British Library
British Library: Discovering Literature: Newspapers, Gossip, and Coffee House Culture
This article explains how the coffee-house came to occupy a central place in 17th and 18th-century English culture and commerce, offering an alternative to rowdy pubs and more formal places of business and politics.
British Library
British Library: Discovering Literature: Neoclassicism
Writers and craftsmen including Alexander Pope, John Dryden, Jonathan Swift, and Josiah Wedgwood found inspiration in the classical period. This article explores how their works adopted the style, genres, aesthetic values, and subjects...
British Library
British Library: Discovering Literature: Letters, Letter Writing and Epistolary Novels
This article explores the real and fictional letters published in the 18th century, from the correspondence of Alexander Pope and Ignatius Sancho to Samuel Richardson's hugely popular epistolary novel "Pamela" and the works it inspired.
British Library
British Library: Discovering Literature: Collection Items
Discover a wealth of original sources from the Restoration and 18th century period, including literary manuscripts, letters, first editions, playbills, maps, and prints.
British Library
British Library: Discovering Literature: An Introduction to the Beggar's Opera
"The Beggar's Opera" was an instant hit and became the most performed play of the 18th century. This article explores the elements that made up John Gay's work, from its popular tunes and dances to its satirical targets and depiction of...
British Library
British Library: Discovering Literature: An Introduction to Restoration Comedy
This article introduces the characters, conventions, and historical context of Restoration comedy, and explores what the genre has to say about gender, courtship, and class.
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British Library: Discovering Literature: An Introduction to Evelina
Frances Burney's "Evelina" unveils the dizzying and dangerous social whirl of Georgian London, where reputations and marriages are there to be made and broken. This article investigates Burney's critique of fashion culture and the...
British Library
British Library: Discovering Literature: An Introduction to 18th Century British Theatre
This article charts the growth of 18th-century theatre, looking at the new venues, stage technology, audiences, playwrights, and great actors of the age.