Thinking Activity 2 - Renaissance Literature

Hello Readers !

Literature, in many ways provokes us to think critically. Questions, which arise in our mind, set us to start a thoughtful quest and they never let us rest. In Renaissance period of literature, the same quest begins for the search of knowledge, and very interesting answers are also found. As a student of literature, this thinking activity enables me to compare and contrast the two ages of English literature. This is an academic task given by Dr. Dilip Barad.

• Write in brief about Edmund Spencer or Ben Jonson or Francis Bacon or on any one of their works.

Ben Jonson (1573? - 1637)

Ben Johnson was an English dramatist and poet who enjoyed his literary space for twenty-five years in London. Known for his ability and great learning, he stood like a rock against his contemporaries. He wanted to restore the classic form of drama, but he couldn't. On the other hand his great work and influence lived longer and became classicism of the 18th century.

Ben Jonson's first comedy, Every Man in His Humour, is the key to all his dramas and comedies. He has the ability to highlight a particular qualities of a character, that all the other qualities lose their importance. This kind of style is also used by Charles Dickens in his many novels. Ben Jonson exaggerates the humor just like a cartoonist makes a humorous picture of any person and makes some features remarkable by drawing them extra big or large.

• Can we differentiate general characteristics of Renaissance literature with that of Reformation / Restoration or Neo-classical or Romantic or Victorian or Modern literature?

At first, let's go through some of the main characteristics of the

Renaissance literature.

(1) The Renaissance Literature has very deep connection with the age of Elizabeth. About this age, it is said by Milton "a noble puissant nation, rousing herself, like a strong man after sleep, and shaking her invincible locks." The queen Elizabeth gave full freedom to create and pursue for new things. This age was the witness of Religious Tolerance. The queen decided to unite all the religions and break all the false ideals. Under the queen's reign, Spanish Armada was defeated and the event brought much more patriotism and enthusiasm to do many explorations and quest for finding new things was started. 

(2) It was an age of social-contentment. The increase of manufacturing town gave the contentment to the people and labor who have had been idle for longer time. Trade with other countries was started and it brought enormous wealth to England.

(3) Exploring new things was the key characteristic feature of the age. Drake explores the world, and the young philosopher Francis Bacon said, "I have taken all knowledge for my province". Some literary work like Collection of Voyages, Purchas, His Pilgrimage, were produced. Explorers found many new places and lands which were wealthier than ever. Marston writes in Eastward Ho! "Why, man, all their dripping pans are pure gold. The prisoners they take are fettered in gold; and as for rubies and diamonds, they goe forth on holydayes and gather 'hem by the seashore to hang on their children's coates." New Earth was revealed by new explores - Cabot, Drake, Frobisher, Gilbert, Raleigh, Willoughby, Hawkins.

(4) All the characteristics found reflection in Drama. Corneille, Racine, and Moliere, brought drama to France. Christopher Marlowe, Shakespeare and Jonson carried forward the genre.

Restoration Age and it's literature

French Influence played a vital role in producing certain kind of literature in Restoration period. After the Revolution of 1688, many French writers like Pascal, Bossuet, Malherbe, Racine brought forward new literature. But when one has to take something as a model, he selects virtues but not vices. But, writes of England adapted and copied the vices of French comedy. Poems written by Rochester, plays of Dryden, Wycherley, Congreve, Vanbrugh and Frquhar, are now mostly unreadable.

Many new Tendencies also came into existence like Realism and formalism. Writes of this period have painted realistic pictures of the corrupt court and society. Restoration writers opposed the style of long Latin quotes, and filtered the unnecessary words and descriptions from the text, and made very short, clean-cut literary work.

Citation

Long, W. J., English Literature - It's History and It's Significance for the Life of the English Speaking World (2015)