3. English Literature in the Renaissance |
A Historical Survey of English Language and Literature
Exercises
Group A
Multiple
Choice Questions.
Tick
(√) the best answer.
1)
Revival of learning' is one of the prominent features of the...........period.
a)
Romantic
b)
Victorian
c)
Old English
d)
Renaissance
2)
The major literary development in the Renaissance period was in the field
of.......
a)
poetry
b)
essay
c)
story
d)
drama
3)
Spenser's major poetic contribution was ...........
a)
Ralph Roister Doister
b)
The Shepherd's Calendar
c)
Henry the VI
d)
King Lear
4)
The rhyming pattern in Shakespearean sonnets is........
a)
aabb ccdd eeff gg
b)
abca bcde fdef gg
c)
abab cdcd efef gg
d)
abab cdcd efge fg
5)
Romeo Juliet is a story of two teenaged lovers written by.......
a)
Christopher Marlowe
b)
William Blake
c)
Ben Jonson
d)
William Shakespeare
6)
Christopher Marlowe wrote the famous drama............
a)
Dr. Faustus
b)
Macbeth
c)
The Glass Managerie
d)
Volpone the Fox
7)
Elizabethan prose was revived by.................
a)
William Shakespeare
b)
Fransis Bacon
c)
Christopher Marlowe
d)
Ben Jonson
8)
.................is regarded as the father of modern prose.
a)
Ben Jonson
b)
Sir Philip Sidney
c)
Sir Walter Raleigh
d)
Fransis Bacon
9)
..............two famous poetic works were Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained.
a)
Shakespeare's
b)
Marlowe's
c)
Bacon's
d)
Milton's
10)
'Metaphysical School Thought' was a group of poets in the ........century.
a)
16th
b)
17th
c)
18th
d)
19th
11)
.................was the forerunner of 'Metaphysical School of Thought'.
a)
Andrew Marvell
b)
Robert Herrick
c)
John Donne
d)
Richard Loveless
12)
The Songs and Sonnets', 'LXXX Sermons', 'Fifty Sermons' and 'XXVI Sermons' are
the poetic creation of.............
a)
Andrew Marvell
b)
Robert Herrick
c)
John Donne
d)
Richard Loveless
13.
The
Renaissance or Early Modern Period begins in 1500 and extends to
around............
a)
1658
b)
1659
c)
1660
d)
1661
14.
The
Elizabethan Age begins in 1500 and extends to around............
a)
1601
b)
1602
c)
1603
d)
1604
15.
The
Jacobean Age begins in 1603 and extends to around............
a)
1625
b)
1626
c)
1627
d)
1628
16.
The
Caroline Age begins in 1625 and extends to around............
a)
1648
b)
1649
c)
1650
d)
1661
17.
The
Commonwealth Period begins in 1649 and extends to around............
a)
1657
b)
1658
c)
1659
d)
1660
18.
Third phase began when Milton became totally blind by.....................
a)
1649
b)
1650
c)
1651
d)
1652
19.
Paradise Lost an epic is the masterpiece of John Milton, which is written in.................
a)
9 books
b)
10 books
c)
11 books
d)
12 books
20.
Samson Agonistes is a tragedy drama by John Milton, which was written in...........................
a)
1670
b)
1671
c)
1672
d)
1673
21.
Comus is a masque i.e. a dramatic presentation with..........................
a)
pastoral
b)
elegy
c)
ode
d)
music
22.
.........................established a printing press in 1476.
a)
William Congreve
b)
William Caxton
c)
William Milton
d)
William Shakespeare
23.
Other minor.....................writers of the period are: Ben Jonson, Richard
Hooker, Sin Philip Sidney, Sir Walter Raleigh, Richard Hakluyt, John Foxe,
Samuel Purchas, John Lyly, Thomas Nash, and William Tyndale.
a)
poem
b)
drama
c)
novel
d)
prose
24.
.......................translation of Plutarch's Lives of the Noble Grecians
and Romans (1579) became one of the influencing prose works of the period.
a)
Sir Thomas North's
b)
John Lyly
c)
Francis Bacon
d)
Ben Jonson
25.
The most commanding literary figure of the Elizabethan period, Ben Jonson, was
born in..................
a)
1571
b)
1572
c)
1573
d)
1574
26.
This play, Dr. Faustus is based on Faustus, a great scholar, who wishes to have
infinite.................
a)
money
b)
power
c)
fame
d)
knowledge
27.
Tamburlaine becomes more blood-thirsty, who goes to capture Babylon in a
carriage which is pulled by......................
a)
two kings
b)
two slaves
c)
two queens
d)
two men
28.
.............................was the first great dramatist and poet of the
Elizabethan period.
a)
William Shakespear
b)
Francis Bacon
c)
Christopher Marlowe
d)
John Donne
29.
Julius Caesar is a....................tragedy by William Shakespeare.
a)
political
b)
economical
c)
family
d)
social
30.
Othello is a story of a.................................Othello.
a)
brave son
b)
brave farmer
c)
brave father
d)
brave commander
31.
King Lear has..........daughters. His............daughters are wicked while the
youngest one is truthful.
a)
four, two
b)
five, two
c)
three, two
d)
two, two
32.........................,
who is returning from a battle, meets three old witches. They tell him that he
will receive high honours and then become the King of Scotland.
a)
Romeo
b)
Macbeth
c)
King Lear
d)
Othello
33.
Juliet was given a drug that would put her into death-like sleep
for...............
a)
40 hours
b)
41 hours
c)
42 hours
d)
43 hours
34.
.......................is the historical play of William Shakespeare.
a)
As You Like It
b)
Richard the Third
c)
A Midsummer Night's Dream
d)
All's Well That Ends Well
35.
.......................is the romance play of William Shakespeare.
a)
Cymbeline
b)
Comedy of Errors
c)
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
d)
A Midsummer Night's Dream
36.
.......................is the comedy play of William Shakespeare.
a)
Cymbeline
b)
The Winter's Tale
c)
Twelfth Night
d)
Hamlet
37.
.......................is the tragedy play of William Shakespeare.
a)
As You Like It
b)
Comedy of Errors
c)
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
d)
Hamlet
38.
.......................is the Roman tragedy play of William Shakespeare.
a)
Julius Caesar
b)
Richard the Third
c)
King Henry the Fourth
d)
Henry the Fifth
39.
William Shakespeare wrote.....................during the 1590s and published in
1609.
a)
152 sonnets
b)
153 sonnets
c)
154 sonnets
d)
155 sonnets
40.
.................most notable creation 'The Shepherd's Calendar' was written in
twelve books, one book for each month, and was published in 1579.
a)
William Shakespeare
b)
Edmund Spenser
c)
Henry Howard
d)
Sir Thomas Wyatt
41.
As the age of revival of learning, ..........................period is marked
with abundant literary works of the great writers.
a)
the Restoration
b)
the Renaissance
c)
the Victorian
d)
the Jacobean
42.
Which is not the feature of Renaissance Literature.
a)
Revival of Learning
b)
Spirit of Romance
c)
Religious Tolerance
d)
Age of novel
43.
......................is a French word which means rebirth or revival or
re-awakening, which brought revival in learning, making the intellectuals aware
of the treasure of the past.
a)
Restoration
b)
Renaissance
c)
Augustan
d)
postmodernism
Group B
Answer
the following questions.
1.
What is Renaissance in English literature? Discuss.
Renaissance
is a French word which means rebirth or revival or re-awakening. Renaissance
brought revival in learning, making the intellectuals aware of the treasure of
the past. Renaissance can be understood briefly in three quests: the quest of
knowledge, quest of power and quest of money. In search of knowledge, the
intellectuals turned towards the writings of antiquity, mainly Greek and Latin
literature.
The
powerful Church in the medieval period and the power shifted to the political
institutions. The explorers navigated all four directions to find new places
for trade and commerce. It brought radical changes in the field of learning,
humanism, Christianity and literature in general.
