Renaissance period

Outline:
 Introduction:
o Social stability
o 16th century and migration
o Reformation movement
o Humanism or individualism
 Scientific and educational development:
o Establishment of grammar schools
o Establishment of printing press
o Copernican theory
o Invention of telescope
 Division of renaissance:
o Elizabethan period:
 Era of nationalism and patriotism
 Age of commercial expensing
 Literature:
 Drama
 Writers
o Jacobean era:
 King James 1 era
 Poetry
 Drama
 Prose
 Writers
o Caroline period
 Era of King Charles 1
 War between Royalists and Puritans
 Metaphysical poetry
 Cavalier poetry
o Common wealth period:
 Charles 1 was executed
 Puritan won the war parliament was established
 Drama was ban
 Introduction
Renaissance period begun from 15th – 16th century. The word “Renaissance” means Rebirth or awareness.
This era was known as Renaissance because in this era there was rebirth of religion, knowledge and
society. That era was the era of social contentment or social satisfaction.

Social stability:
Cities grew and prospered during the renaissance and rulers learned to tax the people. Trade grew
between cities/states and other countries. As trade in goods increased, trade in ideas grew also. The
contact between cultures was in some part due to the crusades during the 11 th century. Commerce and
trade soon moved inland along the major routes of trade. Rivers were the easiest way to move goods so
town along rivers grew as important trade centers also. Florence became a wealthy city in spite of its
inland location away from the major trade routes. Italy’s economic power was challenged during the late
14th century as other country rulers began consolidating their power. Italy’s influence was further
diminished by Portugal’s development of a direct sea rout to Asia at the end of the 15 th century.

16th century:
During the late 16th century migration occurred. Many people migrated from countryside to London.
Initially, the London’s population was 60,000 but after migration population became 200,000.

Reformation movement:
Reformation movement was political cum religious movement. Henry viii was the initiator of this
movement. If we go back to the year 1500, the church was very powerful in Western Europe. But there
were other political forces at work too. The power of the rulers of these areas had increased in the
previous century and many were anxious to take the opportunity offered by the reformation to weaken the
power of the Papacy and increase their own power in relation to the church in Rome and other rulers. Due
to this movement church broke into two pieces Catholic church and Protestant. The protestant made their
own church. Anglican church and that church had no pope.

Humanism or individualism:
Humanism became quite popular during the renaissance. The dignity and worth of the individuals were
emphasized. This movement originated with the study of classical culture and a group of subjects known
collectively as the “studia humanitatis” or the humanities.
This movement was the right of human beings. The slogan of this movement was “Man is the center of
the universe.” Pioneer of this movement were Martin Luther and Erasmus.

Scientific and educational developments

Establishment of grammar schools:
The renaissance was a time of learning, but it wasn’t a time of schools as we know them today. Public
schools for everyone were still a long way off. In Renaissance Europe, schooling was for those who could
afford it. Some people were well educated, while others never attended schools. Girls received less
education than boys during renaissance.

Establishment of printing press:

When Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1445, he forever changed the lives of people in Europe
and, eventually, all over the world. Previously, bookmaking entailed copying all the words and
illustrations by hand. Often the coping had been done onto parchment, animal skin that had been scraped
until it was clean, smooth and thin. The labor that went into creating them made each book very
expensive. Because Gutenberg’s press could produce books quickly and with relatively little effort,
bookmaking became much less expensive, allowing more people to buy reading material.

Copernicus theory:
Before Copernicus theory polemic theory was famous. According to this theory all celestial objects –
including the planets sun, moon and stars – orbited earth. Earth in the center of the universe, did not move
at all.
Then came Copernicus theory according to this theory the planets orbited the sun, and that the moon
orbited earth. The sun, in the center of the universe, did not move, nor did the stars.

Invention of telescope:
Galileo was the first person to use the telescope to study the heavens. He made many discoveries
including that the moon had huge valleys and craters. He also discovered four moons orbiting Jupiter.
Galileo discovered the planets revolve around the sun and not around the earth. His discoveries were
printed in a book called Starry Messenge in 1610.

Division of Renaissance
Renaissance period can be divided into different eras.
 Era of Henry viii
 Elizabethan Age
 Jacobean Age
 Carline Era
 Common Wealth Era
Era of Henry viii and Elizabeth are known as Tudor Century and Jacobean era and Caroline era ae known
as Stuart Century.

