Name :- Riddhi H. Rathod
Roll No.: 19
Enrollment No.: 4069206420220025
Paper no: 105
Paper name: History of English Literature
Sem: 1 (Batch 2022- 2024)
Submitted to: Smt S.B. Gardi Department
The Age of Elizabethan :-
Queen Elizabeth I ruled over England from 1558 to 1603. Her era was a dynamic one, filled with a thirst for adventure, the development of new ideas, and the flourishing of literature, prose, poetry, and drama. Let's look at some of the characteristics of that literature.
First, Elizabethans were prolific in their writing. Plays, poems, pamphlets, treatises, and other works were created in abundance, widely circulated, and freely read and discussed. Just think of Shakespeare's work alone to illustrate this point. This great dramatist and poet wrote thirty-seven plays and 154 sonnets, as well as other works including The Phoenix and the Turtle.
Second, Elizabethans returned with gusto to the classics of Greek and Latin and made them their own. As part of the Renaissance movement, Elizabethan writers delved into the history and mythology of the classical past and created new works that explored and adapted classic themes. Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar is a fine example of this new classicism.
Third, at the same time, Elizabethans dared to reach out in new directions, into the world of romanticism, where they plunged into the adventures, wonders, and beauties of the supernatural and the natural world. Think again of Shakespeare here and his play A Midsummer Night's Dream, in which fairies abound and all sorts of fantastic events occur.
Fourth, Elizabethans developed their scholarly side as well. Many of them, including the queen herself, worked on translating the classics of Greek and Latin into English to make them more widely accessible (and probably to show off a bit as well).
Fifth, the Elizabethans were an independent lot. They may have borrowed from the classics, but they used what they borrowed in new and creative ways. Shakespeare and Spenser, for instance, developed sonnet forms of their own. The stage exploded with diverse plays that pushed boundaries. Prose works expanded as writers adapted the English language to a wide variety of needs. Indeed, the Elizabethans exhibited a scope of imagination and ingenuity that has keep us fascinated with their works for generations.
Characteristics of Elizabeth Age :-
The greatest age in the history of English Literature. Yes, you heard it right- I am talking about the great Elizabethan age; also known as:
· The Golden Age of England
· The Renaissance
· The Shakespearean Age
· The 1st great age of Drama & the 2nd great age of Poetry
Elizabethan age was remarkable for its religious tolerance, strong national spirit, patriotism, social content, intellectual progress & unbounded enthusiasm. Incredible thoughts, feelings & vigorous actions were the pillar of this age. It flowers extraordinary development of drama. Equally, it is an age of poetry. The Elizabethan period was the period of glory and triumph in the life and literature of the English people.
Literary Features of the Elizabethan Age :-
1. Popularity of Poetry:-
Though the poetical production was not quite equal to the dramatic, Poetry enjoyed its hey-day during the Elizabethan age. It was nevertheless of great and original beauty. Poetic fervor had bagged the entire age.
Lyrics, songs, & sonnets were produced in huge amount. England became the nest of the singing birds. There were notable improvements in versification.
Spenser introduced pictorialism and melody into poetry. Elizabethan poetries were extraordinary because of its freshness, distinct variety, youth as well as romantic feeling. This age saw the flowering of poetry.
2. Era of Sonnet:-
Sonnet was popularized in this period. It was introduced by Thomas Wyatt early in the 16th century. He introduced Petrarchan sonnet. Shakespeare made changes to the Italian model and introduced his own style, now known as the English Sonnet or Shakespearean Sonnet.
Shakespeare wrote over 100 sonnets that were different from Petrarchan sonnets.
3. Prose :-
For the first time in the history of English literature, prose was of first-rate importance.
The heavy burden of the Latin was disappearing while English prose gained a tradition & universal application. Rapid development during this period was almost inevitable.
In the Elizabethan age, there were two potent forces- the Renaissance and the Reformation. Both the forces blended and co-operated each other. These two movements produced a great uplifting of the spirit.
