ENGLISH SUMMARY RENAISSANCE
The sixteenth century
The era of the Tudor dynasty and great economic and cultural growth
Theater, lower classes had hard live, changes of religion
Kings and queens
1. King henry VII (House of Lancaster) and Queen Elizabeth (House of York) →
Two houses had 'Wars of the Roses'
2. Henry VIII :
o Splitting from church of Rome → Catholic → made himself head of Church of
England.
o Had six wives → Catherine of Aragon (girl), Anne Boleyn (girl), Jane Seymour
(boy but died), Anne of Cleves (never saw here in real life), Catharine Howard
(accused of adultery and beheaded), Catherine Parr (married four times)
Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived
3. Edward VI (son) → catholic traditions fell out because of Protestant policy
4. Lady Jane Grey → never throned
5. Mary → earned nickname ‘bloody Mary’ for her fanatical persecution (vervolging) of
protestants.
6. Elizabeth → brought an end to turbulent period in the monarchy’s history (The virgin
Queen) <--> enemy is Mary Stuart
7. King James I of England
The start of the Renaissance
Began in Italy fourteenth century
Time between Italian and English renaissance → because of economic factors →
since reign of Elizabeth England was stable.
Renaissance means ‘rebirth’ → rediscovery of art, literature and philosophy of
classical Greece and Rome.
Anthropocentric (Renaissance) <--> theocentric (Middle Ages)
1450 → book printing → quickly and cheaper to spread ideas across Europe
Humanism:
o Motto: To the sources (Erasmus)
o Thomas More → Utopia (unattainable perfect society)
o Study biblical/ classical texts
Middle Ages: ‘memento mori’ (remember that you are immortal) <--> Carpe diem
Curiosity about nature and scientific experimentation
Artists put names on work
Playwrights: John Milton, William Shakespear, Edmund Spenser
Epic poem: very long poem celebrating the deeds of a legendary hero or group of
heroes.
Thomas More
Torn between career in church or in the service of king
Catholic → difficulties with King Henry VIII → executed
Utopia in 1515 → ‘nowhereland’/ ‘land that does not exist’. → in latin → in form of a
dialogue → begins with description of Island
, Sonnets
Poem developed in Italy
About human emotions such as love, hate, despair, religious or political conviction
or wonder at the natural world.
Lyric form opposed to epic form. → use elegant language to express feelings.
Fourteen lines → two parts :
o Octave → experienced
o Break of thought = transition
o Sextet → feelings, personal view
Italian sonnet:
o two quatrains (octave) and two tercets (sextet)
o abba abba cdc cdc
o Ten stressed syllables = iambic pentameter
English/ Shakespearean sonnet:
o Three quatrains followed by rhyming couplet
o Abab cdcd efef gg
o The last two lines rhyme
Sir Thomas Wyatt
Wanted to marry Anne Boylen → stopped by King Henry
Classic courtier: ambassador and adviser
Translated Petrarca’s poems into English
Edmund Spenser
Poor family, but won a scholarship
Published poems for hoping of recognition of royal patron to return to England
Christopher Marlowe
Violent live
Wrote play Doctor Faustus →pride more important than advice → fell in love with
Helen (daughter of Zeus)
o Blank verse = every line has ten alternately stressed syllables, but there is
no rhyme. It was very popular in the theatre of this period
o Dark piece of literature, but great deal of humor and tremendous energy and
various speeches display wonderful insight.
William Shakespeare
Wrote sonnets and longer poems and plays
Married Anne Hathaway
Worked in London first as actor, later as playwright
An aristocratic patron was very important to a poet's career. →gave an income and
provided protection and recognition → his epic poems earned him elgeant and
talented reputation.
