The Renaissance

The Other Writers BesidesShakespeare

Objectives: SWBAT

•Identify the parts of a sonnet

•Identify paradox•Identify epigram•Write a sonnet and a Carpe

Diem poem

Renaissance

• Time of rebirth-renewed interest in classical learning

• Humanism combines classical learning and Christianity to explain questions of philosophy

• The printing press makes education more accessible

Reformation

• Henry VII had created Anglican Church

• Elizabeth I made it official church• Martin Luther caused break with

the Catholic Church

Rulers of the Age

• Henry VII 1509-1547• Edward 1547-1553• Mary 1553-1558• Elizabeth 1558-1603

• Spanish Armada• Flood of literature• Exploration

• James I

Carpe Diem Poets

• Christopher Marlowe 1564-1593

• Sir Walter Raleigh 1552-1618• Robert Herrick 1591-1674• Andrew Marvell 1621-1678

John Donne (dun)

• 1572-1631• Wanted to associate with court,

but was a Roman Catholic• Wealthy-did not have to worry

about work until…..• Married a 17 year old (minor)• Her father had him arrested

Donne’s Shortest Poem

John Donne,

Anne Donne,

Undone.

And then…..

• Donne didn’t stay in prison long, but did lose his job

• He and his wife and their 12 children (5 died as babies) lived off the goodness of friends

• Wrote against the Catholic church and for the Anglican until James I convinced John to become an Anglican priest.

John Donne became a clergyman and died, having won great honor in England.

Metaphysical Poetry

•Seventeenth century style•Obscure imagery•Philosophical & religious

speculation•Witty word play

Paradox•A seeming

contradiction that is actually true

Ben Jonson

• c. 1572-1637• Military man, playwright, actor• Twice escaped the death penalty• Unlike Donne and Shxp-he was

eager to be noticed for his writings

Epigram

•A brief, clever, memorable short poem

John Milton

• 1608-1674• Well educated and trained to be a

writer• Served with Cromwell translating

all correspondence from foreign countries

• Eyesight failed him; by 44 he was totally blind

And yet….

When Charles II was crowned, Milton went into seclusion with his wife and daughters who wrote what he dictated and read it back to him so that he could continue his work

Paradise Lost

• Used Biblical stories to plan his great epic

• Satan is the chief protagonist • 10, 565 lines based on a few Bible

verse, mostly from Genesis• Uses epic conventions• Adam and Eve represent all of us