Intro to Renaissance Literature

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Intro to the Renaissance

Why are the Ninja Turtles on the previous slide?

Which of the following works was not written in the Middle Ages?

1. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
2. The Wanderer
3. Frankenstein
4. The Fox & the Wolf

Take a guess: What year is commonly used to describe the start of the global Renaissance?

1. 1453
2. 1521
3. 1408
4. 1066

Rebirth

- Fall of Constantinople to Mehmet II ( Ottoman Empire)

- Re-discovery of Classical Texts

- (Re-)Introduction of Science and Philosophy into religious way of thinking

-Printing Press- Literacy

-Trade

Renaissance in England

What event kick-started the English Renaissance?

Three fields

- Society

- Literature

- Politics

Society

- Feudal system/ three estates on the way out.

- Traders on the way in

Society became more anthropocentric

Science vs. Religion

Literature

- Influence of Classical writings: Ad Fontes

- Shakespeare: comedies, tragedies, historical plays

- Italy  as birth place of many literary forms: sonnet

- Dante Alighieri: Divine Comedy (narrative poem)

Which of the following is not a feature of the Renaissance?

1. Theocentrism
2. Romeo & Juliet
3. Wars of the Roses
4. Ad fontes

Take a guess: Who is the king in the picture?

1. William the Conqueror
2. James I
3. George III
4. Henry VIII

Politics

- Lots of confusion, conflict

Fascinating monarchs:

Henry VIII: 6 wives, Anglican Church

Elizabeth I (The Virgin Queen): Defeated the Spanish

- English Civil War (1642–1651): Parliament versus King

- England a republic until 1659

Middle Ages

Renaissance

Beowulf

Macbeth

William the Conqueror

Oliver Cromwell

Printing Press

Latin as the written language of choice

Shakespeare R&J

Romeo & Juliet

What do you already know about Romeo and Juliet

Does anyone know what the problem was in Romeo and Juliet's relationship? 

learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org

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Juliet wakes up, sees Romeo dead and kills herself.

Romeo thinks Juliet is really dead. He takes poison.

Romeo and Juliet meet and fall in love.

Juliet takes a drug to make people think she’s dead.

The two families make peace.

Romeo and Juliet secretly get married.

The Montagues and the Capulets hate each other.

Balcony scene

• The so-called balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet is probably Shakespeare's most famous scene.

• In this scene, where Romeo and Juliet meet at night, they declare their love for each other and decide to get married...
  

even though their families are in a fight together and will never allow the marriage.

We are going to watch three different versions of this famous scene....

Tragic love

The love of Romeo & Juliet is called a 'tragic love'. Tragic love means a love does not go smoothly and/or ends up bad. It could end in a break up or even in death (like in the story of R&J). 

This weeks assignment:

'Tragic Love scene'

Work out a tragic love story in groups of 4. 

Decide on the 5 w's 
Who:     characters (each character has a name, other than your own) 

What:    the tragic love conflict; what is the problem in your scene?

Why:      why is this a tragic love?

Where:  location of the performance  

When:   time 

Presentations

1-3 people

8-12 minutes

You can choose video or in class

You can use a PowerPoint or a Prezi or other tools 

 Deadline: February 8, 2022

Do's and Don't

Do answer all the questions

Do include an introduction and conclusion. 

Do finish your presentation with a question in the end.

Do use linking words.

Do use good range of vocabulary and grammar structures.

Do hand in on time!

Be creative!