Shakespeare and the Renaissance Flashcards
What does the word “renaissance” mean?
rebirth in interest of classic culture of Greece and Rome
What is the definition of a “Renaissance Man” (person)?
interested in art, science, literature, history, and other subjects
What was the main difference between the Renaissance and the Middle Ages?
changes in thinking, religion/ heaven vs concern of individualism/ wordly
When and where did the Renaissance begin?
Italy in the 14th. c.
Name five characteristics of the Renaissance
capture of Constantinople by the Turks (drove Greek scholars to Italy), Gutenberg invented the movable type printing press, development of finance/ capital investment/ credit led to merchant class becoming larger/ more important, voyages of discovery, humanism, spread of latin
What was humanism and who were its two leading scholars?
tried to fit morals of a non-Christian society (ancient Greece/ Rome) into a religious one; Erasmus and More were its two leading scholars
humanist who wrote Utopia as a satire of a perfect society because Utopia is Greek for “no place”
Thomas More
How did the Renaissance affect the modern world?
brought new ways of thinking
What was the reformation?
attempt to reform certain practices of the Catholic Church
Who were the two most outspoken leaders of the Reformation?
Calvin and Luther (95 Theses… excommunicated)
Why was the beginning of the Renaissance delayed in England?
War of the Roses
How did Henry VIII’s desire for a son help bring out a break with the Catholic Church?
he wanted an annulment from Katherine of Aragon
List Henry VIII’s six wives, their children, and what happens in their marriage to Henry
Katherine of Aragon- divorced (Mary), Anne Boleyn -beheaded (Elizabeth), Jane Seymour- died in childbirth (Edward VI), Anne of Cleves- divorced, Catherine Howard- beheaded, Catherine Parr - survived
Why is Mary I known as “Bloody Mary”?
killed a lot of Protestants and reverted England back to Catholicism
How old was Elizabeth when she became queen? How long did she reign? Why was she known as the “Virgin Queen”?
25 years old… 45 year reign…. never married
What was Elizabeth’s first act of restoring peace as queen? How else did England prosper under her reign?
reestablished the Church of England (Anglican church) as the official religion… she was a supporter of arts/education, reduced taxes, and supported a strong central gov
What event happened in 1588 to ensure the Peace of England?
English Navy defeated Spanish Armada
Who followed Elizabeth’s reign?
James VI of Scotland/ I of England (Stuart Line)
Who was Mary, Queen of Scots?
cousin of Elizabeth I who was beheaded for treason
What three things is James I noted for as King of England?
divine right of kings, sponsored English translation of the Bible, patron of Shakespeare
What was the most important Elizabethan literary form?
sonnet
Name three characteristics of sonnets
14 lines of iambic pentameter, themes of love- especially of a beautiful and unattainable woman, definite rhyme scheme
Name three types of sonnets
italian, english (Shakespearean), Spenserian
Other poets during the Renaissance were
John Multan, Edmund Spenser, John Donne
wrote the epic poem Paradise Lost
John Multan
epic poem The Fairy Queen (heroine based on Liz I)
Edmund Spenser
metaphysical poet who wrote more on intellectual subjects
John Donne
Other dramatists (playwrights) were
Kit Marlow (Dr. Faustus… sells soul to devil), Ben Johnson
When and where was Shakespeare born?
Stratford-on-Avon, England on April 23, 1564
Who did Shakespeare marry and at what ages? How many children were there?
Anne Hathaway (she was 26 and he was 18)… three children
Who did Shakespeare work for and what did he own?
an actor in Lord Chamberlain’s Theater, later renamed The King’s Men in honor of James I… part of the Globe Theatre
How many plays and sonnets did Shakespeare write?
37 plays and 154 sonnets
How are Shakespeare’s plays categorized?
tragedies, comedies, and histories
What are the five big tragedies in Shakepeare’s tragic period?
Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, and Romeo & Juliet
What is the first folio?
In 1623, seven year’s after his death, Shakespeare’s collection of plays was published
What was new about Renaissance Theater
permanent housing
What was the general admission for public theatre?
1 penny for those who could afford it; more expensive seating in the tiers
people who sat or stood around the stage on the dirt floor
groundlings
what indicated a performance
flag flying from the peak; different colors meant different types
when did performances occur and why?
during the day because there was no lighting
How was setting an atmosphere created in the plays
actor’s dialogue
How long did plays last on stage?
11-14 days
What was the language of plays?
blank verse because audience appreciated the beauty of the poetry
What was the difference between private and public theaters?
private theaters were smaller, more expensive, and indoor