Development
of English literature remained stagnant for more than a century after the death
of Chaucer. The reign of Henry VI was marked as the barren age in the history
of English literature. The war against France and internal conflicts made it
the less fertile age in creative works. But, this period remained successful in
the stability of many things like literacy, a rise of the middle class,
development of national culture, movement of Humanism, move towards a free
society, end of the Hundred Years War, Wars of Roses, and Reformation Act.
The
politics of the nation was attaining stability. Several disputes with other
states and the countries were gradually being settled and geographical
expansion of the nation brought her from the Far East to the Far West. Both
political settlements and expansion helped the nation gather materials and
intellectual treasures for the development of literature.
In the field of literature, many writers followed Chaucer's writing style and
tradition. Anglo Saxon verses became more popular until the emergence of the
Renaissance. Thomas Hoccleve and John Lydgate are two examples of Chaucer's
best followers. Hoccleve's Male Regle and Regiment of Princes; and Lydgate's
Fall of Princess are some of their famous works. John Walton, William Caxton,
Stephen Hawes, William Neville, Alexander Barclay, John Skelton, and Sir Thomas
Malory are other poets, writers and translators having minor contributions in
the literature of the period.
2.
What is the contribution of John Milton in English Literature? Explain briefly.
John
Milton was a man with a purpose who was born in 1608. He lived a pure life,
believing that he had a great purpose to complete. At college, he was known as The
Lady of Christ's. He was the advocator of democracy. He supported the
Parliament during the English civil war between the King and Cromwell. He was a
Christian humanist and a studious person. He had a wide knowledge of Greek,
Latin, English, French, and Italian literature. He also had great affection for
music. His literary career can be divided into three phases:
First phase
He
wrote shorter poems in the first phase. His poems are:
L'
Allegro (1632): Known as the happy man, in this pastoral poem, the poet
describes the joys of life in the country in the spring season. This poem
describes the beautiful scenery of the fields in the morning and the carefree
life of farmers and shepherds.
IL
Penseroso (1632): Known as the thoughtful man, this poem is set in the autumn
season. He describes the activities of a man who has to do his moral duty. The
duties include visiting the church, listening to music, and studying books.
Comus
(1634): It is a masque i.e. a dramatic presentation with music.
Lycidas
(1637): It is a pastoral elegy written on the death of Edward King, his fellow
student at Cambridge. He died by drowning in the Irish Sea.
Second phase
In
the second phase, he mainly wrote prose works supporting Cromwell and the
parliament. He wrote pamphlets attacking the monarchial system. He also wrote
articles about church affairs, freedom, and divorce. His language was violent
in this phase. His main prose work is 'Areopagitica' that advocates the freedom
of the press.
Third phase
This
phase began when Milton became totally blind by 1651. When Charles II became
the King, Milton turned into a quiet life and wrote his finest poems. This was
his most productive phase. His works during this phase include:
Paradise
Lost (1667): This epic is his masterpiece, which is written in 12 books. The
story of the epic is taken from the Bible. It uses the first three chapters of
Genesis. It is a simple and common story of the fall of Adam and Eve from the
grace of God due to their disobedience. Satan, who lives with God in heaven,
leads a revolt against God. After the terrible war between Satan and God, Satan
is thrown into hell. Satan then decides to take revenge against God by spoiling
God's latest creation the humans. Adam and Eve, the first man and woman,
created by the God live in Eden. They live a carefree life without any work,
boredom, or pressure. God asks them not to eat the fruit from the Tree of
Knowledge. But Satan, disguised as a serpent encourages Eve to eat the fruit.
Satan persuades Eve to taste the fruit. Encouraged by Eve, Adam also tastes it.
After eating the fruit, they begin to feel the sexual passion and know shame
for the first time. God curses Eve that her life would always be sorrowful by
bearing children and helping her husband. God curses Adam that he would eat
bread only by hard work and sweating.
Paradise Regained (1671): It deals with the conflict between God and Satan but
is less splendid than the first epic. Christ's temptation in the wilderness is
the theme of this epic.
Samson Agonistes (1671): It is a tragedy with a personal theme on the Greek
model that the last days of Samson, a character from the Bible. Samson, in his
last days, is the prisoner of Philistines. They make him blind and force him to
provide entertainment to the Philistines lord. Samson pulls down the columns of
the building and the whole building collapses killing all the Philistines and
himself.
3.
What are the features of Renaissance English Literature?
The
features of Renaissance English Literature are Revival of Learning,
Spirit of Romance, Religious Tolerance, The Age of Revival of Drama, Age of
Social Stability and Development, Age of Rapid Development of Prose, and Age of
Nationalism
a)
Revival of Learning: The Renaissance evoked learning spirit in the public.
After the political stability, a trend of reading ancient texts and culture
started in the educated circle. The translation of Greek works and the
knowledge of their culture of learning influenced English readers too. Many of
the ancient texts and the Bible were translated into English. Many schools of
thought and learning started in different cities and many libraries were set up
in different places. These all helped to boost up the learning environment in
the country. In this period, the new classical temper of learning influenced
English literature.
b) Spirit of Romance: Along with the freedom of learning, the romantic spirit
entered in English literature in this period. The romantic quest was for the remote,
the wonderful and the beautiful. The revolt against the past and the spirit of
adventure in literature and religion remained fresh as the worthy achievement
of English literature.
c) Religious Tolerance: It was the most praised feature of the period because
of the influence of Queen Elizabeth, who provided the country with political
stability and created a good environment for learning The Thirty Years'
religious war was over and reformations started in religion. The Protestant
faction of Christianity was advocated by Martin Luther, a German professor but
religious tolerance was not disturbed. Both the Catholics and the Protestants
started working together. In literature, we could see great impulse of
creativity and religious tolerance.
d) The Age of Revival of Drama: Drama became the popular genre in the
Renaissance period. Marlowe, Shakespeare and Jonson became the great masters of
drama. Dramas used to be acted in almost all the cities of England during the
period. They shifted from a religious tone to everyday activities.
Shakespearean Comedies, Tragedies, Romances, Tragi-comedies, and Historical
plays placed a founding stone of modern drama in English literature.
e) Age of Social Stability and Development: This period became the time of
social stability and development; especially in the matter of establishing
towns, employment to the people, welfare for the poor and needy people and
social changes. This stability led the country towards the revival of learning
and literature.
f)
Age of Rapid Development of Prose: Latin tradition of prose shifted towards
English literature and prose reached to its finest position in this period.
Francis Bacon is regarded as the father of the English essay.
g) Age of Nationalism: Participation of the country in different wars and
defeat of the Spanish Armada united the people in the single string of
nationalism. The patriotic feeling of the English people could be seen in
several literary works of the period too.
4.
How did Renaissance literature contribute to the development of English
literature? Discuss.
Renaissance
is a French word which means rebirth or revival or re-awakening. Renaissance
brought revival in learning, making the intellectuals aware of the treasure of
the past. Renaissance can be understood briefly in three quests: the quest of
knowledge, quest of power and quest of money. In search of knowledge, the
intellectuals turned towards the writings of antiquity, mainly Greek and Latin
literature. The powerful Church in the medieval period and the power shifted to
the political institutions. The explorers navigated all four directions to find
new places for trade and commerce. It brought radical changes in the field of
learning, humanism, Christianity and literature in general.
The
Renaissance evoked learning spirit in the public. After the political
stability, a trend of reading ancient texts and culture started in the educated
circle. The translation of Greek works and the knowledge of their culture of
learning influenced English readers too. Many of the ancient texts and the
Bible were translated into English. Many schools of thought and learning
started in different cities and many libraries were set up in different places.
These all helped to boost up the learning environment in the country. In this
period, the new classical temper of learning influenced English literature.
Drama
became the popular genre in the Renaissance period. Marlowe, Shakespeare and
Jonson became the great masters of drama. Dramas used to be acted in almost all
the cities of England during the period. They shifted from a religious tone to
everyday activities. Shakespearean Comedies, Tragedies, Romances,
Tragi-comedies, and Historical plays placed a founding stone of modern drama in
English literature.
