Chapter 4 English Literature of the 1 7th Century l A Historical Background ll. The Overview of the literature (1640-1688) 1. The revolution period (1) the metaphysical poets. (2) The Cavalier poets (3) Milton: the literary and philosophical heritage of the Renaissance merged with Protestant political and moral conviction 2. The restoration period (1) The restoration of charles ll ushered in a literature characterized by reason moderation good taste deft management, and simplicity. (school of Ben Jonson (2) The ideals of impartial investigation and scientific experimentation promoted by the newly founded royal society of Natural knowledge (1662)were influential in the development of clear and simple prose as an instrument of rational communication (3) The great philosophical and political treatises of the time emphasize rationalism. (4) The restoration drama (5) The age of dryden Ill John Milton Life: educated at Cambridge-visiting the continent involved into the revolution -persecuted-writing epics 2. Literary career. (1) The 1 st period was up to 1641, during which time he is to be seen chiefly as a son of the humanists and elizabethans although his Puritanism is not absent L' Allegre and il Pens eros (1632) are his early masterpieces, in which we find Milton a true offspring of the renaissance, a scholar of exquisite taste and rare culture. Next came comus, a masque the greatest of early creations was lycidas, a pastoral elegy on the death of a college mate, Edward King. (2) The second period is from 1641 to 1654, when the Puritan was in such complete ascendancy that he wrote almost no13 Chapter 4 English Literature of the 17th Century I.A Historical Background II.The Overview of the Literature （1640-1688） 1. The revolution period （1） The metaphysical poets; （2） The Cavalier poets. （3） Milton: the literary and philosophical heritage of the Renaissance merged with Protestant political and moral conviction 2. The restoration period. （1） The restoration of Charles II ushered in a literature characterized by reason, moderation, good taste, deft management, and simplicity. （school of Ben Jonson） （2） The ideals of impartial investigation and scientific experimentation promoted by the newly founded Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge （1662） were influential in the development of clear and simple prose as an instrument of rational communication. （3） The great philosophical and political treatises of the time emphasize rationalism. （4） The restoration drama. （5） The Age of Dryden. III.John Milton 1. Life: educated at Cambridge—visiting the continent— involved into the revolution—persecuted—writing epics. 2. Literary career. （1） The 1st period was up to 1641, during which time he is to be seen chiefly as a son of the humanists and Elizabethans, although his Puritanism is not absent. L'Allegre and IL Pens eroso （1632） are his early masterpieces, in which we find Milton a true offspring of the Renaissance, a scholar of exquisite taste and rare culture. Next came Comus, a masque. The greatest of early creations was Lycidas, a pastoral elegy on the death of a college mate, Edward King. （2） The second period is from 1641 to 1654, when the Puritan was in such complete ascendancy that he wrote almost no