The Renaissance

I. Introduction

            A. Renaissance marked by surge of creative energy and emergence of a world view more modern than medieval.

            B. Spread from southern to northern Europe in mid-15th century, England in 16th century

II. The Renaissance Spirit

            A. Tended towards secularism; church focal point of society; more artistic; studied ancient texts

            B. More emphasis on individualism; “Renaissance man” was person who worked to full potential, center of own universe

            C. Revolution against authority resulted

D. Scientific investigation stimulated by gaining knowledge from translated ancient Greek and Latin texts; technological advances helped spur journeys to the East and America

            E. Decline of feudalism set the stage for English Renaissance, not until after Wars of the Roses did it go full force

III. The Tudor Monarchs

A. Henry Tudor became first Tudor monarch (King Henry VII), favorable foreign policy agenda, North America expeditions present during rule

B. Henry VIII: true Renaissance prince, skilled athlete, dashingly handsome, magnetic personality, excellent dancer and music, well educated in several languages

C. England remained Catholic until Henry because obsessed with having a male heir to throne…declared self Supreme Head of English Church, divorced wife, married Anne Boleyn, a lady who he thought would bear him a son.

            D. Power of Church weakened, average Englishman was more loyal to king and country than to Church

            E. Few people opposed rule of Henry VIII, those who did paid for opposition with their lives

F. Death of Henry VIII in 1547 left King Edward VI in power for six years; time known for spread of Protestantism throughout England

G. Mary succeeded Edward VI, along with Philip II, drove Protestant leaders out of England, embraced Catholics; Mary highly unpopular, majority of subjects looked forward to change

IV. The Elizabethan Era

            A. Elizabeth

1. Succeeder of Mary, ruled for more than half a century

2. Full flowering of Renaissance experienced under her rule

3. Practical, headstrong, brilliant scholar, educated in Greek and Latin, interests in art and literature

4. Consummate politician

5. Reinstated Anglican Church as national church, ended religious persecution; her church emcompassed high church (Roman Catholic) and low church (“purificationers” of Catholicism)

6. Managed to maintain some semblance of peace thoroughout majority of reign, extricated England from pointless wars and unpopular Spanish alliance

7. Advisors convinced her prosperity could be achieved by navigating to the New World; attempted to weaken Spanish navy by privately funding pirate raids, apoligizing publicly to Spain for unlawful acts of pirates; Spanish colonial shipping prey for English pirates for 25 years; in 1588, Spanish king sent entire Armada to fight pirates, however, storm aided small, more maneuverable English ships to victory

8. Remainer of reign resulted in England being model of social order

V. The Struggle between Crown and Parliament

            A. Death of Elizabeth marked end of powerful Tudor monarch, beginning of weaker Stuart dynasty

            B. Colonial expansion, series of wrenching civil disturbances witnessed; House of Commons became true center of power

C. James VI of Scotland became James I of England, first Stuart monarch; intelligent, well educated, peace loving, however arrogant; son Charles I was also autocratic and uncompromising

D. Stuart kings met conflict with Puritan dominated House of Commons; James demanded Puritans and others practice rituals of high church liturgy, released imprisoned Catholic priests, relaxed fines placed upon Catholic clergy, all of which Puritans got mad about

E. Stuart kings’ chronic need for money resulted in an unbalanced budget; Puritans in House of Commons refused to legislate additional revenues; however, James and Charles tried to get past Parliament by taking advantage of their own power

F. Truce existed between House and monarch, however, Parliament dissolved in 1629; Charles governed for the next eleven years without Parliament, continued to anger people with autocratic policies

VI. The Puritan Revolution

A. Bishop of Edinburgh attempted to use Anglican prayer book in Scottish Presbyterian service, but was not accepted; riot ensued

B. Charles reconvened Parliament in 1640, trying to get an army to supress Scots; House responded by stripping king of power as head of Anglican Church, more controversial moves made, civil war was being prepared for

