Literary Developments in the Puritan and Restoration Eras

Seventeenth-century England experienced tremendous upheaval and changes in society and politics, which were mirrored with a vengeance in the literature of the day. The Puritan Era and the Restoration Era are the two main literary movements that succeeded one another, contrasting each other in their ideologies.

The Puritan Era (1620–1776) was heavily inspired by religious devotion and moral restraint, and literature that reflected such themes was introspective, didactic, and centred around spiritual salvation. The Restoration Era, on the other hand, signified the restoration of the monarchy and the celebration of worldly pleasures, promoting literature that revelled in wit, satire, and dramatic expression. The comparison of these two time periods is striking and insightful, as we see literature being a product and producer of its cultural context.

This blog by All Assignment Help explores major literary trends and styles. It will also discuss important authors from both the Puritan and Restoration eras. We will explore the different aspects of English literature, from the darker prose of John Bunyan to the bright comedies of William Congreve.

Historical Background of the Puritan Era

The Puritan Era is defined generically as beginning in the early part of the 17th century and ending in the mid-17th century. It is a time popular for its tumultuous political and religious atmosphere in England. Emerging from the Protestant Reformation, the Puritans were a group who sought to “purify” the Church of England of residual Catholic elements.

This period was during the time of the English Civil War (1642–1651) between the Royalists in favour of King Charles I and the parliamentarians, Puritans. The Parliamentarians won, resulting in the execution of Charles I in 1649 and the emergence of Oliver Cromwell’s Puritan-led Commonwealth. The period, which spanned roughly from 1649 to 1660, saw the abolition of the monarchy and the Anglican Church, with extensive Puritan influence over everyday life, politics, and culture.

This also made its mark in literature. Theatres were shut down, and non-religious or trivial entertainments were banned. Instead, religious texts, moral pamphlets, and spiritual meditations became rife. Influenced by the Puritan appreciation for introspection, the search for individual salvation, and the belief in the divine authority and its dictates, all American devotional literature tended towards the serious and true.

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Also read: British Literature and Its Division into Various Periods

Key Literary Features of the Puritan Era

Puritan literature, as the name implies, had a strict focus on religion and sought to express a life of piety, humility, and devotion to the Lord. It was written not for our entertainment but to teach, encourage, and guide in the things of the spirit. Moreover, moral themes in Puritan literature dealt with possible divine judgment, salvation, and the daily struggle between good and evil. Via the allegory and biblical references, writers frequently prayed about their spiritual fears, keen on self-assessment and atonement.

Popular genres encompassed sermons, spiritual autobiographies, religious poetry, and journals. Each form offered an opportunity for writers to contemplate their spiritual experiences and share what they learnt with their audience. Poetry, too, was mainly there for a religious intention: to glorify God or contemplate the human condition through the prism of grace.

In general, the literature from the Puritan period was less artistic and more of an instrument for religious purposes. In addition to this, if you are a modern-day student who wants to explore the context and depth of this literary tradition, you must have enough time on your hands. However, if you have other academic obligations like an online lecture to attend, you can seek online class help. Having enough time to explore the literary developments in the Puritan and Restoration eras will help you understand their beliefs better. It will also bridge the gap between present-day academics and ideologies from the past.

Also read: Modern Period in English Literature

Prominent Puritan Writers and Works

Though the Puritan era was one of the most austere and serious in American history, it also created some of the most legendary names in English literature.

John Milton

The most significant of these was John Milton, and his Paradise Lost (1667) is a truly monumental work of theology and poetry. With the tale of Adam and Eve’s fall from grace, he explored the topics of obedience, free will, and redemption. With this skilful blend of blank verse and classical allusion, he proved that successful literature could be used to express the great themes of the spirit.

John Bunyan

A similar influence was John Bunyan, whose allegory The Pilgrim’s Progress (1678) tells the story of a character named Christian and his journey through the spiritual world. It became one of the most-read and published books in English literature. His common language and greater moralism appealed to common readers.

Anne Bradstreet

Anne Bradstreet was among the first published poets in the New World. The poetry she wrote expressed a mixture of emotion and Puritan faith, with the conflict between human love and religious devotion as the central tension.

Despite the suppression of moral and religious codes under which these writers worked, they succeeded in producing spiritually nourishing repertoires of great literary value.

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Transition to the Restoration Era

The transition from the Puritan Era to the Restoration Era was a stark cultural and political change in England. After the death of Oliver Cromwell in 1658 and the eventual fall of the Puritan Commonwealth, the monarchy returned in 1660 with the return of King Charles II. The Restoration is famous for a new focus on arts and entertainment and a much looser social experience.

Theatres reopened after the years of Puritan suppression, and writers were free to explore non-religious themes again. The court of Charles II was characterised by a spirit of renewed extravagance and geniality. Moreover, the literature began to adapt itself to this new atmosphere. Furthermore, the new leadership revived the Church of England, thus breaking the power of Puritanism in politics and culture. That change ushered in a new age of literature that was satirical, sophisticated, and playful in its critique of society, politics, and human nature.

