Looking at the elizabethan era english literature essay. The elizabethan era, often hailed as a golden age for english literature, spanned queen elizabeths long reign from 1558 to 1603. Several general characteristics of elizabethan poetry and literature were. The basic features of elizabethan poetry free essay example. What are some characteristics of elizabethan literature. Renaissance was the period, which was evolved during the tenure of elizabeth i. Click on the hyperlink to get more information about the authorwork. Jake bumgardner states, elizabethan age, or elizabethan era, was a period of english history during the. The period has the great variety of almost unlimited creative force. That is why many books of poetry by different writers appeared during this age.
The elizabethan period 1558 to 1603 in poetry is characterized by a number of frequently overlapping developments. Poets and dramatists drew inspiration from italian forms and genres such as the love sonnet, the pastoral, and the allegorical epic musicality, verbal sophistication, and romantic exuberance dominated the eras ve. Architecture of the reign of queen elizabeth i of england 15581603, regarded as within the last phase of the tudor period, but showing the influence of european renaissance styles, though often somewhat provincial in treatment. Shakespeares later work, aemilia lanyer, ben jonson, and john donne. The earliest elizabethan plays include gorboduc 1561, by sackville and norton, and thomas kyds 155894 revenge tragedy the spanish tragedy 1592. What are the characteristics of medieval literature.
Shakespeares masterpieces are created in this period. The study of literature, it has been said, is a form of travel. Jacobean drama in english characteristics english summary. The symbol of britannia a female personification of great britain was first used in 1572, and often thereafter, to mark the elizabethan age as a renaissance that inspired national pride through. Major writers of the elizabethan period ugc net english. Elizabethan period is famous and can be remembered because of the development in every field of life. The central figures of elizabethan canon included christopher marlowe, ben jonson, edmund spenser, sir philip sidney, william shakespeare. The restoration period has given us some of the most important religious literature in the english language. The following links, organized by literary period, are to the librarys catalog for works by author, title, literary movement, type of work, etc.
Some distinguishing characteristics of elizabethan literature are the writers use of blank verse and satire. Elizabethan era is often regarded as the golden age for english literature. The anglosaxon chronicle otherwise proves significant to study of the era, preserving a chronology of early english. General characteristics of the renaissance renaissance literally means rebirth. For further information on materials related to a specific literary. The reference to elizabeth i is only a chronological reference, and does not describe any special characteristic of the writing. Elizabethan literature important writers and works of. A summary of elizabethan literature in s queen elizabeth i.
Elizabethan literature by kelsey mcglaughn on prezi. Elizabethan poetry characteristics english summary. In the jacobean period, there was a steep decline in drama. It was now that plays came to be divided into five acts and a number of scenes. The period revolutionized many aspects of english life, most significantly literature. During this time the writing of poetry was the part of education among the educated people. Learn elizabethan literature with free interactive flashcards. Poets of this time include robert and elizabeth barrett browning, christina rossetti, alfred lord tennyson, and matthew arnold, among others. In the elizabethan period, the drama was patronized by the feudal lords, but from the time of the accession of jamesi, dramatists depended on the king, the queen and the royal domination. Historically, wenote in this age the tremendous impetus received from the renaissance, reformation, and from the exploration of the newworld. Salient features of elizabethan poetry pen and the pad. Lifestyle during the elizabethan age elizabethan women appearance elizabethan women aged quickly during this era. The victorian period is in strong contention with the romantic period for being the most popular, influential, and prolific period in all of english and world literature. This is the period when the influence of renaissance was slowly spreading to england.
Elizabethan age the period coinciding with the reign of englands queen elizabeth i 15581603, considered to be the literary height of the english renaissance. The elizabethan era is the epoch in the tudor period of the history of england during the reign of queen elizabeth i 15581603. It describes the literary works that were written during the reign of elizabeth i 15581603. From about the beginning of the 17th century a sudden darkening of tone became noticeable in most forms of literary expression, especially in drama. A flourishing period in english literature, particularly drama, that coincided with the reign of queen elizabeth i and included writers such as francis bacon, ben jonson, christopher marlowe, william shakespeare, sir philip sidney, and edmund spenser.
The phenomenon of the sonnet sequence the phrase elizabethan sonnet sequences refers to the series of english sonnets written by various prominent practitioners in the elizabethan era, such as william shakespeare, sir philip sidney, and edmund spenser. Historians often depict it as the golden age in english history. Queen elizabeth saves england from both spanish invasion and internal squabbles at home. Notable writers during this era include william shakespeare, edmund spenser, christopher marlowe and sir philip sidney. Choose from 221 different sets of elizabethan literature flashcards on quizlet. Elizabethan period is generally regarded as the greatest in the history of english literature. The concise history of english literature, the elizabethan period. England experienced an intense phase of economic and cultural development. Elizabethan literature characteristics elizabethan period is generally regarded as the greatest in the history of english literature. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of queen elizabeth i and what it means. It is as if the whole nation became a nest of birds. Elizabethan poetry elizabethan age was a great age of english literature. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. The elizabethan age 1558 1603 refers to the period of elizabeth 1s reign and is characterized by vigorous intellectual thinking, an age of adventure and discovery, a time in which new ideas.
