Elizabethan age

Overview
The Elizabethan era is the Tudor period of England's history during the reign of
Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603). Historians often portray it as the golden age in
English history. The symbol of Britannia (a female personification of Great
Britain) was first used in 1572, and often thereafter, to celebrate the Elizabethan
era as the Renaissance that inspired national pride through classical ideals,
international expansion, and naval victory over Spain. Historian John Jay (1988)
says that “England was economically healthier, more expansive, and more
.optimistic under the Tudors” than at any time in a thousand years
This "golden age" marked the height of the English Renaissance and saw the
flowering of poetry, music, and literature. The era is famous for theater, as
William Shakespeare and many others composed plays that broke free from the
old theater style of England. It was an age of exploration and expansion abroad,
while back home, the Protestant Reformation became more acceptable to the
people, certainly after the Spanish fleet was repulsed. It was also the end of the
period when England was a separate kingdom before the royal union with
.Scotland
The Elizabethan era contrasts sharply with earlier and later eras. It was a brief
period of internal peace between the English Reformation and religious battles
between Protestants and Catholics, and then political battles between Parliament
and the monarchy that engulfed the remainder of the seventeenth century. The
Protestant/Catholic divide was settled, for a time, by the Elizabethan religious
settlement, and Parliament was not strong enough to challenge the absolute
.monarchy
England was also in a good position compared to other countries in Europe. The
Italian Renaissance ended under Spanish domination of the peninsula. France
was embroiled in its own religious battles which were (temporarily) settled in
1598 through a Protestant policy of tolerance with the Edict of Nantes. Partly
because of this, but also because the English were driven from their last positions
on the continent by Spanish forces, the centuries-old conflict between France and
England was largely put on hold for most of Elizabeth's reign
The great rival is Spain, with which England in both Europe and the Americas
engaged in skirmishes that erupted in the Anglo-Spanish War of 1585-1604. An
attempt by Philip II of Spain to invade England with the Spanish fleet in 1588
failed, but the tide of war turned against England with a failed trip to Portugal
and the Azores, and the Drake Norris expedition of 1589. Some support for Irish
Catholics in the exhausted rebellion against English rule, naval and land forces
The Spanish inflicted a series of setbacks against the English attacks. This
drained both the English treasury and the economy which was carefully restored
under Elizabeth's wise directions. English commercial and territorial expansion
would be limited until the signing of the Treaty of London in the year following
.Elizabeth's death
England during this period had a well-organized and effective central
government, largely as a result of the reforms of Henry VII and Henry VIII, as
well as Elizabeth's harsh punishments on any opponents. Economically, the
country began to benefit greatly from a new era of transatlantic trade and the
.constant theft of Spanish treasure
A style found in British craftsmanship and decoration during the reign of
Elizabeth I (1558-1603). The Renaissance style was introduced to Britain since
Henry VIII by inviting H. Holbein (a child) as a court painter to paint portraits
and works of sculptors and craftsmen who had emigrated from Italy. However,
there was a strong adherence to the Gothic style in Britain and it was often used
alongside. The increase and stability of national power during the Elizabethan
dynasty led to the emergence of confident and luxurious furniture and furniture.
In particular, the furniture was made mainly of oak and designed with parquet in
combination with other shades of wood. In addition, along with the fashion for
Fersingale's large and extended skirt, a chair with a seat with a trapezoidal front
side (Actuary) was created. The bed also features a four-poster canopy style, and
is decorated with elaborate carvings that mix Gothic and daytime motifs such as
myths and fairy tales. Furniture legs have become popular with torsion shaft and
spherical decoration called cup and lid or watermelon shape with lid. In
particular, silverware reached a high level at this time, and exquisite objects were
made using relief, engraving, plating, and inlaying precious stones. Many designs
are based on the import of design drawings through copper engravings such as
German Sores Virgil Solis (1514-62) and Flemish Browser Hans Brossard (1500-
54). The pattern was also designed, especially with lids and salty mugs, many of
which were inspired by original ideas and merchandise imported from the East.
