Historical contexthistorical context the second half of the 15the second half of the 15thth century and the 16century and the 16thth centurycentury were a turbulent age in english history. A decisive shift of taste toward a fluent artistry selfconsciously displaying its own grace and sophistication was announced in the works of spenser and sidney. Another comedy was gammer gurtons needle acted at cambridge university in 1566. William shakespeare 1564 1616 elizabethan literature. The translation of seneca and the reading of aristotles poetics were major influences. The elizabethan age is called the first and greatest epoch in english literature, the romantic quest of. Elizabethan drama was the dominant art form that flourished during and a little after the reign of elizabeth i, who was queen of england from 1558 to 1603. The ultimate online source for carefully edited texts of nonshakespearean elizabethan, jacobean and caroline drama. The renaissance flowered right across europe but had different emphases in the different european cultures it was religion and philosophy in germany, for example. This revival of interest was instrumental in the development of the new drama, which was then. Here are its 5 most prominent characteristics of elizabethan drama. This was the age of shakespeare, and the golden age of english drama. Previous drama had often been halting and didactic in its speech, but with this production, marlowe took elizabethan drama to a higher level of eloquence and sophistication.
In england the first scholars and humanists appeared, they studied and investigated the antique philosophy. Nov 11, 2018 renaissance was the period, which was evolved during the tenure of elizabeth i. All through the middle ages english drama had been religious and didactic. The elizabethan age saw the flowering of poetry the sonnet, the spenserian stanza, dramatic blank verse, was a golden age of drama especially for the plays of shakespeare, and inspired a wide variety of splendid prose from historical chronicles, versions of the holy scriptures, pamphlets, and literary criticism to the first english novels. It was now that plays came to be divided into five acts and a number of scenes. Elizabethan drama drama was the chief literary glory of the elizabethan age. The simple definition of elizabethan theatre is that it all about the drama written for theatre. Choose from 500 different sets of english elizabethan drama flashcards on quizlet. The reign of elizabeth i began in 1558 and ended with her death in 1603. The elizabethan age, the jacobean age, the caroline age and thejacobean age, the caroline age and the commonwealth period. Public life was shot through with theatricalitymonarchs ruled with ostentatious pageantry, rank and status were defined in a rigid code of dresswhile on the stages the tensions and contradictions working to change the nation. In the elizabethan and early stuart period, the theatre was the focal point of the age. English drama for the first time in their hands recognized its potentialities and exuberance.
The elizabethan age is the golden age of english drama. Both the elizabethan and jacobean periods in the history of english literature are also known as. Before, drama consisted of simple morality plays and interludes, which were skits performed at the banquets of the queens father henry viii or at public schools at eton. Elizabethan period is famous and can be remembered because. English literature 2 geoffrey chaucer there are three main categories of middle english literature.
For literature from specific englishspeaking regions, see the see also section at the bottom of the page. As diane yancey notes in life in the elizabethan theater, thomas. We can distinguish three periods of literature of english renaissance. In attesting to the significance of elizabethan drama, john gassner writes, no one with even the slightest interest in english literature needs to be told that its greatest period is the elizabethan age, and no one familiar with that period is likely to depart from the consensus that its major literary achievement is the drama. Renaissance was the period, which was evolved during the tenure of elizabeth i. Throughout the middle ages the english drama, like that of other european countries, was mainly religious and didactic, its chief forms being the miracle plays, which presented in crude dialogue stories from the bible and the lives of the saints, and the moralities, which taught lessons for the guidance of life through the means of allegorical action and the personification of abstract qualities. It will be remembered that the first part of tamburlaine ends, not in his death, but in his triumph, and yet we feel that the peculiar note of tragedy has been struck. In antiquity, the word ecphrasis1 signified a digressive description of any kind, both in literature and nonfiction. Elizabethan drama english renaissance theatre free. The period is a long one and it is generally considered that old english was spoken from about a. The term elizabethan drama covers not only the beginning of poetic.
