The sixteenth century

THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY

THE HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL

BACKGROUND

TWO SIGNIFICANT EVENTSthe defeat of Richard III at the battle of

Bosworth Field in 1485 the establishment of the first printing

press in England by William Caxton

TUDOR ERA The Tudor era was a period of

expansion in geography, politics, and economics as well as in education, religion, literature, and art.

The beginning of the modern world Christopher Columbus –

discovered AmericaCabots – explored the seas in

search for Asia

TUDOR ERA Tudors established a strong

centralized authority and created commercial prosperity. Parliament became subservient to the king and Henry VIII’s break with Rome established the sovereign as the supreme head of the Church and State.

RENAISSANCE AND HUMANISM

Renaissance- means rebirth or more broadly, revival .- signifies the awakening of the dormant potentialities in English men of ability to take up those tools and combine them with their own abilities and skills to produce a great body of writings - a revitalized interest in Greek and Roman civilization and often thought of their own times a return to the glorious achievements of classical antiquity


Humanism- emphasizes the capacities of the human mind and the achievements of human culture, in contrast to the medieval emphasis on God and contempt for the things of this world


Humanist- concerned with the life of the individual in this world and his relation to society, and consequently with the reform of the state itself- believed in free will and in man’s capacity for perfection through proper education

THE FIRST GROUP OF ENGLISH HUMANISTS

John Colet William Grocyn William Linacre

REMARKABLE DUTCH HUMANIST• Desiderius Erasmus• Sir Thomas More >They became the teachers of new learning

and through their efforts, Oxfords and Cambridge became centers of new learning.

THE IDEAL COURTIER

The humanist’s program of education emphasized the training of a philosopher – king who might bring about the reformation of the state and of the relations of all classes to the state

THE IDEAL COURTIER

The ideals and methods of education were based not only on the enthusiastic study of Greek and Latin but specifically of the classical treatises on education of Cicero, Quintillian, and Plutarch whose works were a guide not only to ideal education but also to success in life.

THE IDEAL COURTIER

The courtly ideal was a harmoniously developed gentleman as a physical, political, religious, social and aesthetic being.

THE IDEAL COURTIER

PHYSICAL- strong exertion , military exercises, and games of physical skill such as wrestling

PHILOSOPHER – KING- should be trained to serve as adviser and diplomat in times of peace and as soldier in times of wars

THE IDEAL COURTIER

SOCIAL- knowledge of the arts- singing, playing musical instrument and must be able to compose poetry in honor of his lady

The courtier never received monetary rewards for his musical or poetic works.

THE IDEAL COURTIER

PHYSICAL- strong exertion , military exercises, and games of physical skill such as wrestling

PHILOSOPHER – KING- should be trained to serve as adviser and diplomat in times of peace and as soldier in times of wars

THE REFORMATION This movement sought reform in the

Roman Catholic Church and resulted in the establishment of the various Protestant sects.

Martin Luther nailed to the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany, his famous Ninety-five Theses, declaring his objections to certain long-standing abuses in the Church.

RULERS Henry VIII

- a willful and audacious man- attack Luther and won for him from the grateful Pope the title of Defender of the Faith- declared himself as the head of the Church and State when the Pope refused to grant him a divorce from Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn

Edward VI -a nine-year-old son of Henry VIII, who was guided in all government affairs by a council of senior officials.-he died prematurely in 1553

RULERS Edward VI : Effect of his Rulership1. opened England’s doors to more ardent

Protestants from the continent who affected more extreme doctrines and practices

2. A prayer book in England was written.

3. Church services were simplified. 4. Marriage of the clergy was permitted.

RULERS Edward VI : Effect of his Rulership1. opened England’s doors to more ardent

Protestants from the continent who affected more extreme doctrines and practices

2. A prayer book in England was written.

3. Church services were simplified. 4. Marriage of the clergy was permitted.

RULERS

Mary-the offspring of Henry VIII’s marriage

to Catherine of Aragon-She is a half Spanish and a devout

Catholic.-She became the wife of Philip II of

Spain.

RULERSMary - instituted a reign of terror against English

Protestants in an attempt to return England to Catholic Authority

- The reign of “Bloody Mary” posed a double threat to England’s developing national identity because of Spain, the country of her mother and her husband, had emerged as the dominant and most imperialistic power in sixteenth-century Europe.

RULERS

Elizabeth I-after Mary died her half sister Elizabeth inherited the throne.-daughter of Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn.- 25 when she became the queen-led her country forward again in the direction of the strong national unity and triumphant cultural achievement begun.

