LIT 068 CM - Sex, Lies, and 18th-Century English Stage Comedy

When Charles II was restored to the throne in 1660, he re-opened the theaters and inaugurated one of the richest periods of British drama, a period best known for its brilliant comedies and its preoccupation with sexuality. This course will examine the rise of Restoration comedy, the debates that arose in the early 1700’s about morality and the stage, and the development of sentimental comedy in the mid-to-late 18^th century. We will pay attention to the historical particularities of the Restoration and 17^th-century theatre: the intimate performance space of the former, the relative spaciousness of the latter; the appearance of the actress and the professional woman writer; the themes of marriage, money, and masking; and the controversy over licentiousness. We will also consider comedy as a vehicle for social criticism and political satire. Readings will include plays by Aphra Behn, Susanna Centlivre, Hannah Cowley, William Congreve, John Dryden, John Gay, Oliver Goldsmith, Elizabeth Inchbald, Richard Steele, and William Wycherley.

Offered: Occasionally

Credit: 1

Course Number: LIT 068 CM