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British Literature through Time

Click one of the links below to go directly to literary time period information.

• British Literature through Time
• Anglo-Saxon
• Neoclassical/Restoration
• Modern/Post-Modern
• Medieval
• Romantic
• Contemporary
• Renaissance
• Victorian

The Renaissance

Years: 1485-1660

Content:

Ø       world view shifts from religion and after life to one stressing the  human life on earth

Ø       popular theme: development of human potential

Ø       popular theme: many aspects of love explored

Ø       unrequited love

Ø       constant love

Ø       timeless love

Ø       courtly love

Ø       love subject to change

Style/Genres:

Ø       poetry

o         sonnet

Ø       drama

o         written in verse

o         supported by royalty

o         tragedies, comedies, histories

Ø       metaphysical poetry

o         elaborate and unexpected metaphors called conceits

Effect:  

• commoners welcomed at some play productions (like ones at the Globe) while conservatives try to close the theaters on grounds that they promote brazen behaviors

• not all middle-class embrace the metaphysical poets and their abstract conceits

Historical Context:

Ø       War of Roses ends in 1485 and political stability arrives

Ø       Printing press helps stabilize English as a language and allows more people to read a variety of literature

Ø       Economy changes from farm-based to one of international trade

Key Literature/Authors:
    * William Shakespeare  
     * John Donne
      *Cavalier Poets
     * Metaphysical Poets  
    * Christopher Marlowe
    * Andrew Marvell

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Q&A: Question: (12/22/2011) What is a poem about the middle from the Renaissance period? Question: (8/18/2011) What is a good thesis statement for the renaissance in british literature? Question: (5/12/2011) how has the renaissance effect music, art and poetry poetry Question: (5/5/2011) What is the difference between Cavalier Poets and Metaphysical Poets? and who were the main poets in each category? Question: (10/25/2010) what are the themes of the renaissance literature with references to william shakespear and ben johnson Answer: (1/19/2011) love, death and time Question: (8/14/2010) what is metaphysical poetry? Answer: (9/13/2010) elaborate and unexpected metaphors called conceits Question: (8/14/2010) what is renaissance? Answer: (7/12/2011) rebirth of like poetry, music, art, sculpture that sort of stuff so basically the rebirth of culture! :) Hope dat helps :D Answer: (1/18/2011) The "rebirth" Answer: (12/13/2010) a time period Question: (3/19/2010) why is sir francis bacon so important during this time? Answer: (8/14/2010) shall i know the difference between Romanticism and renaissance Answer: (4/17/2010) he is the father of the modern lit in britain Question: (6/9/2009) why did not all middle class embrace the metaphysical poets and their abstract conceits? Answer: (5/10/2011) Because they were difficult to understand, you had to 'work' their poetry out, the meaning wasn't easy to access. also needed a lot of knowledge in different areas, greek, history etc Answer: (9/25/2009) Possibly they steped outside the box and their ideas were a little bit more radical than the previous era so less accepted and more frowned on maybe even feared? After all the word Renaissance does mean reberth doesn't it?		Comments: Anissa (3/18/2009) When did literature start in renaissance time? christen (3/15/2009) who wrote this article? Reply: Mrs. Adams, the original creator of the site.