RULERS Elizabeth I

- had a sharp intellect and an excellent Renaissance education.-she promoted peace and prosperity by steering a moderate religious course between Protestant extremism and capitulation to Catholicism, (later known as Puritanism) and by directing the country’s financial affair with realistic ingenuity.-the wonder of her age.

RULERS Elizabeth I

* Sir Francis Drake raided Spanish ships and brought much needed funds to English treasury.* The raids were an unacknowledged war against Spain.* The Spanish Armada, the strongest naval force of the age. Sailed against England. But the smaller and more maneuverable English hips sent the Armada back in ignorable defeat, aided by a timely storm that helped scatter and destroy the Spanish fleet.

Elizabethan Tastes and Attitudes A delight in elaborate pattern and complicated

ornament and artifice. - Artificial is a word of praise, a positive

extension, an art itself

Elizabethans saw the world as a vast , unified, hierarchical order or “Great Chain of Being”, created by God.

Tudor literature has non-professional quality . - Literary composition was considered a

record of ideas and emotions limited to a relative few.- No thought of preserving them

Tudor period was an age of literary patronage.- Works were dedicated to some noble placed individual in the hope of receiving from this patron some gifts or wordly preferment.

CHARACTERISTIC OF TUDOR LITERATURE

* The Tudor writers did not make authorship a means of livelihood.

CHARACTERISTIC OF TUDOR LITERATURE

CHARACTERISTICS OF TUDOR LITERATURE

Tudor literature may be roughly divided into the literature of the courtier and that of the citizen.

* Courtly literature is essentially romantic.

* Citizen’s literature was characterized by more realism than romance.

The New Poetry

Courtiers and musicians compose songs on a variety of subjects using the traditional forms:

repeated and internal rhymes refrains irregular rhythms

The New Poetry

Wyatt introduced the sonnet and other short metrical patterns and thus brought to English poetry economy of word and thought.

Surrey originated the English or Shakespearean sonnet and the blank verse.

The New Poetry

Sidney and Spenser - marked the beginning of the

great age of Elizabethan poetry The last twenty centuries were a great

lyrical period, both in the sonnet and the song.

A number of lyrics were integral parts of the plays.

With Shakespeare, the sonnet form also reached its maturity.

The New Poetry classical and Italianate pastoralism The purpose of poetry is to teach

and delight. The allegorical method appealed

strongly in this century. To the educated Elizabethans,

poetry was a noble and necessary part of life.

Good poetry writing was an act of patriotism.

The New Prose

Historical, philosophical, and critical writings were issued side by side with accounts of travels, books of manners, rogue literature and romances.

The New Prose

Chronicles became very popular. Accounts of voyages, both historical and contemporary also served the cause of nationalism.

The age also saw the beginning of modern biography.

The New Prose

The 16th century was also richly productive in religious writings.

social criticism and pamphlets of contemporary comment

courtesy books and treatises on education

Translations form Italian writers like Boccaccio

Age of translation

The New Drama

The drama of the English Renaissance developed slowly.

The first comedies imitative of the Latin plays of Plautus and Terence

Gorboduc is the first English tragedy in blank verse.

The Elizabethan playhouse called for much of the dramatist’s ingenuity and imaginative sources.

The New Drama

The greatest and most distinctive achievement of Elizabethan literature is the drama.

In Elizabethan theater, sets, customes, atmospheric effects (sound and lighting) – was rudimentary and sketchy: the world of the play had to be created in the minds of the audience through the spoken word.

The New Drama

Elizabethan audiences had to use their imagination with characters as well: all women’s parts were played by boys.

Sir Thomas More Thomas More

(1478-1535), was recognized throughout early sixteenth-century Europe as one of the great lawyers, Christian humanists, and classical scholars of his day.

Sir Thomas More His interest in

humanism budded as early as his boyhood.

He became a close personal friend of Henry VIII who knighted him in 1521

Sir Thomas More He was canonized by

the Roman Catholic Church as a true defender of the faith

He wrote extensively both in Latin and English, and his prose works possessed a kind of clarity, eloquence, and variety

Sir Thomas More He was executed

because he opposed King Henry VIII’s divorce to Catherine of Aragon and refused to swear allegiance to him.

More’s WorksTitles Descriptions

1. The Life of Johan Picus, Earl of Mirandula

2. The History of King Richard the Third

-expressed his deep sympathy for the Italian nobleman who possessed great spiritual character

-designed with an attitude of cool malice and ironic detachment

-Once a sermon against ambition and a historical narrative of distinction

More’s WorksTitles Descriptions

3. Utopia - Greek word for “no place”-considered by some to be one of the finest Socratic dialogues of all time, has long been recognized as his masterpiece.

