Elizabethan poetry, prose

Elizabethan poetry, pr

and drama

and dr

Elizabethan literature

Elizabethan literatu

▪ Also called Renaissance poetry

Also called Renais

▪ During Queen Elizabeth´s reign the poetry flourished

During Queen Elizabeth´s reign the poetry flour

▪ Most popular themes: relationship between men and women

Most popular themes: relationship between men and

treachery and hypocrisy of courtly life

treachery and hypocrisy of courtly lif

▪ T

he era of her reign is called the

he era of her reign is called

Elizabethan Age

Elizabethan A

▪ Lyric poetry was strongly influenced by Italian poets, in particular by

▪ Lyric poetry was strongly influenced by Italian poets

Francesco Petrarch

Francesco Petrarc

Elizabethan poetry

Elizabethan po

THOMAS WYATT and the EARL OF SURREY are often mentioned together

THOMAS WYATT and the EARL OF SURREY are often mentioned together

but there are many differences in their work. Both wrote

but there are many differences in their work. Both wr

sonnets.

THOMAS WYATT

THOMAS W
-

he brought the sonnet to English literature

he brought the sonnet to English

-

was influenced by Italian verse forms

was influenced by Italian vers

-

work:

work They flee from me

They flee

(the narrator is in prison)

(the narrator is in

EARL OF SURREY

EARL OF SURRE

- wrote the first

- wrote the firs blank verse

blank v

in English

in E

Wyatt´s and Surrey´s works are published in compilation work called

Wyatt´s and Surrey´s works are published in compilation wor

Songs

and Sonnets

and

.

EDMUND SPENSER

EDM

-

he started to write

he started to wri

pastoral poetry

pastoral

(main characters are shepherds)

(main characters are shepherds

-

works:

works The Shepherd´s calendar

The Shepherd´s calend – poem consisting of 12 books

poem consis

- written in the form of discussions

- written in the form of discus

between shepherds and praise of

between shepherds and prais

Queen Elizabeth

Queen El

- discussions about religion, ponder of

- discussions about reli

death...

The Faerie Queen

The Faerie Q

– unfinished, author´s greatest work

unfinished, author´s greates

- introduces king Arthur who is an

- introduces king Arthur who i

embodiment

of nobility; Queen is personification of fame

of nobility; Queen is personifi

- king Arthur starts to look for the queen and

- king Arthur starts to look

comes across several adventures and meets

comes across several adventures and m

moral virtues

moral v

- in each book another virtue is described

- in each book another virtue is desc

It was in this work that Spenser invented the

It was in this work that Spenser invented

Spenserian Stanza.

SIR PHILLIP SIDNEY

SIR PHILLIP SIDN

- works:

- work Astrophel and Stella

Astrophel and Stell – sonnet; about a young man who falls in love

sonnet; about a young man who falls in

with a lady Stella who is already married

with a lady Stella who is already mar

An Apology for Poetry/ The Deffence of Poesie

An Apology for Poetry/ The Deffence of P

(originally

Apologie for Poetrie

Apologie for Poet

) – critical essay; he defends poetry as the

) – critical essay; he defends poetry as the

work of man is supposed to remain longer

work of man is supposed to remain longer

than the creation of nature

than the creat

The Elizabethan Age produced a surprising flow of lyrics.

The Elizabethan Age produced a surprising flow of lyrics

Lyric poetry gives expression to the poet´s own thoughts and feelings, and

Lyric poetry gives expression to the poet´s own thoughts and feelings,

for this reason we tend to picture the lyric poet as a rather dreamy

for this reason we tend to picture the lyric poet as a rather dreamy

unpractical person with his thoughts turned inwards.

unpractical person with his thoughts turned inwar

The age that followed, the

The age that followed,

Jacobean Age –

Jacobean

was less fresh – more interested

was less fresh – mor

in the mind than in heart or eye

in the mind than in heart or

A group of poets, known as the

A group of poets, known as t

Metaphysical Poets

Metaphysic

(showing clever tricks of

(showing clever tricks

style and unlikely comparisons) wrote verse which was generally less

style and unlikely comparisons) wrote verse which was generally les

beautiful and less musical.

