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Elizabethan Period in English Literature (1558 – 1603) Summary. Elizabethan Age Writers and Their Works. Assignment on Elizabethan Age. Elizabethan Era Literature.

Elizabethan Period in English Literature (1558 – 1603)

The Elizabethan Period in English Literature refers to the history of English writings published during Elizabeth I’s reign in England from 1558 to 1603.  It also includes all published books written by many writers such as Thomas Norton, Thomas Sackville, Edmund Spencer, Richard Hooker, Christopher Marlowe, Sir Philip Sydney, Shakespeare and so more. The Elizabethan Period is known as Elizabethan era literature.

The Simple Definition of the Elizabethan Period

The Elizabethan Period in English Literature means the history of the Elizabethan age writers and their works.

Elizabethan Age in English Literature (1558 – 1603) Summary

This period is named after Queen Elizabeth (1). She was the daughter of King Henry (8) and Queen Anne Boleyn. Queen Elizabeth (1) was also known as the ‘Virgin Queen’.

• A famous Quotation from Queen Elizabeth is: “A good face is the best letter of recommendation”.
• Queen Elizabeth started ‘Anglicanism’ to eradicate religious problems. ‘Anglicanism’ means England’s church.

Other Names of the Elizabethan Period in English Literature are:

1) Gloden Period of English Literature
2) A Nest of Singing Birds
3) The First Creative Period of English Literature
The first English Theatre was established in 1576.

The List of Poets of the Elizabethan Period:

1. Thomas Norton and Thomas Sackville
2. Edmund Spenser
3. Sir Philip Sydney
4. Christopher Marlow
5. John Webster
6. Ben Jonson
7. Francis Bacon
8. Miguel de Cervantes
9. Thomas More
10. Sir Thomas Wyatt & Henry Howard
11. Nicholas Udall
12. Thomas Kyd
13. University Wits

1. Thomas Norton and Thomas Sackville

Thomas Norton and Thomas Sackville both were literary collaborators. They wrote the first tragedy in English literature. That is :
Play: ‘The Tragedy of Gorboduc’. (It is also called: Ferrex and Porrex).

2. Edmund Spenser

Titles:  1) The Second Father of English Poetry.
2) The Prince of Poet.
3) The Poet of Poets. (This was engraved in his epitaph).
4) Court Poet.
5) Divine Master.
Edmund Spencer’s Literary Works :
Epic: 1) ‘The Faerie Queen’ – It is an allegorical epic. The main characters of this poem are The Red Cross Knight (Hero), and Una (Heroine).
Poetry: 1) Amoretti – a collection of 89 sonnets.
2) Astrophel – An elegy for Sir Philip Sydney.
3) The Shepherd’s Calendar – Dedicated to Sir Philip Sydney.
4) The Epithalamion.
5) Four Hymns.

3. Sir Philip Sydney

Titles: The Precursor of English Renaissance.
Poetry:
1) Arcadia (Novel) – The embryo of the English Novel.
2) The Lady of May
3) An Apology for Poetry.
4) Astrophel and Stella.

4. Christopher Marlow

Titles:  1) Father of English Drama ( Tragedy).
2) Predecessor of William Shakespeare.

• Christopher Marlow introduced ‘Blank Verse’ in English Literature.
• Alfred Tennyson called him ‘Morning Star’.

Famous Lyrics:
1) The Passionate Shepherd to His Love.
2) Hero and Leander.
Famous Plays (Tragedy) :
1) Doctor Faustus – Full Title: ‘The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus’.

• Faustus is called a ‘Renaissance Hero’.
• In this play, Faustus ( Hero) sold his soul to satan for 24 years.
• Characters are Dr.Faustus, Helen, Lucifer, Mephistopheles, etc.
• The famous quote of this tragedy: “Sweet Helen, make me immortal with a kiss”.

2) Dido, Queen of Carthage – It is Marlow’s first play.
3) Tamburlaine, The Great.
4) The Jew of Malta. – Main character: Barabas ( a jew). It is assumed that William Shakespeare wrote ‘The Merchant of Venice’ from being inspired by this play.
5) Edward (2) – It is a historical play.
Famous Quotes of Christopher Marlow :
1) “Was this the face that launched a thousand ships, and burnt the topless towers of illium”.
2) “Man is the maker if his own fate”.
3) “There is no sin but ignorance”.
4) “Come and be my friend”.

5. John Webster

John Webster claimed himself as the heir to the Shakespeare.
Famous Tragedies :
1) The White Devil.
2) The Devil’s Law Case.
3) The Duchess of Malfi – Character: Bosola ( A Machiavellian character). Machiavellian means: Selfish.

6. Ben Jonson

Titles:
1) Father of Comedy of Humour.
2) Father of English Realistic Comedy.

• Ben Jonson’s comedy is connected with medical theory.

Plays:
1) Every Man in His Humour.
2) Every Man Out of His Humour.
3) Volpone – It is also known as ‘The Foxes’ or ‘The Beast Fable’.
Character from Volpone : Mosca.
4) The Alchemist.
5) The Silent Woman. – Its other name is: ‘Epicoene’.