-More’s ideal commonwealth that must be understood in relation to his England which lacked the organization, the cleanliness, the sanitation, the physical comfort, and tolerance that prevailed in Utopia

UTOPIA▪ Utopia is an ideal

community or society possessing a perfect socio-politico-legal system. The word was imported from Greek by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book Utopia, describing a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean. The term has been used to describe both intentional communities that attempt to create an ideal society, and fictional societies portrayed in literature. It has spawned other concepts, most prominently dystopia.

Sir Thomas Wyatt Thomas Wyatt was born at

Allington Castle in Kent, and educated at St John's College, Cambridge. While travelling as a diplomat for Henry VIII he developed his interest in Continental poetry; he was the first English poet to use the Italian forms of the sonnet and terza rima, and the French rondeau. His translation of the Penitential Psalms is based on a version by the Italian poet Pietro Aretino.

Sir Thomas Wyatt He was imprisoned

because of a quarrel with the Duke of Suffolk, although suspicion was that he had been a lover of Anne Boleyn about whom many critics believe the poem, “Whoso List to Hunt” was written.

Literary ContributionsFrom French, he borrowed rondeau.He introduced the Petrarchan

sonnet form of an octave and a sestet but his sestet ordinarily ends with a couplet.

He popularized other forms such as ottava rima and terza rima and originated the popular poulter’s measure.

Much of his best poetry is concerned with adapting European forms and ideas to English poetry.

Rondeaua short lyrical poem of thirteen lines with only two rhymes and an unrhymed refrain that consists of the opening words and is used in two places

Ottava Rima & Poutler’s MeasureOttava Rima

stanza of 8 lines, rhyming abababcc, and borrowed from the Italian

Poutler’s measure• a popular Renaissance metrical pattern which consisted of couplets of alternating Alexandrines and fourteen syllable lines

Terza Rimaform invented by Dante and is

used throughout the European poetry, where the triplets interlace or interlink in the following scheme: love-moon-dove soon-run-June, ababcb

Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey

HENRY HOWARD, EARL OF SURREY, was born in Hunsdon, Hertfordshire, in 1517. He was the eldest son of Thomas Howard, and Lady Elizabeth Stafford

He is courtier ,scholar, soldier, and envoy enjoyed an exellent education at Windsor and at the French court in the company of princes.

His most intimate companion was Henry’s VIII’s illegitimate son, the Duke of Richmond.

Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey

His verse is “more melodious, more graceful, more pictorial” and “discursive, less vigorous, less sententious” than Wyatt’s .

He achieved what Petrarch had done – made the vernacular the language of polite and courtly poetry.

He was seemed to be the first modern poet.

Literary Contributions

His words accent and diction are less archaic.

He uses various versification patterns, but his innovation are in the sonnet and in blank verse.

Most of his sonnets have the English or Shakespearean rhyme scheme, three quatrains followed by a couplet .

In his translation of the Aeneid, he was the first to use the blank verse.

Roger Ascham He was the greatest 16th

century English writer whose life and experience prepared him for the distinguished work, “The Schoolmaster”.

Under his tutorship, Princess Elizabeth acquired proficiency in Greek and Latin literature, and competence in Latin, Italian.

Roger Ascham He died suffering from a

chill while finishing some Latin poems he planned to present as New Year’s gift to the queen.

Camden recorded in his “Annales “ that Ascham died a poor man because of his addiction to dicing and cockfighting.

Ascham’s WorksTitles Descriptions

1. Toxophilus

2. The Report and Discourse of the Affairs and State of Germany

3. The Schoolmaster

-a dialogue patterned after Plato on the benefits of archery as a patriotic exercise and pastime, and a treatise on the educational ideal of a sound mind in a sound body

-Recorded his impressions about his experience being a secretary to the Ambassador at the court of Emperor Charles V

-gave Ascham his place in English literature

-his masterpiece

SCHOOLMASTER BOOK

JOHN LYLY John Lyly was born in Kent

and was educated at Magdalen , Oxford where he received an M.A there in 1579

The author of the “first English novel” and an influential predecessor of Shakespeare in the writing of comedy.

He became famous in courtly circles for a precious style of writing and speaking prose.

He became the vigorous champion of the bishops against the attacks of “Martin Marprelate”.