beautiful and less music

These poets mixed strong feelings with reason

These poets mixed strong feelings with reas

JOHN DONNE

JOHN DON
-

greatest

great

metaphysical

metaphysic poet

-

his works are songs and sonnets

his works are songs and sonnet

BEN JONSON

BEN JON
-

father of literary criticism

father of literary critic

-

was the leading figure of the Jacobean Era

was the leading figure of the Jacobean E

-

wrote comedies of

wrote comedies

humour

-

his medical theory: behavioral differences result from a prevalence of one

his medical theory: behavioral differences result from a prevalence of

of the body´s four

of the body´s four humours (blood, phlegm, bile, black bile)

(blood, phlegm, bile, black

-

works:

work To Celia

To C

– one of his best lyrics

one of his best lyr

Every Man in his

Every Man in hi Humour

Humo

Every Man Out of his Humour

Humo

comedies:

comedies The Alchemist

The

Volpone

Elizabethan prose

Elizabethan pro

THOMAS NORTH

THOMAS NOR
-

one of the best translators

one of the best translat

-

had wide influence on Elizabethan prose

had wide influence on Elizabethan pr

RICHARD HAKLUYT

RICHARD HAKLUY

- collected and published

- collected and publi

The Principal Navigations, Voyages and

The Principal Navigations, Voyages

Discoveries of the English Nation

Discoveries of the English

-at this time there was a great deal of travel and adventure on the sea

-at this time there was a great deal of travel and adventure on

SAMUEL PURCHAS

SAMUEL PURCHA

- Published the Hakluyt´s papers under the title

- Published the Hakluyt´s papers under the t

Purchas his Pilgrims

Purchas his Pilgri

containing

cont

A History of the World in Sea Voyages and Land Travel

A History of the World in Sea Voyages

A kind of NOVEL ( a book – length single story whose characters are usually

A kind of NOVEL ( a book – length single story whose characters

imaginary) began in Elizabethan Age:

imaginary) began in El

JOHN LYLY

JOHN LY
-

works:

work Eupheus or the Analogy of Wit

Eupheus or the Analogy of Wi – about a young man living in

about a young man liv

Neapol which is in fact

Neapol which is in fac

London; author criticizes

London; author criticiz

sickness of London society

sickness of London

Eupheus and his London

Eupheus and his

– prices London; the style is filled with

prices London; the style

tricks and alliteration

tricks and all

ROBERT GREENE

ROBERT GREE

- novelist

- novelis
-

his story

his st

Pandoso gave Shakespeare the plot of his play

gave Shakespeare the plot

The Winter´s

The Winter´

Tale

THOMAS NASH

THOMA

- book:

- book The Life of Jacke Wilton –

The Life of Jacke W

picaresque novel; a novel of the

picaresque novel; a novel of t

adventure about a man of bad character. The interest of the adventure is

adventure about a man of bad character. The interest of the advent

sometimes spoilt by long speeches.

sometimes spoilt by long speec

THOMAS MORE

THOMA
-

a lord chancellor

-

work:

work Utopia

Uto

– describes an ideal society based on the idea of

– describes an ideal society based on the idea

communism

FRANCIS BACON

FRANCIS BA

- His prose is important

-
-

His Essays are still popular, some of the best-known sayings come from

are still popular, some of the best-known sayings come

here

her

-

Other books:

