The The English English RenaissRenaiss

anceanceKey Ideas, Key Ideas,

Important Figures, Important Figures, and Language and Language

DifferencesDifferences

TimelineTimeline Italian RenaissanceItalian Renaissance

1300s to the 1550s1300s to the 1550s

English Renaissance English Renaissance 1520s to 1620 1520s to 1620

What is the What is the Renaissance?Renaissance?

A cultural and artistic movementA cultural and artistic movement

““The Age of Shakespeare”The Age of Shakespeare”

““The Elizabethan Era”The Elizabethan Era”

Social and Economic Social and Economic RevolutionRevolution

Population growth began to increase Population growth began to increase

Low wages and land shortageLow wages and land shortage

Gap between the rich and poor began to Gap between the rich and poor began to

widenwiden

PovertyPovertyOne-third of the population lived in One-third of the population lived in

poverty poverty

Poor people = “Vagabonds”Poor people = “Vagabonds”

HealthHealth

Average life span was 35 years. Average life span was 35 years.

Overcrowded, unhygienic living conditionsOvercrowded, unhygienic living conditions

Outbreaks of the Black DeathOutbreaks of the Black Death

The TheaterThe Theater

Watching plays became very popularWatching plays became very popular

By 1595, 15,000 people per week were By 1595, 15,000 people per week were

watching plays in London. watching plays in London.

First real theaters builtFirst real theaters built

Playwrights of the Playwrights of the RenaissanceRenaissance

William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare

Wrote 37 playsWrote 37 plays

Christopher MarloweChristopher Marlowe

Plays represented English understanding Plays represented English understanding

of life, death, and historyof life, death, and history

Poets of the Poets of the RenaissanceRenaissance

Edmund SpenserEdmund Spenser

““The Faerie Queen” includes an allegorical The Faerie Queen” includes an allegorical

representation of the Tudor Dynasty representation of the Tudor Dynasty

John MiltonJohn Milton

Milton’s “Paradise Lost” retells the story of Milton’s “Paradise Lost” retells the story of

mankind’s fall from paradisemankind’s fall from paradise

Early Modern EnglishEarly Modern English

NOT Old EnglishNOT Old English

Early Modern English is related to our Early Modern English is related to our

current form of English (modern current form of English (modern

English)English)

The Pronoun The Pronoun ProblemProblem

Unfamiliar Pronouns:

Thou

Thee

Thine

Thy

Inversions in SyntaxInversions in SyntaxEarly ModernEarly Modern Modern Modern

EnglishEnglish

EnglishEnglish

I know not I know not ->-> I do not know.I do not know.See you not?See you not? ->-> Don’t you see?Don’t you see?Go we home.Go we home. ->-> Let’s go home.Let’s go home.

Here, There, and Here, There, and WhereWhere

Early ModernEarly Modern ModernModernhither hither ->-> to hereto herethitherthither ->-> to thereto therewhither whither ->-> to whereto wherehencehence ->-> from herefrom herethencethence ->-> from therefrom therewhencewhence ->-> from wherefrom where

UsageUsageExamples in usage:Examples in usage:

WhitherWhither thou goest? = Where are you thou goest? = Where are you going?going?

WhenceWhence came you? = Where did you came you? = Where did you come from? (From where did you come from? (From where did you come?)come?)

Forms of AddressForms of AddressKing/Queen = Your Grace, Your King/Queen = Your Grace, Your

Highness, My LiegeHighness, My LiegeUpper classes = My Lord, My LadyUpper classes = My Lord, My LadyMiddle class people = Goodman or Middle class people = Goodman or

Goodwife (often abbreviated as Goodwife (often abbreviated as Goody). Goody).

Lower class people = Fellow or Lower class people = Fellow or WenchWench

Common Common ExpressionsExpressions

Would = wish or want. EX: Would they had Would = wish or want. EX: Would they had stayed! = I wish they had stayed!stayed! = I wish they had stayed!

Loath = unwillingLoath = unwilling Mettle = courageMettle = courage Prithee = pleasePrithee = please Were = would beWere = would be Sirrah = boy, servantSirrah = boy, servant Anon = soonAnon = soon Wherefore = whyWherefore = why Ere = beforeEre = before Hie = hurryHie = hurry Issue = offspring or childIssue = offspring or child