Learning GoalsLearning Goals

• To identify the major authors and literary To identify the major authors and literary contributors of the early 17contributors of the early 17thth century. century.

• To recognize the major literary characteristics To recognize the major literary characteristics of the period.of the period.

• To understand how the politics of a time To understand how the politics of a time period can influence its literature.period can influence its literature.

• To identify major vocabulary needed to To identify major vocabulary needed to analyze the literature of the period.analyze the literature of the period.

Around the WorldAround the World• 1605-1615 - 1605-1615 - Don Quixote Don Quixote – Miguel Cervantes – Miguel Cervantes

(Spain)(Spain)• 1608 – Telescope Invented1608 – Telescope Invented• 1641 - Sakoku begins in Japan (Japanese isolation)1641 - Sakoku begins in Japan (Japanese isolation)• 1633 – Galileo and the Inquisition (Copernican 1633 – Galileo and the Inquisition (Copernican

Theory)Theory)• 1637-44 – Descartes’ major works published (I 1637-44 – Descartes’ major works published (I

think; therefore, I am.) Cartesian method. think; therefore, I am.) Cartesian method.• 1643-1717 – The reign of the Sun King, Louis XIV in 1643-1717 – The reign of the Sun King, Louis XIV in

France France

History and MonarchsHistory and Monarchs

James I (1603-1625)James I (1603-1625) Charles I (1625-1649)Charles I (1625-1649)

The Interregnum (1653-1660)The Interregnum (1653-1660)““The Protectorate”The Protectorate”

Oliver CromwellOliver Cromwell(1653-1658)(1653-1658)

Richard CromwellRichard Cromwell(1658-1659)(1658-1659)

The StuartsThe Stuarts

James I (1603-1625)James I (1603-1625)• Divine Right of KingsDivine Right of Kings– The True Law of Free MonarchiesThe True Law of Free Monarchies

• Court Masques / Sun King / “Pagan” Court Masques / Sun King / “Pagan” rituals that annoyed the Puritansrituals that annoyed the Puritans

• Puritans set out on Mayflower 1620 – Puritans set out on Mayflower 1620 – wanted to “Purify” the church of all wanted to “Purify” the church of all pagan/catholic ritualspagan/catholic rituals

• 1622 First English Newspaper1622 First English Newspaper• Known for gluttonous feasting, financial Known for gluttonous feasting, financial

heedlessness, hunting and sport, and heedlessness, hunting and sport, and hard drinking.hard drinking.

• Beginning of the East India Trading Beginning of the East India Trading CompanyCompany

Charles I (1625-1649)Charles I (1625-1649)• Divine Right of Kings / Divine Right of Kings /

Absolute MonarchyAbsolute Monarchy• Marries a Marries a Catholic Catholic (Henrietta (Henrietta

Maria of France)Maria of France)• Wants money!Wants money!• 1635 Connecticut first settled1635 Connecticut first settled• English Civil War breaks out English Civil War breaks out

16421642• 1649 - Gets beheaded1649 - Gets beheaded

The English Civil War (1642-1648)The English Civil War (1642-1648)• Charles I hoped to unite the Charles I hoped to unite the

kingdoms of England, Scotland and kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland into a new single kingdomIreland into a new single kingdom– Parliament afraid of losing control of Parliament afraid of losing control of

the monarchythe monarchy

• Charles marries a Roman CatholicCharles marries a Roman Catholic– Parliament is staunchly ProtestantParliament is staunchly Protestant

• Cromwell / Parliament want a Cromwell / Parliament want a constitutional monarchy– then constitutional monarchy– then decide they want a republic decide they want a republic instead. instead. Roundheads vs. CavaliersRoundheads vs. Cavaliers

• Charles I beheaded for treasonCharles I beheaded for treason• Commonwealth & ProtectorateCommonwealth & Protectorate• Monty Python! Monty Python!

Oliver CromwellOliver Cromwell• General who came to lead the General who came to lead the

victorious Puritan Roundheads against victorious Puritan Roundheads against Charles I in the English Civil WarCharles I in the English Civil War

• Ruled England as Lord Protector Ruled England as Lord Protector from1649 to his death in 1658. from1649 to his death in 1658.

• The Protectorate barely outlived him; The Protectorate barely outlived him; his son Richard resigned his post in his son Richard resigned his post in 1659, and the monarchy was restored 1659, and the monarchy was restored in 1660. in 1660.

