Tiffany
Flint
11/03/12
Webquest
Renaissance
Era with an Elizabethan Flair
The Fortune
Elizabethan Theatre
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that roughly
spanned the period from the 14th to the 17th century. The Elizabethan era was
in the 16th century and corresponded with Queen Elizabeth I’s reign
(1558-1603). The Elizabethan era is often called the “golden age” and saw a
boom in poetry, music and literature. William Shakespeare’s plays changed the
theatre scene for England and gained notoriety.
Click on the link below and read more about theatre
in the Elizabethan Era and William Shakespeare’s influence.
http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-theatre.htm
Literature
and Poetry
During this period, English writers introduced
poetic structures in both verse and prose. William Shakespeare’s works became
very popular in England as well as most of Europe. Shakespeare’s plays appeared
in various formats from as comedies, satires, tragedies, dramas, and romances.
Notable works include: "Romeo and Juliet," "Hamlet,"
"Macbeth," "Julius Caesar," and "A Midsummer Night's
Dream." Because of Shakespeare’s great success, theatre became a popular
pastime across social classes in England. Other famous playwrights/poets at
this time were Christopher Marlowe and John Milton.
Marlowe was known for his magnificent blank verse,
his overreaching protagonists, and his own untimely death. Poets such as John
Milton produced works that demonstrated an increased interest in understanding
English Christian beliefs, such as the retelling of mankind's fall from
paradise in "Paradise Lost."
Music
Music of this period became increasingly expressive
and refined, and a knowledge and appreciation of music set apart the truly
genteel members of the high social classes. In addition, court musicians
gradually moved into their own music houses and guilds. Several different
instruments became popular during the Elizabethan era, including the lute (a
forerunner of the guitar or cello), viol (predecessor to the violin), spinet (a
piano-like instrument), bagpipe, fife and cornet (a short trumpet).
Who
is William Shakespeare?
Read his biography and click on the right column to
view excerpts of his famous poems.
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/122
Shakespeare
and Music
Shakespeare used music in his plays to set a mood.
Both comedies and tragedies had music. Shakespeare chose specific instruments
to be used to create a message being represented.
Click on the link below and read about the
connection of music and Shakespeare. Then listen to the selected pieces at the
bottom of the pages to hear renditions of songs from some of Shakespeare’s
plays.
http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/Library/SLT/literature/music/shakespeare.html
Who
is Christopher Marlowe?
Christopher “Kit” Marlowe is often called the
“Father of English tragedy.” Marlowe was an English dramatist and poet during
the Elizabethan era. It is said that he greatly influenced William Shakespeare,
who was born in the same year as Marlowe and achieved great success after Marlowe's
mysterious early death. Some speculate that Marlowe faked his death and
continued to write under the name of Shakespeare. These rumors have proved to
be false but make for a nice conspiracy theory. Marlowe's plays are known for
the use of blank verse and their “overreaching” protagonists.
Read more about Christopher Marlowe by clicking on
the link below.
http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/marlowebio.htm
Who
is John Milton?
John Milton was an English writer, poet and polemists during a time of religious instability and political upheaval, and is best known for his epic poem Paradise Lost, which he wrote while blind. Milton's poetry and prose reflect deep personal convictions, a passion for freedom and self-determination, and the urgent issues and political turbulence of his day.
Read more about Milton and his works by clicking the link below.
Click on the below link to watch one of Satan's
speeches from Book One of Milton's Paradise Lost.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl4e4mF5eMc
Do you see a connection
between poetry and rap yet?