ENGL0214: Renaissance Literature and Culture

The Renaissance in Europe and England was arguably the moment at which the modern idea of literature was born. How did a developing literary sensibility participate in a historical moment that also saw new ideas about science, social order, history, gender, desire, authorship, race, religion, and humanity? We will address this question by studying Renaissance literary self-consciousness as it occurred in various cultural locations, from palace to city to church to country to nation to non-European world. Readings may include "non-literary” texts as well as “literary” works by such authors as Castiglione, More, Wyatt, Sidney, Montaigne, Bacon, Spenser, Shakespeare, Donne, Milton, Cavendish, and Behn. Student work will include presentations, weekly blog posts or in-class writing, and a final exam.