THE RENAISSANCE/ THE AGE OF SPENSER

THE RENAISSANCE/ THE AGE OF SPENSER

Literal meaning of renaissance is revival, rebirth without implying previous death. The world was ‘theocentric’. It meant God is the centre of universe. It became ‘anthropocentric’. Man became the centre of universe. It was an intellectual movement, reawakening of scholarship, recovery of ancient learning, religious and scientific inquiry, self emancipation of individual. It brought transition in methods of study. There were a number of factors that lead to the Renaissance. Humanism was an important movement in this regard. It referred to the revival of interest in classical literature of Greece & Rome. Man gained importance which gave rise to free human personality. It brought worldliness. In the field of literature it brought appreciation of classical antiquity. Goegraphical discoveries of Bartholomeu Diaz (1487), Columbus (1492), Vasco da Gama (1497-1499), The Cabots (1497), Fernando Magellan (1519-1521), Hernando Cortez (1519), Francisco Pizaro (1533) all over the world also contributed in broadening the horizon of the age. Printing press brought revolution in the field of education. Literature became independent of patrons. It gave boost to the spirit of learning. 20000 titles were published in England. Even common men had access to the books. It spread awareness among people. Nikolaus Copernicus, a Polish astronomer, published Revolutionibus Orbium. He claimed that planets move round the sun. According to traditional theology Earth was a restless creature. Moreover, it argued that man importance in this universe is not greater than an atom. Fall of the Constantonople is another factor that gave a boost to the Renaissance. In 1453 Constantinople was captured by Turks. The Greek scholars took shelter in Italy that included Demetrius, Chalcondyles, Constantine Lascaris, Andreas J. Lascaris. It is a mistake to it the only factor responsible for the Renaissance because some Greek scholars had already moved to Italy. Another important factor is that it was a logical result of suppression against the dogmatic authority of church. It was a denial of Authority of universal church and reliance on the individual conscience. The leaders of the revolt include Luther, Calvin, Knox, Huss. The Reformers presented a protest in Germany, so, that the name ‘Protestant’ emerged. The Renaissance started in Italy. It was brought to England by the The Oxford Group-Thomas Linacre and William Grocyn. They introduced “New Learning” that included adopting the new modes of study. The students were supposed to study the classical works. They were later joined by John Colet, D. Erasmus- Dutch Feminist, and Sir Thomas Moore. Educational and religious works writers include Sir Thomas More, Sir Thomas Elyot, Roger Ascham, John Foxe, Thomas Wilson, and Richard Hooker. The New Drama and the New Poetry were introduced.

EDMUND SPENSER

Edmund Spenser was born in 1552 in London. He was the elder son of John Spenser who was a free journeyman and a cloth maker. His residence was in East Smithfield. He entered the Merchant Taylors' school which was founded in 1561 under Richard Mulcaster. Even as a student at Cambridge, he had to work to fulfill his expensis of education. He read great Italian and Greek writers. He did B. A in 1573 and an M. A in 1576. After leaving Cambridge a few years he composed some poems while staying away from London. He returned back to London on his friend’s advice. He entered the famous literary circle where the earl of Leicester and Sir Phillip Sydney proved to be his great supporters. The earl of Leicester introduced him to the Queen, and Sydney patroned him. On Sydney’s request to the queen Spenser was appointed secretary to Lord Grey de Wilton who was a Deputy-Lord in Ireland. Spenser spent eighteen years of his life in Ireland serving the English government. He fought against the rebellion heroically. As a result he was given the castle of Kilcolman in Ulster. It was beautiful place of nature. At this place Spenser wrote The Faerie Queene. Walter Raleigh visited him in 1589. He was impressed by the poem. He presented him to the Queen when he went back to London. His work received appreciation and he was granted fifty pound as annual pension but he was not paid. Consequently he was disappointed. He went back to Ireland. He married Elizabeth in Ireland. He wrote Amoretti in her honour. Later he wrote Epthalamion in the honour of their marriage. He again went to London in 1595. He wrote Astrophel on the death of his friend Sydney. Spenser once again went to Ireland. He again faced a rebellious attack in the same year. The rebels burnt his castle. He managed to escape with his wife and children. He came back to London sad and disappointed. Some critics believe that he died in poverty. He died in 1599. He was buried in poet’s corner in Westminster Abbey besides Chaucer.

Spenser’s Style is supreme in vision; it has the ultimate world of poetic fluency, ornate imagination, rich imagery, lofty idealism. He was sensuous poet. He used luxuriant colour and verbal music in his poetry. His poetry blended romantic ideas, nationalistic feeling, and idealistic thought. He experimented with language and enriched it. He used archaism and allusions.

The Faerie Queene is an allegorical poem. In its 1590’s edition, it included a letter that Spenser wrote to Sir Walter Ralegh. It clearly stated the purpose of writing the Faerie Queene: “the generall end … is to fashion a gentleman or noble person in vertuous and gentle discipline”. The general plan consisted of 12 books. Each book would have 12 cantos. It is based on a twelve days feast held by Gloriana, the queen of fairyland. Each day a stranger will appear asking for help from a giant, tyrant or a dragon. The queen would assign a knight to resolve the issue. Each book would contain the adventure of one knight. The twelve knights symbolize Aristotle’s twelve virtues as opposed to the twelve vices. The central figure represents Prince Arthur. The knights are the ideal knights symbolizing magnificence.

It contains:  an allegory of virtues and vices; an allegory of the times and people; a story of romance and adventure. So, the character and action has double meaning. Only six books of the 12 planned books were completed. Book Vll is unfinished. The story of book l revolves around the knight who is accompanied by lady Una. They are on their way to get the castle of lady Una’s father.  The knight slays the monster. He then encounters hypocrisy in guise of an old man who disturbs the knight and he returns back.