Restoration Drama and the Idea of Literature

The ban on live theater in England from 1642 to 1660 had a significant impact on the way drama was written. Playwrights of the Restoration period recognized and exploited the tension between print and performance, seeking to court readers while challenging emergent concepts of literature that prioritized textuality and print culture over the performing body and live voice.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 312 pages
Publication date: 31 December 2023
Publisher: University of Virginia Press

From 1642 to 1660, a period of enforced theater censorship in England, the market for printed books, including plays, flourished. This unique era, characterized by the inability to stage plays but allowing for their reading, had a profound impact on the future of drama. In her book, Restoration Drama and the Idea of Literature, Katherine Mannheimer explores how the plays of the subsequent decades exhibited a distinct self-awareness of drama's status as a singular art form that seamlessly bridged the realms of page and stage. Scholars have noted the shift in how consumers approached plays during this period, but no previous work has delved into how this upheaval influenced the way dramatists wrote them.

Mannheimer argues that Restoration playwrights recognized and capitalized on the inherent tension between print and performance in all drama. By skillfully manipulating this tension, these authors crafted works that aimed to captivate readers while simultaneously challenging emerging notions of literature that prioritized textuality and print culture over the embodied presence and the live voice. Through their innovative approaches, Restoration playwrights pushed the boundaries of theatrical expression, paving the way for a new era of drama that would continue to evolve and adapt to the changing cultural landscape.

Weight: 524g
Dimension: 155 x 234 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780813950433