We already know that although the Renaissance was a period of awakening, rebirth and discovery in Europe between 1300 and 1600 (14th century to the 17th century), it started late in England.
The Renaissance was characterised by a rise in humanism and individuality in both the thinking and brain produce of the medieval man at the turn of the Renaissance century.
New ideas, new experiences were sought after. There was heightened vigorous thinking leading to new discoveries in all aspects of human life and endeavours. Writers became bold satirizing existing institutions like the church and the state, which had hitherto held sway, and had been the centre of human development. Writers began to find fault with them and mocked them.
During the Elizabethan period, English Literature grew up from the miracle or mystery plays to high imaginative and creative works. Poetic concentration moved from church sermons and religion, to very subjective and analytical matters.
For example, Edmund Spenser wrote something completely subjective in his work, The Epithalamion – which was about his wedding! However, it very much appeals to the senses because of its imageries and high rhythm. He followed with an elegy about the death of his friend, Sir Philip Sidney titled Astophel.
Sidney himself had written a poem to amuse his sister titled Arcadia. So, we see how writers of this age, the Elizabethan or Renaissance age, began to move away from religion and church matters to subjects completely human.
Remember that one of the reasons for the Renaissance was Secular Curiosity. Perhaps medieval man grew weary of hearing sermon after sermon and he began to search for something different outside the church.
We have said here on this column that when the Church could not solve medieval issues such as the Black Death, medieval man began to turn elsewhere for solution – perhaps listen to fellow men, especially people from other lands – carried to and fro in search of trade and commerce from other lands – then the Renaissance began, and begun to spread!
I should add my own thoughts, as a scholar of Holy Scriptures too; it was never the Creator’s plan for created man to have one recreation, and that recreation being church! I believe God wants us to move around and about, to look at the sea to overcome it/conquer the sea – go over it to see the lands beyond it, go into it to discover hidden riches; travel to space, overcome/conquer the air, conquer fire; find out why people behave in certain ways; find out about the physical make up of man – man’s anatomy. Find out about the trees, the leaves, the roots, etc.
The creator wanted man to discover the world, the universe, His creation. Man cannot achieve that holed up in one small place of worship. The church building is actually for worship and nothing else.
Secular curiosity is of God. Being weary of the Church was of God! He wanted man to discover and live in dominion over creation. This much I can see from the Holy Scriptures (Genesis 1:28) – He says, “Let them have dominion over the… (He named them – over the sea, air, land). The Scriptures also say that created man should be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth, subdue it and have dominion over it.
These activities involve science, cultures, arts, engineering, aviation, marine, astronomy, architecture, etc. So, medieval man awoke from slumber and began to look around, to find other interests outside the four walls of the church. He began to ask questions, look around, make researches and began to make great discoveries.
So, the Renaissance was the time of the spring of life orchestrated by the Creator Himself, the Maker of all things! It was the Time on His Timetable for Man to go out and recreate – to discover, to achieve, to look inwards as well as outwards.
George Gascoigne (1535-1577) wrote a poem portraying Queen Elizabeth1 as a deity. He eulogises her as a virgin goddess who ruled over England. Gascoigne wrote The Supposes (the first English comedy in prose), he wrote The Steel Glass, an English satire written in verse, and other works.
Other writers of the Elizabethan Age famous for their writings are: Sir Philip Sidney (1554-1586), Edmund Spenser (1552-1599) – Spenser was called a poet’s poet for the quality of his poetry. His poetry was vast touching every aspect of human life and interests. He has to his credit 89 sonnets under the title Amoretti. Through his most notable work titled The Faery Queen, the Spenserian stanza was introduced into the English Literature. The rhyme scheme of the Spenserian stanza is aba bbc bcc, and it is still in use.
Other notable writers of the Elizabethan Age are: Walter Raleigh (1564-1618); Thomas Morton (1532 – 1584); Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford (1550-1604); Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593); Ben Johnson (1573-1637), and of course the most famous of them all is William Shakespeare!
Let us take a look at three excerpts from three different poems belonging to just three poets from the Elizabethan Era. Note their preoccupation!
The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd
By Sir Walter Raleigh
If all the world and love were young,
And truth in every shepherd’s tongue,
These pretty pleasures might move me
To live with thee and be thy love.
The Passionate Shepherd to His Love
By Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593)
Come live with me and be my love,
And we will all the pleasures prove
That valleys, groves, hills and fields,
Woods or steepy mountain yields
Drink to Me, Only, with Thine Eyes
By Ben Jonson (1573-1637)
Drink to me, only, with thine yes,
And I will pledge with mine;
Or leave a kiss but in the cup,
And I’ll not look for wine.
The thirst that from the soul doth rise
Doth ask a drink divine:
But might I of Jove’s nectars up
I would not change for thine.
