The Renaissance

Historical situation

The "dark" middle ages were followed by the period of Renaissance (re- birth) a series of events which changed the intellectual and moral attitudes of people around the world. The literature of the Renaissance started to teach that men were not evil beings they had a right to live and enjoy themselves as well as develop their talents. The men's happiness was finally here on earth. And it depended on their own strength and mental abilities to achieve it. Men were to be their own guide to truth and happiness. The period of Reniassanse is comprised of three sub periods:

1. First period lasted from the end of the 15 to the beginning of the 16th century (Pre-renaissance)

2. Second period is called Elisabethan Age ( the second half of the 16th - the beginning of the 17th century) - the best period of the English renaissance. Literature was at its peak. This period is connected with the name Shakespeare.

3. Third period 1616 to the 40s of the 17th century. The period of decay of English humanism.

1. Pre- renaissance

Many of new ideas were popularized by the so-called humanists. The major of which is Thomas More (1478-1535). He began his careeras a lawyer but eventually proceeded to a member of a parliament. In 1529 he was even made Lord Chancellor. But the problem was Thomas More was completely against the King's absolute power. He was accused of treason and beheaded. The work by which he is best remembered is "Utopia" (1560). It is a name of non-existent island. This book is represented by two parts. In the first the author gIves a profound (deep) image of the people's sufferings and points out the social evils existing in England at that time. The second part presents his ideal of what the future society should be like. "utopia" was the first literarry work in which the ideas of communism appeared. (no private property, the people own everything in common and enjoy complete economic equality. Everyone cares for their neighbors and each has a clean and healthy house to live in. Labour is the most essential feature of life in utopia but no one is overworked. After More a tendency began in literature to write fantastic novels on social reforms.

2. Elizabethan age. It was characterized by the splendour its poetry and drama lyrical poetry became wide spread in England and (the major influence had the italian sonnet. It consisted of 14 lines. They were divided into two groups: 1. 8 lines - the octave; 2. Of 6th lines - sestet.) the foremost poet of the time was Edmund Spenser (1552-1599) descended from a noble house but his parents were poor. He was taught Hebrew, Greek, Latin and French at Cambrige while at college he acted in the theatre which inspired him to write poetry. The most famous of his poems are: "Shepherd's Calendar" and "Fairy Queen".

The Calender is a poem about ideal Shefferd's life. It consits of 12parts each dedicated the one of the month of the year the whole making up the calendar.

The Fairy Queen is an allegorical poem representing the court of Queen Elizabeth. Prince Authur is the hero of the poem in a vision he sees a GlorIana - a fairy queen. He falls in love with her and armed by Merlin strts seeking her in Faireland.

The most prominent representative of the drama art of this period was Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593). He studied at Cambridge and was greatly influenced by the ideas of Reneiccanse. After Cambridge he went to London started an acting career but after an accident in theatre he obtained some problems with his leg and took to writing place. His major plays are "Doctor Faustus", "The Jew of Malta" and "Edward the Second". He showed through all of his plays the fascination of power.

Doctor Faustus is based on the story of the power given by knowledge.

The Jew of Malta represents the power of money.

Edward II is based on the problem of losing power.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) little can be told about his life with certainty. His native town is supposed to be Straford on Avon. His father was engaged in wool industry. He was married to Ann Hathaway and he moved to London to earn money. His creative activity is divided into three periods: 1. 1590-1600 (comedies) the emotional coloring of the comedies is witty and optimistic. The heroes are creators of their own fate. The virtues bring them happiness. Even Romeo and Juliette (1594) doesn't have the note of grief. The mood full of promise dominates since the death of the heroes reconciliate unites the two hostile families. 1593 - taming of the shrew. 1595 - a midsummer night dream. 1600 - the twelveth night. Shakespeare's poems and 154 sonnets were also written during this period.

2. 1601- 1608 ( tragedies) this period presents great human problems. The author understood that human happiness depended not only on cleverness and virtues but also on social situation. Shakespeare showed that social injustice flourishing in the period led to the nessecity to change the world the laws if men and his morals. 1601 hamlet, 1604 - othello, 1605 - king leer and Macbeth

3. 1609 - 1612 (tragicomedies) in spite of their genre there is no tragic tension in this place. The emotional and ideological conflicts are less strong the author transports to a world of fantasy and allegory. They are full of mood of resignation. 1609- Cymbeline, 1612 Henry VIII.

