The Renaissance
and
William Shakespeare
A Celebration of
Humanity
1485-1625
Rebirth in Increments
• The Renaissance affected
different aspects of life in
England at different times. The
humanistic approach, which is
reflected in the period’s works
of art, started in the 1470’s.
• Leonardo Da Vinci (14521519), an Italian Renaissance
painter known for his art and art
theory, is currently celebrated
for his equally impressive
scientific contributions, which
were preserved in a mass
quantity of his notes.
framer.barewalls.com/.../ 28/preview/h6509p.jpg
Rebirth in Increments
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The parliamentary renaissance did
not happen until the 1530’s.
The reign of Elizabeth I
(Elizabethan Period), the Virgin
Queen, endured from 1558 till
1603.
Her rule was marked by religious
tolerance (she quelled internal
hostilities between the Catholics
and Protestants) and world
exploration, which set the stage for
the British Empire.
Having no heir, she was succeeded
by James VI of Scotland (her 3rd
cousin), hence James I of England
(Jacobean Period).
http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/eliza24.jpg
Parliament
• During Henry VIII’s (1509-1547) reign, Parliament and the Crown
developed a level of cooperation, which set the tone for future
parliaments.
• Parliament was and is made up of 2 sections called Houses:
• The House of Lords (consisting of Church officials, lords, and other
nobles)
• The House of Commons (consisting of knights of shires and burghers
of boroughs (prosperous, solid citizens)
• Parliamentary Powers: pass new taxes/grants, pass laws initiated by
King/Queen, The Speaker (House of Commons) could praise or
criticize royal policies without punishment, give advice to King/Queen
on wide range of subjects, enforce King’s/Queen’s policies, but it was
Royal responsibility to form the policies.
Ruler and Parliament:
A Political Body
• Illustrative of Parliament’s
role in King Henry VIII’s
reign is found in an
excerpt from his speech to
Parliament in 1543:
• “We at no time stand so
highly in our estimate
royals as in the time of
Parliament, wherein we,
as head, and you, as
members, are conjoined
and knit together as one
body politic.”
http://www.pdimages.com/B02002.JPG
A Difference in Viewpoints:
Medieval
and Renaissance
• Collectivism/Standardization
mentality, guilds were strong
• Preoccupied with the soul and
death
• Feudalism
• In wars, knights were rarely
killed; foot soldiers made up the
bulk of the fatalities.
• Church in England; the Pope
was involved with its politics.
• Parliament’s primary function
was to grant funds to the King.
• Exaltation of the individual
• Appreciation of life; art, dance
and music blossomed.
• Nationalism
• Gunpowder was used in
warfare; it killed knights and
foot soldiers alike.
• Church of England; England
became a sovereign state.
• Parliament was utilized to enact
laws that helped enforce
government policy.
Life During the Renaissance
• Customs and Mannerisms were
dictated by fashion, flirtation,
survival, and superstition.
• Men Greeting Men: Mucking
about on the street, people
would run into acquaintances.
Upper-class men might grasp
each other’s right wrist with
their right hand. Twofold
Purpose: greeting and to
occupy the other’s hand, thus
rendering his unable to draw or
attack and to check for weapons
http://www.agelessfashions.com/clothing-photos/emdoublet-front.jpg
up his sleeve.
Customs and Mannerisms
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•
•
Peasants passing on the street
might simply nod at each other and
call out “God ye good den” or
“God go with you.”
Important: People would expect to
be treated according to their stature
or station in life. Therefore, one
had to be very careful not to offend
one’s betters. However, calling a
peasant a lord might ensure that he
would try his utmost to help you
along. The rule of the day: “Speak
Well, Speak Long, but Don’t say
anything important.”
Women greeted each other with the
“French Kiss.”
http://www.bellerophonbooks.com/images/book_covers/renaissance_women.JPG
16th Century
Customs and Mannerisms
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•
A gentleman would bow to a lady by presenting his right leg forward and put
his left leg behind. Then he would bend his back (left) leg, and bend at the
hips, keeping his right leg straight. He would sweep his arms open as he
bowed, making sure to keep his head raised, maintaining eye contact with the
lady.
Proper response from the lady would be to curtsy: 1st she would place her left
leg slightly behind her. Then she would lightly grab her skirts and bend at the
knees, keeping her body straight. She would raise her skirts only high enough
to keep them off the ground. Improper: A lady must never show her ankles or
legs. She, too, would keep eye contact with the gentleman. An especially
dashing or romantically-inclined man might then proceed attempt to kiss the
lady’s hand. He would offer his hand, palm facing down. She would place
her fingers lightly on top of his hand if kiss was welcomed. He would kiss
lightly the lady’s middle finger, between the 1st and 2nd knuckle, keeping eye
contact.
