UNIVERSITY OF CAGAYAN VALLEY

Tuguegarao City, Cagayan

SCHOOL OF LIBERAL ARTS AND TEACHER EDUCATION

Name of Student: ____________________________________________________Year/Section: _______________

Subject: ______________________________________________________________ Instructor: _________________

MODULE 3
RENAISSANCE PERIOD

Overview/Introduction

The Renaissance was a fervent period of European cultural, artistic, political and
economic “rebirth” following the Middle Ages described as taking place from the 14th
century to the 17th century, the Renaissance promoted the rediscovery of classical
philosophy, literature and art. Some of the greatest thinkers, authors, statesmen,
scientists and artists in human history thrived during this era, while global exploration
opened up new lands and cultures to European commerce. The Renaissance is credited
with bridging the gap between the Middle Ages and modern-day civilization.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the module, the students are expected to:
1) Compare and contrast the moods and tones of the three famous sonnets of
Shakespeare;
2) Analyze the metaphorical language and the poem;
3) Present the poem through a choral rendition; and
4) Dramatize the theme of the poems.

Learning Objectives
At the end of the module, the learners will be able to:
1. Respond with understanding to texts of different styles during the
Renaissance period;
2. Demonstrate knowledge of the contexts in which literary works are written
and understood; and
3. Communicate clearly the knowledge, understanding and insight appropriate
to literary study.

1|Survey of English American Literature (Midterm Module)

 II. LECTURE/ KEY POINTS
I. The Renaissance Period

Renaissance is a French word that means rebirth. It is the revival of art and
literature under the influence of classical models in the 14th–16th centuries.

THE PLAGUE

On the domestic front, times were also hard. The Black Death, which reached
England in 1348, killed nearly half the population. Followed by a lesser epidemics during
the next 50 years, it had reduced Britain’s population from 4 million to 2 million by the
end of the century.

HUMANISM

During the 14th century, a cultural movement called humanism began to gain
momentum in Italy. Among its many principles, humanism promoted the idea that man
was the center of his own universe, and people should embrace human achievements in
education, classical arts, literature and science.

In 1450, the invention of the Gutenberg printing press allowed for improved
communication throughout Europe and for ideas to spread more quickly.

As a result of this advance in communication, little-known texts from early humanist

authors such as those by Francesco Petrarch and Giovanni Boccaccio, which promoted
the renewal of traditional Greek and Roman culture and values, were printed and
distributed to the masses.

Additionally, many scholars believe advances in international finance and trade

impacted culture in Europe and set the stage for the Renaissance.

MEDICI FAMILY

The Renaissance started in Florence, Italy, a place with a rich cultural history where
wealthy citizens could afford to support budding artists. Members of the
powerful Medici family, which ruled Florence for more than 60 years, were famous
backers of the movement.

2|Survey of English American Literature (Midterm Module)

Great Italian writers, artists, politicians and others declared that they were participating
in an intellectual and artistic revolution that would be much different from what they
experienced during the Dark Ages.

The movement first expanded to other Italian city-states, such as Venice, Milan,
Bologna, Ferrara and Rome. Then, during the 15th century, Renaissance ideas spread
from Italy to France and then throughout western and northern Europe.

Although other European countries experienced their Renaissance later than Italy, the
impacts were still revolutionary.

RENAISSANCE GENIUSES

Some of the most famous and groundbreaking Renaissance intellectuals,

artists, scientists and writers include the likes of:

 Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519): Italian painter, architect, inventor, and

