Transcript Renaissance Literature: Poetry

Ms. Eckman
English 12
RENAISSANCE LITERATURE:
POETRY
“The Renaissance 1485 -1660”. Elements of Literature, Sixth Course.
Literature of Britain. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. 2000.
190- 212.
MIDDLE ENGLISH
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Word endings changed b/c
scribes became lazy
This caused the change in
pronunciations
Language was no longer
masculine or feminine but
NEUTRAL
The Norman Conquest introduced
French into England
French was used for law, gov’t,
education & by the upper class
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England was now BILINGUAL (used
both French & English
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1362 English became the official
language of England
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Some borrowed French words are:
*Baron
* Duke
*Castle
*Noble
*County
*Government
THE RENAISSANCE PERIOD:
1485 - 1660
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1.
2.
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4.
5.
Definitions:
Renaissance- rebirth
Renaissance Man- someone who is interested in science, art,
literature, history and other subjects. Example: Henry VIII or
Thomas Jefferson
Utopian- a perfect society
Humanism- Renaissance writer’s who were part of an
intellectual mov’t which combined traditional Christian
thought with Latin & Greek classics to teach people how to
live; to study themselves
Reformation- The rejection of the Pope & church; to change
the church & it’s politics
IT BEGAN…..
.....with the changes in people’s values, beliefs
and behaviors.
…..in Italy in the 14th Century.
THE HUMANISTS
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People moved away from “church” literature to
Humanist literature to study themselves.
Humanists studied human nature; one’s self.
Erasmus was the most famous Renaissance
humanist.
Sir Thomas More was another famous humanist who
wrote “Utopia”.
Both Erasmus and More helped shape European
thought and history.
WHAT NEW TECHNOLOGY HELPED BRING
ABOUT THE RENAISSANCE PERIOD?
The Gutenberg Press helped spread Humanist
writing.
 Before the press, all books were hand written
and hand copied.
 The press (with movable type) was invented by
a German named Johannes Gutenberg around
1455.
 The first book he printed was the bible (in
Latin).
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THE REFORMATION…..
….was a movement to REFORM the corrupt
church & Pope.
….forced people to question the Catholic Church’s
authority.
....made people object to the financial burdens
placed upon them by the church.
HENRY VIII
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…started the
Reformation mov’t b/c
he wanted a divorce
from Catherine of
Aragon.
…was a true
Renaissance Man.
…created the Royal
Navy which led to the
spread of England’s
rule.
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Henry had 6 wives:
Catherine of Aragon –divorced;
mother of Mary
Anne Boleyn
-beheaded; mother of Elizabeth
Jane Seymour
-died naturally; mother to Edward
VI
Anne of Cleves
-divorced
Catherine Howard
-beheaded
Catherine Parr
-only survivor
AFTER HENRY VIII….
1st Edward VI or the “Boy King”:
-only male son of Henry (& Jane Seymour-she
died 12 days after his birth).
-became king at the age of 9 but his relatives
ruled for him.
-died at age 15 from TB.
-He was followed by……
INTRODUCING….
“Bloody Mary”!
-1/2 sister to Edward, daughter of Catherine of Aragon
-devout Catholic, returned power back to Pope &
Catholic church.
-earned her “name” b/c she hunted down and killed
Protestants (Henry’s followers) including burning over
300 people at the stake.
-Married the King of Spain (England’s biggest enemy
at the time).
- ruled England for 5 years.
-died of a fever.
RETURN TO REFORMATION….
The “Virgin Queen”….
-Elizabeth I followed Mary.
- was the last living heir of Henry VIII.
-1/2 sister to Mary and Edward VI, daughter of Anne Boleyn.
- ruled from 1558 – 1603.
-never married, no children or heirs.
-returned to her father’s policies, restored the Church of
England.
-was intelligent & independent.
-executed Mary, Queen of Scots, for attempting to have her
killed. She was a cousin to Elizabeth.
-Under Elizabeth, the Royal Navy defeated the Spanish Armada
which secured England’s independence from ALL Catholic
nations in the Mediterranean (The Spanish Armada was sent
by King Phillip in response to Elizabeth executing Mary, Queen
of Scots).
HIDDEN MESSAGES….
HOW FASHION IMPACTED THE
RENAISSANCE ERA
Colors and Clothing designs mean different
things…
1. Green: love
2. White & Tawny: patience in adversity
3. White or Black: chastity
4. Pansies: sadness
5. Snakes: flattery
THE 5 MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
RENAISSANCE PERIOD….
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2.
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5.
People expanded their worlds by reading
classical Greek & Roman writers rather than
Christian doctrine.
Spread of Humanism- focus on the here &
now rather than the “eternal life”.
The Gutenberg Press.
A growing Merchant class (Middle Class).
The spread of scholarly Latin made the
sharing of ideas possible.
THE END OF THE RENAISSANCE PERIOD…
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Elizabeth I died.
She was followed by ineffective rulers:
-James I
-Charles I (son of James); beheaded for treason
-1649 – 1660 Parliament ruled w/o a monarch;
Charles II was exiled to France
-Charles II returned
Political and Secular (church) values challenged.
John Milton was the LAST great writer of the period.
He wrote “Paradise Lost”.