C. Civil War ideological struggle; conservative north and west, nobility supported king, middle class and country squires supported Puritan Parliament; Oliver Cromwell led the Puritans, and defeated the the royal army in 1645; Charles surrendered within a year; Cromweel’s army ordered execution of king and retaliatory measures against royal supporters, Anglicans, and Catholics

D. Cromwell ruled England as a military dictator; closed theatres, suspended most forms of recreation; Sunday was strictly a day of prayer; died in 1658, son took over, unable to control discontent citizens

E. Cromwellian government proved no less autocratic than Stuarts’, special session of Parliament invited Charles II in 1660 to assume throne; restoration of monarchy official end of Renaissance Period in English history

VII. Renaissance Literature: The Elizabethan Age

A. During Renaissance creative energy of English burst into greatest harvest of literature western world had yet known; center of literary activity was London; people involved in literary works all delighted in vigor and beauty of English language

B. Elizabethan court a focus of poetic creativity; members of court competed to see who could write best poems; queen also wrote lyrics

            C. Elizabethan poetry major shift from medieval poetry, more freedom, appealing to intellect, emotions

D. Elizabethans view nature as intricate, complex, beautiful; natural world not subject not for imitation but for improvement by creative minds; more intricacy, more admired

VIII. Elizabethan and Seventeenth-Century Drama

            A. Greatest literary achievement of English Renaissance was Elizabethan drama, emerged from three sources:

                        1. Medieval miracle, mystery, morality plays

                        2. Popular entertainment provided by itinerant minstrels, jugglers, acrobats, and actors

                        3. Latin and Greek dramas revived during Renaissance

B. Among early Elizabethan playwrights was Christopher Marlowe, first exploited potential of English language as dramatic medium; Shakespeare inspired by Marlowe

C. Shakepeare dominated theatre of late 1500’s and early 1600s; Ben Jonson’s plays were equally admired in early 1600’s

IX. The Poetry and Prose of the Seventeenth Century

            A. Literature of seventeenth century began reflecting on dissatisfaction with Elizabethan Age, also showed melancholy

B. Ben Jonson revolted against Elizabethan lyrics, imitated classical poetry; Jonson’s followers wrote Cavalier poetry: light hearted, charming, witty, sometimes cynical and licentious

C. Second major style of 17th century poetry introduced by John Donne, poetry which tried to encompass vastness of universe, express awareness of life’s complexities and contradictions, unlike Jonson, who treated limited, human subjects

            D. Significant in development of English prose are essays of Sir Francis Bacon

E. King James Authorized Bible (1611): book that has done more to mold English prose style than any other book ever written

F. John Milton: last of great English Renaissance men, only major Puritan writer of seventeenth century; more complex, grandoise, passionate, devotional, universal than almost any other English writer

X. The Development of the English Language - The Early Modern Period

            A. The Great Vowel Shift and Other Changes

                        1. Slow evolution most evident from 1400 to about 1600, involved changes in pronounciation of words

                        2. Great Vowel Shift largely completed by 1700

                        3. -s adopted as standard sign of plural

                        4. Printing helped preserve Middle English spellings, even though pronounciation of words changed

            B. The Rebirth of Ancient Learning

1. Major influence on English during Renaissance was revival of classical learning; chief impact massive influx of words from Latin and Greek

                        2. Greatest surge of Latin words into English occurred during sixteenth century

            C. The Growth of English Vocabulary

1. Renaissance recognized as time of tremendous vocabulary expansion; French and Italian words incorporated into English

                        2. Words also came from languages of major seafaring nations

3. Wholesale adoption of words during Renaissance enriched English with many synonyms from different linguistic sources

                        4. Vast spectrum of words with which writers can fulfill aims in English language

            D. English Nationalism and the English Tongue

1. Elizabethan era time of fierce patriotism, intense pride of being English; borrowing from other languages infuriated many language purists

                        2. During Renaissance English language revealed potential for sheer brilliance