The Renaissance and Romantic Literary Periods

Renaissance Period

The Renaissance was an era of ‘revival’ for European art, culture, economy, and politics. Classical poetry, philosophy, and art rebirth characterized the Renaissance from the 14th to the 17th centuries. A few of history's greatest writers, intellectuals, artists, and philosophers developed due to the opening of new areas and civilizations to European trade due to global exploration (Kristeller 2). The gap between Middle Ages and contemporary times was bridged during this period.

The term renaissance originates in the French language, meaning rebirth. It is one of the most significant periods in European history. It originated in Italy and rapidly spread across Europe before the 18th century. Also referred to as the information age, Renaissance started modern civilization and knowledge (Panofsky 12). It is a period that led to the birth of many artistic, political, ethnic, and societal rationalities.

Characteristics of the Renaissance Period

The Renaissance era is linked to architectural practice, which introduced classical learning to English nobility and elites. It was also a time of revival for writers from both Greece and Rome. William Shakespeare, for example, contributed significantly to English writings. Second, natural scientific techniques were revived, reigniting Greek interest in scientific research (Blum et al. 345). Consequently, more technological and geographical breakthroughs led to human enlightenment.

People appreciated essential components of contemporary life, like printing, as natural scientific procedures and skills advanced. This enabled them to produce vast quantities of literature and English works that motivated and offered their ideas (Blum et al. 346). Without such abilities, it would be impossible to develop certain current aspects of human existence, such as the internet.

Classical art had a significant effect on Renaissance art. The notion that the techniques were congruent with Renaissance humanist ideas prompted painters to seek inspiration in Roman and Greek art, sculpture, and ornamental items (Blum et al. 345). Physical beauty and nature were significant themes in ancient and Renaissance paintings.

Humanism was an essential subject throughout the Renaissance. Humanism originated as a cultural movement promoting the acceptance of human accomplishments and the concept that man occupies a central place in the world. The printing press invented by Johannes Gutenberg ignited a movement that enhanced communication and promoted ideas (Rabil Jr 8). The fundamental purpose of the campaign was to counter medieval scholastic schooling traditions.

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was one of the renaissance period's most influential figures, transforming literature and influencing subsequent culture. Shakespeare's biography shows that the poet and playwright William Shakespeare was one of the most well-known people in history. An audience of largely middle-class individuals would throng the theaters to witness his works because of his superb work (Platt 3). Shakespeare's Renaissance plays include Hamlet, King Lear, Othello, and Macbeth, all considered classics today.

Example

The pre-renaissance theatrical approach of two-dimensional writing was abandoned by Shakespeare, for example, who developed psychologically wealthy human figures in his plays (Roman 565). Without the influence of their parents, society, or law, these characters could think and act independently. Ultimately, their actions were practical because they acted on their beliefs at the time.

Hamlet is the tragic hero of the play, a revered prince and a reflective, sad young man. As if Hamlet's anguish over his father's death were not enough, his uncle Claudius' ascension to the kingdom and subsequent marriage to his mother only adds to his misery. Almost suicidal in his quest for vengeance, Hamlet's father, the king's ghost, informs him that Claudius killed him and that Hamlet must avenge him (Roman 566). He is progressively becoming insane due to his failure to carry out this command.

Geoffrey Chaucer

To this day, Geoffrey Chaucer is one of the most revered poets. Even though they were written in poetry, Chaucer's Canterbury Tales may be seen as a collection of tales. It has drama, a book’s elements, and a good collection of societal observations. On his route to the Canterbury Shrine, he collects a group of 32 pilgrims and has them each share two tales (Mehl and Mehl 9). Whatever the pilgrims had to tell is enough to provide an accurate picture of social life in the fourteenth century, including their beliefs and habits, even though

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