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The Renaissance Age

Renaissance Age- The French word ‘renaissance’ has originated from the Latin word ‘renasci’ that means ‘to be born again’. In English ‘the Renaissance’ means the rebirth or revival of the ancient Greek and Roman knowledge, art, and culture.

The rebirth was caused by a historical event. In 1453, with the fall of the then Constantinople, the scholars living there fled to different countries of Europe, especially to Italy. They took with them the ancient Greek and Italian literature that gradually became the center of interest of the people. The ancient learning was rediscovered. This discovery or rebirth is called the Renaissance that kindled a kind of wildfire of knowledge that kept on burning for several centuries.

Renaissance in England

In England, the Renaissance led the writers to classical leaning that liberated them from religious control. it broadened the literary, philosophical, and intellectual horizons. It generated among them the spirit of adventure, inquiry, empiricism, and doubt in old ideas. The Humanistic movement that started with it enhanced sensitiveness to the formal beauty and the cultivation of the aesthetic sense.

The sense of beauty influenced architecture, sculptor, painting, music dancing mime drama costume, and the like.

In literature also it took numerous forms. Spenser, Shakespeare, Marlowe, Bacon, and many other writers had been writing in the literary atmosphere. Their literary works are the fullest flowering of the Renaissance spirit. The Renaissance was, thus, the result of various series of events that followed and accompanied one another from the fourteenth to the beginning of the sixteenth century.

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The Renaissance Age was a time of learning, creativity, and new ideas. It began in the 14th century and lasted until the 17th century. It started in Italy and spread to other parts of Europe. People became interested in art, science, and literature. They looked back at Greek and Roman ideas.

Features of the Renaissance Age

  1. Humanism – People focused on human life and achievements. They believed in the power of reason.
  2. Revival of Classical Learning – Writers studied Greek and Roman books. They used Latin and Greek in their writings.
  3. Spirit of Exploration – Explorers like Columbus and Vasco da Gama traveled to new lands.
  4. Scientific Advancements – Scientists like Galileo and Copernicus made new discoveries.
  5. Growth of Drama and Poetry – Writers created plays, sonnets, and long poems.
  6. Patronage of Art and Literature – Rich families, like the Medicis, supported artists and writers.

Famous Writers of the Renaissance

  1. William Shakespeare (England)
  2. Geoffrey Chaucer (England)
  3. Edmund Spenser (England)
  4. Christopher Marlowe (England)
  5. Miguel de Cervantes (Spain)
  6. Dante Alighieri (Italy)
  7. Petrarch (Italy)
  8. Niccolò Machiavelli (Italy)

Famous Writings

1. Hamlet by William Shakespeare

It is a tragic play about Prince Hamlet of Denmark. His father, the king, is murdered by his uncle Claudius. His father’s ghost tells him to take revenge. Hamlet pretends to be mad while he plans to kill Claudius. Many people die, including Hamlet’s love, Ophelia. In the end, Hamlet kills Claudius but also dies. The play explores revenge, madness, and fate.

2. The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser

It is an epic poem that praises Queen Elizabeth I. The poem has many knights, battles, and magical creatures. Each knight represents a virtue like holiness, justice, or temperance. The poem teaches moral lessons and tells heroic stories. It is written in a special style called the Spenserian stanza.

3. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

It is a Spanish novel about an old man, Don Quixote. He reads many books about knights, believes he is one and he sets out on adventures with his servant, Sancho Panza. He fights windmills, thinking they are giants. People make fun of him, but he never gives up. The book is both funny and sad. It talks about dreams, reality, and the meaning of heroism.

4. The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli

It is a book about politics and power. Machiavelli writes that a ruler should be strong and clever. He says it is better for a ruler to be feared than loved. He advises leaders to do whatever is necessary to stay in power. Many people read this book to understand politics and leadership.