The English Restoration is
a
the beginning of the avant garde in Western Europe
b
called by historians the height of the Romantic era
c
known as the golden age of comedy of manners
d
the high point of commedia dell'arte
c
known as the golden age of comedy of manners
c. known as the golden age of comedy of manners
The correct answer is:
c) known as the golden age of comedy of manners
To arrive at this answer, we need to understand what the English Restoration was and what different historical eras and artistic movements it was associated with.
The English Restoration refers to the period of English history between 1660 and 1688 when the monarchy was restored, and King Charles II ascended to the throne. This era is characterized by a revival of the arts, literature, and theater after a period of Puritan rule under Oliver Cromwell.
a) The beginning of the avant-garde in Western Europe: The English Restoration is not associated with the avant-garde movement, which emerged much later in the 19th and 20th centuries.
b) The height of the Romantic era: The Romantic era occurred in the late 18th to the early 19th centuries, well after the English Restoration.
c) The golden age of comedy of manners: Comedy of manners refers to a style of comedy in which the social behavior and mannerisms of the upper class are satirized. The English Restoration is indeed known as the golden age of comedy of manners, as this style of comedy flourished during this period with playwrights like William Congreve and George Etherege.
d) The high point of commedia dell'arte: Commedia dell'arte is a form of improvisational theater that originated in Italy during the Renaissance. While it had influences on English theater, it was not the high point of the English Restoration era.
Therefore, c) known as the golden age of comedy of manners is the correct answer, and we arrive at this conclusion by understanding the historical context and artistic movements associated with the English Restoration.