The English Renaissance

Historical context: the rise of bourgeoisie the enclosure movement; the commercial expansion---Queen Elizabeth encouraged exploration and travel the war with Spain(1588)---a victory of England over Spain is also the triumph of the rising young bourgeoisie over the declining old feudalism； the Reformation of the church;

the Reformation of the church In religion, the far-reaching movement of Reformation began in England during Henry VIII’s reign. He declared the break with the Roman Catholic Church and confiscated the property of the Church. Protestantism (新教主义)began to gain ground among the English people.

Renaissance: The Definition The rise of the bourgeoisie showed its influence in cultural life. The result is an intellectual and literary movement known as the Renaissance, or the rebirth of literature. Renaissance sprang in Italy and spread to France, Germany, the Low Countries, and lastly to England.

features of Renaissance Two features are striking of this movement. One is the thirst for classical literature, the other is the keen interest in the activities of humanity. Humanism is the key-note of Renaissance.

Humanism Humanism was the keynote of the Renaissance. People ceased to look upon themselves as living only for God and a future world. They began to admire human beauty and human achievement. Man is no longer the slave of the external world. He can mould the world according to his desires, and attain happiness by removing all external restraints.

The English Renaissance The English Renaissance stretched from later 15th century to early 17th century. From the first half of the 16th century, the English Renaissance began to develop into a flowering of literature. The highest glories of the English Renaissance include poetry and drama.

Renaissance Poetry English Renaissance witness the flourishing of poetry. England produced so many poets that it was labeled “a nest of singing birds”. Thomas Wyatt introduced sonnet and Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey introduced blank verse into English poetry.

Drama: Its Origin and Development The miracle plays were simple plays based upon the Bible or the lives of saints. They were played in churches at first. Then with the increasing numbers of actors and plays, the players went to the market places.

cont' Morality plays focused on the conflict between good and evil through allegorical characters. They were too abstract. So Vice, a lively figure approximated the modern clown, was introduced.

cont' Classical-style comedy and tragedy was in the making in England. Three unities (unity of time, place and action by Aristotle) “三一律”

Representatives Thomas More Sir Thomas Wyatt (1st introduced sonnet to English literature) Surrey (wrote the first English blank verse) Edmund Spenser Francis Bacon Dramatists: Marlowe, Shakespeare, Ben Johnson

More and Utopia (no place) Book one: a picture of contemporary England; the root of poverty is the private ownership of social wealth. Book two: a sketch of an ideal commonwealth in some unknown ocean.

extract from Utopia “From everyone according to his capacities, to everyone according to his needs” 各尽其能，各取所需 “a maximum working day of six hours” “after six hours of work, they spend their time in study of literature, art and science."

Edmund Spenser (1552-1599) Edmund Spenser and Philip Sidney are the two most important poets of the English Renaissance. They were labeled “court poets” because they were of noble birth. Spenser was known as the Poets’ Poet by later generation.

Edmund Spenser’s Works The Shepherd’s Calender (1579) His 12 eclogues represent the 12 months of the year and discuss themes of love, religion, poetry and others. The Faerie Queene (1580) His masterpiece dedicated to Queen Elizabeth Amoretti (1594) His best known sonnet sequence of love

The Faerie Queene Spenser plans 12 books, each one with a hero standing for the private virtues. The two main characters that serves as the unity of the book are Arthur & Gloriana. Redcross Knight represents St. George/Holiness Sir Guyon stands for Temperance

Spenserian Stanza Spenserian stanza is invented by Edmund Spenser, one of the most representative poets of English Renaissance. It is a stanza of 9 lines, with the first 8 lines in iambic pentameter and the 9th line in iambic hexameter (alexandrine), rhyming ababbcbcc.

Philip Sidney (1554-1586) Thy need is greater than mine.”

Major works Arcadia Astrophel and Stella An Apology for Poetry A prose romance filled with lyrics Astrophel and Stella The sonnet sequence that makes sonnet popular in England An Apology for Poetry The earliest critical work in English literary history that advocates “to teach & to delight”.

Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593) Marlowe is the greatest playwright before Shakespeare and the most gifted of the University Wits. The University Wits: Robert Greene, Thomas Kyd, Christopher Marlowe.

Marlowe’s Plays Tamburline the Great Desire for power The Jew of Malta Desire for wealth Doctor Faustus Desire for knowledge

Doctor Faustus Doctor Faustus is taken from German legend. He turns to the Devil’s servant Mephistophilis. Mephis tells him to sell his soul to the Devil for 24 years.

Marlowe's Literary Achievement It is Marlowe who first made blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter) the principal instrument of English drama. Marlowe's dramatic achievement lies chiefly in his epical, and at times lyrical, verse. His work paved the way for the plays of the greatest English dramatist---Shakespeare.