18th Century English Drama

A Brief Context of the Period

The development of drama in the 18th century was closely tied to the broader social, political, and intellectual changes of the period. Early 18th-century drama inherited the legacy of Restoration Comedy (1660–1700), which was characterized by its sharp wit, sexual frankness, and satirical portrayal of aristocratic society. Works such as William Congreve’s The Way of the World exemplify this style. However, by the 1720s, a shift in public taste began to emerge.

This transformation was largely influenced by the Enlightenment, which emphasized reason, morality, and social progress. As the middle class gained social and economic power, there was increasing demand for plays that reflected their values—namely, virtue, family, and emotional sincerity. This led to a decline in the popularity of Restoration comedies and the rise of sentimental drama, which sought to inspire moral reflection and sympathy in its audience.

Political divisions also had a significant impact on theatrical culture. The Whig-Tory rivalry—rooted in disputes over royal authority, religious allegiance, and foreign policy—was a defining feature of the early 18th century. The Whigs, who supported the Hanoverian succession and represented urban commercial interests, often clashed with the Tories, who were aligned with the landed gentry and held Jacobite sympathies.

These tensions were frequently reflected in literature and drama, often through political satire. A notable example is John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera (1728), which mocked political corruption and became immensely popular. In response to the perceived threat of such satire, the government introduced the Licensing Act of 1737, which required all plays to be approved by the Lord Chamberlain before performance. This act effectively curtailed the political role of drama, limited the number of licensed theatres, and encouraged playwrights to focus on safer, more morally instructive themes.

Thus, 18th-century drama evolved from the bold, satirical tone of the Restoration to a more restrained, moral, and emotionally driven form. This shift was the result of changing societal values, the rise of the middle class, Enlightenment thinking, and the imposition of state censorship.

Decline of Restoration Comedy

Restoration comedy, which thrived in the late 17th century, was marked by witty dialogue, sexual freedom, and a focus on aristocratic life. However, by the early 1700s, these plays began to lose popularity. The main reason was the changing audience. The middle class, or bourgeoisie, was becoming more influential in society and in the theatre. Unlike the aristocracy, middle-class viewers valued morality, family life, and emotional sincerity.

At the same time, Enlightenment ideals were gaining ground. These ideals promoted reason, virtue, and self-improvement, and people began to expect literature and drama to reflect these values. Restoration comedy, with its mockery of marriage, loose morals, and celebration of vice, did not align with the new standards.

As a result, playwrights turned to sentimental comedy, a new form of drama that focused on virtuous characters, emotional struggles, and moral lessons. These plays aimed not to entertain through satire and cynicism, but to inspire sympathy and ethical reflection.

Rise of Sentimental Comedy

The decline of Restoration comedy led to the rise of sentimental comedy, which better suited the tastes of the growing middle-class audience. Instead of focusing on wit and sexual freedom, this new kind of drama aimed to teach moral lessons and appeal to the audience’s emotions.

Playwrights like Richard Steele and Colley Cibber were important leaders of this movement. Steele’s play The Conscious Lovers (1722) is a well-known example. It removed sexual jokes and instead focused on family issues, emotional struggles, and characters who showed honesty, kindness, and self-sacrifice. These plays tried to promote good manners and moral values.

Colley Cibber, another major figure, also wrote plays that reflected sentimental values. His most famous work, Love’s Last Shift (1696), showed a reformed rake who changes his ways and returns to his faithful wife, promoting the idea of redemption and virtue. In The Careless Husband (1704), Cibber again focused on moral lessons and the strength of a loyal and virtuous woman. These plays were meant to show that good behavior and strong morals lead to happiness.

However, not everyone liked this new style. Critics like Oliver Goldsmith argued that sentimental comedies were too emotional and lacked humor. He felt they were too focused on being serious and did not have the cleverness or fun of earlier comedies.

Bourgeois Tragedy or Domestic Tragedy

Bourgeois tragedy or Domestic tragedy is a type of serious drama in which the main characters are ordinary, middle-class individuals rather than nobles or royalty. This form of tragedy reflects the ideals of the rising bourgeois class—a class that valued personal virtue, morality, family life, and emotional sincerity. It was strongly influenced by Enlightenment thinking, which emphasized reason, equality, and human dignity.

For centuries, influenced by Aristotle’s Poetics and later classical theorists, it was believed that tragedy should only portray noble characters, because only the downfall of someone powerful was considered serious enough for tragedy. In contrast, bourgeois tragedy challenged this tradition by showing that middle-class people could also experience deep suffering, make serious moral choices, and face tragic consequences.