A brief overview is located below literary periods are spans of time for literature that shares intellectual, linguistic, religious, and artistic influences. What are the characteristics of elizabethan poetry. The third period the time after shakespeares death and up to 1640 the forties of the 17th century, it was the time of declining the english renaissance literature. The elizabethan era ranged from 1558 till 1603, with the strong queen elizabeth i to rule the people and gain their loyalty and admiration. 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. 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. This table lists important writers and their works of the elizabethan period of english literature. This period is also known as the elizabethan era or the age of shakespeare in english literature.
It differed greatly in the aspects of theatre and its subjects, language, poetry, and the role of women in literature. 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 elizabeth i presided over a vigorous culture that saw notable accomplishments in the arts, voyages of discovery, the elizabethan settlement that created the church of england, and the defeat of military threats. The drama and literature of the elizabethan period was very different from the drama and literature of the modern day. Named after the monarch, the elizabethan age, produced some of the biggest marvels of english literature in history. Historical background and literary features of the.
For these reasons elizabethan period is rightly called the first romantic age in english literature. The concise history of english literature, the elizabethan. Literary prospect of this tenure is worth mentioning. Edward albert in his history of english literature 1979 argues that the plays of the university wits had several features in common. Elizabethan literature characteristics english summary. The features of the elizabethan age linkedin slideshare. 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. Within the history of universal literature, the contributions generated in the middle ages have served much to leave records of what the societies of this era were like, their culture, their moral and social patterns, as well as the literary style. The features of the elizabethan age golden age in english history queen elizabeth 1 15581603 production of great poetry and drama the age of shakespeare feeling of patriotism and nationalism most glorious age in the history of england 4.
Queen elizabeth reined england from the year 1558 a. The elizabethan age, which spanned from 1558 to 1603, was a golden period in the history of english literature. Renaissance drama unit i 1 background the elizabethan and. The elizabethan age 1558 1603 refers to the period of elizabeth 1s reign and is characterized by vigorous intellectual thinking, an age of adventure and discovery, a time in which new ideas and new experiences were sought after. Following are the main reasons behind the decline of drama in this age.
The elizabethan era is a period that took place since 1558 until 1625. But it enables us also to move about freely in time, so that we may become familiar not only with the minds of other races, but with the minds of other epochs in the history of our own, as. This period saw many poetic luminaries rise to prominence, including christopher marlowe, ben jonson, edmund spenser, sir philip sidney, william shakespeare and elizabeth herself. It was one of the most interesting periods in the british history because it is characterized by explorations, cultural changes such as in literature or theatre, religion, education and politics. Women lacked in vitamin c, which resulted in bad teeth and bleeding gums.
Taroudant the concise history of english literature is a delightful article. Characteristics of the elizabethan age by j deram on prezi. In this article, we will discuss the major developments and characteristics of elizabethan poetry. Pdf version by solitude among the most important works of this period is the poem beowulf, which has achieved national epic status in britain. 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 elizabethan age is the golden age of english drama. The reign of elizabeth i began in 1558 and ended with her death in 1603. The elizabethan sonnet sequence british literature wiki. Elizabethan literature important writers and works of the period. Elizabethan literature definition, characteristics. Elizabethan england was relatively isolated from mainstream developments on the continent, partly because of religious. In the elizabethan age, england challenged the modern and ancient writers in various fields of literature drama, epic, pastoral, lyric, romance, allegory, history and philosophy.
John miltons paradise lostwhich tells the epic tale of the banishment of man from the garden of edenwas published during this period though milton himself was a bit of an outsider to the restoration literary scene, because he identified as a puritan. There are dedicated posts for some of the listed authorsworks. Highly popular and influential in its time, the spanish tragedy established a new genre in english literature theatre, the revenge play or revenge tragedy. The elizabethan age 15581625 is generally regarded as the greatest in thehistory of english literature.
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. Historically, we note in this age, the tremendous impetus received from the renaissance from the reformation. It refers especially to the rebirth of learning that began in italy in the fourteenth century, spread to the north, includin g england, by the sixteenth century, and ended in the north in the midseventeenth century it ended earlier in italy. Although, the progress of renaissance was slow yet this period is remembered because of the growth of literature. During this period in history, sonnets and poetry became popular forms of writing. 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 sydney, edmund spenser, richard hooker, christopher marlowe, and william shakespeare flourished. Such an age of thought, feeling and vigorous action, finds its best expression in the development of drama which culminating in shakespeare, jonson and university wits. English literature english literature the renaissance period. What are the general characteristics of elizabethan poetry. D and this period is considered as the golden age for english literature. The first great age of english language was during the reign of queen elizabeth i 15581603 in england.
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