English Restoration
Shortly after the glory days of Elizabethan and Jacobean theatre, a Puritanical movement led by Oliver Cromwell gained control of Parliament Cromwell ethics did not extend to cover the moral extravagance of theatre. Under the guise of public health and safety, Parliament ordered the closing of all theatres on September 2, 1642 Such dirty public areas were the perfect breeding ground for the spreading of plague. Actors were left with two options, join Charles I in the civil war against Cromwell, or defy the law and continue performing. Then, in 1649, Charles lost his head, establishing the new Commonwealth. In 1653, Cromwell disbanded Parliament and named himself Lord High Protector. During these day of political chaos, a new underground theater evolved. This new theatre was an extremely risky venture. Any actor caught performing would be imprisoned. Box office receipts would be confiscated for the Commonwealth. Enormous fines would be levied against any daring to sit in an audience. Entire playhouses would be destroyed, their interiors gutted or exteriors burned. Theatre faced extinction. It became an obsequious art, catering to Cromwell's strict moral code. Killigrew would survive, and eventually form the T
The plays had devolved into bawdy, noisy events, the audience usually creating more drama then the actors. He befriended Charles II, and when the young king made his triumphant return to power, Davenant was given the monopoly on all theatre in London. Davenant worked through legal channels to produce theatre Cromwell could not dispute. Some fear it, some revel in it, but everyone feels its impact. The tragedies were broad, sweeping tales of great heroism. The audience of the restoration was upper class. Congreve, whose Way of the World is our current project produced his play long after the peak of the Restoration. The rake, the fop, the country gentleman, bitter ex-mistresses, randy young men, and witty young women are all present in most Restoration comedies. The Way of the World reflects this movement, its characters upper class, but not gaudily so. They exist in a world of debauchery covered with a veneer of decorum. Theatre is a constantly evolving entity. It was the epitome of art in its day. This world of class and manners is peopled by stock characters. The language is sharp and witty, the story lines multiple and convoluted, combining to hilariously cynical effect.
Common topics in this essay:
Restoration Comedy,
Parliament Cromwell,
William Mary,
Comedy Manners,
Commonwealth Enormous,
England Commonwealth,
Comedy Congreve,
Lord Protector,
Theatre Royal,
Siege Rhodes,
restoration comedy,
upper class,
strict moral,
picture themselves,
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Acceptance Essays
