Restoration Poetry

Literature reveals quite a bit about the society that produced it. Writers are ultimately products of their environments, and texts are reactions to the events in the world around them. The Neoclassical Period was a tumultuous time in British history. Whether people were supporters or opponents of the monarchy, everyone seemed to be on the losing side at some point during the 17th century. Lives were lost not only to warfare, but also to plagues and poverty.

In this topic, you will read and analyze the works of several great poets of the Neoclassical period. You will also practice strategies for analyzing poetry. While reading the poems, you should consider the historical connections that each poem has to the period in which it was written.

Essential Questions

• What are the characteristics of Cavalier poetry?
• How do you identify and analyze the elements of poetry?
  
• What impact did historical events in Britain have on poetry in the late 17th century?