Restoration literature

The English monarchy was restored when Charles II of England (above) became king in 1660.

Restoration literature is the English books written during the historical period commonly referred to as the English Restoration (1660–1689). This time matches up to the last years of Stuart rule in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.

In general, the word is used to represent almost the same styles of literature that centre on a celebration of or reaction to the restored court of Charles II.

The Restoration was an age of poetry. This genre was the most important form of literature at that time.

Prose in the Restoration period is ruled-over by Christian religious writing. However, in later periods two other genres would be more important: fiction and journalism.

Some books published during this period

• Paradise Lost, an epic poem written by John Milton.
• The Pilgrim's Progress, a Christian allegory written by John Bunyan by John Bunyan.
• Treatises of Government written by Locke.
• Gondibert, an epic poem written by William Davenant.
• The Compleat Angler, a celebration of the art and spirit of fishing in prose and verse written by Izaak Walton.
• The Compleat Gamester, which is one of the first attempts at settling the rules of card games, written by Charles Cotton.
• Love-Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister, a novel written in the form of letters by Aphra Behn.
• Aureng-zebe, a play written by John Dryden
• The Country Wife and The Plain Dealer, two plays written by William Wycherley
• The Man of Mode, a play written by George Etherege
• The Rover, a play written by Aphra Behn
• Love For Love and The Way of the World, two comedies written by William Congreve
• The Relapse (1696) and The Provoked Wife , two comedies written by John Vanbrugh
• The Conquest of Granada and Aureng-Zebe, two dramas written by John Dryden