A comparison between two ''Storms'': Shakespeare and Dryden

8 
 
Among the most representative theatrical figures of Restoration comedy, we can 
number “gulls”, who were caricatural characters of neoclassical middle-class society 
and “wits”, who, on the contrary, represented normal characters.                                                                        
Acting style was certainly so influenced by this parodic vision of middle-class 
society that it was repeatedly spoken of exaggeration in gestures and voice, in 
caricature which often proved to be magniloquent and solemn, even ridiculous.                                                                             
Then the heroic became the best way to speak ironically by emphasizing the 
incredibility of situations and heroic tragedy became the favourite genre of 
playwrights.                                      
As Cesare Molinari explains, in his work Storia del Teatro3, we could define 
Elizabethan theatre like a theatre in motion, as actors were ordinary mortals and 
audience could find its vices and virtues in them easily.                                                                                                                                            
Whereas what characterized Restoration theatre was stagnation, caused by 
solemnity of gestures and magniloquence of words; moreover, the parody of middle 
class (who, after all, watched performances) was hidden and implicit.                                                                            
The kinds of dramas and plays performed in this period, which enjoyed a larger 
audience, mainly belonged to the genres of heroic tragedy and comedy of manners.                                                                                                  
Both genres focused on the Restoration society, but tragedy had a greater fortune 
than comedy, as it  aimed at representing the events of aristocratic families who 
troubled themselves to defend their virtue in settings which were almost always 
exotic.                                                                                                               
On this point, it was important the introduction of heroic couplet, which, according 
to many tragedians of the time, gave a more solemn value to the subject, which was 
rather elevated and, above all, it renewed the way of making tragedies, in comparison 
with the most natural Elizabethan  blank verse.                                                                                                                 
With regard to development of comedy, instead, playwrights were less prolific, 
even though the genre of comedy of manners turned out to be triumphant on London 
stages.                  
                                                          
3
 Molinari, Cesare, Storia del Teatro, Laterza, Venezia, 1996, page 166 and following.