英国文学史The Renaissance Period.ppt

The Renaissance Period English Literature English Renaissance Historical Background Breaking up of feudal relations and the establishing of the foundation of capitalism ◇ The Hundred Years’ War ◇ The war of the Roses ◇ Discovery of America ◇ Reformation of the church ◇ Enclosure Movement ◇ The defeat of the Spanish Armanda ◇ The strengthening of the absolute monarch ( Henry Ⅷ , Elizabeth) General Introduction Renaissance as a period in western civilization may be explained in different ways. But generally speaking, it refers to the period between the 14th and mid 17th century. The word Renaissance means revival, specifically in this period of history, revival of interest in ancient Greek and Roman culture. Renaissance, therefore, in essence, was a historical period in which the European humanist thinkers and scholars made attempts to get rid of conservatism in feudalist Europe and introduce new ideas that expressed the interests of the rising bourgeoisie, to lift the restrictions in ail areas placed by the Roman church authorities. During the period of Renaissance, old sciences revived and new sciences emerged, national languages and national cultures free from the absolute control of the Papal教皇 authority in Rome took shape and art and literature flourished as never before. The absolute authority of the Roman Catholic Church was shaken and people in Europe came to a new awareness which was to help shape what Europe is today. England hath long been mad, and scarr’d herself:The brother blindly shed the brother’s blood;The father rashly slaughter’d his own son;The son, compell’d, been butcher to the sire.All this divided York and Lancaster... —William Shakespeare, Richard III The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England, fought between supporters of two rival branches of the Royal House: the houses of Lancaster and York. The final victory went to a relatively remote Lancastri