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Renaissance contribution in Literature .
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- 2. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE Renaissancea new era in literature. Features-@ revival of classics,@ Humanism-human problems, values, and human nature as themes. New life to literary forms like Drama, History, Poetry, Philosophy, and Classical Secular literature.
- 3. • use ofvernacular languages or the languages spoken by the people of a region or country • Latin was replaced with vernacular languages such as Italian, Spanish, French, German, English, etc. • The total number of books available in Europe till the late fifteenth century was minimal. The first printed book, the Gutenberg's Bible, was brought out in 1456. • handwritten (manuscripts). They were copied in hand by scribes and were primarily available in the libraries of the monasteries. • In the first half of the fifteenth century, there were only about 100,000 manuscripts in Europe. Fifty years, time, after the introduction of the printing press, there were nine million book
- 4. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE • ITALY •Early Renaissance period- The growth of the Italian language and literature was very fast. • The Italian language superseded Latin in Italy. • Produced great humanist writers such as Petrarch, Dante, Boccaccio, Ariosto, Machiavelli, etc.
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- 6. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE • Petrarch •Poet from Florence- “Father of Humanism”- used Italian language- themes from Roman classics- followed classical writing styles • Patronised by popes and rulers • Important works- 'Sonnets to Laura' or ‘Laura’ and 'Letters to Ancient Authors'
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- 8. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE • Dante •was a poet and an essayist. called “Morning Star of Renaissance” • The first man of Renaissance literature, used Italian instead of Latin. • ‘Divine comedy’ – is a work that reflects the features of the Renaissance- such as Humanism and secularism. • It reflects human love, Italian nationalism, concern for nature, and desire for Italian Unity.
- 9. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE • Boccaccio •First writer of Italian prose- a story writer. • used Italian as the medium. • “Decameron”- a collection of stories is his famous work.
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- 11. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE • NicoloMachiavelli • Italian patriot and diplomat. • Famous for his political treatise ‘The Prince’ • It became a Bible of kings and politicians who advocate absolute power, written with the essence of intense nationalism. • It advocates Italian unity at any cost-translated to all European languages.
- 12. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE • Itcontains remarks like- “It is not necessary for a King to be merciful, faithful, religious for that would make him dangerously weak. But it is most necessary for him to seen to be having these things”. • “A good prince should know how to do wrong when circumstances demand”. • Influenced great leaders like Victor Emmanuel, Napoleon, and Mussolini to build power.
- 13. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE • Othernotable writers of Italy include • Aristo, Jasso (poets) • Guicciardini (prose) • Chrysolaras (education)
- 14. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE England • EnglishRenaissance in literature started during the 16th century • Renaissance literature was in full bloom in England under Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth • Both poets and prose writers were there. • Due to the presence of a large number of poets, England was rightly called “the land of Singing birds”
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- 16. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE • WilliamShakespeare (1564-1616) • Greatest English dramatist and greatest dramatist of all times • was a humanist –with an interest in the world and man. • His works reflect the expression of eternal human emotions, hopes, and aspirations like frustration in love, crime, retribution, jealousy, corruption, etc.
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- 20. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE Dramas include- •Richard III As You Like It • Romeo and Juliet Hamlet • Antony and Cleopatra Othello • Twelfth Night Macbeth • Julius Caesar The Tempest • The Merchant of Venice King Lear etc..
- 21. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE • Believedto have written 39 plays . • tragedies, comedies, romances and historical plays • He was a poet also, who wrote 150 sonnets • “He was not of an age, but of all time”
- 22. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE • Johncolet was one among the first humanists. • Geoffrey chancer-who is regarded as ‘father of English poetry’ wrote “Canterbury Tales”. • Sir Thomas More was a prose writer who wrote “Utopia” • ‘Utopia’ reflects an ideal humanist socialist world.
- 23. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE • FrancisBacon –was a prose writer • He wrote The “New Atlantis” • It dreams of an ideal world • Bacon was a versatile genius- a man of letters, statesman, lawyer, philosopher • ‘Novum Organum’,his work is one of the earliest books on science.
- 24. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE • JohnMilton-wrote an epic poetry “Paradise Lost”and later “Paradise Regained” • Edmund Spencer was another Poet. ‘The Faerie Queen’ was a poem in praise of Elizabeth • Ben Johson was a Dramatist • A Tale of a Tub, The Isle of Dogs, The Case is Altered, Every Man in His Humour, Every Man out of His Humour ,Cynthia's Revels,Sejanus His Fall. • Volpone, Epicoene, or the Silent Woman. • The Alchemist.
- 25. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE • ChristopherMarlow -author of three great tragedies • “Tamburcaine the Great”,“Doctor Faustus”and “The Rich Jew of Malta” • Other writers include • John Donne, Herrick, Lovelace and Marvell (poets) • Richard Hakluyt who wrote a famous travellogue “Principal Navigations” • Sidney Green, Beaumont, Fletcher.
- 26. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE France • Renaissanceliterature in full bloom in the 16th century • Earliest scholars. • Francious Rebelais – Humanist poet- wrote “Gargantua and Pantagruel” • He used humor as a weapon against clergy, Kings and Magistrates • Ridiculed education system and the activities of church. • Presented man as a being capable of solving his own problems using rational thinking.
- 27. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE • MichealMontaigne • First writer of modern essays, framed the structure of modern essay. • His Essays – (94 in number) touches every subject. • Written in a direct, lucid style. • Objectivity, detachment and tolerance were other qualities of his essays. • Still counted as model essays.
- 28. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE Holland • Dutchliterature • Desderius Erasmus • Prince of Humanism-greatest of Humanist scholars • A master of Greek and Latin • Patronage of Pope Leo • “In Praise of Folly”- wrote on the follies and superstitions of church • Old Testament translated to Greek -tried to reform the church from within -
- 29. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE John Calvin: • A man of reformation wrote- “Institutes of the Christian Religion” in French Jean Bodin- • one of the founders of modern social science • contribution in political science • Introduced the idea of “sovereignty”-wrote “Republic”.
- 30. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE Spain • Miguaelde Cervantes. • Prose writer and satirist. • wrote ‘Don Quixote’ – 2 Vols. • Criticism of medieval customs and chivalry. • Through the story of a lord Don Quixote and Sancho Panza-many comic situations .
- 31. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE Lope DeVega • Founder of Spanish theatre • Wrote more than 1000 dramas • Enriched Spanish literature-witty, emotional and realistic plays. Calderon • was a writer of allegorical poems Bartolomeo Casas • First writer of Spanish history-History of the indies Ignatius Loyola-man of counter reformation • Wrote – “Spiritual Exercises”
- 32. RENAISSANCE LITERATURE Germany Martin Luther •Bible translation to Germany • wrote secular and religious prose also Konrad Von Gesner • Completed Grammar dictionaries in German ,helped growth of language. Portugal • Camoens -wrote ‘Lusiades’ • A dramatic description of Vasco Da Gama’s voyages.
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