5 The Renaissance

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5 The Renaissance

Lesson goal: After today's lesson, you can 

name characteristics of the Renaissance period and Renaissance poetry

What do you remember about the Renaissance period?

What is a 'Renaissance man' (also: polymath or homo universalis)? Give 3 characteristics

Describe the changing role of the Church during this time period

The Sonnet

The first English Renaissance poets, Sir Thomas Wyatt and Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, composed short lyric poems and introduced the sonnet in England as a new literary form. ​

Many sonnets are about the love for a special lady...

Rhyme scheme

Traditional sonnets, like Shakespearean, Italian, and Spenserian sonnets, follow strict and specific rhyme patterns.

• Italian (Petrarchan) sonnets have ABBA ABBA for the first eight lines and CDE CDE for the last six lines.
• Shakespearean sonnets have the rhyme scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.
• Spenserian sonnets follow ABAB BCBC CDCD EE.

Sonnet

Not a sonnet

Poem A

Poem B

Poem C

Poem D

Can Henry the 8th be considered a Renaissance man? Why (not)?

What is NOT true for the Renaissance period?

1. The Catholic Church lost power in England
2. English poetry was replaced by Italian poetry
3. Focus shifted from religion to the individual