The English The English Renaissance:Renaissance:Celebrating Humanity: 1485-Celebrating Humanity: 1485-16251625
Life in Elizabethan and Jacobean England• London expanded greatly as a
city• People moved in from rural
areas and from other European countries
• Strict class system• Busy and crowded; lots of
commerce, craftsmen• Grew into substantial port and
admired European city
London was a cesspool—“The Thames was a beautiful sewer” and disease and criminals ran wild.
Southwark: suburb
known for its “vice” – theaters, gaming,
prostitution, etc.
London & The London & The ThamesThames
The ground sloped toward the river so that human and animal waste would – drain down to the river. It worked, mostly.
Architecture: Theatres
Crime & PunishmentCrime & Punishment
Punishment for Punishment for Offenses against Offenses against the State:the State:
- hanged until half - hanged until half dead, then taken dead, then taken down and quartered down and quartered alive; members and alive; members and bowels cut from bowels cut from their bodies, and their bodies, and thrown into a fire, thrown into a fire, provided near hand provided near hand and within their own and within their own sight, even for the sight, even for the same purposesame purpose
Other Less Other Less Serious Serious Offenses:Offenses:
- murder: - murder: hanging till hanging till deaddead
- theft: - theft: stocked, then stocked, then whipped; whipped; pressed to pressed to death; brandeddeath; branded
- suicide: stake - suicide: stake driven through driven through their heartstheir hearts
I’m baaack…I’m baaack…The London Bills of Mortality main source of mortality statistics of plague deaths fm. 1600s-1830s (1/3 pop. dies in London)
used as way of warning about plague epidemicsmade in London after outbreak of plague in 1592 After the 1603 outbreak, they were made on a weekly basisgave everybody information as to increases or decreases in number of deaths. collected by Parish Clerks and published every week
How many times do we have to go through How many times do we have to go through this???this???
Four serious outbreaks of Four serious outbreaks of the disease occurred in the disease occurred in 1563, 1593 , 1603 and 1563, 1593 , 1603 and 1608. 1608.
Theatres (Theatres (The Globe, The The Globe, The Swan, and The RoseSwan, and The Rose) closed ) closed in the summer months.in the summer months.
In 1563, Queen Elizabeth In 1563, Queen Elizabeth moved to Windsor Castle + moved to Windsor Castle + had gallows erected to had gallows erected to hang anyone arriving from hang anyone arriving from London.London.
In 1563, in London = over 20,000 people died
In 1665 the Great Plague of London killed 16% of pop. (17,500 out of the population of 93,000)
The same outbreak of 1563 claimed 80,000 people in England
December 1592-December 1593 Stow (Elizabethan archivist) reported 10,675 plague deaths in London, a city of approximately 200,000 people
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Family lost to the plagueFamily lost to the plague::-sisters Joan, Margaret ( just babies) and Anne (aged 7) -brother Edmund (aged 27)-only son Hamnet (aged 11)
Conditions in London :-no sewage system -waste just dumped into the River Thames-Life expectancy = 35 yrs.
How did the plague affect the hero of How did the plague affect the hero of our tale?our tale?
Shakespeare's London: - overcrowded, rat-infested, sexually promiscuous, with raw sewage flowing in Thames, was hub for the nastiest diseases known to man. Here are the worst of the worst. Smallpox: high fever, vomiting, excessive bleeding, and
pus-filled scabs that leave deep pitted scars Syphilis: (pox) no antibiotics meant fever, body aches,
blindness, full body pustules, meningitis, insanity, and leaking heart valves.
Typhus: Crowded, filthy conditions,/near total lack of bathing = body lice that defecated on skin when scratched. Just one minor cut/sore for the typhus infected feces to enter bloodstream>high fever, delirium, and gangrenous sores.
Malaria: (ague) fever, unbearable chills, vomiting, enlarged liver, low blood pressure, seizures, and coma
And don’t forget the plague! What a fun place…
What next? FIRE? Are you KIDDING me????? How does anybody survive this place?
