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UNIT 3. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE.
The name implies rebirth, something new. It’s one of the most important moments in the history of England and in order to contextualize, let’s refer to some facts:
▲ Columbus discovered a new world
▲ England participates in very different expeditions and becomes the most powerful nation
▲ Elizabeth financed and supported pirate expeditions
HUMANISM & KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge is understood as the desire and the right to explore new things so it acquires a new meaning for the medieval period. We are referring to religious knowledge and in the renaissance, knowledge has no limits.
In relation with knowledge, is the idea of humanism. Humanism emphasizes the value and agency of human beings, individually and collectively, and affirms their ability to improve their lives through the use of reason.
Many humanism thinkers became very famous around Europe and many of them were invited to the English court by Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. First, they wrote in Latin, but then they started to write in English.
They put a particular attention in Latin and Greek authors. They believed in the importance of education and the need of education those in power. Some of them participated on the education of Elizabeth I.
▲ Erasmus and his work The Praise of Folly (1511). He criticized some facts about the church.
▲ Machiavelli, The Prince.
▲ Martin Luther, 93 Theses Against the Sale of Papal Indulgences (he questioned the Pope).
▲ Bacon, The Advancement of Learning.
This helps us to understand why Henry VIII broke his relationship with Rome.
It’s also from a linguistic point of view, in which English language develops and it’s mainly used and established as the proper language of literary manifestations of English.
From religious to secular topics:
▲ National pride (they realized they were becoming more important).
▲ The court – patronage (centre of cultural life. They became (the court) an important and powerful group). Kings and queens favoured the development of culture and literature. The relationship of patronage was for the benefit of both parts: the governors and the artists.
NEW CULTURAL CENTER: THE COURT
Artists supported governments. They dedicated they works to the kings or queens. Shakespeare had an artist company: The Lord Champerlain’s Men. He presented himself and his actors as the official Lord Chamberlain’s Men. The second company was called the King’s Men (in honour of James I).
The first book written in England (1447) is Dicts of Saying. In the Renaissance, manuscripts and printed books coexisted. It’s true that the printed book became very popular. 3 main reasons:
▲ Less expensive and it appeared quicker.
▲ It circulated more widely and among a wider audience.
▲ When Henry VIII broke the relationship with Rome, he ordered the dissolution of monasteries and these were the places were the scribes developed their work. So the number of scribes was significantly reduced. This explains why more and more books were printed in England. However, the upper classes preferred the manuscripts.
The first theatres were built: The Globe, the Swan and the Rose. The public theatres were built far away from the centre of cities. They were very simple type of buildings. They were partially roofed, they were not totally covered. The main part was the stage and there was a wider area known as the arena were the audience would stand up during the play. There were a reduced number of seats in the upper balcony. They were expensive (they were for the authorities). Behind the stage, there were the tiring rooms were the actors used to change. The arrival of a theatre company was announced by flags.
The theatres did not have artificial light so performances only took place during the day, around 2pm, and when the weather was okay. These theatres became very popular but they were dangerous and unhealthy. Only men were allowed to act and the roles of women were performed by young men.
A company of actors usually consisted of about 10 members including actors and apprentices. It was very typical that professional actors were specialized in given roles.
edited by two actors: John Hemminges and Henry Condell. These two actors were the ones who proposed 3 types of plays: comedies, histories and tragedies. Other critics prefer to organise the plays by the date.
HISTORIES
Shakespeare wrote histories such as Henry VI, Richard III, Richard II, King John and Henry IV. The purpose was the education. The idea is to demonstrate the positive impact upon society with the ideal rulers and the negative effects of bad rulers and how their behaviour affected history.
He was inspired by serious cornichons about kings and queens of England. The most important one was R. Holinshed with Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland , Edmund H., The Union of the Two Nobles , and John Stow, The Annals of England.
Like the tragedies, they focus on in individual but the purpose is to illuminate how the behaviour of that individual affects to society and history. He also wrote brilliant tragedies.
TRAGEDIES
The most popular ones are Hamlet and Romeo & Juliet. Critics have detected the typical tragedy features. They have been basically defined as plays that represent the fall of that great man whose fortune suddenly changes. Sometimes the tragedies include spectacles of blood. They usually have an unhappy ending, with he exception of Othello. All Shakespeare tragedies’ present nobles’ protagonists. They suffer from a situation that the protagonist has not provoked.
Shakespeare’s tragedies deal with universal topics (love, jealousy, revenge, doubt…) and also the uncontrollable desire of ambition.
COMEDIES
Involved a wider group of people (upper and lower classes). They are also didactic like histories and they usually involved two plots. Sometimes, the secondary characters and plot is as important as the first one.
Also, typical of comedies is that they end in weddings. Comedies usually include songs. Shakespeare also uses/deals with the topic of appearances/reality.
THE MASKS
They are short plays written for being performed by upper-class people. They were for the private enjoyment. Since they were private, people were allowed to take part. The clothes used by the actors were much elaborated. Many of this masks made fun of social issues.
AUTHORS AFTER SHAKESPEARE
▲ Ben Jonson
▲ John Webster
They wrote very violent, dark and complex type of plays. They criticized the political situation.
In 1660 a new king is crowned: Charles II. So he reopened the theatres under certain conditions: they needed to have a license. The theatres were more beautiful, completely roofed, artificially lighted…
For the first time, Charles II allowed women to participate as actresses. The first actress was Mary Saunderson. Also Nell Gwynn (lover of Charles II) was also an actress.
A new type of plays began to be performed: comedies of manners. These comedies represented topics such as sexuality, life of the upper classes… Theatres began to lose popularity especially between the bourgeoisie.
We also discover the importance of writing in prose. Of course, we would mention travel writing at that time (Thomas Nash, The Unfortunate Traveller ). Many travellers wrote their experiences.