“Renaissance man” responsible for painting “The Mona Lisa” and “The Last
Supper.
 Desiderius Erasmus (1466–1536): Scholar from Holland who defined the
humanist movement in Northern Europe. Translator of the New Testament into
Greek.
 Rene Descartes (1596–1650): French philosopher and mathematician regarded
as the father of modern philosophy. Famous for stating, “I think; therefore I
am.”
 Galileo (1564-1642): Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer whose
pioneering work with telescopes enabled him to describes the moons of Jupiter
and rings of Saturn. Placed under house arrest for his views of a heliocentric
universe.
 Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543): Mathematician and astronomer who made
first modern scientific argument for the concept of a heliocentric solar system.
 Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679): English philosopher and author of “Leviathan.”
 Geoffrey Chaucer (1343–1400): English poet and author of “The Canterbury
Tales.”
 Giotto (1266-1337): Italian painter and architect whose more realistic depictions
of human emotions influenced generations of artists. Best known for his frescoes
in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua.
 Dante (1265–1321): Italian philosopher, poet, writer and political thinker who
authored “The Divine Comedy.”
 Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527): Italian diplomat and philosopher famous for
writing “The Prince” and “The Discourses on Livy.”
3|Survey of English American Literature (Midterm Module)
  Titian (1488–1576): Italian painter celebrated for his portraits of Pope Paul III
and Charles I and his later religious and mythical paintings like “Venus and
Adonis” and "Metamorphoses."
 William Tyndale (1494–1536): English biblical translator, humanist and scholar
burned at the stake for translating the Bible into English.
 William Byrd (1539/40–1623): English composer known for his development of
the English madrigal and his religious organ music.
 John Milton (1608–1674): English poet and historian who wrote the epic poem
“Paradise Lost.”
 William Shakespeare (1564–1616): England’s “national poet” and the most
famous playwright of all time, celebrated for his sonnets and plays like “Romeo
and Juliet.”
 Donatello (1386–1466): Italian sculptor celebrated for lifelike sculptures like
“David,” commissioned by the Medici family.
 Sandro Botticelli (1445–1510): Italian painter of “Birth of Venus.”
 Raphael (1483–1520): Italian painter who learned from da Vinci and
Michelangelo. Best known for his paintings of the Madonna and “The School of
Athens.”
 Michelangelo (1475–1564): Italian sculptor, painter, and architect who carved
“David” and painted The Sistine Chapel in Rome.

Some of the most famous artistic works that were produced during the Renaissance
include:
 The Mona Lisa (Da Vinci)
 The Last Supper (Da Vinci)
 Statue of David (Michelangelo)
 The Birth of Venus (Botticelli)
 The Creation of Adam (Michelangelo)

THE GOLDEN AGE

Under Elizabeth 1, Britain ruled the waves and produced great literature. But the power
began to shift from the monarch to the politicians.

The Elizabethan Age has a swashbuckling ring to it: the Virgin Queen and her dashing
courtiers, the defeat of the Spanish Armada, and the exploits of the “sea dogs”,
Frobisher and Hawkins. Sir Walter Raleigh brought tobacco back from Virginia; Sir
Francis Drake circumnavigated the world. Poetry, play and pageants were the thig, and
accompanied the Queen on her tours of the country.

4|Survey of English American Literature (Midterm Module)

 II. SONNETS and WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

William Shakespeare

All the world's a stage

And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts.
— AS YOU LIKE IT, ACT 2 SCENE 7

5|Survey of English American Literature (Midterm Module)

William Shakespeare was a renowned English poet, playwright, and actor born in
1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. His birthday is most commonly celebrated on 23 April (see
When was Shakespeare born), which is also believed to be the date he died in 1616.

Shakespeare was a prolific writer during the Elizabethan and Jacobean ages of British
theatre (sometimes called the English Renaissance or the Early Modern Period).
Shakespeare’s plays are perhaps his most enduring legacy, but they are not all he wrote.
Shakespeare’s poems also remain popular to this day.

Shakespeare's Work

Shakespeare's works include 38 plays, 2 narrative poems, 154 sonnets, and a variety of
other poems. No original manuscripts of Shakespeare's plays are known to exist today.
It is actually thanks to a group of actors from Shakespeare's company that we have
about half of the plays at all. They collected them for publication after Shakespeare died,
preserving the plays. These writings were brought together in what is known as the
First Folio ('Folio' refers to the size of the paper used). It contained 36 of his plays, but
none of his poetry.

Shakespeare’s legacy is as rich and diverse as his work; his plays have spawned
countless adaptations across multiple genres and cultures. His plays have had an
enduring presence on stage and film. His writings have been compiled in various
iterations of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, which include all of his plays,
sonnets, and other poems. William Shakespeare continues to be one of the most
important literary figures of the English language.

