CONTENTS

Introduction………………………………………………………………3

The Renaissance………………………………………………………….4

Thomas More…………………………………………………………….5

The works of Thomas More……………………………………………...6

"Utopia"…………………………………………………………………..7

Second period of the Renaissance………………………………………..8

Edmund Spenser………………………………………………………….9

The "Fairy Queen"……………………………………………………….11

The development of the drama. The theatres and actors…………………12

Conclusion………………………………………………………………..15

Used literature…………………………………………………………….16

Introduction

I have heard about the Renaissance not so long ago: last year when I was in 10`th form, but do not think that I never knew about this period earlier. Of course I knew but I just did not know how is it called. Actually I always had a great interest to unusual and pleasantly sounding words. So when I have heard the word "renaissance" my attention was immediately attracted by it. My firs association to this word was something magnificent, brilliant and rustling like a woman`s dress of 18`th century. Soon I have known that the Renaissance is the period of English literature and art. From that time my wish to know about its place in art was becoming stronger and more strongly.

English: Portrait of Edmund Spenser, English Renai...

English: Edmund Spenser; /55.The Elizabethan Peopl...

The School of Athens - fresco by Raffaello Sanzio ...

I wanted to know more about this period in English art: when did it start, who were the representatives of this period and what did they write, what did they think about. It is not all what I wanted to know about but I can not tell you all questions because I had plenty of them.

Now I know more about this period of English literature but nevertheless I still have not calmed down. I have many questions till today and I want to clear up this business. So let`s investigate this period together and find out some new facts…

The Renaissance

The "dark" Middle Ages were followed by a time known in art and literature as the Renaissance. The word "renaissance" means "rebirth" in French and was used to denote a phase in the cultural development of Europe between...