This
period became the time of social stability and development; especially in the
matter of establishing towns, employment to the people, welfare for the poor
and needy people and social changes. This stability led the country towards the
revival of learning and literature.
As
the age of revival of learning, the Renaissance period is marked with abundant
literary works of the great writers. Basically, the development of drama
remained at the top during this period. The towering figures like Christopher
Marlowe and William Shakespeare contributed a lot to the field of drama.
Development of English prose established a solid foundation in English prose
from the works of Francis Bacon. Poetry remained on the top for the whole
period. Masterpieces like John Donne, William Shakespeare, Edmund Spenser, and
John Milton exercised different subject matters, styles, and poetic qualities
in their poems.
5.
How did Shakespeare contribute to Renaissance English Literature? Justify.
William
Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon on 26 April 1564. His career
developed from a curtain puller to the actor, then a playwright and later a
dramatist until 1991 when his Henry the VI appeared and followed by Richard the
III in 1593. He understood the sentiments of all class of people and his dramas
targeted highly educated to uneducated people as the audience. For educated
people, he included refined poetry and for the uneducated one's clown and comic
scenes.
He
perfected blank verse and ten-syllable iambic pentameter lines in his dramas.
He is the true representative of the Elizabethan period who translated
Elizabethan spirit in his dramas. He studied previous poems, stories, legends,
folklores and coloured them anew with his unique imagination and mastery of
language. He wrote 38 dramas and 154 sonnets, almost all very perfect and
popular which made him the father of the modern drama. He inserted the ethos of
the general public, history of the country, romances of the youths and varied
colours in his drama. His dramas are still praised by the critics and the
dramatists.
a) Julius Caesar
b)
Antony and Cleopatra
c)
Coriolanus.
d)
King Lear
e)
Hamlet
f)
Macbeth
g)
Romeo and Juliet
h)
Othello
i)
As You Like It
j)
Comedy of Errors
k)
A Midsummer Night's Dream
l)
All's Well That Ends Well
m)
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
n)
Twelfth Night
o)
Much Ado About Nothing
p)
Cymbeline
q)
The Winter's Tale
r)
The Tempest
s)
Richard the Second
t)
Richard the Third
u)
King Henry the Fourth
v)
Henry the Fifth
w)
Henry the Sixth
Shakespeare's three kinds of dramas, tragedies, comedies, and historical plays,
have their own characters. Shakespearean tragedy is the story of the heroes or
the heroines who are highly sympathized by the audience but the hero or the
heroine suffers and meets his fate because of some weaknesses in his character
or nature. In all Shakespearean tragedies, the stage is littered with the dead
bodies at the end. The protagonist, the antagonist, and even other people are
seen dead when the play ends.
Shakespeare
has borrowed the story of his tragedies from other sources already known to the
audience. But he invented original stories for his comedies. Most of the
Shakespearean plays portray the characters from high-status people like kings,
queens, princes, dukes, knights, and earls.
Shakespearean
comedies are full of wit and humour. Most of them make the audience laugh for a
long time. The subjects like disguises, intrigues, misplacements,
misunderstandings, tricks, magic, and romantic love are beautifully portrayed
in his comedies. He has written his historical plays in which he has dramatized
the kings of England. Shakespeare has treated kings like fools and created
humour from their buffoonery.
6.
Describe the development of drama in the Renaissance period.
Due
to the sense of new learning and public awareness during the Renaissance, there
was a favourable environment for drama. The Miracle and Morality plays at the
end of the Middle Ages also made a positive atmosphere for dramas. At the
beginning of the period, some minor dramatists and their dramas like Nicholas
Udall's Ralph Roister Doister (1556), John Lyly's Campaspe and Endymion,
William Stevenson's Gammer Gurton's Needle (1562), Thomas Norton and Thomas
Sackvilles' Gorboduc (1564) and Thomas Kyd's The Spanish Tragedy (1585)
contributed to this field.
Two
schools of drama arose during the period. The first being in favour of the
classical ideal like Sackville and Norton introduced classical unities of drama
which was called the University of Wits.
The
next group of scholars like Peele, Lyly, Greene, and Marlowe introduced new
English in dramas and the school was called the English School of Drama. They
introduced romances and love of action in drama. These earlier dramatists made
ground for the great English dramatists like William Shakespeare and
Christopher Marlowe. Ben Johnson, John Webster, Thomas Heywood, etc. tried to
follow the tradition until the middle of the seventeenth century. But their
contribution was shadowed by the contribution of the towering masters of
English drama; Shakespeare and Marlowe.
William
Shakespeare developed his career from a curtain puller to the actor, then a
playwright and later a dramatist until 1991 when his Henry the VI appeared and
followed by Richard the III in 1593. He understood the sentiments of all class
of people and his dramas targeted highly educated to uneducated people as the
audience. He is the true representative of the Elizabethan period who
translated Elizabethan spirit in his dramas.
Christopher
Marlowe was the first great dramatist and poet of the Elizabethan period. His
dramas appeared before Shakespeare but he was murdered in a quarrel at an inn
in 1593, leaving many remarkable dramas and poems to English literature. Similar
to his life, his plays are tragic with lots of violence and murder. His
characters are ordinary people with full of passion and desire.
The
most commanding literary figure of the Elizabethan period, Ben Jonson, was born
in 1573. He was inspired by the classical theme of literature along with the
unity of place, time, and action. He wrote comic plays in which the characters
are walking humour, not the real humans. Through a comedy of humours, Johnson
signaled towards human passion or weakness like jealousy, greed, anxiety,
boastfulness, lustfulness, etc.
7.
What is Renaissance in English Literature? How did it start?
Renaissance
is a French word which means rebirth or revival or re-awakening. Renaissance
brought revival in learning, making the intellectuals aware of the treasure of
the past. Renaissance can be understood briefly in three quests: the quest of
knowledge, quest of power and quest of money. In search of knowledge, the
intellectuals turned towards the writings of antiquity, mainly Greek and Latin
literature.
The
powerful Church in the medieval period and the power shifted to the political
institutions. The explorers navigated all four directions to find new places
for trade and commerce. It brought radical changes in the field of learning, humanism,
Christianity and literature in general.
Development
of English literature remained stagnant for more than a century after the death
of Chaucer. The reign of Henry VI was marked as the barren age in the history
of English literature. The war against France and internal conflicts made it
the less fertile age in creative works. But, this period remained successful in
the stability of many things like literacy, a rise of the middle class,
development of national culture, movement of Humanism, move towards a free
society, end of the Hundred Years War, Wars of Roses, and Reformation Act.
The
politics of the nation was attaining stability. Several disputes with other
states and the countries were gradually being settled and geographical
expansion of the nation brought her from the Far East to the Far West. Both
political settlements and expansion helped the nation gather materials and
intellectual treasures for the development of literature.
In the field of literature, many writers followed Chaucer's writing style and
tradition. Anglo Saxon verses became more popular until the emergence of the
Renaissance. John Walton, William Caxton, Stephen Hawes, William Neville,
Alexander Barclay, John Skelton, and Sir Thomas Malory are other poets, writers
and translators having minor contributions in the literature of the period.
8.
What is 'Metaphysical School of Thought' in English literature? Discuss.
In
the 17th century, there was a group of poets in England who shared a common
love of intellectual ingenuity, literary allusion, and paradox, and who used
language, images, and rhythms of a kind not conventionally 'poetic' to startle
the reader into thought. It was called 'Metaphysical School of Thought'. The
poets in this school were: John Donne, George Herbert, Edmund Waller, Sir John
Denham, Abraham Cowley, Henry Vaughan, Davenant, Andrew Marvell, and Richard
Crashaw. Their writings were full of complexity, unlikely comparisons, clever
tricks of style, paradoxical ideas, complex concepts and a blend of emotion
with style.