The word “renaissance” is originated from the Latin word “nasci” which means “Be Born” Renaissance was the time of great improvement of art, literature, and learning in Europe. The Renaissance Age began in the 14th century and extended till the 17th century.
The Renaissance-inspired the aesthetic and intellect potential whereas the reformation aroused the spiritual nature.
4. New Classicism
The new passion for classical learning was a rich and worthy enthusiasm. It became a danger to the language. In all branches of literature, Greek and Latin usages began to force themselves upon English, which was not totally beneficial. English language gave away its native sturdiness and allowed itself to be tempered and polished by the new influences.
5.Development of Drama :-
Drama, during the Elizabethan age, made a rapid & glorious leap into maturity. The drama was perfectly molded in the hands of Shakespeare & Ben Jonson perfectly developed drama
Although, it had many early difficulties to overcome. Because of the disturbances caused by the actors, the theatres were closed between 1590 – 1593. In 1594, the problems were solved by the licensing of two troupes of players:
The Lord of Chamberlain’s (among whom was Shakespeare)
The Lord Admirals
Another early difficulty the drama had to face was its fondness for taking part in the quarrels of the time. For example “Marprelate Controversy” Owning to this meddling, the theatres were closed in 1589. Already, also a considerable amount of Puritan opposition was declaring itself.
The most important antidramatic book of that time was Gosson’s “School of Abuse” to which Sidney replied with his “Apology for Poetry”.
6. Abundance of Output :-
During the Elizabethan Age, the historical situation encouraged a rich & healthy production of the literature of all kinds. A lot of interest was shown in literary subjects. Treaties and pamphlets were written freely uplifting the quality of the literary output. Much abuse; of a personal and scurrilous character that were indulged in literary questions became almost of national importance.
7.New Romanticism :-
Elizabethan romantic quest is, for the magnificent & the beautiful. Elizabethan age is the first & the greatest period of romanticism. All these kind of desires were amply fulfilled by this age.
According to Albert,
“there was a daring & resolute spirit of adventure in literary as well as the other regions, & most important of these was an un-mistakable buoyancy & freshness in the strong wind of the spirit. It was the ardent youth of English Literature & the achievement was worthy of it.”
The Elizabethan age observed several important foreign books translation in the English language. By 1579, many of the great books of ancient & modern times had been translated into English, almost all of them by 1603; the end of Queen Elizabeth’s reign.
Just like the original works, the translations also gained popularity:
Plutarch's Lives translation by Sir Thomas North
Montaigne's Essais translation by John Florio
Poetical translations were also much popular
E.g. Arthur Golding translated Metamorphoses
Sir John Harrington translated Aristotle’s Orlando Furioso
Richard Carew translated Tasso’s Jerusalem Libertad
9. Spirit of Independence :-
Even though the writers borrowed literature from abroad, this age depicted an unbound spirit of independence & creativeness. Shakespeare openly borrowed literature, but with his splendid creative imaginations, he transformed everything into gold. ‘Spenserian Stanza’ was introduced by Spenser. We gained the impression of creativity & boldness from his works. Inventiveness and intrepidity was his masterstroke. In short, during this age, the writers’ outlook was broad & independent.
10.Scottish Literature :-
A curious minor feature of the age was the disappearance of the Scottish Literature after its brief but remarkable appearance in the previous age. At this point, it took to the ground and did not appear till late in the 18th century.
“Such were some of the conditions which combined to create the spirit of Shakespeare’s age – An age in which men lived intensely, thought intensely and wrote intensely.”
-W.H Hudson
Prose writer and Poetry:-
The Elizabethan era is so named for taking place during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, which lasted from 1558 to 1603. Under her rule, the English Renaissance reached its peak, and it is often heralded as the greatest age of English literature.
This era of literature was made possible by Geoffrey Chaucer, who lived during the 14th century. Chaucer is cited as the 'first English author.' This is because, at the time, French was the de facto language of the English court, whereas English was considered the language of England's peasant class—many of whom would not have been literate. Therefore, seldom were works of literature written or translated to English.