There was nothing splendid about glassware and pottery, and luxury goods were
imported from Italian glass, German furniture, and Chinese and Persian
.porcelain
Strictly speaking, it refers to the reign of Queen Elizabeth (I) (1558-1603), but is
usually divided into literary history by James I (1603-25) and Charles I (1625-
1649). The heyday of the British Renaissance, including the era. This period was
a period of transition from the medieval feudal system to the modern centralized
state system, and the court became the center of culture along with power. On the
other hand, the rise of the bourgeois city due to the rise of capitalism the life of
the citizens was vibrant. The relationship between the court and the citizens,
which was relatively intimate during the life of the queen, gradually increased in
intensity for religious and domestic reasons in the seventeenth century, and
finally the intense armed conflict between royalists and parliamentarians.
Subsequently, the execution of Charles I by the latter (1649) and the emergence
of a republic with Cromwell as leader. However, what led to the literary arts
flourishing in this era was the combination of the energy of the court and the
public. At the same time, it cannot be overlooked that the flexible and fluid
Modern English was an excellent medium for expressing a strong vitality and
poetic imagination. From the point of view of the ebb and flow, although the
Christian humanist tradition still prevailed, the doubts that began to appear at the
turn of the century also took their toll on literature, and in the end, the whole age
was erroneous and the color would deepen. In prose, along with many religious
works, historical collections and travel records, translations of classics such as
Homer and Plutarcos are effectively executed, while publications depict various
aspects of real society, nature and life. There have been many philosophical
implications for these problems. In addition, the wonderfully written love story of
John Lilly, Euphuism, and Philip's romance, Arcadia, was the first British novel,
along with the King James Bible, published in 1611. It holds a special place in
the history of literature. In the field of poetry, Edmund Spencer's long poem
"Queen Shines" is known for its pictorial depiction and musical beauty, but short
lyrics of various poetic forms including a sonnet were also popular. Entering the
17th century, so-called <metaphysical poetry> became popular, and John Dunn's
poetry, which he represented, had a major influence on the modern poetry
.movement in the early 20th century
In the field of theater, the first permanent theater was opened in London in 1576,
theaters were built one after another, and many theater companies were organized
with royal and noble patrons. Among the university-qualified (university)
playwrights who played a leading role in the 1980s, the Renaissance took full
advantage of the rhythm and poetry of powerful drama and the founder of the
especially significant Noble Playground Comedy, Christopher Marlowe, who
wrote a tragedy on the subject of intellectual desire. Shakespeare succeeded them
and brought the Elizabethan drama to an end. It is no exaggeration to say that all
the potential of theater as a language and performing arts was tested and
flourished in the complex process of the writer's evolution from the drama of
early history to the later romantic drama. For the same playwrights or later, Ben
Johnson, who established a satirical comic model, Thomas Decker, who created
much melodrama against the backdrop of London folklore, and strong poetic
expression there John Webster, who created a bloody tragedy, Thomas
Middleton, the cold-hearted observer of humanity, and John Ford, who
aesthetically pursued the purified glow of emotions. Their work has been shown
in 10 theatres, sometimes overwhelmed by changing audience preference and
popularity, but theaters in London closed in 1642 after the Protestant Revolution.
The Elizabethan drama closed the curtain. Apart from these popular theatrical
plays, mask plays in courts and aristocratic palaces often cannot be ignored as
.another theatrical genre completed in this period
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ELIZABETHAN - SHAKESPEAREAN
AGE
The greatest age in the history of English Literature. Yes, you heard it right- I am
;talking about the great Elizabethan age; also known as
The Golden Age of England
The Renaissance
The Shakespearean Age
The 1st great age of Drama & the 2nd great age of Poetry
Elizabethan age was remarkable for its religious tolerance, strong national spirit,
patriotism, social content, intellectual progress & unbounded enthusiasm.
