Restoration And Eighteenth Century Literature

This course will give students the opportunity to study a number of literary works of Renaissance and Restoration Britain in the contexts of its historical and social developments. From the cultural revival represented by the Renaissance and the neo-classical Augustan poets to the notorious bawdiness of Restoration drama, the writing of this period provides intriguing insights into a politically, socially, and culturally tumultuous and often self-contradictory era. The core texts will consequently range from selected works of Shakespeare to lesser known dramatists as well as poets, essayists, and writers of prose fiction.