• (The years 1649-60 are known as the (The years 1649-60 are known as the "Interregnum," the period between "Interregnum," the period between kings.)kings.)

Characteristics of the LiteratureCharacteristics of the Literature• A heightened focus on and analysis of the self and the A heightened focus on and analysis of the self and the

personal life.personal life.• The true beginnings of political pamphleteering and The true beginnings of political pamphleteering and

propaganda. (News Books – precursor to newspapers)propaganda. (News Books – precursor to newspapers)• Suppression of the theatre & anything Catholic/Pagan Suppression of the theatre & anything Catholic/Pagan

during the Commonwealth and Cromwell’s reign.during the Commonwealth and Cromwell’s reign.• Art and Nature (Artifice that must look natural) – Think Art and Nature (Artifice that must look natural) – Think

Pastoral Poems…do they truly reflect nature as it is?Pastoral Poems…do they truly reflect nature as it is?• A Dark Side – underlying many of the poetry and A Dark Side – underlying many of the poetry and

literature of the time is a sense of impending decay and literature of the time is a sense of impending decay and death.death.

Thomas Hobbes (1588 – 1679)Thomas Hobbes (1588 – 1679)• Leviathan (1651)• the right of the individual• the natural equality of all men• the artificial character of the

political order • the view that all legitimate political

power must be "representative" and based on the consent of the people

• a liberal interpretation of law which leaves people free to do whatever the law does not explicitly forbid

The Power StructureThe Power Structure• In Early Modern England, both gender In Early Modern England, both gender

hierarchy, with the man at the top, and hierarchy, with the man at the top, and the husband's patriarchal role as the husband's patriarchal role as governor of his family and household — governor of his family and household — wife, children, wards, and servants — wife, children, wards, and servants — were assumed to have been instituted by were assumed to have been instituted by God and nature. God and nature.

• The family was seen as the secure The family was seen as the secure foundation of society and the patriarch's foundation of society and the patriarch's role as analogous to that of God in the role as analogous to that of God in the universe and the king in the state. universe and the king in the state.

• Unmarried virgins and wives were to Unmarried virgins and wives were to maintain silence in the public sphere and maintain silence in the public sphere and give unstinting obedience to father and give unstinting obedience to father and husband, though widows had some husband, though widows had some scope for making their own decisions scope for making their own decisions and managing their affairs. Children and and managing their affairs. Children and servants were bound to the strictest servants were bound to the strictest obedience.obedience.

Tension in the Power StructureTension in the Power Structure• Inevitably, however, tension Inevitably, however, tension

developed when such norms developed when such norms met with common met with common experience, as registered in experience, as registered in the records of the records of actualactual households and especially in households and especially in the complexities and the complexities and ambiguities represented in ambiguities represented in literary treatments of love, literary treatments of love, courtship, marriage, and courtship, marriage, and family relations, from family relations, from Shakespeare's Shakespeare's King LearKing Lear, to , to Webster's Webster's Duchess of MalfiDuchess of Malfi, , to Milton's to Milton's Paradise LostParadise Lost, , and more.and more.

CultureCulture• Greek mythology still Greek mythology still

plays a leading role – King plays a leading role – King James liked to liken James liked to liken himself to the god himself to the god ApolloApollo – a god that the people of – a god that the people of the Renaissance through the Renaissance through the Enlightenment viewed the Enlightenment viewed as a god of the sun, the as a god of the sun, the arts, and civilized society. arts, and civilized society. Louis XIV will later call Louis XIV will later call himself the “Sun King.”himself the “Sun King.”

Ben Jonson (1572-1637)Ben Jonson (1572-1637)• Satirical Playwright – Satirical Playwright – Volpone, The Volpone, The

Alchemist, Bartholomew FairAlchemist, Bartholomew Fair• Wrote for the Lord Admiral’s Men w/ Wrote for the Lord Admiral’s Men w/

Philip HenslowePhilip Henslowe• Collaborated with Inigo Jones to Collaborated with Inigo Jones to

create court masques for James I’s create court masques for James I’s court.court.