September 2, 1666: September 2, 1666: a small fire on Pudding a small fire on Pudding Lane, in bakery of Thomas Farynor, baker to Lane, in bakery of Thomas Farynor, baker to King Charles IIKing Charles II
baker and his family escaped but fear-struck baker and his family escaped but fear-struck maid perished in the blazemaid perished in the blaze
most London houses = wood and pitch most London houses = wood and pitch construction, construction, dangerously flammabledangerously flammable, and the , and the fire spread to hay/feed piles on the yard of the fire spread to hay/feed piles on the yard of the Star Inn at Fish Street Hill, took off Star Inn at Fish Street Hill, took off
strong wind strong wind sent sparks igniting Church of St. sent sparks igniting Church of St. Margar + then spread to riverside warehouses Margar + then spread to riverside warehouses + wharves filled with hemp, oil, tallow, hay, + wharves filled with hemp, oil, tallow, hay, timber, coal and spirits…timber, coal and spirits…
Renaissance = rebirth
Rebirth of: •interest in learning, especially that of ancient Greece and Rome•civilization in general•arts and sciences•Reaction to “Dark Ages” of medieval
Europe•Movement away from the restrictions
of the ChurchRemember that creepy Pardoner?
Historically speaking…
Exploration by sea: John Cabot, 1497
UK represen
t!
Religious rifts:New sense of nationalism prompted many to question ethics in and teachings of Church
Erasmus (Dutch) – version of New TestamentThomas More – Utopia
Questioning of Papal authority and Scripture
The Monarchy:
strengthening themselves and the nationHenry VII:
•CatholicCatholic•Restorer of national economy and prestige Restorer of national economy and prestige of of
monarchymonarchyHenry VIII:Henry VIII:•Catholic, at first…Catholic, at first…•Supports Pope against religious dissenters Supports Pope against religious dissenters
(“Defender of the Faith”)(“Defender of the Faith”)
But…But…•Church’s refusal to annul his marriage leads to break from Church’s refusal to annul his marriage leads to break from CatholicismCatholicism•Dissolves Church ownership of property, monasteriesDissolves Church ownership of property, monasteries•Has Thomas More executed for refusing to renounce Catholic faithHas Thomas More executed for refusing to renounce Catholic faith•Marries 6 timesMarries 6 times•Fathers Elizabeth and Mary; has a son, Edward, with his 3rd wife, Fathers Elizabeth and Mary; has a son, Edward, with his 3rd wife,
Jane Seymour Jane Seymour
More Tudor action…
Edward, Henry VIII’s son, rules from the ages of 9-15 (whatever; that’s like a 7th grader ruling your country)
Parliament drastically changes religious practices•English replaces Latin•Book of Common Prayer required in public worship
England is on its way to becoming a Protestant nation until…We’r
e back, baby!
Mary I takes throne•Restores Roman practices to Church of England•Restores authority of Pope over English Church•Known as “Bloody Mary” for ordering execution of about 300 ProtestantsAnd I could
use a drink. Make it a…
hmm…
Mary rules for 5 years, and then…
Cate Blanchett Elizabeth I takes the throne!
Hey, I wonder if that’s where they got the name
for the Elizabethan period…
•Classically educated; patron of the arts•Reinstated monarch’s rule over Church of England, ending religious turmoil•Established climate of religious compromise•Known as one of the best rulers in English history•Spoiler alert! Dies in 1603
I rule! (literally and figuratively)
The Mary Stuart problem:
•Catholics considered Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland, rightful heir to throne of
England (marriage annulment issues)
•Imprisoned by cousin, Elizabeth, for 18 years•Hatched numerous Catholic plots against her•Elizabeth let her live, punished Catholics•Parliament insisted on beheading Mary in 1587
Elizabeth… arrgh…
Life after Elizabeth…the Stuarts
Hey, I wonder if that’s where they got the name
for Jamestown…
James I (well, James VI of Scotland, but James I of England)•Son of Mary Stuart•Named by Elizabeth as her successor•Protestant•“Jacobean” era (from Latin for James)•Expanded England’s position as world power (colony in VA)
•Believed in “divine right” of monarchs•Power struggles with Parliament•Persecuted Puritans (who migrated to Plymouth
Colony) Smell you
later, Jimmy!
