THE ENGLISH RENAISSANCE

1
THE ENGLISH RENAISSANCEwhat a piece of work
is a man (The Bard)

• 1485-1600

2
ENGLISH RENAISSANCE

• Renaissance Rebirth
• No longer content with the fixed religious
  beliefs of the Middle Ages
• Began in 14th century Italy
• Medici family, Florence
• Dante, DaVinci, Michelangelo

3
ENGLISH RENAISSANCE

• Humanism an intellectual movement, expanding
  their knowledge of
• Philosophy, history, arts and literature, love of
  nature
• Revival of classical antiquities
• turned to these texts with such questions
• what is a human?
• what is a good life?

4
ENGLISH RENAISSANCE

• Stressed a more modern, secular view, focused on
  life here on Earth vs. religion/afterlife
• surge of creative energy, renewal of human spirit
• questioned truths, challenged authority
• emphasized the individual and the development of
  human potential
• Renaissance Man

5
ENGLISH RENAISSANCE

• Henry VIII (and resulting instability)
• 1534 Protestant Reformation
• Queen Elizabeth r.1558-1603
• Renaissance reaches its full potential under her
  reign Elizabethan Era
• Religious and national stability
• Lover of the arts

6
CENTRAL POETS

• John Donne 1572-1631
• John Milton 1608-1674
• William Shakespeare 1564-1616
• Christopher Marlowe 1564-1593
• Some Metaphysical poets (17th century) bridge
  both periods