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Readings

• 1.1.1 Reading: The Open University’s “Looking at the Renaissance – Defining the Renaissance”

  Link: The Open University’s “Looking at the Renaissance – Defining the Renaissance”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Please read this brief overview for a general understanding of what the Renaissance was all about and how contemporary scholars are reinterpreting its origins and cultural legacy.
   
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• 1.1.1 Reading: CUNY-Brooklyn: Professor Lilia Melani’s “General Characteristics of the Renaissance”

  Link:  Lilia Melani’s “General Characteristics of the Renaissance”(HTML) adapted from A Guide to the Study of Literature: A Companion Text for Core Studies 6, Landmarks of Literature.
   
  Instructions:  Read this selection from the text used by students in Brooklyn College’s English Department for an expansive overview of the significant trends that defined Renaissance thinking.
   
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• 1.1.2 Reading: The Library of Congress’ “Rome Reborn: The Vatican Library & Renaissance Culture” exhibition: “Humanism”

  Link:  The Library of Congress’ “Rome Reborn:  The Vatican Library & Renaissance Culture” exhibition:  “Humanism”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read the introduction and all four sections (“Seeking the Wisdom of the Ancients,” “Scholarship Challenges Tradition,” “Linguistic Correctness,” and “Confronting the Original Texts”) to this superb collection of Renaissance printing from the Vatican’s library.  As you read, click on the images for a closer look at books and printed materials in the collection.

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• 1.1.3 Reading: from Peter Borghesi’s “Petrarch and His Influence on English Literature”

  Link:  Archive.org’s version of Peter Borghesi’s “Petrarch and His Influence on English Literature”(PDF)
  Also available on Google Books
   
  Instructions:  Read pages 23-28 (through the first full paragraph) of Italian author Borghesi’s 1906 work for a lively discussion of the manner in which Italian culture and literature made its mark on English writers such as Geoffrey Chaucer and led to the English Renaissance.
   
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• 1.1.4 Reading: Nicolaa de Bracton’s “Humanism: An Introduction”

  Link:  Nicolaa de Bracton’s “Humanism: An Introduction”(HTML)
   
  Instructions: “Magistra Nicolaa de Bracton” is the nom de plume of Susan Carroll-Clarke, a medievalist and essayist whose writing here provides a clear understanding of the essential concepts related to humanism.
  
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• 1.1.4 Reading: American Public University: Steven Kreis’ “The Medieval Synthesis and the Discovery of Man: The Renaissance” followed by “Renaissance Humanism” by the same author

  Links:  American Public University:  Professor Steven Kreis’ “The Medieval Synthesis and the Discovery of Man:  The Renaissance”(HTML) and “Renaissance Humanism”(HTML)
   
  Instructions: Read the entire text of this excellent parsing of Humanism during the Renaissance from American Public University Professor Steven Kreis, an early pioneer in using online resources to benefit college students.
  
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• 1.1.4 Reading: Illinois State University-Normal

  “From the Organic Society to Utopian Civic Virtue: Reforming the Poor and Re-Forming the Social Order in England, 1500-1550”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  For an analysis of the role English Renaissance Utopianism played in creating the modern understanding of the poor and disenfranchised, read Chapter III “A Utopian World of Virtue: Society Reconfigured, the Poor Reformed” from Professor Beier’s scholarly essay.
   
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• 1.1.6 Reading: Merry Wiesner-Hanks’ “The World of the Renaissance Print Shop”

  Link:  University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee:  Professor Merry Wiesner-Hanks’ “The World of the Renaissance Print Shop”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this excellent lecture on printing and the Renaissance by Distinguished Professor of History Merry Wiesner-Hanks which covers everything from the wine-presses which were adapted to make early printing machines to the popular, often salacious, content which the public demanded thereby influencing the history of Western culture.
   
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• 1.1.7 Reading: The Cambridge History of English and American Literature, Volume III. Renascence [sic] and Reformation. Chapter XX. The Language from Chaucer to Shakespeare. Section 3. “Growing importance of the vernacular.”

  Link:  Bartleby.com’s version of The Cambridge History of English and American Literature’s “Growing Importance of the Vernacular”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this scholarly assessment of the transition from Latin to the vernacular in England during the Renaissance taken from the 18 volume work that came out between 1907 and 1921 and redefined the study of English and American literature.
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• 1.2.1 Reading: Thomas E. Martin, Jr.’s “John Wycliffe”

  Link:  Britannia Biographies’ “John Wycliffe”(HTML) by Thomas E. Martin, Jr.
   
  Instructions:  Read this concise biography of an early English dissenter to find out why his bones were dug up, burned and scattered on water.
   
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• 1.2.1 Reading: Jeff Hobbs’ “The History of Lollardy”

  Link:  Britannia History’s “The History of Lollardy”(HTML) by Jeff Hobbs
   
  Instructions:  Read this excellent summary of the activities of the followers of John Wycliffe and how their actions set the stage for the Protestant Reformation in England.
   
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• 1.2.2 Reading: Greatsite.com’s “Martin Luther”

  Link:  Greatsite.com’s “Martin Luther”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Given Martin Luther’s role in shaping Christianity it’s only appropriate that this superb biography should appear on one of the world’s foremost dealers of rare and antique Bibles. The biography should be read in its entirety.
   
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• 1.2.3 Reading: royal.gov.uk’s “Henry VIII”

  Link:  royal.gov.uk’s biographical entry for “Henry VIII (r.1509-1547)”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  What better place to learn about a British monarch than the “The Official Website of the British Monarchy”?  This overview of Henry VIII’s life and reign provides a solid foundation for understanding the tumultuous years of his rule.
   
