17thB-Non-Poetry+Movements

The Renaissance in Europe (and England in particular) lasted from between 1500 and 1660. In the early 17th century, England contained many willing explorers like [|Sir Walter Raleigh]who were willing to make the journey to the New World and attempt to colonize. Creativity and energy was much more abundant during this time than it had been in the Middle Ages. The mindset and ideas of English citizens can be seen through their writings and plays. This time period (between 1600-1660) led up to the [|Age of Reason].
 * Non-Poetry Movements of Britain in the Early 17th Century **

Plays dominated the era of literature between 1600 and 1660. The most popular playwright of all time, [|William Shakespeare], was performing primarily at the Globe Theatre in London. When he died, his works continued to run by other talented actors. Players other than Shakespeare performed comedies and tragedies all across the countryside for anyone who would spare a few coins to watch. Many of the motifs that they focused on include revenge, corruption, and deception.

Shakespeare was born in 1564 and died 1616. He was the third child to John and Mary Shakespeare. It's interesting that there is no evidence that Shakespeare ever attended a University, only a grammar school for boys! In 1582 when he was just 18 years old, he marries Anna Hathaway, a 26-year-old, who gives birth to Susanna. Based on his lack of education, some Oxfords claim that he did not actually write the plays himself, but that he was merely a businessman involved. However, there is plenty of proof to show that he did in fact write the plays himself.

Several of his plays include __[|Hamlet]__, __[|Macbeth]__, __[|Taming of the Shrew]__, __[|Romeo and Juliet]__, __[|King Lear]__ and __[|A Midsummer Night's Dream]__. He is famous for his sense of dramatic irony in all his works. For example, in __Taming of the Shrew__ the audience knows that most of the characters aren't who they pretend to be, but that is the whole fun of the play. Also, Sly doesn't know that he has been tricked, but the audience and the other characters in the story are snickering behind his back. In addition to Shakespeare's irony, he also uses pun. This adds humor and wit to his stories, making them more entertaining to read. His humor is timeless.

In addition to Shakespeare, [|Christopher Marlowe] was another playwright alive and well during this era. His fourth play was called __[|The Jew of Malta]__, a satiric comedy where the hero doesn't recieve the audience's sympathy. It was very popular for it attacked on Roman Catholics and Jews. Because of political issues during this time, the vast population of England didn't like the Roman Catholics and Ireland. Even [|Queen Elizabeth I] didn't care for them nor their religion. In her reply to five Catholic bishops in 1599, she says, "And whereas, you list us and our subjects in the teeth, that the Romish Church first planted the Catholic faith within our realms, the records and chronicles of our realms testify to the contrary, and your own Romish idolatry maketh you liars; witness the ancient monument of Gildas, unto which both foreign and domestic have gone in pilgrimage, there to offer."

The early 17th century was not just a time of exploration and tricky politics, but also an era of philosophy and science. In the book __[|Leviathan]__ by [|Thomas Hobbes], the whole first part is devoted to the study of man. He goes into the psychological, spiritual, and social aspects of who a person is on all different levels of existence. Many scholars like him had philosophical ideas just like him. Ideas were alive in this time period.

Though this is a little after this time period, [|Sir Issac Newton] was a scientist who did a great deal of study on angels and firmly believed that science was to glorify God and his work rather than go against the Church. This is crucial because it changed the population's mindset regarding the contrast between religion and science. After this, people were more likely to go into the scientific field. Between 1600 to 1660, England was nearing the brink of this realization.

// English Literature //. History.com, 2008. Web. 23 Nov. 2009. . // The Jew of Malta Introduction //. Enotes, 2009. Web. 21 Nov. 2009. . // Leviathan //. Renascence Editions. Web. 23 Nov. 2009. . // Queen Elizabeth I on Religion //. Anniina Jokinen, 18 June 2008. Web. 21 Nov. 2009. . // Renaissance Period (1500-1660) //. Angelfire. Web. 23 Nov. 2009. . // Shakespeare Biography //. Absolute Shakespeare, 2005. Web. 23 Nov. 2009. . // Thomas Hobbes //. Anniina Jokinen, 17 July 2007. Web. 17 Nov. 2009. .