Additionally, whether students explore this pivotal literary period of the Restoration era through textbooks or buy assignment help online, its transformative nature acts as a guide for understanding the delicate historical shifts that allowed literature to reflect the changing society.

The Literature of the Restoration Period

Starting with the Restoration era (1660 forward), English literature sprang back with a lively, worldly, and often cynical attitude towards human nature. Restoration writing, in stark contrast with the gravity of Puritan literature, revelled in a witty, satirical, dialogue-driven manner. A time when literature entertained, criticised, and held up a mirror to a society in flux. A satirical tone was one of the literary hallmarks of Restoration literature. Sharp humour to criticise politics, social manners, and human vanity. The decadence of the Restoration court and the intrigues therein offered writers plenty of material with which to critique hypocrisy and absurdity.

In addition to the birth of the novel, prose and journalism emerged in Restoration literature with essays, periodicals, and critical writing. This new, larger public, in turn, inspired writers to engage more in public matters and everyday life and literature began speaking, more directly than before, to a wider audience. Symmetry, reasonability, and polish set the progressiveness of those expressed during the Restoration time. Only a couple of degrees from responsiveness toward secularity, the new material brutality got Bach and brought about English writing another vibrant moment that would remain so for four years.

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Prominent Restoration Writers and Works

The Restoration era witnessed the emergence of dynamic and great writers whose writings explored the satire and social values of the time.

John Dryden

In the end, the great literary force was John Dryden, poet, dramatist, and critic. His satirical poem, Absalom and Achitophel, disguised political commentary as biblical allegory. He also played a role in literary criticism and helped regularise the English heroic couplet.

Aphra Behn

Another important writer was Aphra Behn, one of the first women in England to make her living by writing. Considered one of the earliest works of English fiction, her novel Oroonoko combines elements of romance, politics, and anti-slavery themes of an early work. Furthermore, Behn’s Restoration comedies contain strong female characters, as well as a strong female voice that subverts societal norms related to gender and power.

William Congreve and George Etherege

With this, two names that rise to prominence for their comedies of manners are those of William Congreve and George Etherege. Through witty dialogue and intricate characters, they lampooned the manners, affectations, and love lives of the aristocracy.

Not only were these writers entertaining, but they also provided pointed social commentary, helping pave the way for English literature of the Restoration to be both artistic and critical.

Comparative Insights: Puritan vs. Restoration Literature

Puritan and Restoration literature have their roots in two different places in history and present their opposite worldviews. Puritan literature had its basis in religious devotion, moral imperatives, and spiritual observation. It emphasised basic language, a sober mood, and motifs of divine grace, sin, and salvation. Authors like John Bunyan and John Milton wielded the pen as an instrument for faith and morality.

Restoration literature, on the other hand, featured more wit, satire, and worldly life. In contrast, it focused less on religious instruction and more on human nature, social mores, and political criticism. The tone was playful, a little sceptical, and often irreverent. Other authors, including John Dryden and William Congreve, used writing to entertain and stimulate an intellectual conversation.

Regardless, Puritan pieces were always meant to set an example as to where people should and should not stand from a spiritual standpoint. Restoration literature more resembled a reflection of the faults of society at the time and an entertainment source for the bumbling masses. Combined, they show how literature develops in reaction to shifting cultural, political, and religious climates.

Conclusion

These are the two examples of what literature talks about the trends of their time, for the Puritan and Restoration eras, which differ in many ways. Based on a belief system marked by religious solemnity and moral rigour, the Puritan era produced works of profound contemplation and spiritual issues. Its writers wrote to communicate divine truth, stressing personal salvation, and had a simple yet powerful style that spoke to the faithful.

By stark contrast, the Restoration Era jubilated the return of monarchy, secularism, and artistic autonomy. Literature took on the role of social critique, cheeky fun, and cultural exploration. Restoration writers were pushing the limits of expression with the use of satire, drama, and realism, all of which helped modernise the literary forms we use today.

Although the tone and aim of the two eras are very diverse, both eras played a great part in the development of English literature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: What is the main difference between Puritan and Restoration literature?

Answer: Restoration literature was characterised by its satire, wit, and social commentary, but Puritan literature was primarily about religious devotion and moral instruction.

Question: Who were the prominent Puritan-era writers?

Answer: Among the most important Puritan writers are John Milton (Paradise Lost), John Bunyan (The Pilgrim’s Progress), and Anne Bradstreet, with her contemplative religious poetry.

Question: What is the importance of the Restoration period in English literature?

Answer: It was a period when theatre and drama were reinvigorated, when satire and realism and the growth of new world-established literary forms took root.

Question: What was the influence of political changes on Puritan and Restoration literature?

Answer: The oppressive religious rule and rigid morality of Puritan literature stood in stark contrast to the time of Restoration literature, marked by the return of the monarchy and a freer or less strictly religious and morally governed society.