Chaucer changed this when he wrote the famed The Canterbury Tales, a compendium of short stories strung together by a frame narrative. The Canterbury Tales is still considered one of the greatest works of literature. The Elizabethan era of literature was also made possible by the invention of the printing press in the 15th century and the expansion of the middle class in England, both greatly increased the accessibility of books and literature. English prose and poetry thrived during Elizabeth's reign, and the Queen herself spent much to patronize the written arts.
The Elizabethan Prose :-
The most significant contributor to English prose during the Elizabethan era was John Lyly. Lyly was the first English prose author to have a lasting impact on the language, and his prose work inspired the literary style "Euphuism," which is defined by artificially elaborate language. This literary style is taken from his most famous works of prose, Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit (1578) and Euphues and His England (1580). In addition to being an important contributor to the literary history of English prose, Lyly was also an accomplished playwright. His plays consisted predominantly of comedies and incorporated the Euphuistic language for which he is famed for. Though English prose did see advances in this era, the Age of Elizabeth is more well known for its plays and poetry than its prose. Many writers dabbled in all three, such as Sir Sydney Phillip. Phillip is more well known for his poetry, but he did write Arcadia a pastoral romantic prose novel which holds a place of importance in English literary history.
Elizabethan Poetry
The prominence of poetry in Elizabethan literature far exceeds that of prose and the number of famed poets from that era is vast, and includes Queen Elizabeth herself. Though she did contribute her own works, the Queen's role was far greater as both a patron and muse of English poets. The most prominent poets of her time include:
Edmund Spencer :-
Spencer is one of the most important English poets in literary history, and the preeminent poetry writer of the Elizabethan era. It is noted in his letters to Sir Walter Raleigh, another writer of the time, that he wanted his work to read as distinctly English. In this, Spencer pushed forward English poetry to new heights. Perhaps his most famous work is The Faerie Queene a poem inspired by and dedicated to Queen Elizabeth. His first major work, The Shepheardes Calender, was a series of poems written in Virgil pastoral style and helped popularize the pastoral genre during Spencer's time.
Christopher Marlowe:-
Though more well known as a playwright, Marlowe was also famed for his poetry. His poem The Passionate Shepherd of His Love is one of the most-well known love poems in English literature and is a prime example of a pastoral poem, a genre that dominated the era. Marlowe's popularity and significance as a writer would only be surpassed by his contemporary and rival William Shakespeare. Even then, Marlowe held the advantage until his early and untimely death at the age of 29. Some of his most prominent works of drama include The Tragicall History of Dr. Faustus and Tamburlaine the Great.
William Shakespeare :-
Though most know Shakespeare from his famous plays like Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet, Shakespeare was also a prolific poet. He helped define the English Sonnet, also called the Shakespearean Sonnet. The most famous of his Sonnets include: Sonnet 18 (Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?) and Sonnet 27 (Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed).
You probably know something about the famous writer William Shakespeare, known for his plays like Romeo and Juliet. He also wrote poems, and much of his work was created during the time of Queen Elizabeth I. This queen was a big supporter of writers like Shakespeare, and many poets were members of the nobility or even the royal court, like Sir Philip Sidney and the Earl of Surrey. The poet Edmund Spenser made the queen the star of his legendary epic poem The Faerie Queene.
Elizabeth I sat on the throne of England from 1558 to 1603, which means that her reign occupies the entire second half of the sixteenth century.
Queen Elizabeth I of England
The literature of this period reflects respect for the traditions of earlier English writers like Geoffrey Chaucer and of European writers, particularly those of the preceding Italian Renaissance. The invention of the printing press and the expansion of the middle class made literature more accessible to more people, and Elizabeth was a great admirer of poets and playwrights.
Sometimes the poetry of the Elizabethan period is further divided into two stages: The Age of Spenser and The Age of Shakespeare. We will also look at work by one more poet, Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey.
In this Elizabethan Age many writers and poets are included. It was a time of immense progress, stability, and national pride. During Elizabeth's reign, England flourished politically and economically. The country also began extending its reach to the New World, solidifying its status as a world power.
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