Other book A History of Henry VII

A History of Henry

The Advancement of Learning

The Advancement of Learni

– considers the different

– considers the diff

ways of advancing

ways of advanc

knowledge

The New Atlantis

The New Atlan

– contains social ideas in the form of a

– contains social ideas in the form

story; is a journey to an imaginary

story; is a journey to an imaginar

island, Benasalem

island, B

Elizabethan (Renaissance) drama

Elizabethan (Renaissance) dram

-

was the most popular genre in English literature

was the most popular genre in English literat

-

Queen Elizabeth: the patron of drama writers

Queen Elizabeth: the patron of drama writ

-

contrast:

cont

-

in medieval drama were miracles and mystery plays

were miracles and mystery

-

renaissance drama

renaissanc

– undidactical, it has secular theme and conflicts

– undidactical, it has secular theme and

between characters, non

between characters

-allegorical, played in streets, squares and

allegorical, played in streets, squares

houses

hous

-

Elizabethan theatres:

Elizabethan theat

Two kinds:

Two

• Outdoor or „public“

• Out

• Indoor or „private“

• Indoor or „pr

The three most important in London:

The three most important in London: The Globe – was a roofless theatre and

was a roofless theat

so plays were played by the daylight, there was communication between

so plays were played by the daylight, there was communication bet

the audience and the actors. Actors were only men and played also

the audience and the actors. Actors were only men and play

women roles.

women roles

The Fortune

The Swan

The S

Outdoor or Public playhouses

Outdoor or Public playh

- Varying shapes

Varying s

-

Had a „

Had

yard“

yard“ where the „

where the groundlings“

groundli

were – un-roofed space,

were – un-roofed spac

surrounding the stage on three sides, enclosed by three tiers of roofed

surrounding the stage on three sides, enclosed by three tiers of roof

„galleries“.

-

A „tiring house“

„tiring house“ at the rear of the raised platform – where the actors

at the rear of the raised platform – where the actor

would wait and change.

would wait and

-

The stage was roofed – called

The stage was roofed

„the heavens“ – supported by columns

– suppor

-

Traps in the floor, for fire, smoke and other effects

Traps in the floor, for fire, smoke and other effec

-

Two playing levels – upper and lower - audience may sat on 2

Two playing levels – upper and lower - audience may s

nd

level

lev

Indoor or Private Theatres

Indoor or Private T

-

smaller, roofed

smaller,

-

Performances were also shown in winter

Performances were also shown

-

1576 – Blackfriar´s – a former monastery – was the first one

1576 – Blackfriar´s – a former monastery – was the fir

-

By 1642, there were six private theatres in London

By 1642, there were six private theatres

-

Private theatre rose in popularity from 1610 to 1642 and were used only

Private theatre rose in popularity from 1610 to 1642 and were used only

during the five warm months

during the five w

Renaissance drama was written in blank verse or prose.

Renaissance drama was written in blank verse or pros

There were some

There were

interludes (short nonallegorical plays) – had secular

(short nonallegorical plays) – had secular

character/themes; some think that were played during breaks.

character/themes; some think that were played during break

THOMAS KYD

THOMAS KY
-

a creator of Elizabethan blood tragedy, tragedy of revenge

creator of Elizabethan blood tragedy, tragedy of rev

-

work: The Spanish Tragedy

The Spani

– tragedy of blood; it´s like Shakespeare´s

tragedy of blood; it´s like Shakespeare´

Hamlet ; a ghost appears, demanding revenge; but it appears to the

Hamlet ; a ghost appears, demanding revenge; but it appears

father of a murdered son

father

CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE

CHRISTOPHER MA
-

the famous dramatist, also a lyric author

he famous dramatist, also a lyric aut

-

his characters go to their aim at any price

is characters go to their aim at any

-

works: 1

work

st

tragedy – Tamburlaine the Great

Tamburlaine

-

his violent use of the language

is violent use of the

was greatly criticised

was greatly criticis

The Jew of Malta –

The Jew of

was well received owing to its

was well received owing

beauty of sound and rhythm; the hero goes towards his aim in each case

beauty of sound and rhythm; the hero goes towards his aim in each cas

Dr. Faust – based on German story about the man

Dr. Faust – based on German story about

who dedicated his soul to a devil because he wanted to own knowledge

who dedicated his soul to a devil because he wanted to own know

of the whole world

of the whole wor

Edward the Second –

Edward the S

deals with English history

deals with English hist