• Poetry serves as a predecessor to the Poetry serves as a predecessor to the Cavalier Poets who called themselves Cavalier Poets who called themselves the “Sons of Ben” or the “Tribe of the “Sons of Ben” or the “Tribe of Ben”Ben”

• Playful use of wit, lyricismPlayful use of wit, lyricism

Drama and MasquesDrama and Masques• Highly elaborate Highly elaborate

pagents/plays/pagents/plays/masqueradesmasquerades

• Held at court and Held at court and typically designed by typically designed by famous architects, famous architects, performed by famousperformed by famousactors, with courtiersactors, with courtiers

filling in the background filling in the background parts.parts.

• VERY showy and expensive to put on.VERY showy and expensive to put on.• Inigo Jones and Ben Jonson were responsible for most of the court masques Inigo Jones and Ben Jonson were responsible for most of the court masques

during the early 17during the early 17thth century. century.

Metaphysical PoetryMetaphysical Poetry• Investigate the world by Investigate the world by

rationalrational discussion of its discussion of its phenomena rather than by phenomena rather than by intuition or mysticism. intuition or mysticism.

• Not really a school or Not really a school or movement, but these poets movement, but these poets share some common share some common characteristics: characteristics:

• WitWit• InventivenessInventiveness• A love of elaborate stylistic maneuversA love of elaborate stylistic maneuvers

• Metaphysical ConceitMetaphysical Conceit: high stylized comparison between two : high stylized comparison between two VERYVERY unlike unlike things.things.

• John DonneJohn Donne considered the main poet in this genre. considered the main poet in this genre.

Metaphysical PoetryMetaphysical Poetry• Reaction against the deliberately Reaction against the deliberately

smooth and sweet tones of much smooth and sweet tones of much 16th-century verse.16th-century verse.

• Metaphysical poets’ style is Metaphysical poets’ style is energetic, uneven, and rigorous. energetic, uneven, and rigorous.

• It has also been labeled the It has also been labeled the 'poetry of strong lines'. T. S. Eliot 'poetry of strong lines'. T. S. Eliot argued that their work:argued that their work:– fuses reason with passionfuses reason with passion– shows a unification of thought and

feeling

• John Donne, George Herrick, Andrew Marvell, Sir John Suckling

John Donne (1572-1631)John Donne (1572-1631)• Chief producer of metaphysical poetryChief producer of metaphysical poetry• Early life – broke most of the time / Early life – broke most of the time /

married young, lived in poverty.married young, lived in poverty.• Anglican priest in 1615 by the suggestion Anglican priest in 1615 by the suggestion

of James I, later Dean of St. Paul’s of James I, later Dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral.Cathedral.

• Early Poetry:Early Poetry:– Very witty, sexualVery witty, sexual– Political commentaryPolitical commentary

• Later Poetry:Later Poetry:– Religious, somber, piousReligious, somber, pious– Challenges to DeathChallenges to Death

Cavalier PoetryCavalier Poetry• Also called “Royalists,” for their Also called “Royalists,” for their

allegiance to the monarchy.allegiance to the monarchy.• Courtly, well-educated, genteel, the Courtly, well-educated, genteel, the

Cavaliers are as likely to be talented Cavaliers are as likely to be talented with the rapier as with rapier wit, and with the rapier as with rapier wit, and honored skill with each. honored skill with each.

• Characteristics of Poetry:Characteristics of Poetry:– Avoids discussion of religionAvoids discussion of religion– No plumbing the depths of the soulNo plumbing the depths of the soul– A combination of Donne’s A combination of Donne’s

intellectual conceits with Jonson’s intellectual conceits with Jonson’s eloquenceeloquence

– Direct, colloquial languageDirect, colloquial language– Casual, amateur, light-hearted, Casual, amateur, light-hearted,

carefree, and affectionatecarefree, and affectionate– Carpe Diem messageCarpe Diem message

Cavalier PoetryCavalier Poetry• For these poets, life is far too For these poets, life is far too

enjoyable for much of it to be spent enjoyable for much of it to be spent sweating over texts in a study. sweating over texts in a study.

• The poems must be written in the The poems must be written in the intervals of living, and are celebratory intervals of living, and are celebratory of things that are much livelier than of things that are much livelier than mere philosophy or art. mere philosophy or art.

• To put it in a nutshell, the Mistress in To put it in a nutshell, the Mistress in no longer an impossibly chaste no longer an impossibly chaste Goddess to be wooed with sighs, but a Goddess to be wooed with sighs, but a woman who may be spoken to in a woman who may be spoken to in a forthright fashion. forthright fashion.

