English Renaissance Lecture Notes

Jul 7, 2024

English Renaissance Lecture Notes

Introduction

  • Time period: Both England and Italy.
  • Renaissance means 'rebirth'; revival in classical art and architecture.
  • Focus: Influence on English drama and Italian theater.

Key Historical Context

Religion and Politics

  • Central conflict: Roman Catholic Church vs. Protestantism (Anglican Church).
  • 1534: Henry VIII creates the Anglican Church to divorce Catherine of Aragon.
  • Continental Europe (Spain, Italy, France) remains firmly Catholic, leading to religious wars with England.
  • 1547: Henry VIII dies. Edward VI, his son, becomes the first Protestant king.
    • Changes masses to English, abolishes celibacy for priests.
  • 1553: Queen Jane rules for nine days, succeeded by Queen Mary I (Bloody Mary).
    • Returns England to Catholicism (Marian persecutions: Burned 250 Protestants at the stake).
  • 1558: Elizabeth I ascends the throne, restores Protestantism but allows Catholics under close watch.
    • Orders execution of Mary, Queen of Scots in 1587.
    • 1588: Defeat of the Spanish Armada.
  • 1603: Elizabeth dies; James I (Elizabeth’s nephew) ascends the throne.
    • Unites England, Scotland, Ireland; known for the King James Bible and work on demonology.

Impact on Theater

  • 1548: Council of Trent and Henri II of France ban religious drama.
  • 1559: Elizabeth follows suit, banning religious and political drama.
  • New public schools teaching classical texts influence playwriting.
  • The rise of professional theater companies: Need patronage, centralized theaters, lots of varied plays.

Key Playwrights and Theaters

  • University Wits: Thomas Kyd, Christopher Marlowe, Ben Jonson, John Fletcher, John Webster.
    • Educated at elite schools (Eton, Oxford).
  • William Shakespeare: Not university-educated, successful actor and playwright. Associated with the Globe Theatre.
  • The Globe Theatre:
    • Round, three-quarter thrust stage.
    • Features: Tiring house, musicians' gallery, the Heavens (painted canopy).
    • Audience: Commoners (groundlings) and nobility (lord's boxes).

Shakespearean Genres

Comedies

  • Features: Love, marriage, mistaken identities, cross-dressing characters.
  • Happy endings with some 'problem plays' (unclear endings).

Tragedies

  • Focus: Tragic hero with a tragic flaw leading to their downfall (usually death).
  • Noble or wealthy characters; themes of dominant emotions or thoughts.
  • Examples: Macbeth (ambition), Romeo and Juliet (passion), Othello, King Lear (pride).

Histories

  • Semi-factual stories of British kings (Richard, Henry).
  • Heroic battle speeches.
  • Note: Non-British historical dramas like Julius Caesar are classified as tragedies.

Romances

  • Last four plays: Pericles, Cymbeline, Winter’s Tale, The Tempest.
  • Magical or miraculous redemption, set in foreign locales.

Next Lecture

  • Focus on