Economy and Commerce
http://www.twingroves.district96.k12.il.us/Renaissance/
Town/Clothing/Clothing%20Gifs/16thCenEng.JPG
• Agriculturally Based
Economy
• Approximately 45
Nobles (and their
families)
• Most English People
were Farmers in some
capacity
• Chief Livestock: Sheep
(approximately 3 sheep
per person)
Rise of the Middle Class
Continues...
• Elizabethan England had two
social levels, the nobles and the
peasants; however, there were
very few noble families,
making the vast majority of the
population peasants.
• The middle class consisted of
wealthy merchants, lawyers,
clerks and master craftsmen.
While not officially recognized
as a new class, these people
were becoming wealthy and
powerful enough to make an
impact on the economy and the
general view of society.
Renaissance Inequality
• Below the middle class were journeymen and
apprentices to craftsmen, independent traders and
domestics, as well as traditional agricultural
occupations.
• Common Belief: One’s social status was
ordained by God, and therefore, it was foolish and
heretical to complain about it. However, much
snobbery existed, and one always felt called on to
lord over anyone “lower” than oneself.
Renaissance Shopping
•
$
$
$
$
Shopping was possible in 4 Venues:
The Market--Sponsored by the local
lord or squire and dealt mostly with
food. Held on weekly basis.
The Fair--Fairs were more rare than
markets and offered a wider variety
of goods. Commonly, fairs were held
in conjunction with a Festival
(religious holiday).
In-town Shops--On a daily basis,
people could obtain goods from these
shops and occasionally a traveling
peddler would drop by.
Bartering--Bartering was by far the
most common form of commerce of
the period--simple bartering among
neighbors.
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/Units/arthist/
matren/images/Market.gif
Some Do’s and Don’ts
• Calf of a man’s leg: Men took every opportunity to show
off this physical attribute by wearing stockings and short
pants. Oftentimes, men would stand and “present’ their
leg forward, turning the foot outward so as to show off
their calf, hence “making a leg.”
• Great Scandal: Taboo to show affection in public• Proper Foods: meat, bread, dairy, eggs, and a few varieties
of fruit.
• Don’t drink the water: Drink “small beer,” milk, and
ale…only the very wealthy drank wine.
The Fork and Education
• Not just the “French
Kiss,” but another new
trend from France was
the use of the fork as an
eating utensil. While
common with nobility,
peasants continued to eat
with their fingers, as
they feared the fork’s
tines were some sign of
the devil.
• Common people of this
time were usually
illiterate, so there was a
need for someone who
could read and assist in
matters of business. The
Church was about the
only non-noble group
who routinely educated
their people so most
villages were provided
with a clerk to fulfill this
function.
Superstitions
• Both peasants and nobles
alike believed in evil spirits
and the power of good luck
charms to ward them off.
• The noise of bezants (tiny
bells or coin-like metal disks
sewn to clothing) were
believed to scare away evil.
• People wore crosses or
carried Bibles to ward off evil.
• People believed in witches
and demonic possession:
Make the sign of the cross or
cross your fingers (making a http://www.satansheaven.com/evokation.
jpg
small cross) at an evil person.
Sports and Pastimes
• Bear-Baiting (cruel but popular…a bear was tied
by one hind leg to a tree/post, and hunting dogs
were turned loose to taunt and attack it until the
bear was killed…spectators placed bets on the
longevity of certain dogs and the bear)
• Archery (Englishmen between 16 and 60 were
compelled by law to own a longbow, and target
practice areas were set up in every village…like
jousting, archery was intended to prepare men for
battle)
The Longbow
• First used during
the Medieval
Period, the
longbow is a long
hand-drawn bow,
which sometimes
exceeded 6 feet.
http://www.wisconsinscottish.org/images/longbow.jpg
Sports and Pastimes
• Hunting (Nobility enjoyed hunting as a sport…Game
included hare (rabbits), hind (deer), wolf, wild bear, and
fox…shooting was done with bows and arrows, or the prey
might be pursued by greyhounds)
• Falconry--hunting with a trained raptor (Practiced by the
upper classes, these birds of prey were considered so
valuable that they were protected by a Royal
Edict…anyone guilty of killing a falcon could be put to
death)
• Embroidery/Tapestries (needlework practiced by all
classes of women--pastime and necessity)
Popular Entertainment:
THEATRE
http://www.clt.astate.edu/wnarey/Shakespeare%20Survey%
20pictures/Adams%20Globe%20Theatre.jpg
• Traveling troupes of male
actors (women were not
allowed on stage) would
visit villages and perform
on makeshift stages.
Actors depended on
villager generosity for
their incomes.
• Other Games: dice, chess,
backgammon (tables),
bowling, bocci ball, and
cards.
Titles
• M’lord or M’lady (respectful)
• Sir or Madam, Gentleman or Gentlewoman,
Cousin or Cuz (Equal birth or social standing)
• Your Majesty or Your Highness (King and
Queen)
• Your Grace (Members of the Royal Court)
• Master or Mistress Artisan (Craftsperson)
• Wench (Common or lower-class woman)
• Knave (Common or lower-class man)
Hello’s and Goodbye’s:
Specificity
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Good Morrow (Good Morning)
Good Day (Afternoon greeting or parting)
Good Eve or Eventide (Good Evening)
God Ye Good Den (God grant you a good day)
I Bid You Adieu (Good-bye)
By Your Leave (With your permission)
Fare Thee Well (Good-bye- wishing them well)
God Save Thee (A blessing)
Compliments and Insults
• Thou are the most
beauteous this day (You
look pretty today)
• Thy voice is sweeter than
that of an angel (Your
voice is beautiful)
• By my troth, mine eyes
are blessed by your very
visage (In truth, the sight
of your face is a blessing)
• Thy beauty eclipses the
sun (Dazzling beautiful)
• Thou are lily-livered
(coward)
• Thou slop-jar of ineptitude
(slop-jar is similar to
chamber pot…people also
spat or threw garbage in
it)
• Knotty-pated (thickheaded, stupid)
• Buffoon (fool)
Other Helpful Words
• Privies (Bathrooms)
• Zounds (An interjection and exclamation of
astonishment--a shortening and alterations
of God’s wounds!)
• Fantastical (Amazing)
• By my troth (Exclamation of truth)
• HUZZAH! (Hurrah!)
• All classes LOVED Language: A quick wit
was prized…everyone played with words.
Renaissance Clothing
• Particolor, the newest and hottest fashion trend…one leg green
and the other red, or one arm blue and the other orange, and the
body of their outfit a completely different color.
• Men: doublet (close-fitting garment resembling a waistcoat) and
hose.
• Sign of Wealth: finest fabrics, jewels, belt buckles, medallions and
rings…only nobles could buy silk, wear jewelry or buy sale and
ermine fur. It was the law! A wealthy merchant couldn’t buy
clothes only a nobleman was allowed to wear.
• Women: low-cut tops, skirts swelled out like tents, the wider the
band of fur trimming the bottom of her dress, the higher her
rank…Noblewomen tried to wear outrageously high hats and long
veils in order to outshine other women.
Renaissance Clothing
• Knights: Bars of iron and steel were hammered into flat
plates shaped to cover the body…the plates were curved to
fit the body exactly, and were polished and decorated…19
main parts…this gave maximum defense but heavy
weight…some suits of armor weighed so much that it took
a crane to hoist up the knight onto his horse.
• Peasants: lower class citizens dressed in dull-colored
clothing made from natural fibers like cotton, wool, or
flax.
Renaissance Literature:
The Early Modern Period
• William Shakespeare, known as “the
ageless bard” for drama/plays that transcend
the barriers of time…Shakespeare dealt
with universal truths and conflicts in human
nature; his tragedies, comedies, and history
plays continue to draw audiences from all of
life, just as they did in their own day.
• Ben Jonson (a contemporary): “He was not
of an age but for all time.”
William Shakespeare
• The Greatest Word Maker that
ever lived!
• Of the 20,138 different words in
his 37 plays, sonnets, and other
poems, his use is the first
known use of more than 1,700
words.
• Verbally innovative,
Shakespeare made up more than
8.5 % of his written vocabulary.
• Reading his works is like
witnessing the birth of language
itself!
http://4umi.com/image/people/William_Shakespeare2.jpg
Literature of the Period
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Elizabethan Poetry: Elizabethans
preferred sonnets and lyric poetry
over narrative poems.
The Sonnet: Sir Philip Sidney,
Edmund Spenser, and Shakespeare
Popular were sonnet cycles: a
series of sonnets that fit loosely
together to form a story (14-lines,
iambic pentameter, rhyme-scheme
varieties)
Pastoral Poetry: Poetry idealized
the rustic simplicity of rural life
(Christopher Marlowe and Sir
Walter Raleigh)
• Elizabethan Drama:
playwrights turned away
from religious subjects
and wrote on more
complex and sophisticated
subjects.
• Drawing from classical
models of ancient Greece
and Rome, they
reintroduced tragedies and
dramas.
A Bit about Bill, Will, or Shakespeare
• Shakespeare (1564-1616)
began his involvement with
the theater as an actor.
• By 1592, he was a popular
playwright, whose works
were performed at Elizabeth
I’s court.
• After the Globe theater was
built in 1599, many of
Shakespeare’s plays were
performed there.
• Our study of Shakespearean
drama consists of The
Tragedy of Macbeth and The
Tragedy of Hamlet.
http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/authors/
william-shakespeare/shakespeare-hamlet.gif