Renaissance in English Literature:
Renaissance: Rebirth or revival of learning
Renaissance in English Literature:
Started: late 14th century in Italy and 15th, 16th and 17th century in Western Europe.
Renaissance started after the fall of Constantinople (a city in Greece) in 1453 by Turks.
This age is often known as the golden age in English history (Age of Reformation)
The birth of modern world out of the ashes of the dark ages, the discovery of the new world
The Renaissance marked the rebirth of classical learning, humanism, and individualism, transitioning from orthodoxy to modern thought, pursuit of knowledge. (Renaissance in English Literature)
Renaissance in English Literature
Duration and sub periods:
(a) Early Tudor Dynasty (1485 – 1557)
(b) Elizabethan Age (1558 – 1603)
(c) Jacobean Period (1603-1625)
(d) Caroline Period (1625-1649)
(e) Commonwealth Period (1649-1660)
The first great renaissance poet is Geoffrey Chaucer and the last great renaissance poet is John Milton (1608-1674).
Renaissance in English Literature
Humanism in the Renaissance
Humanism was an important intellectual movement of the Renaissance. It emphasized the value of human beings, education, and moral development. Humanists believed that education should develop the full potential of individuals so that they could contribute to the good of society and become responsible citizens.
Main Characteristics of Humanism
1. Interest in classical literature and art of ancient Greece and Rome.
2. Study of Latin language and philology and the use of eloquent expression.
3. Strong belief in the power of education to create wise and useful citizens.
4. Rejection of scholasticism, the rigid medieval system of learning.
5. Promotion of personal and civic virtue in social life.
6. Encouragement of secular (non-religious) studies along with religious learning.
7. Emphasis on the importance of the individual and moral independence.
8. Value of observation, critical thinking, and creativity in gaining knowledge.
9. Belief that poets, writers, and artists can guide humanity toward a better way of life.
10. Interest in the fundamental question: “What does it mean to be human?”.
Renaissance in English Literature
Characteristics of Renaissance:
The New Learning:
(1) Humanists (classics) revived the knowledge of the Greek language.
(2) Discovered and disseminated a great number of Greek manuscripts and added to the Roman authors and works.
(3) As a result the stock of ideas, materials, literary forms, and styles available to Renaissance writers
(4) The invention of printing press (movable type) in the mid-fifteenth century resulted flood of publications
(5) By this technological development (printing press) spread of ideas, discoveries and literature at its peak
(6) The humanistic revival resulted in pedantic scholarship, sterile imitations of ancient works and styles and a rigid rhetoric and literary criticism.
(7) Humanistic Revival (Renaissance Humanism) sometimes led to too much scholarly show (pedantry), copying ancient Greek and Roman works without originality, and strict rules of rhetoric and criticism.
(8) It also produced great human values such as tolerance, wisdom, and cultured behaviour, which can be seen in the personality of Desiderius Erasmus.
(9) The ideal Renaissance gentleman was clearly described by Baldassare Castiglione in his famous book Il Cortegiano (The Courtier) published in 1528.
(10) This book became one of the most popular Renaissance courtesy books, meaning books that taught how a courtly man should behave, speak, and live. The book presents the idea of the “Universal Man”, a person who is fully developed in many abilities.
(11) The Renaissance gentleman should develop all his qualities: Physical strength, Intellectual knowledge, Artistic skills (Renaissance in English Literature)
The New Religion:
The Reformation was a major religious movement of the 16th century that aimed to reform the abuses and corruption within the Roman Catholic Church. It began in 1517 when Martin Luther published the Ninety-Five Theses, in which he strongly criticized the Church practice of selling indulgences for the forgiveness of sins.
The movement challenged the authority of the Pope and called for reforms in religious practices. As a result, it led to the rise of Protestantism, which created several new Christian denominations separate from the Catholic Church. Important leaders of the Reformation included Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Huldrych Zwingli.
Translation of the Bible into vernacular languages so that ordinary people could read and understand it
(Renaissance in English Literature)
The New World:
In 1492 Columbus’ discovery; the world as globe, sailed west to find the commercial route to the east
Economic exploration of the new world, establishment of the commercial prosperity in England as in Italy.
(Renaissance in English Literature)
The New Cosmos:
The cosmos of medieval astronomy and theology was Ptolemaic (based on the astronomy of Ptolemy).
Hell to be situated either at the centre of the earth (as in Dante’s Inferno) or else below the system of the spheres (as in Milton’s Paradise Lost).
Copernicus published his new hypothesis concerning the system of the universe in 1453 (gave the explanation of the moving of the heavenly bodies).
The Copernican theory: The centre is not the earth but the sun and the earth is not stationary, revolves around the sun. (Renaissance in English Literature)
Renaissance Science and New Philosophy
1. Earlier historians believed that the scientific ideas of Nicolaus Copernicus and other scientists (called the “New Philosophy”) immediately shocked religious and traditional beliefs. Later studies show that these scientific ideas did not immediately change people’s beliefs.
2. In 1611, John Donne wrote in his poem The First Anniversary that the new philosophy calls all in doubt.
4. Donne used this idea mainly to express the old literary theme of the decay of the world and the Christian idea of Contemptus Mundi (contempt for worldly life). (Renaissance in English Literature)
5. Later, John Milton in Paradise Lost (1667) did not fully support either the Ptolemaic System or the Copernican System. Milton used the Ptolemaic system in his poem because it was more traditional and suitable for his story.
6. After Nicolaus Copernicus, important scientists like Johannes Kepler, Galileo Galilei, and William Harvey developed new scientific principles and methods that greatly influenced later thought.
7. During the Elizabethan age, many writers (including William Shakespeare) still believed in the Ptolemaic System, which saw the universe as living, magical, and influenced by stars, spirits, demons, witchcraft, and magic. (Renaissance in English Literature)
8. In the 17th century, science began to rely on hypotheses tested by careful observation and measurement, leading to a new scientific understanding of the universe.
9. The French philosopher René Descartes explained the universe as a mechanical system made of particles moving in space according to mathematical laws, without interference from supernatural forces. (Give me extension and motion and I will construct the universe)
10. Scientists believed that by experiment and observation they could discover the laws of nature, an idea supported by Francis Bacon, who said humans must obey nature to master it.
11. These scientific ideas later formed the intellectual foundation of the Age of Enlightenment in the 18th century, which emphasized reason, science, and observation as the basis of knowledge. (Renaissance in English Literature)