John
Donne (1572-1631) was the forerunner of the group who used a wide range of
themes, power of the words in his poems, and tactful language. He wrote both
love and religious poems. He was very strict as a preacher and writer. J. Long
mentions in his book English Literature that few people would read his books
and would be lost in the middle 'like deer which, in the midst of plenty, take
a bite here and there and wander on, tasting twenty varieties of food in an
hour's feeding'.
He
wrote satires, love poems, elegies, and sermons. Though his poems were not
published during his life, they became popular because he departed from
conventional English verse. His poems are free from metrical patters. His
conceits are the vehicles for transmitting multiple feelings. His major poems
are: 'Holy Sonnets,' 'Good Friday, and 'Riding Westward'. His famous poetry
books are: The Songs and Sonnets, LXXX Sermons, Fifty Sermons, and XXVI
Sermons.
Andrew Marvell (1621-1678) was influenced by the Metaphysical style and thought
in his poems. His poems were published in 1681, three years after his death
which were full of subtle and often a provocative blending of different levels
of perception. In "To His Coy Mistress", Marvell presents plea of a
lover to his beloved giving conditions followed by a solution. His style of
persuading, though seems direct, is of high quality and the comparisons made
are very subtle.
These
poets wrote witty and light hearted poems. They wrote short, light, and elegant
lyrics that appeal 'carpe diem' meaning 'seize the day'. These poets emphasized
on the mortality of human life and the briefness of physical beauty. These
poets usually wrote love poems and poems about nature. Most of these poets were
the courtier poets.
A group of poets of the mid 17th century, who wrote in favour of King Charles I,
are called the Cavalier poets. The poets belonging to this group are: Robert
Herrick, Andrew Marvell, Richard Lovelace, and Sir John Suckling.
9.
Describe the development of prose in the Renaissance period.
In
comparison to drama and poetry, the development of prose during the Elizabethan
period was in shadow. Elizabethan prose became so multifarious that several
writers started writing whatever they thought would be prose. Sir Thomas
North's translation of Plutarch's Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans (1579)
became one of the influencing prose works of the period. Richard Hakluyt
published The Principal Navigations, Voyages, and Discoveries of the English
Nations in 1589 which included the remarkable voyages made by the famous
voyagers. John Lyly published Euphues in 1578. The book was full of tricks and
alliterations. Robert Green wrote the story Pandosto. Thomas Nash wrote The
Life of Jacke Wilton, a picaresque novel of the time.
Though
many prose writers did a lot, Elizabethan prose was very inferior until Francis
Bacon (1561-1626) emerged in the field. He was politically failure whereas very
successful in the field of literature and science. He thought that the whole plan
of education was wrong and left Cambridge too. His Essays (1597) was a famous
book with very short, sharp, and effective essays. Most of the essays have
famous quotations like 'Some books are to be tasted, others are to be swallowed
but, a few are to be chewed and digested' (from Of Studies). His The
Advancement of Learning (1606), A History of Henry VII (1622) and The New
Atlantis (1626) are famous books. The Advancement of Learning is a
philosophical book which gives ways for advancing knowledge about poetry and
history. A History of Henry VII is a history book which shows his perfect craft
of writing pure history. The New Atlantis is his scientific novel where the
inhabitants of Atlantis are banned to study philosophy. They have their own
civilization and methods of discovering scientific things.
Francis Bacon had a distinct writing style which made him the subject for
criticism too. He used sharp language and straight forward style of expression.
His individual lines are still meaningful. Bacon's prose style reveals his
intellect and tact of expressing the things in short. He talked about science
and philosophy during the age when people were busy with the romantic flavour
of literature. His works are full of wit. He is regarded as the father of modern
prose and the true leader of the renaissance spirit. His works made the other
writers and the readers think about the craze of the ancient literature which
helped to boost renaissance intellect and movement in Elizabethan literature.
Other minor prose writers of the period are: Ben Jonson, Richard Hooker, Sin
Philip Sidney, Sir Walter Raleigh, Richard Hakluyt, John Foxe, Samuel Purchas,
John Lyly, Thomas Nash, and William Tyndale. Ben Jonson wrote Timber or
Discoveries (1640), a collection of different notes on varied subjects. He is a
famous critic, often regarded as the father of English literary criticism.
Richard
Hooker wrote The Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity (1597) which consists of
theological arguments. Sir Philip Sidney and Sir Walter Raleigh wrote some
memorable pieces of writings. John Foxe wrote Book of Martyrs, Richard Hakluyt
wrote The Principal Navigations and Voyages and Discoveries of the English
Nation, Samuel Purchas wrote Purchase His Pilgrims, John Lyly wrote Euphues,
Thomas Nash wrote The Life of Jacke Wilton; and William Tyndale translated the
New Testament from the Greek, and part of the Old Testament from the Hebrew.
10.
'Shakespeare and Marlowe are two leading Elizabethan dramatists'. Justify the
saying.
Of
course, Shakespeare and Marlowe are two leading Elizabethan dramatists. Christopher
Marlowe was the first great dramatist and poet of the Elizabethan period.
Shakespeare is the true representative of the Elizabethan period who translated
Elizabethan spirit in his dramas. Marlowe and Shakespeare present their ideas
so vividly; as a result they are still superior in the field of literature.
Born
in 1564, the same year with William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe was the
first great dramatist and poet of the Elizabethan period. His dramas appeared
before Shakespeare but he was murdered in a quarrel at an inn in 1593, leaving
many remarkable dramas and poems to English literature. He worked in the secret
service and got a continued dispute with the authorities and others. Similar to
his life, his plays are tragic with lots of violence and murder. His writings
set an example for other dramatists in the Elizabethan period in two important
ways the use of powerful blank verse and the development of characters to
heighten the sense of tragedy. His characters are ordinary people with full of
passion and desire.
William
Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon on 26 April 1564. His career
developed from a curtain puller to the actor, then a playwright and later a
dramatist until 1991 when his Henry the VI appeared and followed by Richard the
III in 1593. He understood the sentiments of all class of people and his dramas
targeted highly educated to uneducated people as the audience. For educated
people, he included refined poetry and for the uneducated one's clown and comic
scenes. He perfected blank verse and ten-syllable iambic pentameter lines in
his dramas.
He
is the true representative of the Elizabethan period who translated Elizabethan
spirit in his dramas. He studied previous poems, stories, legends, folklores
and coloured them anew with his unique imagination and mastery of language. He
wrote 38 dramas and 154 sonnets, almost all very perfect and popular which made
him the father of the modern drama. He inserted the ethos of the general
public, history of the country, romances of the youths and varied colours in
his drama. His dramas are still praised by the critics and the dramatists.
Shakespeare's
three kinds of dramas, tragedies, comedies, and historical plays, have their
own characters. Shakespearean tragedy is the story of the heroes or the
heroines who are highly sympathized by the audience but the hero or the heroine
suffers and meets his fate because of some weaknesses in his character or
nature. In all Shakespearean tragedies, the stage is littered with the dead
bodies at the end. The protagonist, the antagonist, and even other people are
seen dead when the play ends. Shakespeare has borrowed the story of his
tragedies from other sources already known to the audience. But he invented
original stories for his comedies.
Most
of the Shakespearean plays portray the characters from high-status people like
kings, queens, princes, dukes, knights, and earls. Shakespearean comedies are
full of wit and humour. Most of them make the audience laugh for a long time.
The subjects like disguises, intrigues, misplacements, misunderstandings,
tricks, magic, and romantic love are beautifully portrayed in his comedies. He
has written his historical plays in which he has dramatized the kings of
England. Shakespeare has treated kings like fools and created humour from their
buffoonery.
11.
Describe the development of different genres in the renaissance period.
As
the age of revival of learning, the Renaissance period is marked with abundant
literary works of the great writers. Basically, the development of drama
remained at the top during this period. The towering figures like Christopher
Marlowe and William Shakespeare contributed a lot to the field of drama.
Development of English prose established a solid foundation in English prose
from the works of Francis Bacon. Poetry remained on the top for the whole
period. Masterpieces like John Donne, William Shakespeare, Edmund Spenser, and
John Milton exercised different subject matters, styles, and poetic qualities
in their poems.
