🧁English 12 Unit 2 – Medieval & Renaissance British Literature

Historical Context

• Medieval period (5th-15th centuries) characterized by feudalism, the Catholic Church's influence, and the Crusades
• Renaissance period (14th-17th centuries) marked by a revival of classical learning, humanism, and artistic innovation
  • Began in Italy and spread throughout Europe
  • Influenced by the rediscovery of ancient Greek and Roman texts
• The Black Death (bubonic plague) devastated Europe in the 14th century, leading to significant social and economic changes
• The invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg (c. 1440) revolutionized the dissemination of knowledge and literature
• The Protestant Reformation, initiated by Martin Luther in 1517, challenged the authority of the Catholic Church and led to religious and political upheaval
• The Age of Exploration (15th-17th centuries) expanded European knowledge of the world and led to the establishment of global trade networks
• The English Renaissance, under the reigns of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I, saw a flourishing of literature, theater, and the arts

Key Literary Movements

• Medieval literature encompassed various genres, including epic poetry (Beowulf), chivalric romance (Arthurian legends), and religious works (mystery plays, morality plays)
• The Renaissance saw the development of humanism, which emphasized the value and potential of human beings and the importance of classical learning
  • Humanism influenced the growth of secular literature and the exploration of individualism
• The Elizabethan era (1558-1603) witnessed a golden age of English literature, particularly in the realm of theater and poetry
  • Shakespeare's works exemplify the richness and diversity of Elizabethan literature
• The Metaphysical poets (early 17th century), such as John Donne and Andrew Marvell, employed wit, paradox, and elaborate conceits in their poetry
• The Cavalier poets (17th century), including Robert Herrick and Richard Lovelace, wrote elegant, courtly verse celebrating love, beauty, and loyalty
• The development of the English sonnet, popularized by Sir Thomas Wyatt and Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, in the 16th century
• The rise of the English novel in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, with works like Thomas Nashe's "The Unfortunate Traveller" and John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress"

Major Authors and Works

• Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1343-1400): "The Canterbury Tales," a collection of stories told by pilgrims on their journey to the shrine of Thomas Becket
• Sir Thomas Malory (c. 1415-1471): "Le Morte d'Arthur," a compilation of Arthurian legends that helped popularize the tales of King Arthur and his knights
• William Shakespeare (1564-1616): Playwright and poet, author of 38 plays and 154 sonnets, including "Romeo and Juliet," "Hamlet," "Macbeth," and "King Lear"
  • Shakespeare's works span multiple genres, including comedies, tragedies, and histories
  • His plays explore universal themes and showcase his mastery of language and characterization
• Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593): Playwright and poet, known for his blank verse and works like "Doctor Faustus" and "The Jew of Malta"
• John Donne (1572-1631): Metaphysical poet, famous for his complex and witty poems, such as "The Flea" and "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning"
• Ben Jonson (1572-1637): Playwright and poet, best known for his satirical plays, including "Volpone" and "The Alchemist"
• John Milton (1608-1674): Poet and polemicist, author of the epic poem "Paradise Lost," which explores the fall of man and the nature of good and evil

Themes and Motifs

• The nature of love and its various forms (courtly love, romantic love, divine love)
  • Courtly love, a medieval concept, involved the idealization and worship of a lady by a knight or poet
  • Shakespeare's sonnets explore the complexities of romantic love and its joys and sorrows
• The relationship between humans and the divine, as seen in religious works and the exploration of faith and doubt
• The search for identity and the development of individualism, particularly in Renaissance literature
• The nature of power and its corrupting influence, as portrayed in works like Shakespeare's "Macbeth" and Marlowe's "Doctor Faustus"
• The transience of life and the inevitability of death, as explored in poetry and plays
  • The medieval concept of memento mori, a reminder of the inevitability of death, is prevalent in works of the period
• The importance of honor, loyalty, and chivalry, especially in medieval romance and Arthurian legends
• The tension between appearance and reality, and the deceptive nature of appearances, as seen in Shakespeare's plays and metaphysical poetry
• The relationship between art and life, and the role of the artist in society

