What were the causes for the rise of satire during the Restoration Age?

Answer

What were the causes for the rise of satire during the Restoration Age?

Or, discuss the Restoration Age/The Neo-classical Age as an age of Satire.

The 18th Century/Neo-Classical Age (1660-1785) is known as the Golden Age of Satire. During the Restoration Age (1660–1700), satire became very popular in literature and drama. Satire is a way of writing that makes fun of people, society, or politics in a clever and funny way. There were several reasons why the Restoration Age became the age of satire. These are as follows;

Political Changes: The Restoration era saw a big change in politics. The monarchy was restored in England during this time (1660). Charles II became king. But before that, there was the strict rule of the Puritans. People were tired of strict religious rules and political fights. As a reaction to these changes, writers used satire in their works. Writers used satire to mock the government, politicians, and corruption. We find political satire in John Dryden’s (1631-1700) famous poem “Absalom and Achitophel.”

Moral and Social Decay: After the strict rule of the Puritans, people started enjoying luxury and entertainment. People wanted pleasure and money. Then, the Restoration Comedy of Manners came into play. These plays used satire to make fun of the behavior, manners, and lifestyle of rich people in society. We find the satirical spirit of the 18th century in Alexander Pope’s (1688-1744) works. Pope’s “The Rape of the Lock” is a satirical masterpiece. Here, he makes fun of high society and their silly customs. The poem teaches that people often focus too much on appearances and unimportant things.  The poet writes:

“Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.”

Here, the poet says that goodness of heart is more important than showy beauty.

Rise of Newspapers and Magazines: At that time, printing became cheaper and faster. Many people could now read newspapers and pamphlets. Satirical writers used these to spread sharp criticism against the irregularities of society in a humorous way.