Although domestic tragedies with common people existed earlier in 17th-century England, the full development of bourgeois tragedy occurred in the 18th century, when attitudes about class and drama began to change.

The first true bourgeois tragedy is often considered to be George Lillo’s The London Merchant; or, the History of George Barnwell (1731). This English play tells the story of a young apprentice who is led into crime and ultimately punished. Its characters are everyday citizens, and it teaches moral lessons about temptation, virtue, and the consequences of wrongdoing. This play became very popular and helped shape the genre.

Revival of Comedy: Goldsmith and Sheridan

Oliver Goldsmith and Richard Brinsley Sheridan brought new life to comedy blending Restoration wit with moral sensibility. Their plays are also known as anti-sentimental comedies because they stood against the emotional and overly serious tone of sentimental drama. Goldsmith’s play She Stoops to Conquer (1773) made fun of social class and pride through a story full of confusion and mistaken identity. He brought back “laughing comedy” as an antidote to sentimentalism. Sheridan’s plays The Rivals (1775) and The School for Scandal (1777) made fun of gossip and false appearances. He created famous characters like Mrs. Malaprop and Lady Teazle. These plays retained the structural sophistication of Restoration comedy but avoided its moral ambiguity which made them popular with middle-class audiences.

The Rise of Novels and the Licensing Act

In the 18th century, both prose and novels became very popular. People enjoyed reading stories that showed emotions, private thoughts, and everyday life. Many readers began to prefer this kind of writing over watching plays at the theatre. At the same time, the Licensing Act of 1737 made it harder to perform plays, as the government had to approve every script before it could be staged. This law stopped writers from using drama to talk openly about politics or serious issues.

As a result, many writers turned to prose and novels, where they had more freedom to explore ideas and develop complex characters. Writers like Henry Fielding and Samuel Richardson used novels to discuss social problems and human behaviour in ways that drama could no longer do. The failure of Samuel Johnson’s play Irene (1749) clearly showed how difficult it was for drama to grow and change during this time. Overall, the rise of prose and the restrictions on theatre led to a shift in focus from the stage to the page.

Theatrical Innovation: The Contributions of David Garrick

David Garrick, a pioneering 18th-century actor at Drury Lane, brought a transformation to English theatre through a series of reforms in performance style and stagecraft. He rejected the artificial declamatory style of earlier periods and promoted a naturalistic approach that focused on emotional depth, subtle expression, and psychological realism, which set a new standard for acting. Garrick played a crucial role in the restoration and popularization of Shakespeare’s plays, as he produced them with greater textual accuracy while making selective adaptations to suit the expectations of contemporary audiences. He introduced realistic sets, carefully designed costumes, and innovative lighting methods, such as the use of concealed footlights, in order to enhance visual authenticity on stage. His performances in Shakespearean roles earned wide admiration and helped elevate the playwright’s reputation in the cultural consciousness of the time.

As a manager, Garrick demanded discipline and professionalism in theatrical production. He enforced structured rehearsals and ensured that actors respected the integrity of the script, which helped establish a more organized and refined theatrical environment. His leadership brought cohesion to performances and encouraged a standard of excellence that had been lacking in previous theatrical practices. Garrick’s contributions as a manager not only improved the quality of productions but also created a bridge between classical traditions and Enlightenment ideals, which laid the foundation for modern theatre.

Transition to Romanticism

By the end of the 18th century, drama started to show ideas that would later become part of the Romantic movement. Playwrights began to focus more on strong emotions, individual feelings, and the mysterious side of life. One example is Horace Walpole’s The Mysterious Mother (1768), a Gothic play that included dark secrets, supernatural events, and emotional suffering. These features pointed towards the Romantic interest in the strange, the emotional, and the sublime—that feeling of awe mixed with fear.

Contribution and Legacy

18th-century drama played an important role in shaping modern theatre. Sheridan and Goldsmith kept comedy alive by adding moral values to humour. Bourgeois tragedy and sentimental comedy influenced 19th-century melodrama and social realism. The era’s focus on middle-class life and moral instruction mirrored broader cultural shifts toward individualism and social reform.

If you are looking forward to prepare for UGC NET/JRF, you may find this article useful.

Here is a detailed list of topics you need to cover for your NET preparation.

Want to check your UGC NET/JRF preparation? Take these fun and engaging quiz to see how well you’re doing!

©2025. Md. Rustam Ansari [profrustamansari@gmail.com]