After
Chaucer, the development of poetry stopped for a longer period of time though
there were some minor poets with their contribution. Spenser's The Shepherd's
Calendar brought a radical change in the field. Later, John Donne, William
Shakespeare and John Milton composed their masterpieces in the field of poetry.
Due
to the sense of new learning and public awareness during the Renaissance, there
was a favourable environment for drama. The Miracle and Morality plays at the
end of the Middle Ages also made a positive atmosphere for dramas. Two schools
of drama arose during the period. The first being in favour of the classical
ideal like Sackville and Norton introduced classical unities of drama which was
called the University of Wits.
The
next group of scholars like Peele, Lyly, Greene, and Marlowe introduced new English
in dramas and the school was called the English School of Drama. They
introduced romances and love of action in drama. These earlier dramatists made
ground for the great English dramatists like William Shakespeare and
Christopher Marlowe. Ben Johnson, John Webster, Thomas Heywood, etc. tried to
follow the tradition until the middle of the seventeenth century. But their
contribution was shadowed by the contribution of the towering masters of
English drama; Shakespeare and Marlowe.
In
comparison to drama and poetry, the development of prose during the Elizabethan
period was in shadow. Elizabethan prose became so multifarious that several
writers started writing whatever they thought would be prose. Though many prose
writers did a lot, Elizabethan prose was very inferior until Francis Bacon
(1561-1626) emerged in the field. He was politically failure whereas very
successful in the field of literature and science.
12.
What is the contribution of Christopher Marlowe in English Literature? Explain briefly.
Born
in 1564, the same year with William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe was the
first great dramatist and poet of the Elizabethan period. His dramas appeared
before Shakespeare but he was murdered in a quarrel at an inn in 1593, leaving
many remarkable dramas and poems to English literature. He worked in the secret
service and got a continued dispute with the authorities and others. Similar to
his life, his plays are tragic with lots of violence and murder. His writings
set an example for other dramatists in the Elizabethan period in two important
ways the use of powerful blank verse and the development of characters to
heighten the sense of tragedy. His characters are ordinary people with full of
passion and desire. His dramas are:
Tamburlaine
the Great
The
first part of this play deals with the rise of Tamburlaine to power, a shepherd
who later becomes a robber. He captures Zenocrate and marries her. For him,
even love is a conquest. His terrible ambition drives him ever toward more
power and cruelty. His ambition is to become the ruler of the whole world. So,
his armies capture Bajazet, the ruler of Turkey, whom Tamburlaine takes from
place to place in a cage.
In
the second part, Tamburlaine becomes more blood-thirsty. He goes to capture
Babylon in a carriage which is pulled by two kings. He whips the kings and
curses them. If they become tired, he orders to kill them. He orders his armies
to drown all the people of Babylon. He cuts his own arm to show his son that a
wound is unimportant. He even kills his own son when he finds him enjoying
instead of going to war. His strange colleagues also join his service of adding
brew for him after he defeats the emperor of Persia.
Jew
of Malta
The
Governor of Malta is cruel towards the Jews and taxes them. But Barabas, a rich
Jew, refuses to pay the taxes. The governor captures his house and money. So,
Barabas begins his life of violence. He poisons his own daughter and makes her
lover to die too. He waits for the moment to take revenge. When the Turks attack
Malta, he supports them and becomes the governor of Malta. He wants to become
more powerful. So, he makes a plan to kill all the Turkish officers. He invites
the officers to have a meal with him and arranges that the room would fall
suddenly when they come and dine. But this secret plan is revealed by his
enemy. They throw him below the floor into a vessel of boiling water where he
dies blaspheming, with his regret, that he has not done more evil in his life.
Dr. Faustus
This
play is based on Faustus, a great scholar, who wishes to have infinite
knowledge. Dr. Faustus has studied Theology, Philosophy, Medicine, and Law; and
wishes to study Magic. He sells his soul to the devil Mephistopheles to gain
more power and knowledge in the condition that the devil has to serve him for
24 years and provide him with what he wants. This is the story of those
twenty-four years. The final hours of Dr. Faustus are full of horror. When he
tells the scholars about his pact with the devil, the horror-stricken scholars
try to pray for him but in vain. At the last hour, Dr. Faustus is overcome by
fear and remorse. He begs for mercy but nothing happens. A host of devils come
at midnight and carries his soul off to the hell.
Edward
the Second
This
play bases on English history. It is about the weakness and misery of King
Edward. The play is an early example of nepotism in politics.
13.
Write short notes on:
i)
King Lear
William
Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon on 26 April 1564. His career
developed from a curtain puller to the actor, then a playwright and later a
dramatist until 1991 when his Henry the VI appeared and followed by Richard the
III in 1593. He understood the sentiments of all class of people and his dramas
targeted highly educated to uneducated people as the audience. For educated
people, he included refined poetry and for the uneducated one's clown and comic
scenes. He perfected blank verse and ten-syllable iambic pentameter lines in
his dramas.
He
is the true representative of the Elizabethan period who translated Elizabethan
spirit in his dramas. He studied previous poems, stories, legends, folklores
and coloured them anew with his unique imagination and mastery of language. He
wrote 38 dramas and 154 sonnets, almost all very perfect and popular which made
him the father of the modern drama. He inserted the ethos of the general
public, history of the country, romances of the youths and varied colours in
his drama.
King
Lear has three daughters. His two daughters are wicked while the youngest one
is truthful. The two wicked daughters try to show their love to King Lear but
inwardly, they want his kingdom. The youngest daughter always tells the truth.
He gives his kingdom to his two wicked daughters but nothing to the youngest
one who loves him the best. His wicked daughters neglect him and force him to
spend a night outdoors during a storm.
Later,
he becomes mad. His youngest daughter, who has been living in France, returns
and finds him in a pitiable condition. Armies of two wicked daughters find King
Lear and his youngest daughter and kill her. The two daughters love the same
person, Edmond. So, one of the sisters poisons her own sister and later she
kills herself. King Lear also dies of a broken heart.
ii)
Romeo and Juliet
William
Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon on 26 April 1564. His career
developed from a curtain puller to the actor, then a playwright and later a
dramatist until 1991 when his Henry the VI appeared and followed by Richard the
III in 1593. He understood the sentiments of all class of people and his dramas
targeted highly educated to uneducated people as the audience. For educated
people, he included refined poetry and for the uneducated one's clown and comic
scenes. He perfected blank verse and ten-syllable iambic pentameter lines in
his dramas.
He
is the true representative of the Elizabethan period who translated Elizabethan
spirit in his dramas. He studied previous poems, stories, legends, folklores
and coloured them anew with his unique imagination and mastery of language. He
wrote 38 dramas and 154 sonnets, almost all very perfect and popular which made
him the father of the modern drama. He inserted the ethos of the general
public, history of the country, romances of the youths and varied colours in
his drama.
It
is a story of two teenaged lovers, Romeo and Juliet. Their families are
enemies. Romeo and his friends, in a disguise, attend the masked ball given by
Juliet's father. Romeo and Juliet fall in love at their first meeting and
decide to marry. The next day, they get married secretly with the help of Friar
Lawrence. Returning from the wedding, Juliet's cousin meets Romeo and quarrels
with him. Juliet's cousin kills Romeo's friend, so Romeo stabs him to death.
Romeo is exiled from the city. Juliet's father tries to marry her to her cousin
because he does not know that she has already married to Romeo.
Juliet
was given a drug that would put her into death-like sleep for 42 hours. He then
sends a messenger to tell Romeo about their plan of escape. But Romeo does not
receive the message in time. He falsely hears that Juliet is dead. He hurries
to the tomb where she has been placed. There, he takes poison and dies by her
side. Juliet awakens to find her husband dead and she stabs herself. The
discovery of dead lovers convinces the two families that they must end their
feud.
iii)
Paradise Lost
John
Milton was a man with a purpose who was born in 1608. He "lived a pure
life, believing that he had a great purpose to complete. At college, he was
known as The Lady of Christ's". He was the advocator of democracy.