• Many of these poems have a much Many of these poems have a much different attitude toward love than different attitude toward love than we've seen before, often more we've seen before, often more carefree, even flippant, and often carefree, even flippant, and often more sexual, as well.more sexual, as well.

Puritan PoetryPuritan Poetry• “The Descendants of Spenser”• The period of the Interregnum discouraged

many aspiring Catholic and traditional Anglican artists and writers, but Puritan writers saw a time of encouragement.– To set forth orthodox Calvinist Christianity– Rejection of the worldly– Need for self-examination– Idea of Original Sin / Search for salvation

• John Milton – Latin Secretary under Cromwell• Anne Bradstreet and Edward Taylor –

American Colonial Poets

Paradise LostParadise Lost• John Milton – published in 1667John Milton – published in 1667• PurposePurpose: “To justify the ways of God : “To justify the ways of God

to men”to men”• ConflictConflict: God’s Eternal Foresight vs. : God’s Eternal Foresight vs.

Free WillFree Will• English Religious Tragic Epic PoemEnglish Religious Tragic Epic Poem

– Muse is the Holy SpiritMuse is the Holy Spirit– Written in blank verseWritten in blank verse– Begins Begins in medias resin medias res– Two tragic heroes: Satan and Two tragic heroes: Satan and

AdamAdam• Draws on different texts for Draws on different texts for

inspiration:inspiration:– The Book of GenesisThe Book of Genesis– Ovid’s Ovid’s MetaphorphosesMetaphorphoses

Paradise LostParadise Lost– Traditional EpicTraditional Epic: Satan is portrayed as the : Satan is portrayed as the

tragic hero (Fall of Lucifer)tragic hero (Fall of Lucifer)• Wages war with Heaven / Defeated / Wages war with Heaven / Defeated /

Wages war on humanityWages war on humanity• Satan is depicted as a strict Satan is depicted as a strict

conservative who values old-fashioned conservative who values old-fashioned views of views of hierarchyhierarchy – not the new – not the new system of position and prominence system of position and prominence based on based on meritmerit..

– Domestic EpicDomestic Epic: : Relationship of Adam and Relationship of Adam and Eve (Fall of Mankind)Eve (Fall of Mankind)• Eve is successfully tempted by Satan’s Eve is successfully tempted by Satan’s

RHETORIC (what could this mean?)RHETORIC (what could this mean?)• Adam eats because he knows Eve is Adam eats because he knows Eve is

doomed and doesn’t want to live doomed and doesn’t want to live without herwithout her

• Sex is introduced into the world / Sex is introduced into the world / creates GUILT & SHAMEcreates GUILT & SHAME

• Adam is given a vision of the Adam is given a vision of the consequences of his sin in the future consequences of his sin in the future (Flood / Christ)(Flood / Christ)

Pilgrim’s ProgressPilgrim’s Progress• Written by John Bunyan (1678)Written by John Bunyan (1678)• Protestant allegory in which Christian, an Protestant allegory in which Christian, an

everyman character, journeys from his everyman character, journeys from his hometown, the "City of Destruction" hometown, the "City of Destruction" ("this world"), to the "Celestial City" ("that ("this world"), to the "Celestial City" ("that which is to come": Heaven) atop Mt. which is to come": Heaven) atop Mt. Zion.– “Now I saw in my Dream, that at the end of

this Valley lay blood, bones, ashes, and mangled bodies of men, […] I espied a little before me a Cave, where two Giants, Pope and Pagan, dwelt in old times, by whose Power and Tyranny the Men whose bones, blood ashes, &c. lay there, were cruelly put to death.”

In AmericaIn America• Anne Bradstreet, Puritan Poet

– The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America (w/ apology)• “Upon the Burning of Our House”• “The Author to Her Book”• “To My Dear and Loving Husband”

• Characteristics– A rejection of the worldly and material– Domestic and Religious Themes– Justification of women’s education– Plain style

Terms to KnowTerms to Know

• Metaphysical ConceitMetaphysical Conceit• OxymoronOxymoron• ParadoxParadox• Carpe DiemCarpe Diem• BaroqueBaroque• AllegoryAllegory• SprezzaturaSprezzatura• EpicEpic