The Renaissance

Shakespeare lived and wrote during a remarkable period of English history, a time of relative political
stability and great development, 1485 - 1649. Science made it possible to navigate, explorers set out to find a
new world. The ideas of the Renaissance are strongly influenced by the concept of humanism. The aim was to
restore human values from antiquity by reintroducing the philosophies, language and literature of the ancient
Greece and Rome. One of the major developments in English literature at this time is in drama. Some of
Shakespeare’s plays reflect historical and political tensions, others deal with common life experiences which
are described in comedy as well as tragedy. During this period poetry was another important literary genre.

THE RENAISSANCE 1485 – 1625

The English Renaissance was a cultural and artistic movement in England dating
from the late 15th and early 16th century to the early 17th century. The beginning of the
English Renaissance is often associated with the year 1485 when the War of Roses
ended and it was inaugurated the Tudor Dynasty.
Characteristics of Renaissance:
 The word Renaissance means rebirth; the world was emerging from the Middle or
Dark Ages
 The idea of the Divine Right of kings to rule
 The development of humanistic ideas, such as the dignity of man
 The focus of attention was no longer God but Man; for the first time, man
was explored as an individual, and the idea that a man could shape his own
destiny was widely accepted.
 It was a time of scientific inquiry and exploration
 It was the time of the Protestant Reformation, and the invention of the printing
press
RENAISSANCE LITERATURE
The writers of the Renaissance not only wanted to imitate art, they hoped to change
reality through art. They believed in the art of imitation, gravitating toward the Greek
and Roman writers and writing styles.
RENAISSANCE WRITERS
1) John Milton – Paradise Lost
2) William Shakespeare – the master of the dramatic genre
3) Edmund Spenser
4) Ben Johnson
SUMMARY
The Renaissance was a time of optimism and exploration as the world emerged from the
Middle Ages to a time of increased knowledge and global confidence. Renaissance
literature change the world forever through writers such as Shakespeare.