Renaissance poetry refers to the poetry of the European Renaissance, a cultural movement that began in the 14th century and lasted until the 17th century.
General Characteristics
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Some general characteristics of Renaissance poetry include:
- Focus on the individual and humanism: Renaissance poets often focused on the individual and the human experience, valuing the dignity and potential of human beings. Elizabethan poets also emphasized the importance of the monarch and the nation, reflecting the political and social context of Elizabethan England.
- Interest in the classics: Renaissance poets often drew on classical literature and mythology, using it as a source of inspiration and a model for their own work.
- Use of elaborate imagery and metaphor: Renaissance poets often used elaborate and extended imagery and metaphor to create rich and complex works of poetry. Elizabethan poets also used more direct and accessible language to appeal to a wider audience.
- Experimentation with form and style: Renaissance poets often experimented with new forms and styles of poetry, such as the sonnet and the epic, and often used new techniques, such as enjambment and conceit, to create new effects. Elizabethan poets also developed the sonnet form into a highly refined and popular genre, with poets like Shakespeare and Sidney becoming famous for their sonnets.
- Focus on love and beauty: Renaissance poets often celebrated the beauty of the world and the power of love, often using it as a central theme in their work. Also, Elizabethans often explored darker and more complex themes, such as political power, religious conflict, and social injustice.
- Interest in nature and the physical world: Renaissance poets often celebrated the beauty and power of nature, and often used it as a symbol of the divine or a reflection of human emotions. Elizabethan poets also often explored the darker aspects of nature, such as disease and death.
- Celebration of human achievement and creativity: Elizabethan poets celebrated human achievement and creativity, often using it as a reflection of the humanist values of the time, but they also often explored the limitations and failures of human beings, reflecting the political and social turmoil of Elizabethan England.
These characteristics are not exhaustive, and there is considerable variety within Renaissance poetry. However, they provide a general sense of the key features of the genre.
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| John Donne
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| Robert Herrick
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| Andrew Marvell
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| William Shakespeare
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| Philip Sydney
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