英美国家概况论文

Contents

Abstract (2) Key words (2) Introduction (2) Body (2)ⅠEnglish renaissance and humanism (2)

A.English renaissance (2)

B.English renaissance humanism (3)

ⅡThree aspects influnenced by English renaissance (3)

A.Drama (3)

B.Architecture (4)

C.Portraiture (4) Conclusion (5) Notes (6) Referances (7)

Influences of Renaissance in English

History

LI Siqi

Abstract: The English Renaissance was a cultural and artistic movement in England dating from the early 16th century to the early 17th century. In this period, the most significant influence in English history is the spreading of humanism, which is reflected in the three main aspects: drama, architecture and portraiture through pouring humanism into works in those fields.. The greatly aroused creativity of human beings will create miracles.

Key words: Renaissance Humanism Drama Architecture Portraiture

"What a piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving, how express and admirable in action, how like an angel in apprehension, how like a god!" This sentence is abstracted from the book Hamlet written by Shakespeare, who is a representative figure in the period of English Renaissance. In this period, the most significant influence in English history is the spreading of humanism, which is a milestone in the development of English history, especially in art, and which is reflected in the three main aspects: drama, architecture and portraiture. This article is concentrated on how English renaissance puts influnence on these three aspects.

ⅠEnglish Renaissance and humanism

A. English Renaissance

But first, what is English renaissance? “The English Renaissance was a cultural and artistic movement in England dating from the early 16th century to the early 17th

century. It is associated with the pan-European Renaissance that many cultural historians believe originated in Tuscany in the 14th century. This era in English cultural history is sometimes referred to as "the age of Shakespeare" or "the Elizabethan era", the first period in English and British history to be named after a reigning monarch.”

B. English Renaissance Humanism

In the term of renaissance, humanism can not be ignored. Renaissance humanism was an intellectual movement in Europe of the later Middle Ages and the Early Modern period. This intellectual movement sets basement for the reform of modern culture development through innovating literature, philosiphy, history, science and art. The typical attitude of humanists is negtiving the conceptions in Middle Ages. In those conseptions, devine will is the only thing a human being values and follow. On the contrary, human is put at the centre of the universe, and human’s intellect and spirit sre highly spoken of. Renaissance humanism has influence on almost every aspect in English history, soas drama, architecture and portraiture.

ⅡThree Aspects Influenced By English Renaissance

A. Drama

First, English renaissance humanism impacts upon drama, because drama, to a great extent, is closely related to the people, and bears the weight of social significance.

At the end of 16th century to the beginning of 17th century, a large amount of dramatists came into being: “Shakespeare, Ohristopher·Marlow, Robert·Green, Thomas·Haywood, Card·Johnson, and so on, are representatives of humanism in the UK.”1The common characteristic of their works is that human values are emphasized, human secerity, goodness and beauty are praised.