17th+Century+England+-+Everyday+Life

At the beginning of the seventeenth century, when permanent English settlements were begun in America, the people of Great Britain had just passed from the reign of an age of Faith into that of an age of Reason. In the realm of the former, there was such absolute intellectual laziness, and indifference to the exercise of reason in speculative matters, that men accepted tenets in religion and politics, however absurd, as truths, and bestowed no thought upon them. In cities and among the nobility rapidly increasing wealth had fostered a taste for luxuries. Dwellings, furniture, and dress, felt its influence. Elegant and substantial houses were built. Furniture was elaborately carved and inlaid. Life in the seventeenth century can be described as violent. After Queen Elizabeth’s death, James I, her successor created disorder when he wanted everyone to be Anglican. This soon led to the beheading of his successor, King Charles I. Throughout this century England saw many different rulers and seven civil wars. During the last half of the century, London survived an outbreak of a bubonic plague and a fire that destroyed a large part of the city.

Diarists John Evelyn and Samuel Pepys, Andrew Marvell, depicted everyday London life and the cultural scene of the times. Their works are among the most important primary sources for the English Restoration period, and consists of eyewitness accounts of many great events, such as the Great Plague of London, and the Great Fire of London.

John Donne was one of the very renowned poets of the 17th century, who depicted England and the life of the people at the time. His poems reveal the struggle in the minds of English People. They demonstrate transformation from medievalism to modernity.