I. The weakening of the tie between

Monarchy and Bourgeoisie

II. The clashes between the King and

Parliament

III. The outburst of the English

Revolution

Civil Unrest in England

Influences of the English Revolution1. Sometimes called the

Puritan Revolution.

2. Puritanism was the religious doctrine of the revolutionary bourgeoisie.

3. Preached thrift, sobriety, hard work and unceasing labor.

4. Worldly pleasures were condemned as harmful. The Puritans opposed the old church.

5. Closed down the London theatres in 1642.

Literature of the Revolution Period

The spirit of unity and patriotism ends

English literature of this period was

very much concerned with the

tremendous social upheavals of the

time.

Milton and Bunyan defended the

English Commonwealth with their

pens.

The name is given to a diverse group of

17th century English poets whose work is

notable for the use of:

intellectual and theological concepts in surprising

conceits

strange paradoxes

far-fetched imagery.

Metaphysics refers to the philosophy of

knowledge and existence.

Metaphysical poets

Metaphysical ConceitsGenerally associated with the 17th century

metaphysical poets

A more elaborate, formal, and ingenious metaphor

Can often form the framework for an entire poem

An example of a metaphysical conceit is the metaphor from John Donne's "The Flea", in which a flea that bites both the speaker and his lover becomes a conceit arguing that his lover has no reason to deny him sexually, although they are not married:

Oh stay! three lives in one flea spare

Where we almost, yea more than married are.

This flea is you and I, and this

Our marriage-bed and marriage-temple is.

(1572-1631)

the founder of the Metaphysical school of poetry,

lived and wrote during the reigns of Elizabeth

I, James 1 and Charles I.

He was a trouble maker in his early life but later

became the Dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral

His poems can be divided into two categories: “the

youthful love lyrics, published after his death as

"Songs and Sonnets" in 1633, and the later sacred

verses”, published in 1624 as "Devotions upon

Emergent Occasions”

John Donne

John Bunyan

the son of a poor tinker

born in the little village of Elstow in 1628.

was sent to school, where he learned to read and write, but was soon busy in his father’s shop

began day-dreaming of a more religious life

after the Restoration was sent to prison for conducting religious meetings

read his Bible in prison and wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress

The Pilgrim’s Progress

published in 1678, after he was released from prison.

is a religious allegory. It tells of the spiritual pilgrimage of Christian

Social significances its characters impress the reader like real persons

the places are English scenes

the conversations which repeat the language of his time.

Bunyan describes the spiritual sufferance of the poor people at a time of great change

the Celestial City in "The Pilgrim’s Progress" is the vision of an ideal happy society

Question: What are the different aspects between the literature of

Elizabethan period and the literature of the Revolution

period?

The different aspects between the literature of Elizabethan period and that of the Revolution period are as follows:

Elizabethan literature had a marked unity and the feeling of patriotism and devotion to the Queen, but in the revolution period, the king became the open enemies of the people, and the country was divided by the struggle for political and religious liberty, so was the literature.

Elizabethan literature was inspiring. It was filled with youth, hope and vitality. Literature in the revolution period was colored with gloom and pessimism, age and sadness.

Elizabethan literature was intensely romantic, but the puritan literature was not at all.