From the Renaissance was born many notable, innovative authors. They were mostly from England or Italy, the hub of the Renaissance. Although only five will be listed, they are of the most important and influential writers in their time, and the time after. Their literary progress survived the test of time and are regarded as nothing short of remarkable today.
Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400)
Geoffrey Chaucer is regarded as the father of English literature, and one of the greatest English poets of all time. He was the first poet to write originally in English in a time that prized classical languages such as Latin. His most famous work is the unfinished "The Canterbury Tales". It is consists of only 24 tales when 120 were originally planned and ends rather abruptly before its characters even make it to Canterbury. The tales are fragmented and varied in order. Scholars continue to debate as to whether the tales were published in their correct order. Other works include "Parliament of Fouls" and "The Book of Duchess". |
Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593)
Christopher Marlowe was an English dramatist, poet, and translator of the Elizabethan era. He was the most known tragedian in his time before Shakespeare. His works are known to feature eccentric and dramatic protagonists. He was the first to make full potential of blank verse, a form of poetry. Marlowe's first play performed on the regular stage in London, in 1587, was "Tamburlaine the Great", about the conqueror Timur, who rises from shepherd to warrior. It is among the first English plays that used blank verse. Although he had legendary status in the world of literature, little is known about him. Marlowe has often been described as a spy, a brawler, a heretic, a homosexual, a magician, a duellist, a counterfeiter and a rakehell. Christopher was killed in tavern, via a knife in the eye, and was twice before arrested for street fights. |
Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527)
Italian diplomat Niccolo Machiavelli is best known for writing "The Prince", a handbook for establishing and maintaining power. The work has been regarded as a guide for politicians on the use of ruthless, self-serving, and cunning tactics and inspired the term "Machiavellian." Some scholars even consider it satire. His moral standpoint was and still is controversial. He believed it was better to be feared than loved, if possible. He is considered the father of modern political theory.
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William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
William Shakespeare is considered by many to be the greatest playwright of all time, although many facts about his life remain shrouded in mystery. He lived during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I and coined hundreds of new words and phrases that we still use today. William Shakespeare's early plays were written in the conventional style of his time, using elaborate metaphors and rhetorical phrases that didn't always flow naturally. However, Shakespeare adopted innovative techniques, molding the traditional style to his own purposes and creating a freer flow of words. With only small degrees of variation, Shakespeare primarily used a metrical pattern consisting of lines of iambic pentameter, or blank verse, to compose his plays. His plays include the timeless "Hamlet", "The Tempest", and "Antony and Cleopatra". He is also famous for his sonnets, writing over 100 of them in his lifetime and publishing most in a single book. |
Ben Jonson (1572-1637)
Playwright and poet Ben Jonson was born in London, England and served as an actor in his early years. In 1598, he wrote what is considered to be one of his greatest plays, "Every Man in his Humour". William Shakespeare played a lead role in the 1616 production. Jonson had his fair share of felonies, a duel fight that ended with him murdering his opponent and failure to pay an actor landed him in jail twice. Under the reign of King James I, he received royal favor and produced his most famous satirical plays such as "Volpone" and "The Alchemist". He amassed a large following of admirers, and was social with other great writers of his day.
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