Comedy and Conscience After the Restoration

'Comedy and Conscience After the Restoration' is a seminal study of the shift in English theatrical tastes and moral standards during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Joseph Wood Krutch examines the transition from the licentious, witty comedy of manners that flourished under Charles II to the more sentimental and moralistic drama that followed. The work provides a detailed analysis of the societal forces and literary debates-most notably the controversy sparked by Jeremy Collier’s attack on the stage-that reshaped the London theater landscape. By exploring the conflict between comedic art and the burgeoning middle-class conscience, Krutch offers profound insights into how literature reflects and responds to changing ethical landscapes. This scholarly exploration is essential for those interested in the history of British drama, the evolution of satire, and the enduring tension between artistic freedom and social responsibility. It remains a foundational text for understanding the transition from the Restoration era to the Augustan age of English literature.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.