Chapter 2 The Renaissance and Shakespeare Bilde inn

The Renaissance Renaissance = rebirth Period of artistic and scientific creativity between 14th and 16th centuries European movement (starts in Italy) Classical culture (Greek and Roman) is “reborn”

The Renaissance (cont’d) Humanism –Focus of the human condition –The individual as micro-cosmos –Art enables humans to reach beyond themselves

The English Renaissance Late flourishing of European movement 16 th and early 17 th century Arts flourish under royal and aristocratic patronage

The English Reformation Initiated by the monarch (Henry VIII) rather than rebels within the Catholic Church Henry (theologically conservative) breaks with Rome to divorce and remarry. Sets up The Church of England (with himself as head)

The English Reformation (cont’d) Period of religious turmoil and persecution after Henry’s death in 1547: –Edward VI (1547– 1553) – radical Protestant –Mary I (1553 – 1558) – loyal Catholic (Counter- Reformation) –Elizabeth I (1558 – 1603) – moderate Protestant

The English language 15 th century modern English emerges (from Anglo-Saxon + French vocabulary) Latin the language of the Church until the Reformation Official English translation of the Bible – 1539 The Authorised Version (aka King James’s Bible) – 1611

Elizabethan theatre Open-air theatres frequented by high and low Stages technically fairly primitive – emphasis on the spoken word Wit and wordplay highly prized All roles played by men

William Shakespeare Shakespeare (1564 – 1616), from Stratford-upon-Avon, most productive and popular of Elizabethan dramatists 37 plays – tragedies, comedies and historical plays Actor, became playwright and part-owner of The Globe Theatre Lord Chamberlain’s Men > The King’s Men