History of English literature:The English Renaissance (1500–1660)


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The English Renaissance (1500–1660) was characterized by humanism, the flourishing of drama, and the development of prose and poetry. Key writers include William Shakespeare, whose plays like Hamlet and Macbeth reached the peak of drama; John Milton, known for his epic poem Paradise Lost; Christopher Marlowe, author of Doctor Faustus; Edmund Spenser, who wrote the allegorical The Faerie Queene; Ben Jonson, who wrote plays like The Alchemist; and the metaphysical poets John Donne and George Herbert.
Key Features
• Humanism: A focus on human potential, individual worth, and human reason over purely religious concerns.
• Drama: A "golden age" of English drama, with playwrights creating complex characters, intricate plots, and a blend of tragedy and comedy.
• Prose and Essay Writing: The rise of the essay as a form, with works by authors like Francis Bacon.
• Metaphysical Poetry: A 17th-century style characterized by intellectual wit, elaborate metaphors, and themes of love, religion, and mortality.
• Classicism: A renewed interest in classical Greek and Roman literature and forms.
• Vernacular Literature: A growth in writing in the common language rather than exclusively in Latin.
Major Writers and Works
• William Shakespeare:
o Plays: Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet.
o Poetry: Numerous sonnets exploring themes of love, time, and mortality.
• John Milton:
o Poem: Paradise Lost, which retells the biblical story of the Fall of Man.
o Poem: Paradise Regained.
• Christopher Marlowe:
o Play: Doctor Faustus, exploring themes of ambition and morality.
• Edmund Spenser:
o Poem: The Faerie Queene, an epic poem rich in allegory and symbolism celebrating the Tudor dynasty.
• Ben Jonson:
o Plays: Volpone, The Alchemist, The Silent Woman.
• Francis Bacon:
o Essays: Expanded editions of his Essays.
o Philosophical Works: Advancement of Learning, Novum Orgum.
• John Donne:
o Poetry: A leading metaphysical poet, known for works like The Flea and A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning.
• George Herbert:
o Poetry: A metaphysical poet known for spiritual and devotional verse.
• Other Writers:
o John Webster: The Duchess of Malfi.
o Cyril Tourneur: *The Revenger'

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