The English Renaissance

1. The English Renaissance 1485-1660

2. Around the World (1485-1660) • 1492: Columbus sails the ocean blue • 1503: daVinci paints Mona Lisa • 1512: Copernicus says the earth revolves around the sun • 1517: Martin Luther writes Ninety-Five Theses, Coffee introduced to Europe • 1521: Cortes attacks and kills thousands of Aztecs at Tenochtitlan • 1532: Portuguese begin to ship enslaved Africans to Brazil • 1550: A Frenchman begins creating artificial limbs • 1559: Ice cream invented in Italy! • 1570: Ivan the Terrible publically executes most of his advisors • 1620: Pilgrims land at Plymouth • 1637: Japan prohibits contact with Europe • 1644: Ming dynasty ends

3. Intro to the Renaissance • Started in Italy in the 1300s • Reached England in the 1500s and early 1600s • Renaissance means “Rebirth” • Usually refers to rebirth of classic culture • Seems a bit full of itself • Poor “Dark Ages”!

4. Three Qualities of the Renaissance I. Rebirth of Classic Culture • Classic Culture –ancient Greece and Rome • Often considered the height of culture, politics, philosophy, and art • Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Sophocles, Democracy, Republics… • References to mythology • Influenced by philosophy • Influence on architecture • We’re reading Julius Caesar • (He was Roman.)

5. Three Qualities of the Renaissance II. Emphasis on Humanism • Humanism: A movement characterized by a secular interest in human interests and values • Secular – non-religious • Not irreligious: humans as microcosmos • In image of God  Could perfect selves and world • Humanism also refers to an interest in the humanities • The humanities include: literature, oration (speech-making), philosophy, art, classic languages, history, politics • “Renaissance Man” – multitalented person

6. Three Qualities of the Renaissance II. Emphasis on Humanism (Continued) Medieval Period • Focused exclusively on God and the Church • Always looking toward afterlife, Heaven • Look to authority (Church, Lord) for answers • Drama: • Morality plays (Everyman)- allegories about morals • Miracle plays: about Jesus’ works Renaissance • Recognized people as individuals • Leonardo da Vinci - art studied human form • Individual conscience as authority • Drama: • Histories, tragedies, comedies – focused on issues that concern people while on earth

7. Three Qualities of the Renaissance III. Social Mobility • Medieval Period – Feudal System • Stuck in your position • Renaissance – Ability to be “self-made man” • Courtiers – skilled people advise king • Shakespeare and his father both improved their social status through individual effort.

8. Literary Culture It's not right for a woman to read. Soon she starts getting ideas, and thinking... • Focus on individual, the now • Printing press with moveable type: • Johannes Gutenberg • More people read • Reading  REVOLUTION!

9. The Anglican Church • 1517: Martin Luther’s “95 Theses” • Salvation through faith • Issues with indulgences • Religion is an issues of individual conscience • John Calvin • Predestination • Henry VIII • Wants to divorce Catherine and marry Anne • Pope won’t annul marriage • Starts Church of England or Anglican Church • Sir Thomas More will not recognize as head of church  beheaded

10. Politics: Tudor Dynasty • 1485 – Henry VII wins War of the Roses against Lancasters. • 1509 – Henry VIII – starts Church of England • 1547 – Edward VI – Protestant • 1553 – Mary (“Bloody Mary”) – Catholic • 1558 – Elizabeth I – Protestant • Ends 1603 – James I, Stuart King

11. The Elizabethan Age (1558-1603) • Patron of the arts • New classic and modern languages, wrote poetry • Court of writers and artists • “Virgin Queen” • Maintain power over her throne • British Empire • Destruction of Spanish Armada

12. Literary Developments • The Sonnet: 14 line lyric with defined structure • Blank Verse: Unrhymed verse in iambic pentameter • Iambic foot: unstressed syllable, stressed • Used in drama