Incredible thoughts, feelings & vigorous actions were the pillar of this age. It
flowers extraordinary development of drama. Equally, it is an age of poetry. The
Elizabethan period was the period of glory and triumph in the life and literature
of the English people
Literary Features of the Elizabethan Age
Popularity of Poetry_1
Though the poetical production was not quite equal to the dramatic, Poetry
enjoyed its hey-day during the Elizabethan age. It was nevertheless of great and
original beauty. Poetic fervor had bagged the entire age
Lyrics, songs, & sonnets were produced in huge amount. England became the
nest of the singing birds. There were notable improvements in versification
Spenser introduced pictorials and melody into poetry. Elizabethan poetries were
extraordinary because of its freshness, distinct variety, youth as well as romantic
feeling. This age saw the flowering of poetry
Era of Sonnet
Sonnet was popularized in this period. It was introduced by Thomas Wyatt early
in the 16th century. He introduced Petrarchan sonnet. Shakespeare made changes
to the Italian model and introduced his own style, now known as the English
Sonnet or Shakespearean Sonnet
Shakespeare wrote over 100 sonnets that were different from Petrarchan sonnets
Prose_2
For the first time in the history of English literature, prose was of first-rate
importance .The heavy burden of the Latin was disappearing while English prose
gained a tradition & universal application. Rapid development during this period
was almost inevitable
Emergence of Renaissance_3
In the Elizabethan age, there were two potent forces- the Renaissance and the
Reformation. Both the forces blended and co-operated each other. These two
.movements produced a great uplifting of the spirit
The word “renaissance” is originated from the Latin word “basic” which means
“Be Born” Renaissance was the time of great improvement of art, literature, and
learning in Europe. The Renaissance Age began in the 14th century and extended
.till the 17th century
The Renaissance-inspired the aesthetic and intellect potential whereas the
.reformation aroused the spiritual nature
New Classicism_4
The new passion for classical learning was a rich and worthy enthusiasm. It
became a danger to the language. In all branches of literature, Greek and Latin
usages began to force themselves upon English, which was not totally beneficial.
English language gave away its native sturdiness and allowed itself to be
.tempered and polished by the new influences
Development of Drama_5
Drama, during the Elizabethan age, made a rapid & glorious leap into maturity.
The drama was perfectly molded in the hands of Shakespeare & Ben Jonson
perfectly developed drama. Although, it had many early difficulties to overcome.
Because of the disturbances caused by the actors, the theatres were closed
between 1590 – 1593. In 1594, the problems were solved by the licensing of two
;troupes of players

The Lord of Chamberlain’s (among whom was Shakespeare

The Lord Admiral
Another early difficulty the drama had to face was its fondness for taking part in
the quarrels of the time. For example “Mar prelate Controversy” Owning to this
meddling, the theatres were closed in 1589. Already, also a considerable amount
of Puritan opposition was declaring itself. The most important ant dramatic book
of that time was Gossoon's “School of Abuse” to which Sidney replied with his
"Apology for Poetry
Abundance of Output_6
During the Elizabethan Age, the historical situation encouraged a rich & healthy
production of the literature of all kinds. A lot of interest was shown in literary
subjects. Treaties and pamphlets were written freely uplifting the quality of the
literary output. Much abuse; of a personal and scurrilous character that were
.indulged in literary questions became almost of national importance
New Romanticism_7
Elizabethan romantic quest is, for the magnificent & the beautiful. Elizabethan
age is the first & the greatest period of romanticism. All these kind of desires
were amply fulfilled by this age
)According to Albert(
there was a daring & resolute spirit of adventure in literary as well as the other “
regions, & most important of these was an un-mistakable buoyancy & freshness
in the strong wind of the spirit. It was the ardent youth of English Literature &
.the achievement was worthy of it
Translations in Elizabethan Age_8
The Elizabethan age observed several important foreign books translation in the
English language. By 1579, many of the great books of ancient & modern times
had been translated into English, almost all of them by 1603; the end of Queen
.Elizabeth’s reign
Just like the original works, the translations also gained popularity
Plutarch's Lives translation by Sir Thomas North
Montaigne's Essays translation by John Florio
Poetical translations were also much popular
E.g. Arthur Golding translated Metamorphoses
Sir John Harrington translated Aristotle’s Orlando Furious
Richard Carew translated Tasso’s Jerusalem Libertad
Spirit of Independence_9
Even though the writers borrowed literature from abroad, this age depicted an
unbound spirit of independence & creativeness. Shakespeare openly borrowed
literature, but with his splendid creative imaginations, he transformed everything
into gold. ‘Spenserian Stanza’ was introduced by Spenser. We gained the
impression of creativity & boldness from his works. Inventiveness and intrepidity
was his masterstroke. In short, during this age, the writers’ outlook was broad &
independent
Scottish Literature_10.
A curious minor feature of the age was the disappearance of the Scottish
Literature after its brief but remarkable appearance in the previous age. At this
point, it took to the ground and did not appear till late in the 18th century
CONCLUSION
Such were some of the conditions which combined to create the spirit of “
Shakespeare’s age – An age in which men lived intensely, thought intensely and
"wrote intensely