16. Renaissance Poetry Flashcards
(29-31)
Speak about Philip Sidney. By what name he’s known for? Why? How did he die? What did he promote? What are his important works?
He’s known for being a perfect gentleman of Renaissance. He died by sacrificing the last supply of water to a wounded warrior. A true hero.
He promotes idealized love and chivalry.
His important works are: “Astrophel and Stella”, “The Old Arcadia” (to which he adds parts which arises confusion among Sidney scholars) and “The New Arcadia”.
What about transience as a topic during that period?
The topic is used in all Shakespeare’s works and becomes a frequent topic from 1570-1580.
Define the form shift of that period.
The shift happened from Skeltonics, its rhythm, to a highly formal, upper-class, courtly form.
What can you say about Edmund Spenser? What does he write about? What are his important works?
He’s an English poet, Protestant, nationalistic and moralistic.
He writes about chivalry, love, struggle between good and evil. He wrote a poem of praise/critique.
His imp. work of the history of English poetry (after “Canterbury Tales”) is “The Faerie Queene”.
What can you say about Thomas Wyatt? On what topic did he write? What’s his connection to Petrarca?
He’s a courtier, diplomat, poet during the reign of Henry 8th. He adopted the Petrarchian sonnets into English.
The topics he wrote on are love, betrayal, inner conflict.
What can you say about Francesco Petrarca?
He wrote sonnets to his ideal woman, Laura. He influences the Renaissance love sonnet, which verses carry idealization of love.
What/who’s “The Faerie Queene” about and who’s the author?
“The Faerie Queene” is written by Spenser and it’s about queen Elizabeth seen as Glory (Gloriana) with her 12 knights out on journeys. Each journey is about the perfection of virtues: Truth, Temperance, Friendship, Justice, Courtesy, Chastity.
How many books of “The Faerie Queene” did Spenser plan to write and how many did he write?
He planned to write 12 books on it, but only half of that amount was written.
Who’s “The Gentle Knight” from “The Faerie Queene” written by Spenser? What’s his purpose?
It’s Saint George, the symbolic saint of England. He’s trying to find Gloriana.
What kind of reputation did Spenser have?
Has divided critical opinion.
What did Spenser reintroduce for England and the Elizabethan age?
The epic form by inventing the Spenserian stanza as the new form of his poem.
The epic form was reintroduced for (1)___ and (2)___ by inventing the (3)___ as the new form of his poem.
(1) England
(2) the Elizabethan age
(3) Spenserian stanza
