John Donne - Elizabethan era context Flashcards
Which two dynasties did Donne live through?
Tudor and Stuart
What happened in 1542?
The Tudors extended their power beyond England, achieving the full union of England in 1542 (they made Wales a part of England)
When did the Tudor line fail, what came after and what happened?
Tudor line failed after the death of Elizabeth in 1603.
James I inherited the throne and began the Stuart dynasty which publicised ideas of the ‘Divine right of Kings’ and ???? launched a feudal reign which hindered the development of capitalism ????
When was the Protestant reformation? and what did it establish?
1517 - 1648
- European Christian reform movement that established Protestantism as a constituent branch of contemporary Christianity.
When did the renaissance begin and when did it reach its peak?
13th century, reached its peak in the 16th century in Europe
How did people begin to think during the Renaissance?
Their thoughts ventured from the restriction of feudal belief in god and religion, becoming more realistic and human.
This was a great emancipation which led to some of the iconic works by authors like Shakespeare and Francis Bacon
How was Shakespeare influenced by the Renaissance? (3)
- He focused on creating human characters with psychological complexity. (Eg. Hamlet)
- The upheaval in social hierarchy allowed Shakespeare to explore the complexity and humanity of every character, regardless of their social position. Even monarchs were portrayed as having human emotions and were capable of making terrible mistakes. (Eg. King Lear and Macbeth)
- Shakespeare utilized his knowledge of Greek and Roman classics when writing his plays - texts which had been suppressed by the Catholic Church before the Renaissance
What was Elizabeth fascinated by and what did she have with them?
fascinated by astrology and had a close relationship with astrologer John Dee.
What did Elizabeth want for Catholics and Protestants
She wanted to find a settlement between Catholics and Protestants because at that time parliament had many powerful Catholics from Mary’s reign and she needed their support (she was Protestant) so wanted to try and compromise.
What was the act of supremacy
Required all public officials to swear an oath of loyalty to Elizabeth
What did Elizabeth say when a courtier confronted her about marrying
‘I will have but one mistress and no master’
In general, Elizabeth was an…
excellent ruler
Name of the Queen’s own acting company
‘The Queen’s players’
When was Elizabeth’s reign?
1558-1603
What was going on in James’ life when he was 13
At 13 James 1 was infatuated with his second cousin Esme Stuart. He would kiss her in public, their close relationship troubling Protestant Earls because Esme was suspected of being Catholic (James was Protestant). So James was abducted by a group of Scottish earls then forced to banish Esme who died.
