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Tanmoy Putatunda

Restoration comedy, also known as comedy of manners, emerged in England in the late 1600s following the restoration of the monarchy. These plays satirized the manners and morals of upper-class society, depicting relationships, intrigue, and hypocrisy. Notable playwrights included William Wycherley, William Congreve, and George Etherege. The comedies were written in prose and featured stock characters like fops and bawds. They addressed topics like licentiousness and moral weakness through witty dialogue and complex plots that emphasized social rules over dramatic action.

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RESTORATION COMEDY (or) COMEDY OF MANNERS
French Neo-Classical Theatre neo-classical = new classical; returning to the structure, order, and style of classic Greece and Rome Audience was mainly people of the court (aristocracy) Influenced by Italian theatre and opera Elaborate costumes Elaborate scenery Had to impress and amaze rich audience!
French Neo-Classical Theatre Soon permanent theatres were built had a proscenium arch painted scenery with depthmore three dimensional deeper orchestra seating side boxes candle-light (chandeliers) raked stage
All of this was heavily influenced by the Italian theatre/opera.
French Neo-Classical Theatre Professional actors, part of companies or troupes; provided own costumes Women actors allowed onstage Begin to have theatrical specialists, like lighting and scenic designers
LAcad辿mie Fran巽aise Established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu (advisor to King Louis XIII) Regulated which plays followed the rules of acceptable drama During the Neoclassical Age, if the Academy reviewed a play and decided it broke a rule, the playwright could face imprisonment and bankruptcy.
Moli竪re (Jean Baptiste Poquelin) French playwright (1622-1673) somehow broke the rules but remained the most popular playwright influenced by Commedia dellArte Tartuffe; The Misanthrope; The Miser
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Theatre in England: 1640-1660 The prevailing Puritan morality of Cromwell and the Parliamentarians leads to the outlawing of theatre from 1642 1647 It is then vigorously suppressed from 16491660 [Loophole: musical entertainments were not banned] The Globe Theatre is torn down Interiors of other popular theatres are dismantled Law is passed ordering that all actors be apprehended as rogues (dishonest, untrustworthy, unprincipled scoundrels) Actors still surreptitiously perform throughout this period Often officials were bribed to look the other way
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The re-establishment of Monarchy in England with the return of Charles II (1660) is usually called the Restoration Period. Charles II, he who went into exile, returned home from Louis XXIVs court in Versailles taking French culture. English society was influenced by it and became corrupted and more interest in entertainments than moral and social rules. The Restoration Age
THE COMEDY During Restoration Period criticizing the society as writers wrote comedies people, particularly upper classes, living without moral standards. The restoration dramatists wrote works based on a satirical observation of the social behaviour. Restoration comedies are also called Comedy of Manners. sometimes called Restoration Comedy or Drawing- Room Comedy What is it? Why was it created? Comedy is applied to plays that end with happiness.
What exactly is a Comedy of Manners? A witty, cerebral form of comedy that depicts and often satirizes the manners and affectations of a contemporary society. It is concerned with social usage and the whether or not characters meet certain social standards. The plot is subordinate to the plays brittle (fragile) atmosphere, pithy dialogue, and pungent (severely critical or sarcastic) commentary on human foibles (minor weaknesses or failings of character).
Influences? The New Comedy works of ancient Greek playwright Menander In turn, Menanders plays were imitated by the Roman poets Plautus and Terence whose comedies were widely known and copied during the Renaissance. Moli竪re
PRINCIPAL WRITERS George Etherege William Wycherley Sir John Vanbrugh
PRINCIPAL WRITERS George Farquhar William Congreve
MAIN THEMES What topics did the comedy dealt with? Amorous conflicts of men and women. Licentiousness, hypocrisy, double-dealing, moral weakness of aristocracy and new bourgeoisie in love and marriage. love, wit, and gaiety often immorality The principle theme was sexual intrigue either for its own sake or for money.
SALIENT FEATURES How was it organized and written? It was written in prose. It had the function to teach people good manners showing what were bad behaviours. Standard characters include fops, bawds, scheming valets, country squires, and sexually voracious young widows and older women
SALIENT FEATURES The plots were complex and usually double, sometimes, triple, though repartee and discussion of marital behaviour provide much of the interest, reflecting the fashionable manners of the day. Its predominant tone was witty, bawdy, cynical, and amoral. attack for frivolous, It was humorous and funny. Playwrights came under heavy blasphemy, and immortality.
Tone of Satire The plays are satirethey poke fun at society, especially the upper class. social rules mannerisms hypocrisy greed gossip affairs
POPULAR RESTORATION COMIDIES The Man of Mode The Country Wife The Plain Dealer The Old Bachelor The Way of the World The Provoked Wife The Beaux Stratagem George Etherege William Wycherley William Congreve John Vanbrugh George Farquhar
CRITICS COMMENTS Charles Lamb in his thought provoking essay on Comedy calls this the artificial comedy. Bonamy Dobree observes thus: The Restoration Comedy takes us away from our familiar surroundings into a world of make belief. It is known for its wit, humour, and repartee. Its predominant tone was witty, bawdy, cynical, and amoral. Cleanth Brooks (in his Understanding Drama) says thus: The Restoration Comedy is an accurate mirror of the 17th century society and is intensely realistic.

