G2 Literatura en anglès fins al segle XVII
Worksheet on “The Sonnets” (10% off final mark).
STUDENTS: Irene Ruiz Pons, Víctor Núñez Baena
Instructions
- Please use the present sheet to answer the questions below.
- This is a collaborative exercise. You may choose to work in pairs, groups or
individually. You are also being assessed on your ability to respect the required space
limit. Revise your use of English and the format of your essay.
Questions
1. Briefly comment on the major changes brought about by the Renaissance. (5/10)
The transition from the medieval world to the modern world happened in the late 15th
century and early 16th. This change brought new interest to the Renaissance society
and with them a change of mentality, new humanist values arise, meaning that a
detachment from the medieval doctrines happened. Therefore, instead of having a
complete devotion for God and following the dogma, the individual thinking and
focusing on the human being gains importance. As well the Biblical values are shifted
with the interest in the art and senses. The discovery of new worlds and “classical”
literature bring light and interest to education. The new interests in Latin and Greek
lead to a new kind of English tragedy.
2. What are the main problems in writing poetry early English poets had to face?
Enumerate the problems. (2/10)
The main problems that early English poets had to face were:
1. The language was still changing.
2. The pronunciation of the word was not clear, it was still changing as well.
3. The word stress was shifting, it was not clear.
4. The grammar was still changing, for example “thou” was not “you” yet.
5. The rhyme was irregular.
In summon, poets were struggling with language, rhyme and rhythm.