Lyly’s WorksTitles Descriptions

1. Eupheus (The Anatomy of the Wit) and its sequel, Eupheus and His England

-a kind of fictionalized courtesy book and its hero is more of a model in court etiquette rather than a living man

-provides the opportunity for a series of appendices on manners and morals – the follies of youth, love and friendship, education, religion, the proper conduct of life, gentlemanly behavior and women

Lyly’s WorksTitles Descriptions

2. Alexander and Campaspe, Sappho and Phao, Endymion, Midas, and Mother Bombie

3. Pap with a Hatchet

- artificial yet charming plays

- anti-Puritan pamhlet-made him the vigorous champion of the bishops against the attacks of “Martin Marprelate”

Characteristics of Euphuism balanced parallel sentence structure, often

accompanied by alliteration and assonance repetition and strained antithesis rhetorical questions or exclamations exempla, anecdotes or other illustrations

from history or literature, or the author’s inventions

proverbs and wise sayings puns and word play fantastic similes drawn form mythology, etc.

Sir Philip Sidney As the scion of a

distinguished family, he grew up in luxury in his father’s country estate in Kent and received the best education in Cambridge and Oxford.

At 18 he travelled to the Continent where he studied with the humanist Languet.

In 1577 he served as ambassador to the emperor and the elector palatine.

He witnessed the Bartholomew’s Day Massacre in Paris and on his return to England became one of the brilliant favorites of Queen Elizabeth’s court .

Sir Philip Sidney He was knighted in

1583 followed by his marriage to Frances Walsingham.

In 1586, he died from a mortal wound he received in combat at Zutphen. Seven hundred mourners followed his casket to see the most distinguished gentleman of his generation.

Sidney’s WorksTitles Descriptions

1. Astrophel and Stella

2. An Apologie for Poetry (Defence of Poesy)

-means “Star lover and Star”-a sonnet sequence of 108 sonnets which initiated the flood of sonnet cycles -reflects an actual autobiographical situation – Sidney’s love for and eventual engagement to Penelope Deveraux

-finest peace of Elizabethan literary criticism and a classic in the history of criticism

Sidney’s WorksTitles Descriptions

3. Arcadia - pastoral romance-contains eighty songs and eclogues in classical meters and Italian versifications

Edmund spenser

The man who was to rise to loftier heights than his fellows in non dramatic lyric was born neither to the purple nor to wealth.

son of London cloth maker

He never gained wealth or high position. He served as a clerk to men of nobility

Edmund spenser

Often referred to as “the poet’s poet”

Generally regarded to be the greatest non dramatic poet of te Elizabethan age

Born and educated in London. He attended Cambridge University as a “sizar:, a student who received payment toward his college expenses performing certain useful duties.

Edmund spenser

He died suddenly in a cheap lodging house, a destitute and disillusioned man.

His remains were laid at Westminister Abbey near the tomb of Chaucer

Spenser’s WorksTitles Descriptions

1. The Faerie Queene - Spenser’s masterpiece-which was to have contained twelve books or cantos but only six were completed-famous in his invention of “Spenserian stanza” (abab bcbc cdcd ee)


1. The Faerie Queene - uses myths, and legends form England’s rich medieval past to assess the values and achievements of the entire Elizabethan age


2. Complaints

3. Amoretti

4. Epithalmion

- a collection of poems

-a series of eigthy nine sonnets-means little cupids or little love poems-celebrates Spenser’s marriage


5. Prothalmion

6. The Shepeardes Calender

- wrote to celebrate the betrothal of the two daughters of the Earl of Worcester -consists of a series of eclogues, one for each month-a series of pastoral poems arranged accdg. to the months of the year

Edmund spenser

His poetry manifests the great artist’s mastery and the idealist’s nobility of purpose

greatest non dramatic poet of his age as well as the most completely Elizabethan – in his love of England and in his pride in the English tongue

Christopher marlowe

Born in Canterbury son of a shoemaker

loved knowledge and pursued the scholarly profession.

He attended Corpus Christi College ,Cambridge,where he obtained an A.B in1584 and M.A in 1587

He introduced innovations in the English drama by way of form and style, and a new concept in character development.

Christopher marlowe

always involved in crimes

was slain in a tavern brawl in which he was said to have been the aggressor

greatest predecessor of Shakespeare in the English drama

Marlowe’s Works

Titles Descriptions1.Tamburlaine the

Great, The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus, The Jew of Malta

2.The Passionate Shepherd to his Love

3.Hero and Leander

-Marlowe’s dramas

Literary Contributions

He had unveiled a new concept of tradegy which lies not in “blood bath” but in the flaw of character and in the elements of inner conflict and its interplay with external circumstances.

His themes revolve around one great personality engaged in a mighty struggle to attain a goal, but not quite succeeding because of a tragic fault character.

sir walter raleigh

Sir Walter was the ideal Elizabeth gentle man who combined the virtues of the perfect knight and the man of action with the courtly grace of the humanist and the man of letters.