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COM Background.pptx

  • 2. French Neo-Classical Theatre neo-classical = new classical; returning to the structure, order, and style of classic Greece and Rome Audience was mainly people of the court (aristocracy) Influenced by Italian theatre and opera Elaborate costumes Elaborate scenery Had to impress and amaze rich audience!
  • 3. French Neo-Classical Theatre Soon permanent theatres were built had a proscenium arch painted scenery with depthmore three dimensional deeper orchestra seating side boxes candle-light (chandeliers) raked stage
  • 4. All of this was heavily influenced by the Italian theatre/opera.
  • 5. French Neo-Classical Theatre Professional actors, part of companies or troupes; provided own costumes Women actors allowed onstage Begin to have theatrical specialists, like lighting and scenic designers
  • 6. LAcad辿mie Fran巽aise Established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu (advisor to King Louis XIII) Regulated which plays followed the rules of acceptable drama During the Neoclassical Age, if the Academy reviewed a play and decided it broke a rule, the playwright could face imprisonment and bankruptcy.
  • 7. Moli竪re (Jean Baptiste Poquelin) French playwright (1622-1673) somehow broke the rules but remained the most popular playwright influenced by Commedia dellArte Tartuffe; The Misanthrope; The Miser
  • 8. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Theatre in England: 1640-1660 The prevailing Puritan morality of Cromwell and the Parliamentarians leads to the outlawing of theatre from 1642 1647 It is then vigorously suppressed from 16491660 [Loophole: musical entertainments were not banned] The Globe Theatre is torn down Interiors of other popular theatres are dismantled Law is passed ordering that all actors be apprehended as rogues (dishonest, untrustworthy, unprincipled scoundrels) Actors still surreptitiously perform throughout this period Often officials were bribed to look the other way
  • 9. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The re-establishment of Monarchy in England with the return of Charles II (1660) is usually called the Restoration Period. Charles II, he who went into exile, returned home from Louis XXIVs court in Versailles taking French culture. English society was influenced by it and became corrupted and more interest in entertainments than moral and social rules. The Restoration Age
  • 10. THE COMEDY During Restoration Period criticizing the society as writers wrote comedies people, particularly upper classes, living without moral standards. The restoration dramatists wrote works based on a satirical observation of the social behaviour. Restoration comedies are also called Comedy of Manners. sometimes called Restoration Comedy or Drawing- Room Comedy What is it? Why was it created? Comedy is applied to plays that end with happiness.
  • 11. What exactly is a Comedy of Manners? A witty, cerebral form of comedy that depicts and often satirizes the manners and affectations of a contemporary society. It is concerned with social usage and the whether or not characters meet certain social standards. The plot is subordinate to the plays brittle (fragile) atmosphere, pithy dialogue, and pungent (severely critical or sarcastic) commentary on human foibles (minor weaknesses or failings of character).
  • 12. Influences? The New Comedy works of ancient Greek playwright Menander In turn, Menanders plays were imitated by the Roman poets Plautus and Terence whose comedies were widely known and copied during the Renaissance. Moli竪re
  • 13. PRINCIPAL WRITERS George Etherege William Wycherley Sir John Vanbrugh
  • 15. MAIN THEMES What topics did the comedy dealt with? Amorous conflicts of men and women. Licentiousness, hypocrisy, double-dealing, moral weakness of aristocracy and new bourgeoisie in love and marriage. love, wit, and gaiety often immorality The principle theme was sexual intrigue either for its own sake or for money.
  • 16. SALIENT FEATURES How was it organized and written? It was written in prose. It had the function to teach people good manners showing what were bad behaviours. Standard characters include fops, bawds, scheming valets, country squires, and sexually voracious young widows and older women
  • 17. SALIENT FEATURES The plots were complex and usually double, sometimes, triple, though repartee and discussion of marital behaviour provide much of the interest, reflecting the fashionable manners of the day. Its predominant tone was witty, bawdy, cynical, and amoral. attack for frivolous, It was humorous and funny. Playwrights came under heavy blasphemy, and immortality.
  • 18. Tone of Satire The plays are satirethey poke fun at society, especially the upper class. social rules mannerisms hypocrisy greed gossip affairs
  • 19. POPULAR RESTORATION COMIDIES The Man of Mode The Country Wife The Plain Dealer The Old Bachelor The Way of the World The Provoked Wife The Beaux Stratagem George Etherege William Wycherley William Congreve John Vanbrugh George Farquhar
  • 20. CRITICS COMMENTS Charles Lamb in his thought provoking essay on Comedy calls this the artificial comedy. Bonamy Dobree observes thus: The Restoration Comedy takes us away from our familiar surroundings into a world of make belief. It is known for its wit, humour, and repartee. Its predominant tone was witty, bawdy, cynical, and amoral. Cleanth Brooks (in his Understanding Drama) says thus: The Restoration Comedy is an accurate mirror of the 17th century society and is intensely realistic.

Editor's Notes

  1. Pithy = concise yet full of substance or meaning (synonyms: terse, succinct, pointed)