He supported the Parliament during the English civil war between the King and
Cromwell. He was a Christian humanist and a studious person. He had a wide
knowledge of Greek, Latin, English, French, and Italian literature. He also had
great affection for music. His literary career can be divided into three
phases:
Paradise
Lost (1667): This epic is his masterpiece, which is written in 12 books. The
story of the epic is taken from the Bible. It uses the first three chapters of
Genesis. It is a simple and common story of the fall of Adam and Eve from the
grace of God due to their disobedience. Satan, who lives with God in heaven,
leads a revolt against God. After the terrible war between Satan and God, Satan
is thrown into hell. Satan then decides to take revenge against God by spoiling
God's latest creation the humans. Adam and Eve, the first man and woman,
created by the God live in Eden.
They
live a carefree life without any work, boredom, or pressure. God asks them not
to eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. But Satan, disguised as a serpent
encourages Eve to eat the fruit. Satan persuades Eve to taste the fruit.
Encouraged by Eve, Adam also tastes it. After eating the fruit, they begin to
feel the sexual passion and know shame for the first time. God curses Eve that
her life would always be sorrowful by bearing children and helping her husband.
God curses Adam that he would eat bread only by hard work and sweating.
iv)
Metaphysical School of Thought
In
the 17th century, there was a group of poets in England who shared a common
love of intellectual ingenuity, literary allusion, and paradox, and who used
language, images, and rhythms of a kind not conventionally 'poetic' to startle
the reader into thought. It was called 'Metaphysical School of Thought'. The
poets in this school were: John Donne, George Herbert, Edmund Waller, Sir John
Denham, Abraham Cowley, Henry Vaughan, Davenant, Andrew Marvell, and Richard
Crashaw. Their writings were full of complexity, unlikely comparisons, clever
tricks of style, paradoxical ideas, complex concepts and a blend of emotion
with style.
John
Donne (1572-1631) was the forerunner of the group who used a wide range of
themes, power of the words in his poems, and tactful language. He wrote both
love and religious poems. He was very strict as a preacher and writer.
Andrew Marvell (1621-1678) was influenced by the Metaphysical style and thought
in his poems. His poems were published in 1681, three years after his death which
were full of subtle and often a provocative blending of different levels of
perception. In "To His Coy Mistress", Marvell presents plea of a
lover to his beloved giving conditions followed by a solution. His style of
persuading, though seems direct, is of high quality and the comparisons made
are very subtle.
Robert
Herrick, Sir John Suckling, Edmund Walker and John Denham were known as the
Cavalier poets. Contrary to John Milton, these poets supported the king, served
him, and were known as the Cavalier poets. Some of them were even known as
courtier poets. Instead of writing on subjects like religion, philosophy, or
art, they created joy out of commonplace things.
These
poets wrote witty and light hearted poems. They wrote short, light, and elegant
lyrics that appeal 'carpe diem' meaning 'seize the day'. These poets emphasized
on the mortality of human life and the briefness of physical beauty. These
poets usually wrote love poems and poems about nature. Most of these poets were
the courtier poets.
A group of poets of the mid 17th century who wrote in favour of King Charles I
are called the Cavalier poets. The poets belonging to this group are: Robert
Herrick, Andrew Marvell, Richard Lovelace, and Sir John Suckling. Richard
Loveless's best love poems are 'To Althea, from Prison' and 'To Lucasta, on
Going to the Wars'.
v)
Macbeth
William
Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon on 26 April 1564. His career
developed from a curtain puller to the actor, then a playwright and later a
dramatist until 1991 when his Henry the VI appeared and followed by Richard the
III in 1593. He understood the sentiments of all class of people and his dramas
targeted highly educated to uneducated people as the audience. For educated
people, he included refined poetry and for the uneducated one's clown and comic
scenes. He perfected blank verse and ten-syllable iambic pentameter lines in
his dramas.
He
is the true representative of the Elizabethan period who translated Elizabethan
spirit in his dramas. He studied previous poems, stories, legends, folklores
and coloured them anew with his unique imagination and mastery of language. He
wrote 38 dramas and 154 sonnets, almost all very perfect and popular which made
him the father of the modern drama. He inserted the ethos of the general
public, history of the country, romances of the youths and varied colours in
his drama.
Macbeth,
who is returning from a battle, meets three old witches. They tell him that he
will receive high honours and then become the King of Scotland. The first part
of the witches' prophecy comes true. Then, Macbeth has the ambition to become
the King of Scotland. Encouraged by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan of
Scotland, who has come to his castle as his guest. Noticing some foul plays
being done, King Duncan's sons flee and take refuge in neighbouring countries.
The
three witches had also prophesied that Banquo's descendants would be the kings
of Scotland. So Macbeth orders to kill Banquo and his sons. Banquo is killed
but his son escapes. Macbeth becomes more violent and kills everyone who knows
his secrecy. Macbeth goes on committing new crimes to hide the former crimes.
Lady Macbeth dies because she is burdened by her guilt. At the end of the play,
Macbeth is also killed by Macduff. The witches had prophesied Macbeth that a
man born from a woman would not kill him. Actually, Macduff was born from a
caesarian operation. King Duncan's son becomes the king of Scotland. It's
Macbeth's over-ambition that makes him rise and fall.
vi)
Othello
William
Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon on 26 April 1564. His career
developed from a curtain puller to the actor, then a playwright and later a
dramatist until 1991 when his Henry the VI appeared and followed by Richard the
III in 1593. He understood the sentiments of all class of people and his dramas
targeted highly educated to uneducated people as the audience. For educated
people, he included refined poetry and for the uneducated one's clown and comic
scenes. He perfected blank verse and ten-syllable iambic pentameter lines in
his dramas.
He
is the true representative of the Elizabethan period who translated Elizabethan
spirit in his dramas. He studied previous poems, stories, legends, folklores
and coloured them anew with his unique imagination and mastery of language. He
wrote 38 dramas and 154 sonnets, almost all very perfect and popular which made
him the father of the modern drama. He inserted the ethos of the general
public, history of the country, romances of the youths and varied colours in
his drama.
It
is a story of a brave commander Othello. He has a young and beautiful wife
named Desdemona, the daughter of a senator. The senator does not accept him, a
moor (black), as his son-in law and requests the king to punish him. After
listening to his love story, the king does not punish him but gives
responsibility to go to Cyprus to defeat the enemies, the Turks. lago, a lower
rank soldier does not like Othello's marriage with Desdemona and begins to plot
against Othello.
Othello
goes to Cyprus and defeats the enemies. Othello raises the rank of Cassio, one
of his soldiers. Iago takes advantage of Othello's weakness because Othello was
credulous by nature. After making a master plan and executing it, Iago can
raise suspicion in Othello's mind that Desdemona loves his assistant Cassio.
Othello becomes mad thinking that his beloved has an illegitimate relationship
with Cassio and kills her in bed. Othello knows the truth about lago's
conspiracy only after Desdemona's death. He kills lago and stabs himself to
death. A brave soldier like Othello becomes a victim of lago's tricks and meets
his tragic fate.
vii)
Hamlet
William
Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon on 26 April 1564. His career developed
from a curtain puller to the actor, then a playwright and later a dramatist
until 1991 when his Henry the VI appeared and followed by Richard the III in
1593. He understood the sentiments of all class of people and his dramas
targeted highly educated to uneducated people as the audience. For educated
people, he included refined poetry and for the uneducated one's clown and comic
scenes. He perfected blank verse and ten-syllable iambic pentameter lines in
his dramas.
He
is the true representative of the Elizabethan period who translated Elizabethan
spirit in his dramas. He studied previous poems, stories, legends, folklores
and coloured them anew with his unique imagination and mastery of language. He
wrote 38 dramas and 154 sonnets, almost all very perfect and popular which made
him the father of the modern drama. He inserted the ethos of the general
public, history of the country, romances of the youths and varied colours in
his drama.
