During Queen Elizabeth I's reign in the late 16th century, English literature flourished in what is known as the Elizabethan period. Major authors included Edmund Spenser, who wrote the epic poem The Faerie Queene celebrating Queen Elizabeth and the Protestant faith. William Shakespeare established himself as one of the preeminent playwrights with works like Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Christopher Marlowe was also an influential early playwright known for plays like Tamburlaine the Great and Doctor Faustus. Overall, the Elizabethan period saw dramatic works develop into their own genre and established England as a leader in literature during the Renaissance.

1. 2 – ELIZABETHAN PERIOD
Good day!
We have got to most important and glorious part of the Renaissance: The Elizabethan Era.
Do you know what happened here? Why is this so important? What Elizabethan authors do
you know?
So, taking where we left it in the previous video, after Edward’s death, his sister Mary I got the
crown. Then, Mary’s death marked the start of the first of these literary periods with the
coronation of her sister, Elizabeth Tudor, as the new queen of England.
As the name suggest, this period comprises her reign in England. Despite the conflicts, it is
considered as the greatest moment for literature during the Renaissance.
In the case of prose, Francis Bacon (yes, the philosopher) became the first English essayist. He
is famous for his Essays.
Otherwise, in poetry, we have Spenser, Sidney and Campion. Here, poems intended to be set
to music as songs became popular as printed literature was disseminated more widely in
households.
Before we continue, it is important to talk a little bit about Edmund Spenser. His first
important work, The Shepheardes Calendar, had a pastoral framework. Nevertheless, he is
also the author of The Faerie Queene, an epic poem and fantastical allegory celebrating the
Tudor dynasty and Elizabeth I. There, the Red Cross knight (the Anglican church) fights to
protect the virgin Una (the true religion) against the wiles of many hostile characters including
the deceitful Duessa (the Roman Catholic church or Mary Queen of Scots).
It is evident from these details that the poem is deeply rooted in national politics and many of
its allusions must have been of far greater interest to contemporary readers than to any
generation since. Spenser himself is a close witness of the struggles of the time.
On the other hand, this was also the golden age of English drama. Gorboduc, by Sackville and
Norton, developed elements, from the earlier morality plays and Senecan tragedy, in the
direction which would be followed by later playwrights.

2. Likewise, The Spanish Tragedy, written by Thomas Kyd, was popular and influential in its
time, and established a new genre in English literature theatre, the revenge play. Focus on that!
You will see later why I told you.
Other important figures include Christopher Marlowe, and Ben Jonson, Thomas Dekker, John
Fletcher and Francis Beaumont.
It is true that William Shakespeare stands out in this period as a poet and playwright. But,
before him, there was another figure that took London’s stages and engaged all its inhabitants:
Christopher Marlowe. His first play, Tamburlaine the Great, has a main character who revels
in the power which his conquests bring him, and the verse conveys brilliantly his sense of
excitement. Otherwise, we have:
• The Jew of Malta (a melodrama of revenge),
• Doctor Faustus (inspired by a recent biography of Faust)
• Edward II (the first play to dramatize English history as a conflict between real
characters).
And now it’s the time to talk about the most known writer in English Literature: William
Shakespeare. He wrote plays in a variety of genres.
He dramatized English history with the three parts of Henry VI; the magnificent melodrama of
Richard III; the subtle character study of Richard II (1595); the jingoistic glories of Henry V;
and the superb pair of plays about Henry IV, and his wayward son Prince Hal, where he
presented a rich panorama of English life, from court and battlefield to tavern and rustic
retreat.
Meanwhile Shakespeare has developed a sweet and delicate strain of romantic poetry, seen
first in the tragic romance of Romeo and Juliet and then in the comic romance A Midsummer
Night's Dream. And he has shown his skill in a more knock-about vein of comedy too.
In general, though, Shakespeare's palette darkens with the new century. The next few years
see some much less sunny comedies and his four great tragedies. Sadly, we have to stop here
for now because his career continued in the Jacobean period.
Our next video will show you some more authors and how that dark palette comes to life.
Don’t worry! This part of the Renaissance is the longest of the four and it has some of the most
known authors. But if you survived this and you do it with the Jacobean, you will survive the
rest.

3. Also, I have some questions for you: Did you expect to see Shakespeare here? Have you read
any of his works? Which one? What do you think? Leave the answers in the comments section.
In order to digest all this information, I suggest you to watch the video a couple of times and
write down the most important aspects for you. Try to discuss with your classmates about it. If
you have any doubt or you want more information about this, you can send me an e-mail.
I shall see you anon.
Jessica Rivas.
Jessicamurillou96@gmail.com