<리버틴>을 통해 본 왕정복고 시대 문학의 한 풍토 —찰스 2세 vs 로체스터백작, 존 윌못—

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to interpret the movie Libertine as a useful reference or text for understanding a literary milieu of the English Restoration period. Compared with a number of movies that cover other English historical period, the movie that covers the English Restoration period is relatively not easy to find, which is much commensurated with the number and interest on literary study of that period. Libertine describes the conflict between Charles II and his favorite subject John Wilmot, the 2nd Earl of Rochester as a main story. And both of them are called libertine rakes. They are indulged in drinking, sex, and all types of immoral/amoral activities. But through their behavior, we can read the three main points that depict the literary milieu of the time: Firstly, we understand the Restoration period as the happy period after the oppressive Puritan ruling. But on the contrary, we can find the political and religious turbulence that lead many satire and immoral literary works on a certain person or a political situation. Secondly, we can see the modern types of theatre mechanism—especially the appearance of the actresses and episodes on the relation between the best actress of the time, Elizabeth Barry and Rochester. And thirdly, through Rochester’s poems that are written for mocking Charles and the established institutions including church and the nature of man, we can read what Rochester really intends. Until now his poems have been condemned as anarchic and profane by the moralists. Critics have read and evaluated his poems with the moralistic view. But nowaday they are viewed through another perspective that, with sarcasm and satire, shows, the severe alert for political and religious world of the time. With a mask of rake underlies his poem he unfolds his intention for changing the world.