The English Renaissance

The word ‘renaissance’ comes from the French for ‘rebirth’, so it was a fitting name for the artistic and cultural transformation of Europe from the late 14th to the early 17th Century. What was specific about the English Renaissance, and how did England change artistically, culturally, and economically?

The English Renaissance Summary

The Renaissance started in Italy in the late 14th Century and spread across Europe, marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity. Exactly when the Renaissance began in England depends on who you listen to, and there is no consensus among historians and scholars. Some put the beginning of the English Renaissance in 1485, with the rise of the Tudor dynasty, while others put it around 1520, during Henry VIII’s reign. What is certain is that the second half of the 16th century, during Elizabeth I’s reign was the height of the English Renaissance.

Differences between the English and Italian Renaissance

Although the Renaissance started in Italy, the specifics of the period varied, and England went through its own ‘rebirth’, which differed from Italy in the following ways:

1. The dominant art forms in England were literature and music.

2. Visual arts, such as drawing and sculpting, were much less significant in England than in Italy.

3. The Renaissance period in England began much later than in Italy. By the 1550s, when the English Renaissance had barely begun, the Italian Renaissance had already moved into Mannerism, known as the Late Renaissance, and the Baroque style.

Literature in the English Renaissance Period

England already had a strong tradition of literature in the English language, which intensified when printing became common during the mid-16th century. The rise of printing led to literature in the English language gaining international prestige.

Literature in the English language

The tradition of literature in the English language mainly began with the Protestant Reformation. Before this, works had been written in Latin – a language many English people did not speak. During the Reformation, it was believed that people should be able to interpret the Bible for themselves rather than accepting the Catholic Church’s interpretation of the Latin version.

In 1526, William Tyndale published his translation of the English Bible. His work influenced the King James Version of the Bible; this achievement made Tyndale’s influence on the use of the English language in literature even more significant than that of Shakespeare.

Another person who supported the English language in literature was Roger Ascham, who is often called the ‘father of English prose.’ Ascham was a tutor to Elizabeth I during her teenage years, and she wrote occasional poems herself, such as ‘On Monsieur’s Departure’.

Literature, Poetry, and Politics in the English Renaissance

What is the connection between literature, poetry, and politics in the English Renaissance?

With the Renaissance came a new emphasis on humanism and individuality. Writers also started to satirise (ridicule) existing institutions such as the Church, and their works became secular, leading to a revival of three types of English literature listed below.

1. Poetry is a form of literature that uses aesthetics and the rhythmic qualities of language. It is set in lines and verses rather than paragraphs. Examples of poetry include sonnets and limericks.
2. Prose is a form of written or spoken language, and it typically exhibits a natural flow of speech and grammatical structure. Prose can be fiction or non-fiction. Examples of prose include novels.
3. Drama is a form combined with music and dance. Playwrights write these plays, which are intended to be performed in theatres. For a long time, nearly all drama was in verse form.

   Examples include the plays of Shakespeare and Marlowe.

Elizabethan literature in the English Renaissance period

Elizabethan literature in the English Renaissance period refers to the works produced during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. In this period, writers such as Sir Philip Sidney, Edmund Spenser, Roger Ascham, and William Shakespeare flourished. The Elizabethan age saw the rise of poetry, such as sonnets. It was a golden age of drama, and it inspired a wide variety of prose.

William Shakespeare

While there are many notable writers from this period, the most famous name of all is William Shakespeare. This playwright and poet is widely regarded, back then and today, as the greatest dramatist of all time. His most famous works include:

• Hamlet
• Romeo and Juliet
• Macbeth
• A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• Othello
• King Lear

Fig. 1 - Portrait of William Shakespeare

Theatre during the English Renaissance Period

The English theatre scene was a popular place to be. Plays were performed both in private for the court and nobility and for the general public. What types of plays were common during the Renaissance period? Let’s find out in the table below.

Table 1

Visual Arts during the English Renaissance period

As we mentioned before, England experienced the Renaissance later than other countries such as Italy. It was particularly slow to adopt the Renaissance styles in the visual arts. Many of the artists during the Tudor reign were foreigners.

A prime example of a foreign artist is Hans Holbein the Younger, a German painter and printmaker. Holbein the Younger is considered one of the greatest portrait painters of the 16th century. In 1535, he became the King’s Painter to King Henry VIII, where he produced many paintings and portraits.

