英美文学简明教程(华中科技大学出版社)
Chapter 2 The Renaissance Period
1．Renaissance (from 14th century to 17th century)
Definition: Renaissance is a cultural movement that spanned the period roughly from the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy, which marks the transition from the medieval to the modern world.
Reasons: the rediscovery of ancient Roman and Greek culture, the new discoveries in geography and astronomy, the religious reformation and economic expansion
2．The English Renaissance
（1）Historical Changes
Cade’s rebellion
Wars of Roses
（2）Religious Reformation
Martin Luther
Henry Ⅷ
Significance: a reflection of the class struggle waged by the new rising bourgeoisie against the feudal class and its ideology.
（3）Introduction of the Printing
William Caxton—the first person who introduced printing into England.
3．Edmund Spenser (1552-1599) (the poets’ poet)
（1）His Life:
Edmund Spenser was born in London around 1552.
As a young boy, he was educated in London at the Merchant Taylors’ School and matriculated by Cambridge.
In July 1580 Spenser went to Ireland, in the service of the newly appointed lord deputy, Arthur Grey.
In Ireland Spenser acquired Kilcolman Castle north of Cork for his use. The beautiful scenery of his district appears again and again in his poetry.
In 1589, Sir Walter Raleigh visited Spenser there and persuaded him to publish the first three book of The Faerie Queene.
In 1589, a fierce Irish rebellion forced Spenser to abandon Kilcolman Castle. He never recovered from the shock of this frightful experience. He returned to England heartbroken and died in the following years.
（2）Major Works:
The Shepheardes Calender 《牧人月历》
Amoretti 《小爱神》 Epithalamion 《喜颂》
The Faerie Queene 《仙后》
(Spenserian stanza)
4. Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593)