literature and Classics (with Work Placement)
- Available to all finalist students on non-English Literature degree programmes – subject to availability and must have A level English Literature or equivalent qualification.