Fig. 2 - Self-portrait of Hans Holbein the Younger

Fig. 3 - Portrait of King Henry VIII by Hans Holbein the Younger

An interesting invention was the ‘portrait miniature’, a small portrait that could be worn and carried around in lockets. Foreign artists invented them in England, which spread all over Europe by the 18th century.

Another interesting fact is that sculptures weren’t produced in England, unlike in Italy. Artists such as Donatello made the famous ‘David’ during the Italian Renaissance, but this art form was never popularised in the North of Europe.

Music during the English Renaissance period

In contrast to the visual arts, English Renaissance music kept in touch with musical developments on the European continent. The musical aesthetics in England and Italy were very similar. One of the primary forms of music that came to England from Italy was the madrigal genre, a type of secular vocal composition.

The leading English composers of the time were:

William Byrd (c. 1539/43–1623)

• He is considered one of the greatest composers of the Renaissance period.

• He made music in the following styles: sacred and secular polyphony (music made up of several parts) and consort (instrumental ensemble).

• Early in his career, he produced sacred music for Anglican services; later in life, he became a Roman Catholic and made music for sacred Catholic services.

Thomas Tallis (c.1505–1585)

• He was a highly regarded composer, who composed and performed for Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I.

• He was an organist and famed for his original voice.

Thomas Morley (c.1557–1602)

• He was an English composer, theorist, singer, and organist.

• He was also one of the foremost members of the English Madrigal School.

John Dowland (1563–1626)

• He was either an English or Irish Renaissance composer, lute player, and singer.

• The lute song was the most popular in secular music in the English Renaissance.

• Dowland is known today for his melancholy songs such as ‘Come, heavy sleep’ and ‘Flow my tears’.

Some early Renaissance composers also wrote in a late Medieval style, making them transitional figures. Two critical examples were Leonel Power and John Dunstaple/Dunstable, the latter being famous not only in England but throughout continental Europe.

Attitudes during the English Renaissance period: Humanism

Humanism led to people’s renewed interest in classical education, including philosophy, history and physics. Before the English Renaissance, people were more focused on heaven and the afterlife in the Middle Ages. They tended to believe that their life was simply a test of their goodness.

However, this view changed after experiencing the widespread deaths of the Black Death (bubonic plague). People began to think more about the ‘now’. This re-education led to discoveries and developments all over Europe, such as the printing press, firearms, and the nautical compass.

The Economy during the English Renaissance period

During the Renaissance period, the European economy grew exponentially. Population growth, improvements in banking, expanding trade routes, and new manufacturing systems increased commercial activities.

The new discoveries and exploration that came with the popularity of humanism further influenced this.

Why did the English Renaissance end?

The Renaissance ended in the 17th century. Considering the Renaissance took place all over Europe, but on different timelines, scholars believe that the end of the Renaissance was the result of various factors.

• By the end of the 15th century, several wars plagued the Italian peninsula, causing great instability in the region.

• There was a period of economic decline after trade routes changed, leading to less funding from wealthy benefactors, as money had to go elsewhere.

• The Counter-Reformation, or Catholic Reformation, meant that the Catholic Church censored artists and writers in response to the Protestant Reformation, thus preventing artists from being creative. As a result, they were producing less.

• In 1545, the Council of Trent introduced the Roman Inquisition. Humanism and all views that questioned the Catholic Church were considered heresy (religious beliefs that went against the Church), and heresy was punishable by death.

• By the early 17th century, the Renaissance movement died out and gave way to the Age of Enlightenment.

Historiography of the English Renaissance period

The term Renaissance was not given to this period in history until the 19th century. Today, several historians and scholars are disputing that there even was a Renaissance in England!

One of the main praises of the English Renaissance was the flourishing of English literature. However, England had already experienced such a flourishing over 200 years before Shakespeare. One notable figure was Geoffrey Chaucer (1343–1400), who wrote the famous Canterbury Tales, already using English in his literature rather than Latin. The emphasis of the English Renaissance was on literature, but there had already been a ‘rebirth’ in English literature well before the English Renaissance.

C.S. Lewis, a professor of Medieval and Renaissance literature, famously said that there was no English Renaissance, and if there was, it had ‘no effect whatsoever.’

What would you argue? Was there an English Renaissance or not?