Expanding your Knowledge 2

UNIT III
THE 16th CENTURY
This unit will introduce you to some of the greatest poets/writers in the history of
Literature like Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare. Further, their oeuvres, which
received equal recognition, are included in this unit. Credits are due given to Encyclopedia
Britannica (2020), for being the sole source of this unit.

Objectives: Literature During the Renaissance

At the end of the unit, I am Literary works in sixteenth century England were
able to: rarely if ever created in isolation from other currents in
a. trace the history of England the social and cultural world. The boundaries that divided
during the Renaissance the texts we now regard as aesthetic from other texts that
Period; participated in the spectacles of power or the murderous
b. familiarize students with the conflicts of rival religious factions or the rhetorical
different literary periods of strategies of erotic and political courtship were porous
Renaissance Period;
and constantly shifting.
c. acquaint students with the Many sixteenth century artists, such as
different representative Christopher Marlowe, Edmund Spenser and William
writers/works of Renaissance Shakespeare brooded on the magical transforming power
Period. of art. This power could be associated with civility and
virtue as Sidney claims but it could also have the demonic
qualities manifested by the pleasing words of Spenser’s enchanter Archimago or by the incantations
of Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus. It is significant that Marlowe’s great play was written at a time in
which the possibility of sorcery was not merely a theatrical fantasy but a widely shared fear, a fear
upon which the state could act with horrendous ferocity. Marlowe’s tragedy emerges not only from
a culture in which bargains with the devil are imaginable as real events but also from a world in
which many of the most fundamental assumptions about spiritual life were being called into
question by the movement known as the Reformation. Catholic and protestant voices struggled to
articulate the precise beliefs and practices thought necessary for the soul’s salvation. One key site of
conflict was the bible, with catholic authorities trying unsuccessfully to stop the circulation of the
un authorized protestant translation of scripture by William Tyndale, a translation in which
doctrines and institutional structures central to the Roman catholic church were directly
challenged. The reformation is closely linked to many of the texts printed in the sixteenth century
section of Spenser’s Faerrie Queene.

Representative Writers/Works
This part discusses the representative writers of the Renaissance Period together with their
works. To further recognize the various writers, kindly visit the links provided. Further, included on
the proceeding part are the links of the writers’ works. Visit the links provided to read the contents
of their work. Please do read to be able to answer the activities. Enjoy reading.

a. Christopher Marlowe (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Christopher-Marlowe)

 Doctor Faustus (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Doctor-Faustus-play)
b. Edmund Spencer (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edmund-Spenser)
 Faerie Queene (https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Faerie-Queene)
c. Ben Jonson (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ben-Jonson-English-writer)
 The Alchemist (https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Alchemist-play-by-
Jonson)
d. William Shakespeare (https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Shakespeare)
 Troilus and Cressida (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Troilus-and-Cressida)
 Midsummer Night’s Dream (https://www.britannica.com/topic/A-Midsummer-
Nights-Dream-play-by-Shakespeare)
 Hamlet (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hamlet-by-Shakespeare)
 Othello (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Othello-by-Shakespeare)
 Antony and Cleopatra (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Antony-and-
Cleopatra-by-Shakespeare)