Concetti Chiave
- With the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660, theaters reopened, introducing innovations like professional actors, actresses playing female roles, and enhanced stage design.
- The Restoration "Comedy of Manners" satirized social absurdities with witty characters like the "fop" and was aimed at a sophisticated audience.
- This genre provided realistic depictions of upper-class life, focusing on themes of sex and money, with elements like disguise and prose dialogue enhancing realism.
- The use of irony was a key technique in the "Comedy of Manners," adding depth and contrast to the drama compared to previous styles.
- Notable playwrights of the era included George Etherege, William Wycherley, William Congreve, and John Dryden, influenced by French and Spanish theater.
Reopening of theaters
During the Puritan Age the theatres had been shut down. With the Restoration of the Monarchy and the reaction against Puritan morals, in 1660 theatres were made legal again and characterized by innovations. For example, actresses were playing female roles and together with the actors they were employed by the theatre no more through cooperative sharing bonds but by contract so that they became professionals. The theatres were roofed, the light was artificially provided by candles and there were footlights, the stage was characterized by a drop curtain and movable scenery. Differently from the Elizabethan Age, the audience did not belong to all classes, but to the nobility and going to the theatre became an occasion to meeting people and feeling fashionable.
What are the characteristics of the comedy of manners?
The Restoration drama found its best expression in the “Comedy of Manners” which purpose was to strike laughter by making fun of the manners and absurdities of society. The new type of male character was the “fop” who was elegant and witty but also cynical and was opposed to the “gallant” or “fortunate lover”. The characters belonged to the upper classes and this type of drama was addressed to a learned audience who could appreciate its formal and intellectual language. This kind of drama also offered a realistic picture of life; the sceneries were made so as to give the impression of small and familiar contemporary situations, the recurrent situations of the pursuit of sex and money and the use of disguise and of prose dialogues were giving the main realistic elements of the comedy. All these characteristics make evident the contrast of this new type of drama with the previous heroic drama. The “irony” or the art of saying the opposite of what is actually meant was the most important technique of the comedy.
Playwrights and foreign influences
The most important playwrights of this period were George Etherege, William Wycherley, William Congreve and John Dryden. Foreign influences came from the French Molière and the Spanish Calderon.
Domande da interrogazione
- What changes occurred in theaters with the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660?
- Who were the notable playwrights of the Restoration period, and what were their influences?
Theaters were reopened and underwent several innovations, such as employing actresses for female roles, using contracts for actors, and introducing roofed structures with artificial lighting, footlights, drop curtains, and movable scenery. The audience shifted to primarily the nobility, making theater-going a fashionable social event.
Key playwrights included George Etherege, William Wycherley, William Congreve, and John Dryden. They were influenced by foreign playwrights such as the French Molière and the Spanish Calderon, contributing to the development of Restoration drama.
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