Abstract:
Renaissance began in Italy around 1400 and lasted there until the end of the 1500s. Elsewhere in Europe it began later, and lasted until the 1600s. A central theme of the Renaissance was humanism. The greatest expression of the Renaissance was in the arts and learning. Influenced by the artistic and cultural Renaissance, the transformation of both English language and literature in this period can be seen to move away from the medieval Middle English literature period and into the more recognizably modern Elizabethan literature. In simple terms, the Renaissance in England was caused by the spread of Renaissance learning and ideology from Italy. Literature produced during the reign of Elizabeth I of England (1558–1603) was embraced by Renaissance. This period saw a remarkable growth of the arts in England, and the literature of the time is characterized by a new energy, originality, and confidence. Drama was the dominant form of the age, and the plays of William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe were popular with all levels of society. Other writers of the period include Edmund Spenser, and Philip Sidney. Renaissance humanism contributed a lot to the literature of this period.
Key Words: Renaissance; Elizabethan literature; England
Introduction 2
1. Historical Reviews of English Renaissance 3
1.1 A Historical Review of Renaissance 3
1.2 A Historical Review of the English Renaissance 3
1.3 A Historical Review of the Elizabethan Times 4
2. Elizabethan Literature 5
2.1 The Elizabethan Literature and the English Renaissance 5
2.2 Elizabethan Drama 7
2.3 Elizabethan Poesy 11
3. The Influence of Renaissance on Elizabethan Literature 14
3.1 The Drama of Renaissance 15
3.2 The Poesy of Renaissance 16
3.3 Postive Influence of Renaissance 16
3.4 Side Effect of Renaissance 16
4. Conclusion 17
References 19