After leaving Oxford w/o a degree, he embarked on a amazing career of a courtier, soldier, sailor explorer, statesman, political prisoner, historian and poet.

sir walter raleigh

known to all as the founder of Virginia and as the man who introduced tobacco in Europe

sir walter raleigh

He never enjoyed the stable patronage of the queen.

He was in disgrace at the court for an intrigue with one of Elizabeth’s maids of honor.

He was imprisoned in the Tower together with his wife and son gardening in boxes, experimenting, making perfume and writing.

Raleigh's Works

Titles Descriptions1.History of the World

2. Cynthia

-his most ambitious prose work written while he was imprisoned

-addressed to Queen Elizabeth and is praised by Spenser-longest and most ambitious poem

Raleigh's Works

Titles Descriptions3. The Nymph’s Reply

to the Shepherd- his reply to Marlowe’s “The Passionate Shepherd to his Love”

sir walter raleigh

His poems are direct and intensely personal. His style was characterized by terse and witty phrasing. His lines reveal his emotional strength colored by scorn and contempt of the world.

Robert greene

One of the best lyric poets of his day, Robert Greene was born at Norwich and educated at Cambridge and Oxford.

He was a holder of two Master’s degrees, he went to London to embark on a literary career

He died form over-indulgence in Rhenish wine and pickled herring

Robert greene

He wrote many graceful and charming lyrics chiefly on the themes of love and pastoral life.

Greene’s WorksTitles Descriptions

1.Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay, James IV

2.Mamillia

3.Pandosto, and Menaphon

4.Greene’s Groatsworth of Wit, and The Repentance of Robert Greene

-delightful and romantic comedies

-euphuisitc novelettes

-Pastoral romances

- autobiographical pamphlets

Samuel daniel

He had to depend on patronage for his livelihood.

He gained the recognition of being the Master of the Children of the Queen’s Revels

Samuel daniel

The son of musician, he attended Oxford, but he left the university w/o a degree.

He tutor William Herbert and also Lady Anne Clifford.

He addressed a number of philosophic epistle.

The best work of Daniel is characterized by simple language, spare and precise style, and high seriousness.

Daniel’s WorksTitles Descriptions

1. Delia

2. The Complaint of Rosamonde

3. Philotas

4. Cleopatra

5. Civil Wars Between the Houses of Lancaster and York

-a sequence of fifty sonnets

-a narrative poem that resembles the style of Marlowe

-a neoclassical tragedy

- a Senecan tragedy

-his ambitious undertaking

-a long patriotic poem

Michael drayton

Michael Drayton was born at Hartshill in Warwickshire in 1563 and as a youth he became page to Sir Henry Goodeere of Polesworth. Goodeere is to be credited for Drayton's education.

He wrote some of the most famous ballads in English

His output is great and varied, ranging from odes and sonnets.

Michael drayton

It is in the sonnet sequence that Drayton’s poetic power reached its height.

Drayton’s WorksTitles Descriptions

1. Ballad of Agincourt

2. To a Virginian Voyage

3. The Baron’s Wars, and Poly Olbion

4. Idea

-one of his famous ballad

-his famous ballad-Inspirational verse to the explorers who joined Raleigh

-patriotic outpourings in verse of a love for England’s past and her physical charms

-sonnet sequence

William shakespeare William Shakespeare was born to

John Shakespeare and mother Mary Arden some time in late April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. There is no record of his birth, but his baptism was recorded by the church, thus his birthday is assumed to be the 23 of April. His father was a prominent and prosperous alderman in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, and was later granted a coat of arms by the College of Heralds. All that is known of Shakespeare's youth is that he presumably attended the Stratford Grammar School, and did not proceed to Oxford or Cambridge.

William shakespeare His sonnet cycle is the greatest

collection of the age. The general themes of his sonnet

are: the triumph of time over youth and beauty, over all human ambitions, a triumph against which man’s sole defense is a love that knows no defeat or change

Venus and adonis deals w/ erotic love the first heir of invention of will iam shakespeare

- He dedicated this work to the Earl of Southampton, his patron

his first heir of invention

Thomas campion

Thomas Campion was born in London on February 12, 1567. He was a law student, a physician, a composer, a writer of masques, and a poet. Campion's parents died when he was still a boy, but they left enough money to send him to Peterhouse College, Cambridge.

He composed a treatise on harmony and in 1602, he advocated more flexibility in the rhyth ms of English poetry in a prose treatise entitled Observation in the Art of English Poesy.

The reputation of Campion’s lyrics rests on their artistic structure , simplicity of language, word order and variety of cadence and rhythm.

The sixteenth century

Education