The two candidates for the earliest comedy in english nicholas udalls ralph roister doister c. Elizabethan literature refers to bodies of work produced during the reign of queen elizabeth i 15581603, and is one of the most splendid ages of english literature. Elizabethan literature, body of works written during the reign of elizabeth i of england 15581603, probably the most splendid age in the history of english literature, during which such writers as sir philip sidney, edmund spenser, roger ascham, richard hooker, christopher marlowe, and william shakespeare flourished. No one with even the slightest interest in english literature needs to be. Jun 16, 2018 the constellation of university wits made the elizabethan drama more popular with renaissance humanism and pride of patriotism. Contents hide 1 old english 2 renaissance literature 3 early modern period 3. The term elizabethan drama refers to the literature and plays created during the reign from 1558 to 1603 of elizabeth i of england, and during the period following her death. English literature elizabethan poetry and prose britannica. In the beginning, these dramas were not so well written, though the comedies were better than the tragedies. Elizabethan era 15581603 this era was the period of new ideas and new thinking. Doctor faustus was published frequently in the early 17th century, the earliest edition appearing in 1604 the a text. With the publication of thomas kyds the spanish tragedy, elizabethan drama came into being.
To say that in elizabethan drama women nearly always figure as helpless victims would be a rather thoughtless statement. The elizabethan drama refers to different plays that were produced from 1558 to 1603 while queen elizabeth reigned in england berber 165. The literature not only represents authors or writers from almost every part of the world but also it had untapped almost every major genre of writings that one could possibly imagine. William langlands piers plowman is considered by many critics to be one of the early great works of english literature along with chaucers canterbury tales and sir gawain and the green knight most likely by the pearl poet. Marston, webster, and decline of elizabethan drama 63. English literature english literature the renaissance period. Rima rusmayanti general features english renaissance theatre, also known as early modern english theatre, refers to the theatre of england, largely based in london, which occured between 1567, when the first english theatre the red lion was opened. Renaissance drama unit i 1 background the elizabethan and. It was a kind of farce in rough verse written by nicholas udall. The early elizabethan drama was dominated by the university witsa professional group of literary men. Representation of women in elizabethan drama english. The new elizabethan introduced a hero who was not ascertained of his fate and was full of doubts and passions that catapulted drama as the favourite pass time for many the use of expansive metaphors in text and performances were so successful lead to the opening of first public theatre known as the theatre by a carpenter james burbage this was the spark that ignited the passion that. The elizabethan era saw a great flourishing of literature, especially in the field of drama. This was the time of queen elizabeth i of england, and of shakespeare.
Renaissance drama unit i 1 background 2 the elizabethan and. The period known as the english renaissance, approximately 15001660, saw a flowering of the drama and all the arts. Ralph roister doister is taken as the first regular english comedy. History of english literature timeline knowledge merger. Elizabethan literature definition, characteristics. Christopher marlow and shakespeare both have resemblance in their plays. Alfred, fostered the growth of english literature, the last literary form. The term english renaissance theatre encompasses the period between 1562following a performance of gorboduc, the first english play using blank verse, at the inner temple during the christmas season of 1561and the ban on theatrical plays enacted by the english parliament in 1642 the phrase elizabethan theatre is sometimes used, improperly, to mean english renaissance. Marston, webster, and the decline of the elizabethan drama jstor. History of english literature pdf included periods of.
Elizabethan literature important writers and works of the. The constellation of university wits made the elizabethan drama more popular with renaissance humanism and pride of patriotism. However, with the crowing of james, i content became a tool for the. Due to the queens support and patron, the works of that time came to be known as elizabethan. Salient features of elizabethan poetry pen and the pad. Before the elizabethan drama, miracle and morality plays were written in abundance. Development of english drama shakespeares contribution. Nov 11, 2018 elizabethan period is best because of the development in every filed of life but when it comes to history of english literature, the tenure of elizabeth is also known as the age of shakespeare because of the work of this great writer. English literature english literature elizabethan poetry and prose. I believe shakespeares plays are a suitable example of how women were presented within the theatre. If we fall back upon this distinction, elizabethan drama would include the plays of marlowe, the early plays of shakespeare, the plays of lyly, peele and greene.
English literature dates back exceeding five centuries. Pdf on sep 1, 1998, ryan j huxtable and others published the intoxications of elizabethan drama find, read and cite all the research. The concise history of english literature, the elizabethan period. Various other works like fine arts endured support and assistance from the queen. Essays on shakespeare and elizabethan drama in honour of. They wrote classical plays, courtly comedies, farces, chronicle plays, melodramas etc. English literature elizabethan and early stuart drama. The question as to which of the two versions is the more authentic one, meaning which is. To download the content in pdf click on the following link a brief history of english literature pdf chapter 1 old english literature the old english language or anglosaxon read more. Renaissance drama unit i 1 background 2 the elizabethan and jacobean ages 3 offshoots of renaissance drama 4 major poets of this age 5 elizabethan prose 6 elizabethan drama 7 other playwrights during this period 8 conclusion 9 important questions 1 background 1. Considered the greatest englishspeaking writer in history and known as englands national poet, william shakespeare has had more theatrical works performed than any other playwright. It was accompanied by an upsurge in literary production that came to fruition in the 1590s and. The concise history of english literature, the elizabethan.
