Historical Background
What did Mary I Tudor reintroduce?
What does the term "Renaissance" mean and why was this name chosen for this period?
"Rebirth" in French - revival of classical learning, art, and culture (inspired by a renewed interest in the achievements of ancient Greece and Rome)
Astrophel and Stella explores Renaissance love poetry by doing what?
Demonstrating unfulfilled love (deep human emotion)
Who wrote the beautiful poem "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning" (describing a compass as a symbol of love)...
John Donne
Which Shakespeare play is said to be cursed?
What is John Whycliffe known for?
He translated the Bible to Middle English (because he really hated the Church and wanted to lower its power)
What change had a significant impact on the lower classes during the 16th century?
Enclosures, leaving them deprived
Unlike Astrophel and Stella, Spenser’s Amoretti focuses on what?
A) The philosophical rejection of romantic love
B) A hopeful narrative of love that ends in union
C) Political conflict between lovers of different faiths
B) A hopeful narrative of love that ends in union
Name 3 different important poets of the Renaissance period (besides Shakespeare).
Ben Johnson, John Donne, Edmund Spenser, Thomas Moore, Sir Philip Sidney, Christophe Marlowe (etc)
Which Shakespeare play was inspired by a Roman?
Julius Caesar
Who was the great rival of Queen Elisabeth I?
Mary "Queen of Scots"
Which change in Jacobean society most influenced the shift in literary themes?
Growing urbanisation and/or social mobility
In Renaissance literature, the main distinction between prose and poetry lies in what?
The use of rhythm, form, and figurative language to express complex emotion in poetry.
Elizabethan drama is best characterized by what?
A) Avoidance of emotional depth in favour of spectacle
B) Blending of poetic language, philosophical questions, and theatrical innovation
C) Consistent adherence to religious orthodoxy
Blending of poetic language, philosophical questions, and theatrical innovation
Which Shakespeare play demonstrates the deep philosophical questioning of existence, action, and identity?
Hamlet
Renaissance artists and writers were often united by three aspects.
Focus on individual expression, classical learning, and human potential
Spenser’s The Faerie Queene is notable for its:
A) Sincere portrayal of Catholic spirituality B) Allegorical use of myth and chivalry to convey moral and political ideals
C) Satirical treatment of Queen Elizabeth’s court
B) Allegorical use of myth and chivalry to convey moral and political ideals
Volpone, the story of a rich Venetian, is an example of Renaissance satire because it criticises what?
Critiques greed and moral decay (through exaggerated and symbolic characters)
Defining features of Shakespeare’s writing that reflects Renaissance ideals are..?
A) Focus on conflicts
B) Idealization of monarchy with little critique
C) Complex characters exploring morality, ambition, and identity
C) Complex characters (exploring morality, ambition, and identity)
The Stuart Period was marked by which event?
The Gunpowder Plot
What were the three goods that were imported to England during the 15th century?
A) Tea, spices and rice
B) Tobacco, potatoes and tomatoes
C) Coffee beans, metals and beans
B) Tobacco, potatoes and tomatoes
“The Flea” is a metaphysical poem because of what?
It uses an elaborate and surprising and unusual comparison to make a witty argument
Name 5 differences between poetry and prose.
Form, structure, rhyme scheme, style, rhythm, meaning, purpose
In Sonnet 18, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”, Shakespeare achieves what?
Poetic immortality (using the assertion that poetry preserves beauty beyond death)