Literature MK 56V Renaissance Intro and Sonnets

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 6

The Renaissance

1500-1660

What do you remember about the Renaissance?

1. History

King Henry's successors

1.  King Edward VI (Henry’s only son, mother = Jane Seymor)

2. Mary Tudor: ‘Bloody Mary’ married Spanish king

Restored Catholocism in England --> persecution Protestants (Henry’s first child, mother = Catherine of Aragon)

3. Queen Elizabeth I, most successful. 

QUEEN ELIZABETH (1558-1603)

The Great Queen, Virgin Queen, Good Queen Bess, Gloriana

Church of England re-established: more protestant than before --> Puritans

England flourishes:

- Prosperous nation, world power

- Beginning British Colonial Empire

- Strong fleet: Spanish Armada defeated

- Art and literature: Elizabethan theatre + sonnets

• Elizabeth no children, therefore a new family becomes head of state
  
• Religious unrest, subsequently Protestant and Catholic rulers: Gunpowder plot by Catholics and Puritan emigration, move towards more religious freedom
  
• Move towards parliamentary democracy
  
• Civil War --> Commonwealth (republic, 1649-1660)
  
• Wars against Netherlands, France, Spain
  
• 
  

House of Stuart 1603-1649

2. Society

Renaissance

• Renaissance = ‘rebirth’ = renewed interest in the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome, became the ideal, examples in art and thought (humanism)
• Feeling of optimism
  

       Factors:   - Prospering economy

                           - Growth of population

                           - Progress in field of science

                           - Growing literary + scientific interest among common people

Changed outlook on life and mankind:

From collective to individual attitide

Religion  Reformation, Protestantism

Beginnings of a capitalist system

Art no longer anonymous

Renaissance man

From theocentric to anthropocentric outlook

“Memento mori” so “carpe diem”

Enjoy life to the fullest because you will die

From dogmatic belief to critical investigation

Spirit of research and questioning

Religious explanations no longer accepted, intellectual independence

Beginnings modern science

Printing press  spread ideas

Conflicts with church  Galileo Galilei

Changed outlook on life and mankind:

From collective to individual attitide

Religion  --> Reformation, Protestantism

Beginnings of a capitalist system

Art no longer anonymous

Renaissance man

From theocentric to anthropocentric outlook

“Memento mori” so “carpe diem”

Enjoy life to the fullest because you will die

From dogmatic belief to critical investigation

Spirit of research and questioning

Religious explanations no longer accepted, intellectual independence

Beginnings modern science

Printing press  --> spread ideas

Conflicts with church --> Galileo Galilei

3. Literature

We will discuss:

• Poetry (sonnets)
• Theatre/drama (Macbeth)

Literature

This is the most famous writer of the
Renaissance Period. Write down his name.

Shakespeare wrote:

1. Plays and poetry
2. Only plays
3. Only poetry
4. None of the above

What do you know
about sonnets?

https:

Open in Teams the file "Renaissance Poetry introduction AND ... "