文选总结.docVIP

The English Renaissance (1485-1660) Renaissance General Info Time Span:Spreading: Humanism The ideal of Renaissance was Humanism, which emphasized the welfare of human beings: According to Humanism: It was against the human nature to sacrifice the happiness of this life for after-life happiness. People should enjoy full freedom to enrich their intellectual and emotional life. In religion, reformation of church demanded. In art and literature, in praise of men instead of God and churches, and their pursuit of happiness in this life. Characteristics Characteristics of literature of this period: In praise of man, not God or churches (yet it was the mainstream in the previous Middle Age.) Pursuit of happiness of this life (against any abstinence) Education advocated (against ignorance and the practice of obscurantism) Realistic methods accepted (abstract way of writing given up) Renaissance in England The Oxford Reformers (15th c.) Representative Writers Thomas More (1478-1535) Thomas More (1478-1535): humanistic leader of early 16th century, Lord Chancellor to Henry Ⅷ, who gave up his life rather than bow to Henry as head of the English Church. Masterpiece: Utopia Wyatt Howard Sir Thomas Wyatt (-1542): He introduced the Italian sonnet into England from Italian poet Petrarch (1304-1374) Petrarchan sonnets influenced the Elizabethan Age greatly. Henry Howard(-1574), Earl of Surrey, friend and disciple of Wyatt. Two poets of importance before the Elizabethan Age: The Elizabethan Age (or the Age of Shakespeare) Literary Span Social Coditions-- Reformation in England Firm Control of Churches Religious Reformation Prosperity Under Elizabeth Great Names Edmund Spenser (1552-1599)—poetry Edmund Spenser (1552-1599)--poetrygreatest non-dramatic poet of the age, first master of English verse, he made the natural music of his voice. follower of Chaucer.masterpiece: Faerie Queene—an allegory Spenserian Stanza: ? a nine-line stanza; ? the first 8 lines are iambic pentameter