Elizabethan literature characteristics english summary. The elizabethan age is called the first and greatest epoch in english literature, the romantic quest of this age is for the remote, the wonderful and the beautiful. It has been said more than once that english elizabethan literature may, and not merely in virtue of shakespere, claim the first place even among the first class. What i propose to do is to examine from the point of view of my own time the representation of women in elizabethan drama. Along with the economics of the profession, the character of the drama changed towards the end of the period. The old english language or anglosaxon is the earliest form of english. Learn english elizabethan drama with free interactive flashcards. The first period covers the end of the 15th and the first half of the 16th centuries.
Jul 18, 2018 this is the most abridged notes on history of english literature. In the elizabethan times, drama became the national passion with a wide variety of people from merchants to peasants vied for a place in the social order and stability in the elizabethan. Old english literature, or anglosaxon literature, encompasses the surviving literature written in old english in anglosaxon england, in the period after the settlement of the saxons and other germanic tribes in england jutes and the angles c. Elizabethan drama did not concentrate only religious themes. English poetry and prose burst into sudden glory in the late 1570s. Literary prospect of this tenure is worth mentioning. While the elizabethan audiences appreciated the story of tamburlaine, it was the poetry that really set this play apart from other plays. English literature english literature elizabethan and early stuart drama. The italian renaissance had rediscovered the ancient greek and roman theatre, and this was instrumental in the development of the new drama. Christopher marlowe is the central figure of this group and his name since shines like a sun in the history of elizabethan drama.
The university wits were six men educated at oxford and cambridge in theatre and drama who drastically impacted and transformed popular drama in the late 16th century. Elizabethan period in english literature pdf main keywords of the article below. Many critics and playwrights, such as ben jonson, insisted on observing the classical unities of action, time an d place the action should be one whole. To download the content in pdf click on the following link. In the drama of marlowe the satisfaction appears to depend, not on the excitement of the catastrophe, but on the assertion of the greatness of mans spirit. The bard of avon, the greatest playwright of english literature, the man who could mirror life with few words, so on and so forth william shakespeare needs no introduction anywhere in the world. Use of theology, geography and science provided a new dimension to the literature of the time. A brief history of english literature literary theory and. The elizabethan era, which is generally considered one of the golden ages in english literature, was a great boom in literature, particularly in the area of the tragedy. This period saw many poetic luminaries rise to prominence, including christopher marlowe, ben jonson, edmund spenser, sir philip. English scientist researched and dissected animal veins discovered that the heart circulates blood throughout the body founded human physiology elizabethan claimed that animals reproduced by fertilization of the egg by the sperm. Elizabethan drama english literature, literary theory. Pdf the intoxications of elizabethan drama researchgate.
Oct 06, 20 elizabethan literatureelizabethan literature the english literary renaissance consists ofthe english literary renaissance consists of four subsets. English renaissance theatre may be said to encompass elizabethan theatre from 1562 to 1603, jacobean theatre from 1603 to 1625, and caroline theatre from 1625 to 1642. Cambridge history of english and american literature contents index of an excellent resource with many articles on all aspects of elizabethan. Elizabethan period is best because of the development in every filed of life but when it comes to history of english literature, the tenure of elizabeth is also known as the age of shakespeare because of the work of this great writer. The elizabethan era, often hailed as a golden age for english literature, spanned queen elizabeths long reign from 1558 to 1603. This period is generally regarded as the greatest in the history of english literature. For literature from specific english speaking regions, see the see also section at the bottom of the page. In a tradition of literature remarkable for its exacting and brilliant achievements, the elizabethan and early stuart periods have been said to represent the most brilliant century of all. Elizabethan and shakespearean tragedy a distinctly english form of tragedy begins with the elizabethans. Jan 22, 2018 characteristics of elizabethan drama of the three types of plays recognized in the shakespeare first folio comedies, histories, and tragedies the last has been the most discussed annnd is clearest in outline. Drama was the chief literary glory of the elizabethan age.
363 488 463 600 218 633 1109 1285 1534 175 1518 291 1496 1075 827 360 873 137 1336 79 1211 1320 688 866 1415 1070 1226 1078 510 732 1455 1412 1397 765 1498 1504 704 694 59 684 89 718 403 142 172