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

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, govt, education & by the upper class

England was now BILINGUAL (used both French & English 1362 English became the official language of England Some borrowed French words are: *Baron * Duke *Castle *Noble *County *Government

THE RENAISSANCE PERIOD: 1485 - 1660

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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 writers who were part of an intellectual movt 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 & its politics

IT BEGAN..
.....with the changes in peoples values, beliefs and behaviors.

..in Italy in the 14th Century.

THE HUMANISTS

People moved away from church literature to Humanist literature to study themselves. Humanists studied human nature; ones 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).

THE REFORMATION..
.was a movement to REFORM the corrupt church & Pope. .forced people to question the Catholic Churchs authority. ....made people object to the financial burdens placed upon them by the church.

HENRY VIII

started the Reformation movt 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 Englands rule.

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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 (Henrys followers) including burning over 300 people at the stake. -Married the King of Spain (Englands 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; had no children or heirs. -returned to her fathers policies, restored the Church of England. -was intelligent & independent. -executed Mary, Queen of Scots, for attempting to have her killed. (Remember that she was a cousin to Elizabeth). -Under Elizabeth, the Royal Navy defeated the Spanish Armada which secured Englands 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 meant 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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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

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.