Language and Style

• Middle English, the language spoken and written in England from the 12th to the late 15th centuries, is characterized by its Germanic and French influences
  • Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales" is a prime example of Middle English literature
• Early Modern English, used from the late 15th to the mid-17th centuries, saw the standardization of spelling and grammar and the influence of the Great Vowel Shift
  • Shakespeare's works are written in Early Modern English
• The use of blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter) in Elizabethan drama, particularly in the works of Shakespeare and Marlowe
• The development of the English sonnet, with its 14-line structure and rhyme schemes (Shakespearean and Petrarchan)
• The use of elaborate conceits, metaphors, and paradoxes in metaphysical poetry
• The employment of rhetorical devices, such as antithesis, repetition, and wordplay, to create meaning and effect
• The incorporation of classical allusions and mythological references, reflecting the influence of Renaissance humanism
• The use of allegory and symbolism to convey moral and spiritual messages, as seen in works like Spenser's "The Faerie Queene"

Social and Cultural Impact

• Literature reflected and shaped the values, beliefs, and social structures of medieval and Renaissance society
• The Catholic Church's influence on medieval literature, as seen in the prevalence of religious themes and the production of devotional works
• The growth of vernacular literature in the Renaissance, which made texts more accessible to a wider audience
• The impact of the printing press on the dissemination of knowledge and the democratization of reading
• The role of patronage in the production and circulation of literature, with authors often relying on the support of wealthy and influential individuals
• The emergence of the professional writer in the Renaissance, as exemplified by Shakespeare and Jonson
• The influence of literature on the development of the English language and the standardization of grammar and spelling
• The reflection of social hierarchies and gender roles in literature, with works often reinforcing or challenging prevailing norms

Literary Techniques and Devices

• Allegory: The use of symbolic characters, events, and settings to convey a deeper meaning or moral message (e.g., Spenser's "The Faerie Queene")
• Metaphor: A comparison between two unlike things without using "like" or "as" (e.g., "All the world's a stage" from Shakespeare's "As You Like It")
• Simile: A comparison between two unlike things using "like" or "as" (e.g., "My love is like a red, red rose" from Robert Burns' poem)
• Personification: Attributing human qualities or actions to non-human entities (e.g., "Death, be not proud" from Donne's Holy Sonnet X)
• Irony: A discrepancy between what is said and what is meant, or between what is expected and what actually happens (e.g., the dramatic irony in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet")
• Foreshadowing: Hinting at future events or developments in a narrative (e.g., the witches' prophecies in Shakespeare's "Macbeth")
• Allusion: A reference to a well-known person, place, event, or literary work (e.g., the classical allusions in Milton's "Paradise Lost")
• Symbolism: The use of objects, characters, or events to represent abstract ideas or concepts (e.g., the red cross knight in Spenser's "The Faerie Queene" symbolizing holiness)

Legacy and Modern Relevance

• The enduring influence of medieval and Renaissance literature on subsequent literary movements and genres
  • Shakespeare's works continue to be widely read, performed, and adapted across the globe
  • The Romantic poets drew inspiration from the emotional intensity and individualism of Renaissance literature
• The continued exploration of themes and ideas introduced in medieval and Renaissance works, such as love, power, identity, and the human condition
• The adaptation of medieval and Renaissance texts into various media, including film, television, and theater productions
• The influence of medieval and Renaissance literature on the English language, with many words and phrases coined by authors like Shakespeare entering common usage
• The role of medieval and Renaissance literature in shaping cultural heritage and national identity, particularly in England
• The relevance of the works in addressing universal human experiences and emotions, transcending time and place
• The use of medieval and Renaissance literature in education, as texts are studied for their historical, cultural, and artistic significance
• The ongoing scholarly interest in medieval and Renaissance studies, with researchers continuing to analyze and interpret the works from new perspectives