Renaissance Period in English
Literature (c. 1500–1660)
Overview:
The Renaissance was a cultural rebirth that began
in Italy in the 14th century and spread to England
in the late 15th to early 16th century. It marked a
transition from the medieval worldview (focused on
religion and the afterlife) to a more human
centered view of life—emphasizing individualism,
secularism, and scientific inquiry.
?Time Frame in England:
Most scholars divide the English Renaissance into
four major sub-periods:
1.Early Tudor Period (c. 1500–1558)
2.Elizabethan Era (1558–1603)
3.Jacobean Era (1603–1625)
4.Caroline Era & Commonwealth/Interregnum
(1625–1660)?Key Features of Renaissance
Literature:
Humanism: Focus on the individual, human
potential, and classical learning.
Revival of Classical Learning: Writers studied
Greek and Roman texts.
Secular Themes: Not just religious topics—
love, politics, power, and human flaws.
Exploration of the Self: Psychological depth in
characters.
Patronage and the Court: Writers often
depended on royal/noble support.
Experimentation with Form and Language:
Sonnets, blank verse, dramatic structure.
Influence of Printing Press: Spread literature to
wider audiences (William Caxton introduced it
in 1476).?Important Monarchs and their
Literary Influence:
1. Henry VIII (1509–1547)
Court poetry flourished (e.g., Wyatt & Surrey).
Start of English Humanism.
2. Elizabeth I (1558–1603)
Peak of the English Renaissance.
Patron of the arts—Shakespeare, Marlowe,
Spenser flourished.
3. James I (1603–1625)
Continued support for the arts.
The rise of darker, more complex drama.
✍?Major Writers & Their
Contributions:
?Sir Thomas More
Utopia (1516) – Political philosophy and
humanist thought.?Sir Thomas Wyatt & Henry Howard, Earl of
Surrey
Introduced the sonnet to English from Petrarch.
Wyatt = Petrarchan sonnets.
Surrey = English/Shakespearean sonnet
structure.
?Edmund Spenser
The Faerie Queene – Epic allegorical poem
glorifying Queen Elizabeth.
Used "Spenserian stanza."
?Christopher Marlowe
Doctor Faustus – Tragedy based on the Faust
legend.
Known for blank verse and overreaching
protagonists.
?William Shakespeare
Dramas, tragedies, comedies, histories.
Deep psychological realism, poetic brilliance.
Examples: Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, King
Lear, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
?Ben Jonson
Known for Volpone and satirical comedies.
Established "comedy of humours."
?John Donne
Founder of Metaphysical poetry.
Famous for intellectual, paradoxical, and
emotional poetry.
?John Milton
Paradise Lost – Epic poem written after the
Renaissance but rooted in Renaissance thought.
Bridges Renaissance and Enlightenment.
?Drama in the Renaissance:
Shift from religious morality plays to secular
drama.
Use of the Globe Theatre and other playhouses.
The rise of tragedy, comedy, and historical
drama.
?Key Literary Forms:
Sonnets (Shakespearean & Petrarchan)
Pastoral poetry (idealized rural life)
Epic poetry (Spenser’s The Faerie Queene)
Blank verse (Marlowe & Shakespeare)
Metaphysical poetry (Donne, Herbert)
?Themes and Concerns:
Nature of man
Power and ambition
Religious and philosophical exploration
The role of fate vs. free will
Love and beauty
Politics and monarchy
Summary:
The English Renaissance was a golden age of
literature, drama, and poetry. It laid the
foundation for modern English literature, introduced
lasting literary forms, and reflected the intellectual
curiosity and humanism of the time.
