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The English Renaissance

The English Renaissance. Italian Renaissance ( mid 15th to mid 16th century ): political instability , explosion of individual expression .

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The English Renaissance

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  1. The English Renaissance Italian Renaissance (mid 15th tomid 16th century): politicalinstability, explosionofindividualexpression. Renaissance in NorthernEurope(16th century): influencedby the Reformation, more integratedinto the cultural life of society, politicalstability. English Renaissance: encouragedby Queen Elisabeth Ist, characterisedbyan open, questioningmentality, by a greatexpansionofknowledge, and the studyofclassicalcultures. The Renaissance endedwith the deathof Elisabeth.

  2. Mainfeaturesof the Renaissance • Intellectualcuriosity • Rediscoveryof the Greek and Roman cultures (suppressedby the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages) • Spread oflearning (expansionof Oxford and Cambridge universities, the printing press, Erasmus) • Centralityof man: new interest in the humanthought and action (humanism).

  3. Contradictionsof the Renaissance • Ageofconfusion: cohexistenceofoldmedievalideaswithnewdiscoveriesof science and philosophy(Copernicus). • Itwas the beginningof progress forEuropeannations, butthis progress wasbased on the conquest and exploitationofcountries in Africa, Asia and the Americas.

  4. The Tudors Henry VII (1485-1509) (Financial and politicalstability, expansionoftrade, “frugal” king) Henry VIII (1509-47) (hewas a poet, musician, sportsman; helikedluxury and magnificence, hestarted a newgoldenage, hehadsixwives) Catherine ofAragon † Jane Seymour Catherine Howard † AnnBoleyn† Anne ofCleves Catherine Parr Mary I Elisabeth I Edward VI

  5. Henry VIII (1509 – 47) • First a defenderofCatholicismagainst Martin Luther, • He wanted todivorcehis first wife (whodidn’t givehim male heir) in ordertomarryAnnBoleyn • The pope Clement VII didn’t granthim a divorce • With the ActofSupremacy(1534) hedeclaredhimself the head of the new Church of England (confiscationoflandsfrom the monasteries, beheadingof Thomas More)

  6. Edward VI(1547 – 53): radicalprotestantism, persecutionofCatholics, introductionof the Book of Common Prayer (serviceswerenow in English). Mary I (1553 – 58): daughterof Catherine ofAragon, Catholic. “Bloody Mary” becauseofherpersecutionofProtestants. Elisabeth I (1558- 1603): protestant, butshewasabletogive England unity and stability, tofind a balancebetweenCatholicism and Puritanism, flourishingof English Renaissance. Elisabeth received a goodclassicaleducation, shewassurroundedbyintelligentcouncillors. Shewasexcommunicatedby the Pope differentplotsagainsther (alsobyhercousin Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland, finallybeheaded in 1587). Duringherreign England becameoneof the mostpowerfulnations in Europe: beginningof the British Empire. Defeatof the “SpanishArmada” in 1588; expansionof the navy and ofcommerce (battlefornavalsupremacy, pirateraidsagainstSpanishships); explorationofnewlands (Drake).

  7. The mythof Elisabeth • The Virgin Queen: shenevermarried. • Hericonographic and poeticrepresentationstillcorrespondsto the idealised woman ofmedievalcourtly love. • Regardedas the centreof the universe(reflecting the conceptof the universe at the time, stillPtolemaic).

  8. The yearsafter Elisabeth • James I (1603 – 1625), Anglican, Mary Stuart’s son. 1605: Gunpowder Plot; clashwithParliament (divine right of the king) • Charles I (1625 – 49) dissolvedParliament and reignedasanabsolutemonarchfrom 1929 to 1640. Great social changes: the new middle classes (landedgentry, professional people) hadacquired more wealth and supportedParliament. 1642: civil war: Cavaliers (Royalists) and Roundheads (Parliamentarists), led by Oliver Cromwell(a puritan, heimposed the closingoftheatres) 1647 -1658: Cromwellestablished the “Commonwealth”. Hetookcontrolof London, arrestedover 100 membersofParliament, arrested and executed the king in 1949.

  9. The Restoration AfterCromwell’s deathCharles II (1660-1685) wascalled back fromhisexile in France. 2disasters: the plague(1665) and the greatfireof London(1666). • James II (1685-88): wanted to impose the catholicreligion,wasabsolutist and put Catholics in positionsofpower gloriousrevolution(non-violent): William of Orange (husbandof James’s protestantdaughter, Mary) becameking William III (1689-1702). With the Bill ofRights(1689), heestablishedthat the kingcould no longerrule the country (raisetaxes or formanarmy) withoutParliament. HealsogavefreedomofreligionbutestablishedthatonlyProtestantscouldbeheirsto the throne.

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