1. Unit III The Renaissance 1500-1650
British Literature
Unit III
The Renaissance

2. Renaissance Fueled by Books
Remember: Printing press came to England in 1476
By 1640, 26,000 different books had been printed
Huge increase in literacy
By 1530, more than 50% of England was literate

3. At this time period, in Italy, there was increased interest in manuscripts from ancient Greece and Rome
Spread throughout Europe
Renaissance= rebirth of the scholarship based on classical learning and philosophy
Rebirth of belief in human spirit, and in human potential for development
Belief that life itself was valuable, not only a preparation for the next world
Led to many discoveries (geographic, scientific, artistic, philosophical)

4. Ptolemaic World View

5. Copernicus Published in 1543
Theorized the Earth was not the center of the universe

6. Galileo The Father of Modern Science
1632 Created a telescope, that proved Copernican theory
Galileo was eventually forced to recant his heliocentrism and spent the last years of his life under house arrest on orders of the Inquisition.

7. Lessening Role of the Church
Martin Luther posted his 95 These on a church door in Germany in 1517; this heralded the Reformation
Henry VIII wanted a male heir, and wanted to divorce Catherine of Aragon. When the Catholic church refused, Henry divorced her, married Ann Boelyn, and became head of English Protestantism.

8. Queen Elizabeth 1558-1603 Assumed the throne at 25; ruled for 45 years
Protestant
Loved music and dancing
Educated in classical and modern languages
Lyric poetry and song flourished

9. Golden Age Elizabethan period was the golden age of drama
William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, and Ben Johnson
Something for everyone
low comedy for groundlings
elevated philosophy for
educated
strong story lines for all!

10. Public Theaters Attracted large audiences Pickpockets, criminals
Plague
Puritan complaints

11. King James King James I (of Scotland) took the throne
Poetry became less exuberant, more cynical, and introspective
Growth of metaphysical poets (like John Donne)
More intellectual than romantic
Commissioned new translation of the Bible, King James Bible

12. Literature Drama continued to flourish
Shakespeare’s great tragedies written during reign of King James
His actors known as The King’s Men
John Milton’s Paradise Lost written during this time, too!
Great images from art: