Eng.IV.H./Br. Byrd/Renaissance Poetry Study Sheet
The following are terms and figures you ought to know for the Semester Final:
Renaissance Poetry--Stretches through the Elizabethan and Jacobean Periods of England
(16th and 17th centuries). Shows a great variety of lyric poetic styles--sonnets, elegies,
eclogues, and odes (among others)--touching on subjects from a wide range of perspectives
(satirical, philosophical, religious, political, romantic). A humanist lens meant many poets
of the day focused on the individual’s experience and perspective.
Elizabeth I (1533-1603)--Queen of England and head of the Church of England, patron of
the arts, and poet in her own right. Flattering poetry was in vogue during her reign, as was
playwriting, despite protestations from vocal Puritan objectors. Text to know: “Speech to
the Troops at Tilbury”.
William Byrd (1540-1623)--Celebrated musical composer. Known for his use of
polyphony (use of multiple melodies and voices) in his compositions. He brought the Italian
song form madrigal to England. (Madrigals are secular songs in which the composer tries to
accent the emotional of lines or particular words. Hence why certain words are stretched.
Convert to Catholicism. Text to know: Mass for Five Voices.
Edmund Spenser (1552-1599)--English poet known for The Faerie Queene, one of the
longest poems in the English language. It’s an allegorical poem that harkens back to the
legendary King Arthur and the age of chivalry. It is made up of Spenserian stanzas. He’s also
known for his anti-Irish political and anti-Catholic religious views. Text to know: The Faerie
Queene.
Sir Walter Ralegh (or Raleigh) (1552-1618)--Important political figure during reign of
Elizabeth I (though he fell out of favor later and was executed). He helped to sponsor the
colonization of what became the state of Virginia, USA. Raleigh, NC is named for him. Text
to know: “The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd,” a response to Marlowe’s pastoral poem
“The Passionate Shepherd to His Love.”
[Sir Philip Sidney (1554-1586)--poet and soldier. Famous for Astrophil and Stella, a long
poem composed of sonnet sequences.]
Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593)--Famed poet and playwright, rival to Shakespeare. He
died in a fight at the age of 29 (stabbed above the eye)! Text to know: “The Passionate
Shepherd to His Love” a pastoral poem or eclogue and love poem. (He’s famous for his
plays Doctor Faustus and Tamburlaine as well.)
William Shakespeare (1564-1616)--Famed actor, playwright, and poet. Most familiar of
Eng.IV.H./Br. Byrd/Renaissance Poetry Study Sheet
all English writers. He often recycled and improved stories and plays that were already
well known. He perfected the English sonnet (a popular Italian poetic form), writing love
sonnets to both men and women. Texts to know: Macbeth, Hamlet, and “Sonnet 18” and
“Sonnet 116.”
John Donne (1572-1631)--Poet, lawyer, Anglican priest. Major metaphysical poet. Text to
know: “The Flea,” “Holy Sonnet 10” and “Holy Sonnet 14.”
Aemilia Lanyer (1569-1645)--First woman to declare herself a poet in England (meaning
that she saw herself as a career poet, equal to the male poets of the day). She is often
labelled a “proto-feminist”--a person whose views accord with the feminist movement of
the 20th century well before that movement actually happened. Text to know: “Eve’s
Apology in Defense of Women.”
[Ben Jonson (1572-1637)--playwright, poet, and literary critic. Popularized the comedy of
errors genre of drama. Considered in his day to be second only to Shakespeare.]
Lady Mary Wroth (1587-1651)--One of the first females to achieve lasting literary fame.
Relative to Sir Walter Ralegh and Sir Philip Sidney. Text to know: Pamphilia to
Amphilanthus (a sonnet sequence from her scandalous novel Urania). Competed with
Queen Anne of Denmark (Wife of James I) for George Herbert’s affections.
George Herbert (1593-1633)--Welsh-born English poet and Anglican priest. Metaphysical
poet. Text to know: “Love” and “The Pulley.”
Robert Herrick (1591-1674)--Anglican priest and poet. Like Milton, Herrick’s life spans
the Jacobean, Commonwealth, and Restoration Periods of England. Text to know: “To the
Virgins to Make Much of Time.”
Andrew Marvell (1621-1678)--poet of love lyrics, pastorals, and country-house poetry.
Text to know: “To His Coy Mistress.”
John Milton (1608-1674)--political activist and pamphleteer, poet. Career spans the end of
the Jacobean Period, through the Commonwealth Period, to the early Restoration Period.
Text to know: Paradise Lost.
“Carpe Diem” Poetry--Poetry whose underlying theme is “seize the day,” aka “don’t waste
time,” or, in biblical terms, “eat, drink, and be merry” (Ecclesiastes 8:15). These poems
emphasize death as the ender of human joys, so the need to enjoy oneself now is urgent.
Sex, food, drink, etc., are seen as important things. Contrast such poems with metaphysical
Eng.IV.H./Br. Byrd/Renaissance Poetry Study Sheet
poetry.
Cavalier Poets--1637-1660, poetry by poets loyal to King Charles I against parliament.
Focused on the concerns of the upper class before the execution of Charles I and the
establishment of the English Commonwealth under Cromwell. Poems about the courtly
themes of beauty, love, and loyalty. Inspired by Ben Jonson and John Donne. Text to know:
Robert Herrick’s “To the Virgins to Make Much of Time.”
Metaphysical Poetry--Poetry concerned with philosophical and religious matters as well
as love and art and learning. It often deals with these in surprising language, unique
metaphors, passionate voice. Emphasize paradox--the difficulty of understanding how
components of life fit together. Examples: John Donne’s poetry, Andrew Marvell’s “To His
Coy Mistress,” and George Herbert’s “Love” and “The Pulley,” and Sir Edward Dyer’s “My
Mind to Me a Kingdom Is” (put to music by William Byrd).
(If you think some poems can be categorized under multiple headings, that’s fine.
Remember, poets don’t write with categories in mind. They write with or against the spirit
of their times.)
Country-House Poetry--Poetry which compliments a wealthy patron of the poetry
through the lavish description of that patron’s country estate. Popular poetic genre during
the 17th century in England. Famous examples: Ben Jonson’s “To Penshurst” and Marvell’s
Upon Appleton House.