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§ 7. Literature of the Renaissance (end of the 15th – beginning of the 17th century)

In the 15th – 16th centuries capitalist relations began to develop in Europe. The former townspeople became the bourgeoisie. The bourgeoisie fought against feudalism because it held back the development of capitalism.

The decay of feudalism and the development of capitalist relations were followed by a great rise in the cultural life of Europe. There was an attempt at creating a new culture, which would be free from the limitations of the feudal ideology of the Middle Ages. The epoch was characterized by a thirst for knowledge and discoveries, by a powerful development of individuality.

The invention of the printing press contributed to the development of culture in all European countries. Universities stopped being citadels of religious learning and turned into centers of humanist study. There was a revival of interest in the ancient culture of Greece and Rome ("Renaissance" is French for "rebirth").

The progressive ideology of the Renaissance was Humanism, Human life, the happiness of people and the belief in man's abilities became the main subjects in fine arts and literature. The power of the Church over men's minds was defeated, The Renaissance gave mankind such great men as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, Petrarch and Durer, Cervantes and Shakespeare.

English humanism was both anti-feudal and anti-bourgeoisie. It was directed against the ignorance and oppression of feudal against the grabbing and self-interested character of the bourgeoisie. It was the ideology of the most progressive people of the epoch.

These ideas were best expressed by the first English humanist Tomas More (1478-1535) in his book Utopia, which is the Creek for "nowhere", is a story about an imaginary island where all people are equal and free.

More's Utopia marked the first period of English humanist literature. The second period which lasted from the middle of the 16th century up to the beginning of the 17th century, saw the flourishing of the English drama. The theatre because a favourite amusement of people, especially in towns. At the end of the century there were about 10 theatres in London. The theatres performed .the plays written by the English dramatists of the time. Among the playwrights of the period were John Lyly, Robert Creene, Christopher Marlowe, Ben Johnson and others. The most outstanding dramatist of the period, as well as of all times, was William Shakespeare.

  1. Topical vocabulary:

belief

вера

to grab

схватить

discover

открытие

ancient

древний

stage

сцена

to express

показывать

subject

тема, содержание

to imagine

воображать

art

искусство

amusement

развлечение

to direct against

направлять против

to perform

играть, исполнять

2. Find in the text the following word-combinations and translate the sentences which include them:

capitalist relations; the former townspeople; the printing press; citadels of religious learning; the belief in man's abilities; the power over men's minds; to give mankind; grabbing and self-interested character; to mark the period; to see the flourishing; to become a favorite amusement; to perform the plays.