Revolution Remembered: Seditious Memories After the British Civil Wars

During the Restoration, parliamentarians in seventeenth-century Britain expressed opposition to the crown and established church, despite the risk of sedition or treason. Memory studies suggest that these activities were not just a manifestation of discontent but also a way of countering experiences of defeat. Parliamentarian and republican views were expressed through speech, writing, and misbehavior during official commemorations of the civil wars and republic, and were passed down to subsequent generations.

Format: Hardback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 25 February 2019
Publisher: Manchester University Press

After the Restoration, parliamentarians steadfastly aligned themselves with the decisions to oppose and resist the crown and established church. Despite the risks of expressing such views between 1660 and 1688, which could lead to charges of sedition or treason, they persisted in voicing their dissent. In this book, we employ approaches from the field of memory studies to delve into the phenomenon of "seditious memories" in seventeenth-century Britain. We explore why individuals were willing to take the risk of publicly expressing these memories, questioning the underlying motivations behind such actions.

We argue that these activities went beyond mere expressions of discontent or radicalism; they served as a means to counteract the painful experiences of defeat. Beyond speech and writing, we demonstrate how parliamentarian and republican views manifested as misbehavior during official commemorations of the civil wars and republic. Furthermore, we consider how these views were transmitted from the generation of individuals who had firsthand experiences of civil war and revolution to their children and grandchildren.

This book offers a fresh perspective on the complex and multifaceted nature of seventeenth-century Britain, shedding light on the enduring legacy of political dissent and the power of memory to shape historical narratives.

Weight: 502g
Dimension: 238 x 177 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526124654