When
the story begins, Hamlet's father, King of Denmark, is dead and his mother is
married to his uncle Claudius. Claudius has become the King. Hamlet suspects
that his uncle murdered his father. The ghost of Hamlet's dead father appears
to him and tells him about his murder. Hamlet decides to take revenge but can't
do it without the proof before it. Hamlet becomes too thoughtful. He asks a
band of travelling actors to perform a play before Claudius whose plot is
similar to his father's murder.
Claudius
shows a violent reaction during the play that makes Hamlet believe that
Claudius is the murderer. He goes to kill him, but finding him in prayer, he
changes his mind. At the same time when he sees someone behind the curtain, he
kills the man with his sword thinking that the man is Claudius but he is
actually Polonius. Claudius then sends Hamlet to England. In a letter to the
King of England, he asks for the murder of Hamlet. Hamlet is saved because he
has changed the letter. In the end, fighting is arranged between Polonius's son
and Hamlet. They wound and kill each other.
viii)
Julius Caesar
William
Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon on 26 April 1564. His career
developed from a curtain puller to the actor, then a playwright and later a
dramatist until 1991 when his Henry the VI appeared and followed by Richard the
III in 1593. He understood the sentiments of all class of people and his dramas
targeted highly educated to uneducated people as the audience. For educated
people, he included refined poetry and for the uneducated one's clown and comic
scenes. He perfected blank verse and ten-syllable iambic pentameter lines in
his dramas.
He
is the true representative of the Elizabethan period who translated Elizabethan
spirit in his dramas. He studied previous poems, stories, legends, folklores
and coloured them anew with his unique imagination and mastery of language. He
wrote 38 dramas and 154 sonnets, almost all very perfect and popular which made
him the father of the modern drama. He inserted the ethos of the general
public, history of the country, romances of the youths and varied colours in
his drama.
It
is a political tragedy. It's a play about friends, one friend betraying
another; and another friend taking revenge on betrayal. The hero is Brutus, who
joins with Cassius and other conspirators to kill Julius Caesar. Brutus and his
group stab Caesar, which shocks Caesar because he has not expected that his own
close friend would attack him. Caesar speaks "Et Tu Brute?" (Brutus
you too?) and dies.
Before
the body of the dead Caesar, Brutus defends to the people of Rome that killing
Caesar was necessary for the good of the country. After the speech of Brutus,
the clever and cunning Antony, Caesar's other friend, makes a speech before the
crowd. He then describes the plotters with heavy sarcasm and praises the
virtues of Caesar. The crowd is ready to kill and burn the conspirators. Brutus
and his friends flee away. At last, Brutus commits suicide when he is defeated
by Antony.
ix)
Antony and Cleopatra
William
Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon on 26 April 1564. His career
developed from a curtain puller to the actor, then a playwright and later a
dramatist until 1991 when his Henry the VI appeared and followed by Richard the
III in 1593. He understood the sentiments of all class of people and his dramas
targeted highly educated to uneducated people as the audience. For educated
people, he included refined poetry and for the uneducated one's clown and comic
scenes. He perfected blank verse and ten-syllable iambic pentameter lines in
his dramas.
He
is the true representative of the Elizabethan period who translated Elizabethan
spirit in his dramas. He studied previous poems, stories, legends, folklores
and coloured them anew with his unique imagination and mastery of language. He
wrote 38 dramas and 154 sonnets, almost all very perfect and popular which made
him the father of the modern drama. He inserted the ethos of the general
public, history of the country, romances of the youths and varied colours in
his drama.
The
main subject of this drama is Antony's love for the Egyptian queen Cleopatra.
Antony is the same person who took revenge on Caesar's death. Antony, the king
of Rome has a wife named Octavius. But he lives in his captured state Egypt
with a mistress Cleopatra. The death of his wife forces him to return to Rome.
Back in Rome, he marries Octavius' sister Octavia; but he returns to Egypt
because of his love towards Cleopatra.
His
wife Octavia wages a battle with him but Cleopatra does not help him. Cleopatra
deceives Antony and makes him think that she is dead. Antony stabs himself with
the sword. Before he dies, he learns that she is still alive. He then goes to
her and dies in her arms. Later, Cleopatra also dies after pressing a poisonous
snake to bite her.
x)
Tamburlaine the Great
Born
in 1564, the same year with William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe was the
first great dramatist and poet of the Elizabethan period. His dramas appeared
before Shakespeare but he was murdered in a quarrel at an inn in 1593, leaving
many remarkable dramas and poems to English literature. He worked in the secret
service and got a continued dispute with the authorities and others.
Similar
to his life, his plays are tragic with lots of violence and murder. His
writings set an example for other dramatists in the Elizabethan period in two
important ways the use of powerful blank verse and the development of
characters to heighten the sense of tragedy. His characters are ordinary people
with full of passion and desire.
The
first part of this play deals with the rise of Tamburlaine to power, a shepherd
who later becomes a robber. He captures Zenocrate and marries her. For him,
even love is a conquest. His terrible ambition drives him ever toward more
power and cruelty. His ambition is to become the ruler of the whole world. So,
his armies capture Bajazet, the ruler of Turkey, whom Tamburlaine takes from
place to place in a cage.
In
the second part, Tamburlaine becomes more blood-thirsty. He goes to capture
Babylon in a carriage which is pulled by two kings. He whips the kings and
curses them. If they become tired, he orders to kill them. He orders his armies
to drown all the people of Babylon. He cuts his own arm to show his son that a
wound is unimportant. He even kills his own son when he finds him enjoying
instead of going to war. His strange colleagues also join his service of adding
brew for him after he defeats the emperor of Persia.
xi)
Jew of Malta
Born
in 1564, the same year with William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe was the
first great dramatist and poet of the Elizabethan period. His dramas appeared
before Shakespeare but he was murdered in a quarrel at an inn in 1593, leaving
many remarkable dramas and poems to English literature. He worked in the secret
service and got a continued dispute with the authorities and others.
Similar
to his life, his plays are tragic with lots of violence and murder. His
writings set an example for other dramatists in the Elizabethan period in two
important ways the use of powerful blank verse and the development of
characters to heighten the sense of tragedy. His characters are ordinary people
with full of passion and desire.
The
Governor of Malta is cruel towards the Jews and taxes them. But Barabas, a rich
Jew, refuses to pay the taxes. The governor captures his house and money. So,
Barabas begins his life of violence. He poisons his own daughter and makes her
lover to die too. He waits for the moment to take revenge. When the Turks
attack Malta, he supports them and becomes the governor of Malta.
He
wants to become more powerful. So, he makes a plan to kill all the Turkish
officers. He invites the officers to have a meal with him and arranges that the
room would fall suddenly when they come and dine. But this secret plan is
revealed by his enemy. They throw him below the floor into a vessel of boiling
water where he dies blaspheming, with his regret, that he has not done more
evil in his life.
xii)
Dr. Faustus
Born
in 1564, the same year with William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe was the
first great dramatist and poet of the Elizabethan period. His dramas appeared
before Shakespeare but he was murdered in a quarrel at an inn in 1593, leaving
many remarkable dramas and poems to English literature. He worked in the secret
service and got a continued dispute with the authorities and others.
Similar
to his life, his plays are tragic with lots of violence and murder. His
writings set an example for other dramatists in the Elizabethan period in two
important ways the use of powerful blank verse and the development of
characters to heighten the sense of tragedy. His characters are ordinary people
with full of passion and desire.
This
play is based on Faustus, a great scholar, who wishes to have infinite
knowledge. Dr. Faustus has studied Theology, Philosophy, Medicine, and Law; and
wishes to study Magic. He sells his soul to the devil Mephistopheles to gain
more power and knowledge in the condition that the devil has to serve him for
24 years and provide him with what he wants. This is the story of those
twenty-four years.
