The English Civil War, Restoration, and The Age of Reason 1625-1798

The Second Stuart King In 1625, King James I died, and his son Charles I was crowned.

Charles I During his father’s successful reign, England had continued to expand it’s reach as a global power, establishing colonies in the New World. England continued to be plagued, however, by intense internal strife. Many believed that the king had too much power, and that Parliament should be in control of the nation.

Civil Strife In addition to the disagreements between monarchists and parliamentarians, the religious divides that began during the age of Henry VIII continued to grow.

Civil Strife The collective voice of radical Puritans, who wished to move the Church of England way from Catholic traditions, opposed monarchal rule (particularly in areas of religion), and who vehemently opposed secular forms of art and entertainment, grew as a serious threat to Charles’ power.

Civil Strife becomes Civil War In 1642, the Parliament condemned Charles I as a tyrant; Civil War broke out. Oliver Cromwell led the rebels to victory over the king’s army in 1645, and in 1647 Charles I was captured.

Civil War On January 30, 1649, Charles I was beheaded for the crime of treason. His son, also named Charles, fled to France. The war was over, and for the next decade, there was no king of England.

Lord Protector Without a king, the country was led at first by the Parliament, but eventually by Cromwell, who named himself “Lord Protector” in 1653. Under Cromwell, the Puritans outlawed theatre, gambling, and many other forms of popular entertainment.

Early 17th Century Literature The literature during this period often reflects the conflict and uncertainty of the times. Common themes include the “metaphysical”: literature that discusses the meaning of life, the causes of joy and suffering, philosophical points of view, etc.

Important Writers of the Early 1600’s John Donne (1572-1631) Known for his early poems about love and rowdy living, and his later metaphysical and religious poetry

Important Writers of the Early 1600’s Andrew Marvell (1621-1678) Robert Herrick (1591-1674) Sir John Suckling (1609-1642) Known for their “carpe diem” (latin for “seize the day”) poems, which explore the fleeting nature of existence, and the need for mortal beings to live for the moment.

Restoration After Cromwell’s death in 1658, the English people, yearning for change, invited the younger Charles to return from France and reclaim the throne. In 1660, Charles II “restored” the monarachy, and so we refer to the period from 1660-1700 as the “restoration.”

Restoration Charles II brought spectacular continental fashion with him back to England; after the period of Puritan simplicity, the dress, music, art, and theatre of the Restoration indicates a time of great excess and excitement.

John Milton (1608-1674) A high ranking member of Cromwell’s government, he was stripped of most of his belongings after the Restoration, but was allowed to live. In exile, he wrote Paradise Lost, an unparalleled Biblical epic about the fall of mankind and the rise of Lucifer.

Restoration Drama Outlawed during the period of Puritan rule, the theatre returned with a vengeance during the Restoration. Reflecting the fashion of the time, Restoration theatres moved beyond the simplicity of Shakespeare’s day, emphasizing elaborate costumes and backdrops. Perhaps reflecting the light-hearted, liberal mood of the day, comedies were particularly popular during the Restoration, and women were allowed on stage in England for the first time.

The Age of Reason The 18th century (1700-1799) is often referred to as “The Age of Reason,” or “The Enlightenment,” though debates can rage over when this period actually begins and ends. The Age of Reason marks a significant cultural shift towards rationality, scientific invention and innovation, and the industrialization of the Western world.

Glorious Revolution In 1688, James II, a devout catholic and the son of Charles II, was removed from the throne by the protestant Parliament and replaced by his daughter Mary and her husband William. Because this transition was accomplished with relatively little bloodshed, it is referred to as “The Glorious Revolution.” During the 18th century, the Parliament would continue to excerpt more and more control over the government.

American Revolution This period saw an increase in the application of logic and reason to the problems of the world, as well as the spread of vanguard ideas like democratic equality and social justice. In 1776, these philosophical ideas would inspire England’s colonies in the New World to rebel against the throne, and to establish the United States of America.

The First English Novel During this period, Daniel Defoe (1660-1731) published what is generally recognized as the first English novel (a long work of prose fiction): Robinson Crusoe, which tells the story of an Englishman who is trapped on a desert island for twenty years, and forced to survive using his wits and instincts. Many critics read Robinson Crusoe as a celebration of the English perception that they were the most sophisticated and civilized people on Earth.

Industrialization Unfortunately, however, the increase of industrial factories in the ever-growing cities of England also meant an increase in poverty and harsh living conditions for the “have-nots.” Many writers became disenchanted, and wrote scathing criticisms of the social order.

Satirical Literature “The Age of Reason” is sometimes referred to as “The Age of Swift and Pope,” named for two of the most famous such writers of the period.

Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) Known for biting sociopolitical satires that mocked the status quo, such as “A Modest Proposal,” an essay in which Swift attacks the poor treatment of the indigent by suggesting, sarcastically, that the rich of England should eat the babies of Irish paupers.

Gulliver’s Travels Swift’s most famous work, however, is a satirical novel about an English doctor who is lost at sea, and visits several strange and alien lands (each of which is used to take observational swipes at different aspects of English and European culture).

Alexander Pope (1688-1744) Known for his mock epics, such as The Rape of the Lock, which uses the language and imagery of such classic epics as Beowulf and The Odyssey, but tells a story of mundane social warfare, to emphasize through irony the ridiculousness of 18th century upper-class vanity.

Keen and Cutting The writing of this period is often sharp, funny, and deeply critical, though it sometimes lacks the passion and imagination of the later Romantic Period (1798-1832), which would come in direct response to the satires of the 1700’s.