Shakespeare's Life

John Shakespeare married Mary Arden, and together they had eight children. John and
Mary lost two daughters as infants, so William became their eldest child. John
Shakespeare worked as a glove-maker, but he also became an important figure in the
town of Stratford by fulfilling civic positions. His elevated status meant that he was
even more likely to have sent his children, including Shakespeare, to the local grammar
school.
John was awarded a coat of arms, now displayed on the monument above the
Shakespeare grave in Holy Trinity Church. Versions of the Shakespeare coat of arms
can also be seen on Shakespeare’s Birthplace, outside of the Shakespeare Centre, and
above the entrance to Shakespeare’s New Place.

William Shakespeare would have lived with his family in their house on Henley Street
until he turned eighteen. When he was eighteen, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway,
6|Survey of English American Literature (Midterm Module)
who was twenty-six. It was a rushed marriage because Anne was already pregnant at
the time of the ceremony. Together they had three children. Their first daughter,
Susanna, was born six months after the wedding and was later followed by twins
Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet died when he was just 11 years old.

Shakespeare in London

Shakespeare's career jump-started in London. When did he go there? We do know

Shakespeare's twins were baptized in 1585, and Shakespeare established his reputation
in London by 1592. But the intervening years are considered a mystery. Scholars
generally refer to these years as ‘The Lost Years’.

During his time in London, Shakespeare became a founding member of The Lord
Chamberlain’s Men, a company of actors. The company would later become The King’s
Men under the patronage of King James I (from 1603). During his time in the company
Shakespeare wrote many of his most famous tragedies, such as King Lear and Macbeth,
as well as great romances, like The Winter’s Tale and The Tempest.

SONNETS

Sonnets are poems of expressive ideas or thoughts that can take a number of different
forms, but always have two things in common.

1. All sonnets have fourteen lines

The fourteen lines of a sonnet are made up of one of a number of different

rhyme patterns. For example, a sonnet can be divided into two sections, each section
having its own rhyme pattern. This could be an eight-line section (called
an octet), followed by a six-line section (called a sestet) – the form used by the Italian
poet, Petrarch, the most famous sonnet writer apart from Shakespeare. It’s known as
the Petrarchan Sonnet or the Italian Sonnet.
Sonnet can also be divided into three four-line sections (called quatrains),
followed by a two-line section (called a couplet). This is the form Shakespeare used and
the form has become known as the Shakespearean Sonnet or the Elizabethan Sonnet.

2. All sonnets are written in iambic pentameter

Iambic pentameter refers to the structure of the line. Iambic refers to the
name of the foot, which is composed of a weaker syllable followed by an accented
syllable. For example, the word away has two syllables with a weak stress on the first,
7|Survey of English American Literature (Midterm Module)
‘a’, and a strong stress on the second, ‘way’. The word constitutes a foot or an iambus.
Pentameter simply refers to the number of feet, in the case of the sonnet, five. All
sonnets use iambic pentameter, and almost all the lines in Shakespeare’s plays are
written in iambic pentameter as well.

The rhyming pattern of a Shakespearean sonnet

The Shakespearean sonnet expresses a single idea, but the division into three
quatrains and one couplet allows the poet to switch the focus, dealing with a different
aspect of the idea in each section. In a Shakespearean sonnet the quatrain patterns
look like this: ABAB CDCD EFEF and the couplet is GG. All the words ending the lines
with the same letter rhyme with each other. All Shakespearean sonnets follow this
pattern.
Here is Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 where he writes about love:
First Quatrain
Let me not to the marriage of true minds -A
Admit impediments. Love is not love – B
Which alters when it alteration finds, – A
Or bends with the remover to remove: – B

Second Quatrain
Oh, no! it is an ever-fixéd mark, – C
That looks on tempests and is never shaken; D
It is the star to every wandering bark, -C
Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken. – D
Third Quatrain
Love’s not time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks – E
Within his bending sickle’s compass come’ – F
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, – E
But bears it out even to the edge of doom. – F
Couplet
If this be error and upon me proved, – G
I never writ, nor no man ever loved. – G

8|Survey of English American Literature (Midterm Module)