The
final hours of Dr. Faustus are full of horror. When he tells the scholars about
his pact with the devil, the horror-stricken scholars try to pray for him but
in vain. At the last hour, Dr. Faustus is overcome by fear and remorse. He begs
for mercy but nothing happens. A host of devils come at midnight and carries
his soul off to the hell.
xiii)
Christopher Marlowe
Marlowe is the first great dramatist of the
Elizabethan period. Though he lived a short life, he wrote some powerful
tragedies, which are counted among the great works of English stage. He showed
originality both in choice of subject matter and the use of blank verse. His
powerful blank verse lines strengthen the drama and the developments of
character heighten the sense of tragedy.
Marlowe's first tragic play 'Tamburlaine the Great'
is written in blank verse with colourful images of power and violence. The play
brought a new kind of life to the English theatre. Tamburlaine is the shepherd
and a robber. The play presents his mad ambition for political power and his
rise to it. The kings who are defeated by his armies are ill-treated. The ruler
of the Turkey is taken from place to place in a cage like a wild animal. Other
Kings have to pull Tamburlaine's carriage. When they get tired they are hanged.
Though the play is filled with terrible cruelty and violent language and
action, Marlowe's blank verse lines are usually powerful and effective so the
play was well received.
In the next play 'The Jew of Malta' a rich Jew
refuses to pay taxes to the governor of Malta so his property is taken from him
and in revenge he begins a life of violence. He helps the Turks when they
attack Malta, and so they make him governor. But he decides to kill all the
Turkish officers. Unluckily an enemy makes his secret known and he himself is
killed. The language of the play is not always violet and forceful. The sound
and rhythm are sometimes very fine.
Marlowe's Dr. Faustus is based on the well-known story
of man (Faustus) who sold his soul to the devil in order to power and riches in
this life. Faustus is mad for intellectual power. He agrees to give his soul to
the devil, Mephistopheles in return for twenty-four years of splendid life.
During these years the devil must serve him and give him what he wants. Finally
when Faustus has to face death, he is filled with fear and the end of the play
is very tragic.
'Edward second' is probably Marlowe's best play. It is comparable to
Shakespeare's best historical plays. It deals with English history and the
story is about a young king who is destroyed by his own weakness. Certainly,
Marlowe's writing set an example for other dramatists in the great Elizabethan
age.
xiv)
Benjamin Ben Jonson-
One of the great dramatists of Elizabethan age is Ben
Jonson. His plays are based on the theory of the four humours and they are less
beautiful and less attractive than Shakespeare's. The ancient writers
influenced much of the Jonson's ideas. He believed in three unities that are
the unities of place, time and action.
'Every Man in his Humour' is his famous play. Jonson's main failure as a
dramatist lies in the fact that a humour for him was a special foolishness or
the chief strong feeling in a man like anxiety and jealousy. Therefore his
characters are walking humours and not really human. Jonson wrote about twenty
plays alone and others with other playwrights. Of his comedies 'Volpone the
fox', 'Every man out of his Humour' and 'The Silent Woman'
are famous, His tragedy' Sejanus' was played at the Globe Theatre. He was also
one of the best producers of masques at this or any other time. These masques
are dramatic entertainments with dancing and music, which are more important
than the story and characters.
The
most commanding literary figure of the Elizabethan period, Ben Jonson, was born
in 1573. He was inspired by the classical theme of literature along with the
unity of place, time, and action. He wrote comic plays in which the characters
are walking humour, not the real humans. Through a comedy of humours, Johnson
signaled towards human passion or weakness like jealousy, greed, anxiety,
boastfulness, lustfulness, etc.
His
language is polished but not so inspirational. He shows how, in every one of
us, there is hidden foolishness. His comedies are called 'Comedies of Humour'.
He wrote about twenty plays on his own and some others with his friend. His
famous dramas are: Everyman in His Humour (1598), Everyman Out of His Humour
(1599), Sejanus (1603), Volpone the Fox (1606), The Silent Woman (1609), and
The Alchemist (1610),
xv)
Francis Bacon
One of the most famous prose writers of the time was Francis Bacon who is also known as the
father of the English prose. He wrote books both in English and Latin. His
aphoristic prose style is very popular. His essays are full of remarkable
thoughts. He could express great ideas in short and effective sentences. His famous
books are The Essays, The Advancement of Learning, The History
of Henry VII and The New Atlantis.
Francis
Bacon had a distinct writing style which made him the subject for criticism
too. He used sharp language and straight forward style of expression. His
individual lines are still meaningful. Bacon's prose style reveals his
intellect and tact of expressing the things in short. He talked about science
and philosophy during the age when people were busy with the romantic flavour
of literature.
His
works are full of wit. He is regarded as the father of modern prose and the
true leader of the renaissance spirit. His works made the other writers and the
readers think about the craze of the ancient literature which helped to boost
renaissance intellect and movement in Elizabethan literature.
xvi) John Donne
John Donne (1572-1631) is known as the greatest metaphysical poet who wrote
both love and religious poem. He wrote many fine poems in witty and difficult
style but sometimes we find minor mistakes in them. Donne could express
effective and witty ideas in a few words. One of the best examples of his poems
is The Canonization in which worldly lovers are described as saints.
Metaphysical poets are a group of seventeenth-century
poets who are influenced by John Donne. These poets use a special kind of
language for their poetry. They express ideas in a tricky and witty way by
using unusual images and paradoxes in both love and religious poetry. Their
poetry is less beautiful and less musical but it can attract the attention of
the reader because they mix strong feelings with reason in a quite strange way.
He
was the forerunner of the group who used a wide range of themes, power of the
words in his poems, and tactful language. He wrote both love and religious
poems. He was very strict as a preacher and writer. J. Long mentions in his
book English Literature that few people would read his books and would be lost
in the middle 'like deer which, in the midst of plenty, take a bite here and
there and wander on, tasting twenty varieties of food in an hour's feeding'. He
wrote satires, love poems, elegies, and sermons. Though his poems were not
published during his life, they became popular because he departed from
conventional English verse. His poems are free from metrical patters.
His
conceits are the vehicles for transmitting multiple feelings. His major poems
are: 'Holy Sonnets,' 'Good Friday, and 'Riding Westward'. His famous poetry
books are: The Songs and Sonnets, LXXX Sermons, Fifty Sermons, and XXVI
Sermons. In his poems, he often puts the main beat on words of little
importance. In his poem 'The Flea', the man asks his beloved not to kill the
flea. He says that the flea has sucked the blood of both of them, so it has
become their marriage bed. Similarly, in his other poem 'The Ecstasy', the poet
claims that love is the combination of both soul and body.
xvii)
Andrew Marvell
Andrew
Marvell (1621-1678) was influenced by the Metaphysical style and thought in his
poems. His poems were published in 1681, three years after his death which were
full of subtle and often a provocative blending of different levels of
perception. In "To His Coy Mistress", Marvell presents plea of a
lover to his beloved giving conditions followed by a solution. His style of
persuading, though seems direct, is of high quality and the comparisons made
are very subtle.
Marvell's
famous poems are: The Definition of Love, Bermudas', The Garden', The Coronet'
and 'The Unfortunate Lover'. His collection of the poems, Miscellaneous Poems'
was published posthumously in 1681. Marvell's mastery over poetry and prose influenced
the other writers of the time. Richard Lovelace followed him with his poetry
book 'To Althea, From Prison' and 'To Lucasta, on Going to the Wars'.
Robert
Herrick, Sir John Suckling, Edmund Walker and John Denham were known as the
Cavalier poets. Contrary to John Milton, these poets supported the king, served
him, and were known as the Cavalier poets. Some of them were even known as
courtier poets. Instead of writing on subjects like religion, philosophy, or
art, they created joy out of commonplace things.
These
poets wrote witty and light hearted poems. They wrote short, light, and elegant
lyrics that appeal 'carpe diem' meaning 'seize the day'. These poets emphasized
on the mortality of human life and the briefness of physical beauty. These poets
usually wrote love poems and poems about nature. Most of these poets were the
courtier poets.
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