Era of Henry viii

Henry viii was King of England. Besides his six marriages Henry viii is known for his role in the
separation of Church of England from the pope and the Roman Catholic church. Domestically, he is
known for his radical changes to the English the divine right of kings to England. Henry viii passed away
on 28h January 1547 Palace of Whitehall, London.

Elizabethan period (1558 – 1603)

The Elizabethan era was the epoch in English history of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign. Historians often depict
it as the golden age in English history. The Elizabethan Age is viewed so highly largely because of the
periods before and after.
England during this period had a centralized, well-organized, and effective government, largely a result of
the reforms of Henry vii and Henry viii. Economically, the country began to benefit greatly from the new
era of trans. Atlantic trade.

Era of nationalism and patriotism

Queen Elizabeth’s age was also known as era of nationalism and patriotism. Because in this period,
people became more patriot. Many people worked for religion. Despite their varied theories regarding
what type of culture was best for the nation, the structures and methods of historiography that modernists
and nationalists used to legitimize these theories were remarkably similar.

Commercial exploration
Commerce formed perhaps the most powerful motive for exploration. Eastern spices, cinnamon, pepper,
cloves, nutmeg, and ginger were used more freely in medieval times than now, when people lived on salt
meat during lentil event wine, ate and medicines had a seasoning of spices. Besides spices, all kinds of
precious stones, drugs, perfumes, gums, dyes and various woods came from east. The Italians had almost
a complete monopoly on the spice and dye trades. The Portuguese were first in the field to break the hold
of the Italians on foreign trade in the Elizabethan Age of exploration.

Literature in Elizabethan Age:

 Drama:
There were performances called mystery plays and miracle plays which were the main
part of early Elizabethan performance and drama – and these had been going around for
centuries. They dramatized of saints, so were linked to the church’s calendar being
performed at special times of the year, such as holy days and feast days.
 Writers:
The famous writers of Queen Elizabethan age were:
 Ben Jonson
 Marlowe
 Shakespeare

Jacobean Era (1603 – 1625)

The Jacobean Era refers to the period in English and Scottish history that coincides with the reign of
James vi of Scotland, who also inherited the crown of England in 1603 as James I. The word “Jacobean”
is derived from Jacobus, the Latin form of the English name James.
e

Literature in Jacobean Era:

 Drama:
Jacobean literature begins with the drama, including some of Shakespeare’s greatest
darkest, plays. The dominant literary figure of James’ reign was Ben Jonson, whose
 varied and dramatic works followed classical models and were enriched by his worldly,
peculiarly English wit. His satiric dramas, notably “The great Volpone” all takes a
cynical view of human nature.
Drama continued to flourish until the closing of the theaters at the onset of the English
Revolution in1642.
 Poetry:
The foremost poets of Jacobean era, Ben Jonson and John Donne and Drayton. Jonson
and Donne shared not only a common fund of literary resources, but also a dryness of wit
and precision of expression. Donne’s poetry is distinctive for its passionate intellection,
Jonson’s for its classicism and urbane guidance of passion.

 Prose:
Translators were also among the leading prose writers of the Jacobean period, who
produced the classic King James version of the Bible and the divines Lancelot Andrewes,
Jeremy Taylor, and John Donne. The two works of Francis Bacon helped him shaping
philosophical and scientific method.
 Writers:
Writers of that age were:
 Ben Jonson
 John Donne
 Drayton
 Shakespeare
 Francis bacon

Caroline period (1625 – 1649)

Caroline period was the period of King Charles I.

 Civil War:
In Caroline period when Charles I was King, then a war broke out. That war was known
as civil war. The was between Royalists and Puritans. Royalists were the group of people
who believed that power should given to king.
Puritans were group of people who believed that power should given to parliament. That
was the demands of Puritans and Royalists.

Literature in Caroline Period:

 Metaphysical poetry:
That age was the age of metaphysical poetry and Cavalier poetry Cavalier poetry is more
secular than metaphysical poetry.

Common Wealth period: (1649 – 1660)

The common wealth period or common wealth of England, was the period from 1649 to onwards when
England, along later with Ireland and Scotland, war ruled as a republic following the end of the Second
English Civil War and trial and execution of Charles I.
In common wealth period Puritans won the civil war and established parliament. Because puritans were
religious minded therefore, drama was banned at that era.