The English Renaissance Key Ideas, Important Figures, and Language Differences

Timeline Italian Renaissance Italian Renaissance 1300s to the 1550s 1300s to the 1550s English Renaissance English Renaissance 1520s to s to 1620

What is the Renaissance? A cultural and artistic movement A cultural and artistic movement “The Age of Shakespeare” “The Age of Shakespeare” “The Elizabethan Era” “The Elizabethan Era”

Social and Economic Revolution Population growth began to increase Population growth began to increase Low wages and land shortage Low wages and land shortage Gap between the rich and poor began to widen Gap between the rich and poor began to widen

Poverty One-third of the population lived in poverty One-third of the population lived in poverty Poor people = “Vagabonds” Poor people = “Vagabonds”

Health Average life span was 35 years. Average life span was 35 years. Overcrowded, unhygienic living conditions Overcrowded, unhygienic living conditions Outbreaks of the Black Death Outbreaks of the Black Death

The Theater Watching plays became very popular Watching plays became very popular By 1595, 15,000 people per week were watching plays in London. By 1595, 15,000 people per week were watching plays in London. First real theaters built First real theaters built

Playwrights of the Renaissance William Shakespeare William Shakespeare Wrote 37 plays Wrote 37 plays Christopher Marlowe Christopher Marlowe Plays represented English understanding of life, death, and history Plays represented English understanding of life, death, and history

Poets of the Renaissance Poets of the Renaissance Edmund Spenser Edmund Spenser “The Faerie Queen” includes an allegorical representation of the Tudor Dynasty “The Faerie Queen” includes an allegorical representation of the Tudor Dynasty John Milton John Milton Milton’s “Paradise Lost” retells the story of mankind’s fall from paradise Milton’s “Paradise Lost” retells the story of mankind’s fall from paradise

Early Modern English NOT Old English NOT Old English Early Modern English is related to our current form of English (modern English) Early Modern English is related to our current form of English (modern English)

The Pronoun Problem Unfamiliar Pronouns: Thou Thee Thine Thy

Inversions in Syntax Early ModernModern English Early ModernModern EnglishEnglish I know not ->I do not know. I know not ->I do not know. See you not?->Don’t you see? See you not?->Don’t you see? Go we home.->Let’s go home. Go we home.->Let’s go home.

Here, There, and Where Early ModernModern Early ModernModern hither ->to here hither ->to here thither ->to there thither ->to there whither ->to where whither ->to where hence->from here hence->from here thence->from there thence->from there whence->from where whence->from where

Usage Examples in usage: Examples in usage: Whither thou goest? = Where are you going? Whither thou goest? = Where are you going? Whence came you? = Where did you come from? (From where did you come?) Whence came you? = Where did you come from? (From where did you come?)

Forms of Address King/Queen = Your Grace, Your Highness, My Liege King/Queen = Your Grace, Your Highness, My Liege Upper classes = My Lord, My Lady Upper classes = My Lord, My Lady Middle class people = Goodman or Goodwife (often abbreviated as Goody). Middle class people = Goodman or Goodwife (often abbreviated as Goody). Lower class people = Fellow or Wench Lower class people = Fellow or Wench

Common Expressions Would = wish or want. EX: Would they had stayed! = I wish they had stayed! Would = wish or want. EX: Would they had stayed! = I wish they had stayed! Loath = unwilling Loath = unwilling Mettle = courage Mettle = courage Prithee = please Prithee = please Were = would be Were = would be Sirrah = boy, servant Sirrah = boy, servant Anon = soon Anon = soon Wherefore = why Wherefore = why Ere = before Ere = before Hie = hurry Hie = hurry Issue = offspring or child Issue = offspring or child