The Renaissance in English Literature

      The word “renaissance” literally means rebirth. It represents the rebirth from the decadence and corruption of the Middle Ages and returning to the achievements of classical antiquity. This term was invented by humanist writers of the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. Renaissance is a cultural and intellectual movement. Its main motto is humanism. It aims to go back to classical works and tries to change the corrupted values of Middle Ages.

Some of the most important events of the term include Christopher Columbus’ siling to America in 1492 and Vasco da Gama’s arrival to India by sailing around Cape of Good Hope. Those important events bring colonization. There become to be some changes in trade and the arts of war. England start growing its economy which depends on agriculture to manufacture and exporting. Therefore people prefer moving to cities for new labor opportinities. This makes London a metropolitan city.

            There is also an important development in printing. William Caxton establishes his own printing press in 1475. So that literacy increases in the 15th Century and many more people start reading than before. Nearly 60 percent of the people can read in English by 1530. Thanks to the printing press books become cheaper and more abundant so that people can have more opportunity to read books.

            With the reformation feudalism declines and nationalism rises. The circulation of the Bible increases after the invention of printing press. It becomes easier for scholars to share their knowledge and ideas with the upper and middle classes.

            Education is conducted by tutors in the great families or in gramer schools. It was ordered according to the subjects of medieval grammar, logic and rhetoric and arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music. Latin grammar is studied. The rhetoric was a very strict discipline in all the stylistic devices used by classical authors. The sons of nobility and gentry are taught to speak and write good Latin, the diplomatic language and of all higher learning. The daughters are always trained at home or in other noble houses.

            The Renaissance period can be summarized as the age of energy and the time of discoveries since there is an important development in trade and printing press. Most of all people are introduced with humanism.

            Important names of the Period; Sir Thomas More, Sir Thomas Wyatt, Sir Philip Sidney, Edmund Spenser, Christopher Marlowe, William Shakespeare and Sir Walter Raleigh.

            When it comes to Renaissance Drama, there are also some changes in it. Drama becomes to be the most important point of English literature. It focuses on ordinary people rather than the religious and moral themes of medieval drama. Interludes and short one-act plays become popular. They begin to be performed as a part of evening’s entertainment. Plays are written to be acted not read. 

- http://prezi.com/gti63lkfcbpf/the-renaissance-in-english-literature/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

DOCTOR FAUSTUS

Doctor Faustus is a play by Christopher Marlowe. It is the story of a man who sells his soul to the devil for power and knowledge.

Doctor Faustus is a talented German scholar. He is unsatisfied with the limists of human knowledge. He thinks that he has learned everything he can from the traditional diciplines. That’s why he turns to magic. His friends Valdes and Cornelius teach him the fundementals of the black arts. He begins his new career as a magician. He summons the devil Mephostophilis. Though Mephostophilis warns him about the horrors of hell, Faustus tells the devil to return to his master with an offer of Faustus’s soul in Exchange for twenty four years of service from Mephostophilis. By the way we learn that Faustus servant Wagner learns some magic and uses it to make Robin th Clown to be his servant. Mephostophilis brings th news that Lucifer has accepted Faustus offer. Faustus has some worries before signing the contract but nevertheles he signs the contract with his blood. As soon as he does so the word “Homo fuge” (o man fly) appears on his arm.

Mephostophilis gives him a book full of spells and knowledge. Mephostophilis answers all of his questions about nature of the world but he doesn’t want to answer the question when Faustus asks him who made the universe. Full of his new powers and attended by Mephostophilis, Faustus begins to travel. He visits the pope’s court in Rome making himself invisible. He makes some tricks and disturbing the pope. Then he goes to the courts of Europe, with his fame spreading as he goes. Finally the court of German invites him. Charles V asks Faustus tol et him see Alexander th Great. Faustus conjures up an image of Alexandre, and Charles was impressed a lot.

Meanwhile Wagner’s clown Robin learns some magic on his own. Once he manages to summon Mephostophilis, who threatens to turn Robin and Rafe into animals to punish them for their foolishness.  

Faustus goes on with his travels. He plays a trick on a horse-courser along the way. Faustus sells him a horse that turns into a heap of straw when ridden into river. Then he gets news that the court of the Duke of Vanholt invites him. There he performs his feats. The horse-courser appears there, along with Robin, a man named Dick, and others who have fallen victem to Faustus’s tricks. But Faustus feats spells on them and sends them on their way, amusing the duke and duchess.

While the twenty four years of contract runs out, Faustus begins to fear of his death. At the final night before the time is overi he begs for mercy, but it is too late. At midnight the devils enter. While Faustus begs God and the devil for mercy, the devils drag him away. In the morning the scholars find his limbs and decide to hold a funeral for him.

-http://www.gradesaver.com/dr-faustus/study-guide/short-summary/
-http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/doctorfaustus/summary.html
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_Faustus_(play)

Beowulf

Beowulf is an Old English heroic epic poem. Though it is seen as one of the most important Works of Anglo Saxon literature it tells about Scandinavians. Bard tells this story orally to the audience (the fighters) to the accompaniment of instrumental music.

Beowulf is the protagonist of the story. Beowulf, the hero of the Geats, comes to the aid of Hrothgar who is the king of Danes. “He builds a wondrous mead-hall, which be calls Heorot” (p. 27). There his warriors gather to drink, receive gifts from the lord. They also listen to stories told by the scops or bards. The revelry in the ball enrages Grendel the evil monster who lives in the swamplands of Hrothgar’s kingdom. Grendel frightens the Danes every night, killing them and defeating their efforts to fight back. Finally strong and brave Beowulf hears of Hrothgar’s plight. Beowulf sets sail to Denmark with a small company of men, decided to beat Grendel. Hrothgar gives a feast fort he honor of Beowulf. At the feast an envious Dane, Unferth annoyes Beowulf and accuses him of being unworthy of his reputation. Beowulf responds him by telling his past achievements. He is so confident that Danish warriors are pleased. At last Grendel arrives at night. Beowulf fights him unarmed. He proved himself stronger than the monster, who is scared. Beowulf pulls his arm off while he tries to escape. Grendel is wounded mortally and goes back into the swamp to die. His ruptured arm is hung high in the mead-hall as a trophy of victory. Hrothgar is very happy and he gives gifts and treasure to Beowulf. They celebrate the victory. But another thread is getting closer. Grendel’s mother, who lives in a desolate lake, come to Heorot seeking revenge for her son’s death. She kills one of the most trusted advisers of Hrothgar. To avenge the adviser’s death the warriors goes to the swamp. Beowulf dives into the water and kills her with a sword. He finds Grendel’s corpse and brings its head as a prize to Hrothgar. Beowulf’s fame spreads across the kingdom. Beowulf departs after a sorrowful farewell to Hrothgar. He goes back to Geatland. After a while, when Hygelac, the king of Geatland, is killed in a war against the Shylfings, and, after Hygelac’s son dies, Beowulf ascends to the throne of the Geats. He rules wisely for fifty years, bringing prosperity to Geatland. When Beowulf is an old man, a thief steals a golden cup from the lair of a dragon. The enraged dragon emerges from the barrow and begins unleasing fiery destruction upon the Geats. Beowulf and his warriors come to fight the dragon. Beowulf wants to fight the dragon alone. With the aid of Wiglaf, he achieves to kill the dragon. But the dragon bites his neck. He is wounded mortally. Beowulf is burried in Geatland. The dragon’s treasure is burried with him, too.  

-          El 101 Survey of English Literature, p: 25-53