1. The English Renaissance

2. The Coming of the Renaissance
The Renaissance was a flowering of literary, artistic and intellectual development that began in 14th century Italy
Concern with the afterlife gave way to humans’ purpose on earth.
Universities had a new curriculum called the humanities.
Population became more literate because of the printing press.
More authors started writing in the vernacular and English became more standardized.

3. The Italian Renaissance’s Influence
Dante Alighieri – author of The Divine Comedy and influence on English literature
Francesco Petrarca – poet who made the 14-line sonnet famous, which Shakespeare later modified
Leonardo DaVinci – painter, sculptor, engineer, architect and scientist who still influences contemporary ideas; a Renaissance man

4. Age of Exploration
The development of the compass and advances in astronomy led to more exploration.
John Cabot reached Newfoundland.

5. The Protestant Reformation
A rise in nationalism led to many questioning the authority of the Roman Catholic Church.
Indulgences for sins often went into the pockets of corrupt church officials.
Required payments to the church became viewed as taxation.
Some believed church leaders showed favoritism to the Mediterranean states.
Independent thinking by scholars led to questioning of the church teachings and hierarchy.

6. Martin Luther & Protestantism
A German monk named Martin Luther posted his Ninety-five Theses on the door of a German church.
These dissenting beliefs led to a split in the church and became the foundation of the Protestant faith, although Martin Luther wanted his ideas to lead to reform within the church.
Lutherans (based in Germany) and Calvinists (based in Switzerland and England) are a result of the split caused by the Protestant Reformation.

7. Tudor Dynasty
Henry VII ended the War of the Roses and brought economic stability and law and order back to England.
Although Henry was to be succeeded by his oldest son Arthur, Arthur died and Henry VII’s second son became known as Henry VIII.
Henry VIII was a devout Roman Catholic and wrote a book condemning Martin Luther. For his efforts, the Pope gave Henry VIII the title “Defender of the Faith”.

8. Henry VIII & the Church
Henry VIII married his brother Arthur’s widow. His wife Catherine of Aragon was Spanish royalty.
After many years of marriage and only one living child, a daughter Mary, Henry feared for the country with a female on the throne.
Once Henry became enamored of Anne Boleyn, he asked the Roman Catholic Church for an annulment, saying he was married to his “sister” because Catherine was married to Arthur first. He also claimed the incestuous nature of the relationship was why God had not blessed the union with a surviving male child.

9. Henry VIII & His Wives
Catherine of Aragon – marriage produced one child Mary; Henry started the Anglican church and divorced Catherine
Anne Boleyn – marriage produced a daughter Elizabeth; Henry grew weary of Anne and accused her of treason (incest with her brother and adultery); beheaded
Jane Seymour – marriage produced a son Edward; Jane died from complication after childbirth
Anne of Cleves – German princess ; Henry divorced her because of incompatibility
Catherine Howard – young bride who committed treason through adultery; cousin of Anne Boleyn; beheaded
Catherine Parr – outlived Henry but helped repair his relationship with his daughters; almost tried for treason

10. Church of England
Catherine used the influence of her family to persuade the Pope not to grant a divorce.
Once Anne Boleyn became pregnant, Henry VIII created the Protestant Church of England and seized all the Roman Catholic Church’s land and funds.
He executed friends and advisors who did not support his conversion to the Protestant church.
The king (Henry VIII) became head of the Church of England.
Divorce is allowed in the Church of England.

11. Edward VI & Mary I
Edward VI became king at the age of nine. His uncle mostly ruled England, and during this time the Church of England became more entrenched, establishing The Book of Common Prayer. Church rituals also started to be performed in English, not Latin.
When Edward died at the age of fifteen, his sister Mary became queen. She married her cousin Phillip II of Spain and hoped to produce an heir to prevent her sister Elizabeth from becoming queen. She restored the Catholic church in England, persecuted those who would not convert, and lost public support because of her marriage and changes to the church.

12. Elizabeth I
Elizabeth became queen after Mary I and guided England through one of its most prosperous periods.
Well educated and perspicacious, she re-established the Church of England but allowed religious moderation for a time.
She kept England at peace for many years by dangling offers of marriage to possible enemies.
She encouraged the arts and composed and wrote poetry and songs also.

13. The Spanish Armada (1588)
Many Catholics considered Mary, Queen of Scots, as the rightful heir to the British throne.
After running from her own countrymen, Mary sought refuge in Elizabeth’s kingdom.
Mary was prisoner there for nineteen years and allegedly part of many plots to overthrow Elizabeth.
Eventually, Parliament insisted upon Mary’s execution.
Her execution caused Catholic Spain to declare war on England.
A storm and England’s smaller swifter boats handed the Spanish Armada defeat after an eight-day battle, establishing England as a great sea power.

14. King James VI
The Tudor Dynasty ended in 1603 when Elizabeth I died. James Stuart, son of Mary, Queen of Scots, became king, uniting the kingdoms of Scotland and England.
James sowed the seed of war though.
He believed kings ruled by divine right and would not listen to Parliament. They quarreled over taxes and wars.
He persecuted Puritans, which led to the Puritans migrating to America.

15. Elizabethan Poetry
Possibly most significant area of literary development during this period
Phillip Sidney- Astrophel and Stella, series of sonnets that make a story
Edmund Spenser – The Faerie Queene, epic poem dedicated to Queen Elizabeth
Christopher Marlowe – “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love”
William Shakespeare – established the Shakespearean sonnet by altering Petrarchan sonnet

16. Elizabethan Drama
Most plays written in verse, usually blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter)
Many poets were playwrights.
Christopher Marlowe – Tamburlaine the Great and The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus
William Shakespeare – The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet

17. English Prose
English prose still had a Latin flavor so it was not as popular.
Phillip Sidney – Defence of Poesie
Sir Walter Raleigh – History of the World
The King James version of the Bible