What is Renaissance?

            Renaissance means 'Revival' or 'Re-Birth' of Greek learning, art, literature and Culture of the middle ages in Europe. In England it came through Italy and flourished in the Elizabethan Age in the works of Shakespeare, Spenser, Marlowe and Ben Jonson.

         Had nothing occurred to change literature in the 15th century but the Renaissance, the break with medieval approaches would have been clear enough. The 15th century, however, also brought Johann Gutenberg and his invention of the printing press, an innovation that would change literature forever texts were no longer precious and expensive to produce they could be cheaply and rapidly put in to the marketplace. Literary went from the prized possession of the select few to a much broader section of the population. As a result, much about literature in Europe was radically altered in the two centuries following Gutenberg's unveiling of the printing press in 1455.

            William Caxton was the first English printer and published English language texts including Le Morte d' Arthur (a collection of oral tales of the Arthurian knights which is a forerunner of the novel) and Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. These are in indication of future directions in literature. With the arrival of the printing press a process begins in which folk yarns and legends are collected within a frame story and then mass published.

            In the Renaissance, the focus on learning for learning's sake causes an outpouring of literature. Petrarch popularized the sonnet as a poetic form; Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron made romance acceptable in prose as well as poetry; Francois Rabelais rejuvenates satire with Gargantuan and Pantagrael; Michel de Montaigne single headedly invented the essay and used it to catalog his life and ideas perhaps the most controversial and important work of the time period was a treatise printed in Nuremberg, entitled De Revolution bus erbium celestial in it the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus removed the Earth from its privileged position in the universe, which had far reaching effects, not only in science, but in literature, hierarchy and truth.        

Introduction

                Elizabethan Age is generally regarded as the greatest Age in the History of English Literature W . J . Long writes about this period,

            "After the reigns, if Edward, and Mary, with defeat and humiliation abroad and persecutions and rebellion at home, the occasion of popular sovereign was like the sunrise after long night."

In the words of Milton we suddenly see England

            " A Nobel and pleasant nation, rousing herself, like a strong man after sleep and shaking her         invincible locks."

               This period is known as the Renaissance, Denotes its broadest sense and the gradual enlighten of human mind after the darkness of the Middle Ages.

According to Taine,

            "Men so long blinded , had suddenly opened his eyes and seen."

            Renaissance had its birth in Italy and Italian scholars spread it all over Europe, Germane, France and England. In England the Elizabethan period was the manhood of the Renaissance which produced geniuses like Shakespeare, Marlowe, Spenser, Sidney and Ben Jonson.

Factors Responsible for Renaissance :

Religious Tolerance :

            The most important characteristics of the Age was the comparative Religious tolerance which was due largely to Queen's influence upon her occasion. Elizabeth found the hole kingdom divided against its self the North was largely Catholic, while Southern country were the followers of Protestant. The Queen Elizabeth favored both the religious party and would saw with Amazement catholic and protestant. Acting together as trusted canceler of great sovereign.

Social Contentment :

            It was an Age of comparative social Contentment in strong contrast to the previous period increasing trade brought enormous wealth to England. The improvement in living, the opportunities for labor the new social contents this are also the factors which help for. The new literary activity during the new Elizabethan Age.

Age of Adventure :

            The Renaissance and the new learning had lead to a spirit of Adventure. This spirit was given freedom by the political peace and unity.

            "Adventure of the mind lead to splendid literature, music and art. Adventure's of the body            resulted in the exploration of the ocean's and the discovery of far lands"

Revival of Learning :

            The scholars from Italy brought with them books of great Greek and Latin writers. The young students of Oxford and Cambridge Universities studied the great work of literature. A new wave of learning swept the whole of England. The invention of printing press helped in making the books available to the middle class people of  England. The study of classical Authors became a passion for the people of England.

Humanism and Reformation :

            The re discovery and re interpretation of antiquity gave birth to a new culture that of Humanism. The Humanist started taking interest in classic literature. The Reformation work which began in the time of Henry 7 reached to its culmination during the Elizabethan Age the literature of this period reflected the social and political reformation Thomas Moore's 'Utopia', Bacon's 'The New Attants' and his essay and Spenser's 'The Faerie Queen' all suggest reformation.

Nation Spirit and Patriotism :

Taine's rides in his History of England

                        "The soul Elizabeth's England was its national spirits." 

            Men were no equal but they were free Men of different social groups and even men of different religious opinions work willing to come together in order to defend freedom against the threats from inside and outside country. The defeat of the Spanish 'Arcadia' brought about the revival of Nationalistic and patriotic feeling among the people of this time.