Theater:
o Popular entertainment
o Not for educated elite
o Elizabethan theatre = most of audience stood in front of stage, little scenery,
women were not allowed because it would lead to immorality.
o Interaction with the audience (because of closeness stage and audience)
Written for wide audience , recognisable → stock characters
The sixteenth century
The era of the Tudor dynasty and great economic and cultural growth
Theater, lower classes had hard live, changes of religion
Kings and queens
1. King henry VII (House of Lancaster) and Queen Elizabeth (House of York) →
Two houses had 'Wars of the Roses'
2. Henry VIII :
o Splitting from church of Rome → Catholic → made himself head of Church of
England.
o Had six wives → Catherine of Aragon (girl), Anne Boleyn (girl), Jane Seymour
(boy but died), Anne of Cleves (never saw here in real life), Catharine Howard
(accused of adultery and beheaded), Catherine Parr (married four times)
Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived
3. Edward VI (son) → catholic traditions fell out because of Protestant policy
4. Lady Jane Grey → never throned
5. Mary → earned nickname ‘bloody Mary’ for her fanatical persecution (vervolging) of
protestants.
6. Elizabeth → brought an end to turbulent period in the monarchy’s history (The virgin
Queen) <--> enemy is Mary Stuart
7. King James I of England
The start of the Renaissance
Began in Italy fourteenth century
Time between Italian and English renaissance → because of economic factors →
since reign of Elizabeth England was stable.
Renaissance means ‘rebirth’ → rediscovery of art, literature and philosophy of
classical Greece and Rome.
Anthropocentric (Renaissance) <--> theocentric (Middle Ages)
1450 → book printing → quickly and cheaper to spread ideas across Europe
Humanism:
o Motto: To the sources (Erasmus)
o Thomas More → Utopia (unattainable perfect society)
o Study biblical/ classical texts
Middle Ages: ‘memento mori’ (remember that you are immortal) <--> Carpe diem
Curiosity about nature and scientific experimentation
Artists put names on work
Playwrights: John Milton, William Shakespear, Edmund Spenser
Epic poem: very long poem celebrating the deeds of a legendary hero or group of
heroes.
Thomas More
Torn between career in church or in the service of king
Catholic → difficulties with King Henry VIII → executed
Utopia in 1515 → ‘nowhereland’/ ‘land that does not exist’. → in latin → in form of a
dialogue → begins with description of Island
, Sonnets
Poem developed in Italy
About human emotions such as love, hate, despair, religious or political conviction
or wonder at the natural world.
Lyric form opposed to epic form. → use elegant language to express feelings.
Fourteen lines → two parts :
o Octave → experienced
o Break of thought = transition
o Sextet → feelings, personal view
Italian sonnet:
o two quatrains (octave) and two tercets (sextet)
o abba abba cdc cdc
o Ten stressed syllables = iambic pentameter
English/ Shakespearean sonnet:
o Three quatrains followed by rhyming couplet
o Abab cdcd efef gg
o The last two lines rhyme
Sir Thomas Wyatt
Wanted to marry Anne Boylen → stopped by King Henry
Classic courtier: ambassador and adviser
Translated Petrarca’s poems into English
Edmund Spenser
Poor family, but won a scholarship
Published poems for hoping of recognition of royal patron to return to England
Christopher Marlowe
Violent live
Wrote play Doctor Faustus →pride more important than advice → fell in love with
Helen (daughter of Zeus)
o Blank verse = every line has ten alternately stressed syllables, but there is
no rhyme. It was very popular in the theatre of this period
o Dark piece of literature, but great deal of humor and tremendous energy and
various speeches display wonderful insight.
William Shakespeare
Wrote sonnets and longer poems and plays
Married Anne Hathaway
Worked in London first as actor, later as playwright
An aristocratic patron was very important to a poet's career. →gave an income and
provided protection and recognition → his epic poems earned him elgeant and
talented reputation.
Theater:
o Popular entertainment
o Not for educated elite
o Elizabethan theatre = most of audience stood in front of stage, little scenery,
women were not allowed because it would lead to immorality.
o Interaction with the audience (because of closeness stage and audience)
Written for wide audience , recognisable → stock characters