I may have divine right,
but this outfit is just
wrong…
Sonnet cycleSonnet cycle: A series of sonnets, usually fit : A series of sonnets, usually fit loosely together to form a storyloosely together to form a story
Big men on campus: Philip Sidney, Edmund Big men on campus: Philip Sidney, Edmund Spenser, ShakespeareSpenser, Shakespeare
Two major rhyme schemes: Petrarchan/Italian Two major rhyme schemes: Petrarchan/Italian and Shakespearean and Shakespearean
Shakespearean rhyme scheme: abab, cdcd, Shakespearean rhyme scheme: abab, cdcd, efef, ggefef, gg
Finally, the good stuff…
Lyric over narrative poetryPsst! Lyric
poem: a short poem with one speaker (not
necessarily the poet) who expresses
thought and feeling.
Sonnets! Yeah!
Psst! Sonnet: 14 lines, iambic
pentameter, various rhyme schemes.
Word!
Many sonnets consist of 8 lines setting up one idea, 4 lines responding to that
idea, and a concluding couplet at the end. Rock
and roll!
Renaissance Poetry
Pastoral poetry
•Idealized rustic simplicity of rural life•Heavy hitters: Christopher Marlowe and Sir Walter Raleigh
Hey, I wonder if that’s where they got the name for
Raleigh, NC…
I’m a poet, soldier, explorer, historian and member of the Royal Court. I am The Man - the true Renaissance man!
Turned away from religious focus and toward classical Turned away from religious focus and toward classical Greek and Roman tragedies and dramasGreek and Roman tragedies and dramas
Christopher Marlowe: First major dramatist Christopher Marlowe: First major dramatist (1580s)(1580s)
Shakespeare (1564-1616)Shakespeare (1564-1616)
People say that if I’d lived past 30 I might have
eclipsed Shakespeare as
England’s greatest
playwright! Dang!
•Started as actorStarted as actor•Famous playwright by 1592 Famous playwright by 1592
•37 Plays: most can be 37 Plays: most can be categorized as categorized as tragedy, tragedy, comedy, or historycomedy, or history
•Deep understanding of what it Deep understanding of what it means to be human helps means to be human helps maintain popularitymaintain popularity
And I might have gotten credit for stuff you wrote! Too bad, suckah!
Renaissance Drama
Not as popular as poetry
Names to drop:
Sidney, Raleigh and Thomas Nashe
Sir Francis Bacon: essays, science, philosophy
Which is the more
satisfying bacon:
pioneering English author
or tasty breakfast
meat?
King James Bible
•Translated Latin Bible into English•Huge achievement—probably most important in English Renaissance•54 scholars worked 7 years!•Influential, used to this day
Renaissance Prose
1485: Thomas More publishes 1485: Thomas More publishes UtopiaUtopia 1534: Church of England established1534: Church of England established 1535: Thomas More executed1535: Thomas More executed 1549: The Book of Common Prayer issued1549: The Book of Common Prayer issued 1558: Elizabeth I becomes Queen1558: Elizabeth I becomes Queen 1563: More plague: 20,000 Londoners die 1563: More plague: 20,000 Londoners die 1564: Shakespeare is born!1564: Shakespeare is born!
Important DatesImportant Dates
1594: Shakespeare writes 1594: Shakespeare writes Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet 1599: The Globe Theater opens1599: The Globe Theater opens 1603: Queen Elizabeth I dies; James I 1603: Queen Elizabeth I dies; James I
becomes becomes King of England. King of England. 1606: Guy Fawkes executed for Gunpowder 1606: Guy Fawkes executed for Gunpowder
PlotPlot 1607: Royal Colony of Jamestown established1607: Royal Colony of Jamestown established 1611: King James Bible published1611: King James Bible published 1616: Shakespeare dies1616: Shakespeare dies 1620: Pilgrims land on Plymouth Rock1620: Pilgrims land on Plymouth Rock 1625: King James I dies. 1625: King James I dies.
Important Dates Important Dates (Cont.)(Cont.)