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3. The period of English Bougrous revolution and restavraration of Monarchy. (2nd half of the 17 century)

The English b. Revolution was caused by different social and political events major of which was the struggle between the monarchy and the parliament for power. It began in 1628 when Charles I dismissed the parliament for 11 years. In 1639 Scotland started a war against England. So the king had to summon parliament again and sign the parliamentary act. This act put the King's ministers under the pariament's control. The king eventually disliked this state of things and started a riot after two great battles against parliamentary forces Charles was taken to prison and beheaded in 1649. England was proclaimed a common wealth. The major force in the society became the so called puritans. They proclaimed modest life, economy and labour as major major virtues. They also considered all types of Intertainments a great sin. When they came to power, theaters were closed. Theatre buildings were destroyed and actors were proclaimed tramps. The literature of the period is interesting for two facts:

The political struggle laid the foundation of journalism.

The literature of the period was to a great extend over shadowed by catholic reaction and Puritan movement.

The first representative of this period was John Milton (1608-1674). He is considered to be greatest publicist during the Puritan revolution. His works and pamphlets gave theoretical foundation to the struggle of Bourgousee against the monarchy. He was born in London educated at Cambridge and after graduating he retired to the country side where he took up writing poetry.

The periods of Milton's creative activity:

1625 - 1640 Italian. It is characterized by humanistic ideals in the Puritan society.

1640 - 1660 English. Milton worked as Latin secretary of the council of state and was made ton write political pamphlets on revolutionary England.

E.g. "Defense of the people of England", "the tenure of King's and madgestrettes. Milton made Europe understand that the revolution in England was not just the great rebellion but the only force which could give the people rights and freedoms.

1660 - 1674. The death Cromwell was followed by the restavration of Monarchy. Milton was discharged from his office. His works were burned. He had to move to small village where he created his best works: "paradise lost" and "paradise regained"

"paradise lost" was written at the time when the revolution ended unsuccessfully but the spirit of it was nit yet broken. In this poem the place of action is the Universe. The characters are Satan, God, three guardian angels - Raphael, Gabriel and Michael and the first man and woman. The revolutionary spirit is shown in Satan who revoltes against God. Down into hell he falls. But Satan is not tone overcome. He is to fight against God who is a tyran and despotic to the free mind. Though banished from heaven Satan is glad to have gained freedom. We see throughout the whole poem that Satan posseses human qualities. He pities th rebel angels who have lost heavenly life for his own sake. Hi is determined to go on with his war against god.that is why he decides to sedduce people to do wrong. The poem can be divided into three logical parts: 1. The rise of Satan against god. 2. The life of Adam and Eve in paradise and their fall.

3. The life of Adam and Eve after the fall.

The second prominent writer of the period whose creativity belongs to the restavration mainly is John Bunyan (1629-1688). The restavration of the monarchy brought new tendencies and ideas into the social life and literature. Charles II brought from France different morals which were excidingly against Puritan society. Theaters were reopened. New plays staged in them were indecent and light minded. Showing the immorality of the upper classes. The progressive writers (Bunyan) were against the new tendencies. They criticized the aristocracy and the court.

Bunyan represented a democratic layer of the puritans. He was closely connected with the life of common people as he himself was from a ery poor family. He was not educated and the only book he read was the bible. When he was young he joined th army after that he was imprisoned and spent there 12 years. It was in prison where he strted to write. His greatest work is "pilgrim's progress" (путь паломника) it is an allegorical novel by means of allegory Bunyan satirically describes the social life of his time. The novel describes the way which the main character undertakes the trip to the Eternal City (regular metaphor to Rome). On his way he visits different places the City of Morality, the city Distruction, the city of Vanity. These cities are considered to be the symbols of the rising Bourgousee. The novel exposes the corruption of the restavration nobility which is opposed to Bunyan's Puritan ideal of simple and pure life. Bunyan is considered to be one of the greatest writers of the 17th century as his works paved the way for the 18th century novelists Thackeray and his "Vanity Fair" to be more precised.

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