7. Francis Bacon

Francis Bacon Titles:
1) Father of English Essay.
2) Father of Modern Prose.
3) First Essayist in English Literature.
4) Father of Empiricism.
5) Master of Aphorism and Terseness.

• Francis Bacon was an Attorney General, a Statesman, and also a Lord Chancellor.
• Most of his essays started with ‘of’.

Francis Bacon’s Famous Essay
1) Of Studies. – Some quotes from this essay are given below :

• “History makes man wise”.
• ” A wise nan will make more opportunities than he find”.
• “Reading maketh a full man, confidence a ready man; writing an exact man”.
• ” Studies serve for delight, for ornament and for ability”.
• “Some vooks are to be tasted, other to be swallowed and some few to be chewed and digested”.

2) Of Death.
3) Of Friendship. – Famous quote from this essay :

” A good friend is another himself”.

4) Of Plantantains.
5) Of Truth. – Some quotes from this essay are :

• “Opportunity makes a theif”.
• ” Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom”.
• “The secret of the success is the constancy of purpose”.
• “In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present”.
• “Read not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted but to wigh and consider”.
• “A mixture of lies does ever add pleasure”.

6) Of Great Place.
7) Of Love. – Famous quotes from this essay are:

• It is impossible to love and be wise.

8) History of Life and Death. – A Famos quote of this essay is :

• ” It is natural to die to death as to be born”.

9) Ladder of the Mind. – A quote of this essay is :

• • ” Wise men make more opportunities than they find”.

10) Of Marriage and Single Life. Famous quotes from this essay are:

• “Wives are young men’s mistress, companions for middle age and old men’s nurses”.
• “A bachelor’s life is a fine breakfast, a flat lunch and a miserable dinner”.
• “Hope is a good breakfast, but it is a bad supper”.
• ” Unmarried man are best friends, best masters, best servant but not always best subject”.

11) Of Revenge.

• The famous quote from this essay: “Revenge is a kind of wild justice”.

12) Of Suspicion. – A famous quote of this essay is :

• ” Suspicions among thoughts are like bats among birds”.

Francis Bacon’s Famous Books :

1) The Advancement of Learning.
2) Novum Organum.
3) The Wisdom of Ancients.
4) Divine and Humane.
5) The New Atlantis.
6) Meditationes Sacrae. ( Sacred Meditations). – A very famous quote from this book is: “Knowledge is power”.
7) Apophthegmes New and Old..- A famous quote from this book is:

• “Age appears best in four things : Old wood to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust and old author to read”.

8. Miguel de Cervantes

Famous Book: ‘Don Quixote’.

9. Thomas More

Book: ‘ Utopia ‘ ( An imaginary island where there is no problem).

10. Sir Thomas Wyatt & Henry Howard

Their Famous Book: Tottle’s Miscellany ( It is called the First Fruit of Renaissance).

11. Nicholas Udall

Title: Father of English Comedy.
Comedy: ‘ Ralph Roister Doister ‘.

12. Thomas Kyd

Title: 1) A University Wit.
2) Father of English Revenge Tragedy.
Famous play: ‘ The Spanish Tragedy ‘ ( Bloody Drama ). – William Shakespeare from being inspired by this play, wrote: Hamlet.

13. University Wits

A group of young dramatists and pamphleteers of the Elizabethan period who were the scholars of Oxford and Cambridge University are called ‘University Wits’.

There are seven famous University Wits. They are :
1) Christopher Marlow. ( Already Discussed).
2) Thomas Kyd. ( Already Discussed).
3) George Peele :
Famous Books :
1) The Old Wife’s Tale.
2) Famous Chronicle of King Edward (1).
4) Thomas Nashe:
Title: The Greatest of English Elizabethan Pamphleteers.
Novel: The Unfortunate Traveller.
Play:    1) Summer’s Last Will.
2) Testament.
5) John Lyly:
Play:    1) King Midas
2) The Women in the Moon.
Book: ‘ The Anatomy of Wit ‘.
6) Thomas Lodge :
Thomas Lodge was a Physician.
Book:
1) Golden Legacy.
2) Rosalynde.
7) Robert Greene:
Comedy: ‘ Friar Bacon ‘.

Important Periods of English Literature

English Literature Period	Duration
The Old English Period	450-1066
The Middle English Period : 1. The Anglo-Norman Period 2. The Age of Chaucer 3. The Age of Barren / Dark Age	(1066-1500) 1. 1066-1340 2. 1340-1400 3. 1400-1485/1500
The Renaissance Period : 1. Elizabethan Period 2. Jacobean Period 3. Caroline Period 4. Commonwealth Period	1500-1660 : 1. 1558-1603 2. 1603-1625 3. 1625-1649 4. 1649-1660
The Neo-Classical Period : 1. The Restoration Period 2. Augustan Period 3. The Age of Sensibility	(1660-1798) 1. 1660-1700 2. 1700-1745 3. 1745-1798.
Romantic Period	1798-1832
Victorian Period	1832-1900
Modern Period : 1. The Edwardian Period 2. The Georgian Period	(1900-1939) 1. 1901-1910 2. 1910-1939
Post Modern Period	1939- Present