King Charles II and Restoration Theater
Restoration Theater and King Charles II are two examples of this.
Charles II was restored to the English throne in 1660, marking the beginning of the Restoration period. When Charles II was born, England had experienced a period of literary stagnation between the execution of his father (1649), King Charles I, and his son’s birth (1660). The country was ruled by a succession of republican rulers that imposed their restrictive and Puritan ideas on its citizens. France and the Spanish Netherlands (both favorite locations for exiled Royalists) were very different places at the time; nonetheless, Charles II’s exposure to these thriving literary cultures during his exile prompted him to develop a fondness for French and Spanish plays. He also developed an interest in Roman Catholicism, and he was well-known for being tolerant of those who had political and theological beliefs that differed from those of the royal court on the whole. When it came to the restoration of literature throughout England, Charles II had a significant impact on the course of the profession during that time. He did so with an open mind and a personal interest in seeing it restored.
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As one of his first priorities, Charles II sought to reopen theaters and issue letter patents to new performing companies, the most well-known of which were the King’s Company and the Duke of York’s theater company. Restoration comedy and “talk” drama produced by the company were the most well-known of their productions. Actors were assertive and insisted on shows that emphasized dialogue and literary quality over the course of the season. Despite the fact that Restoration Comedy occurred in a variety of styles, it was frequently acerbic, sardonic, and profane in nature (Plant).
The works appeared to be a reflection of aristocratic society as well as the genuine manners of the historical period. The French Court of Louis XIV, for example, according to Morrah, had a major influence on Charles II, who wished to mimic the same elegance and sophistication inside his own court (40-44). It is suggested by Burns that many of the famous playwrights of the time (such as Etherege (Congrave), Vanbrugh, and Vanbrugh) were closely associated with the Court, which led them to create accurate representations of the society within the plays (Congrave, Etherege, and Vanbrugh, for example) (19). A strong emphasis seems to be placed on love, wit, art, and fashion…. As an added bonus, King Charles II frequently attended the performances, which resulted in an impressive contingent of members of his entourage. Although the theaters served as venues for aristocratic socializing, they were also used as locations for sexual intrigues by members of the upper classes (Morrah, 108).
Hume (145) writes that Charles II was also well-known for being a womanizer who had a large number of mistresses, and that “his followers emulated him with enthusiasm.” It is true that several actresses became connected with playwrights and even with Charles II himself at one point or another. Freedom of sexual expression was extensive, and women were encouraged to express their sexual needs and desires in a public setting. However, this does not imply that he devalued women or considered them inferior; on the contrary, this was the first time that female actors were permitted to perform on stage (Morrah, 108). Women (such as the legendary Aphra Ben and Charlotte Charke) began to emerge as playwrights during this period, despite the fact that they did not have the same status as men.
While the Restoration period (c. 1660-1682) was relatively brief, it was unquestionably a watershed moment in the resurgence of literature in England, especially given the turbulent times that preceded it (during the Civil War) and those that followed it (with the arrival of James II) towards the end of the period. When you consider the rigorous and conservative beliefs of the Interregnum, it is amazing that such a dramatic change in history was able to occur, one whose consequences can still be observed in contemporary literary productions.
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