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• 1.2.3 Reading: Theodore Harvey’s “Henry VII: A Machiavellian Musical Monarch”

  Link:  Theodore Harvey’s “Henry VII:  A Machiavellian Musical Monarch”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this opinion article by professional cellist and British royalty expert Theodore Harvey for an interesting study of Henry VIII’s participation in, and support of, the arts during his reign.
   
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• 1.2.4 Reading: The Norton Anthology of English Literature’s “Dissent, Doubt and Spiritual Violence on the Reformation: Overview”

  Link:  The Norton Anthology of English Literature’s “Dissent, Doubt and Spiritual Violence on the Reformation:  Overview”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this helpful overview of the Reformation from one of academia’s most trusted sources for top-notch scholarly work and anthologies of primary sources.
   
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• 1.3.3 Reading: Britroyals’ “Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603)”

  Link:  Britroyals’ “Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603)”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Review this helpful page of content for a biography, images, a timeline, quotations and even a sample of the Queen’s signature for your perusal.
   
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• 1.3.3 Reading: King’s College-Wilkes-Barre: Professor Karen Woods’

  “Queen Elizabeth I of England”(HTML)
  
  Instructions:  As part of the Women’s History site maintained by Professor Brian V. Pavlac, this contribution by Professor Woods offers a brief but thoughtful overview of Elizabeth I’s reign as well as a helpful bibliography with notes.
   
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• 1.3.3 Reading: Andre Hurault-Sieur de Maisse’s “An Audience with Queen Elizabeth I, 1597”

  Link:  EyeWitness to History.com’s version of Andre Hurault-Sieur de Maisse’s “An Audience with Queen Elizabeth I, 1597”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this brief excerpt from the journal of the French Ambassador to Elizabeth’s court and the revealing commentary that accompanies it.
   
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• 1.3.4 Reading: Harvard University-Cambridge: W.A. Neilson’s “The Elizabethan Adventurers” from Harvard Classics Vol. 51: Lectures on the Harvard Classics

  Link:  Bartleby.com’s version of W.A. Neilson’s “The Elizabethan Adventurers”(HTML)
  Also available on Google Books
   
  Instructions:  Read this fine summary of the English explorers with a brief foray into the origin of travel narratives from esteemed scholar Professor W.A. Neilson.
   
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• 1.3.6 Reading: crossref-it.info’s “Elizabethan Court Life”

  Link:  crossref-it.info’s “Elizabethan Court Life”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this brief breakdown of the major aspects of life in Elizabeth’s court
   
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• 1.3.7 Reading: Elizabethan.org’s version of “The City of London” excerpted from Anthony Burgess’ “Shakespeare”

  Link: “The City of London”(HTML) (excerpted from Anthony Burgess’ “Shakespeare”
   
  Instructions:  Read this very brief but colorful summary of Elizabethan London by one of England’s most respected modern authors.
   
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• 1.3.7 Reading: University of Oklahoma-Norman: Professor Stephen M. Sutherland’s “Elizabethan London: A Study in Historical Geography”

  Link:  Professor Stephen M. Sutherland’s “Elizabethan London:  A Study in Historical Geography” (PDF)
   
  Instructions:  Under "Section F, Geography" please find the last item; follow this link to open a PDF version of Professor Sutherland’s wonderfully lucid and detailed overview of London during the Elizabethan era.
   
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• 2.1.1 Reading: The History Guide’s “Sir Thomas More, 1478-1535” excerpted from T.E. Bridgett’s “Life and Writings of Blessed Thomas More” (1913)

  Link:  The History Guide’s “Sir Thomas More, 1478-1535”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read both the brief overview of More’s life and philosophy as well as the character description by More’s contemporary and fellow philosopher Desiderius Erasmus which follows.
   
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• 2.1.2 Reading: Alternate Reading: Utopian Thought and Imagination: An Introduction

  Alternate Reading: http://ratiojuris.blogspot.com/2009/11/utopian-thought-imagination.html(HTML)

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• 2.1.3 Reading: Excerpts from Thomas More’s Utopia Public domain

  Link:  Luminarium: Anthology of English Literature’s illustrated version of the following excerpts from Utopia:
  

  • Description of the Island of Utopia
  • Utopian Trades
  • Games of the Utopians
  • Riches, Jewels, and Gold
  • Utopians' Love of Learning
  • Euthanasia and Suicide
  • Marriage and Divorce
  • Laws and Government
  • Death, Funerals, Afterlife
  • Temples and Religious Services in Utopia(all HTML)

   
  Instructions: Using the links above, access the various subjects addressed by More concerning his Utopians to learn what the philosopher imagined to be the best of all possible worlds for his fellow countrymen.
   
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• 2.1.4 Reading: Julia R. Nelson’s “Sir Thomas More, Christian Humanism and Utopia”

  Link:  University of Wisconsin-Madison:  Julia R. Nelson’s “Sir Thomas More, Christian Humanism and Utopia”(PDF)
   
  Instructions:  From the link above, please select the final link on the page to access the reading in PDF format.  This excerpt from Julia R. Nelson’s undergraduate honor’s thesis was published in Archive: A Journal of Undergraduate History (Volume 7, May 2004). Read pages 66-90 (beginning with the section titled “Utopia”) for an in-depth study of More’s Utopia.
   
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• 2.2.1 Reading: Anniina Jokinen’s “The Life of John Lyly”

  Link:  Anniina Jokinen’s “The Life of John Lyly”(HTML)   
   
  Instructions:  Read this short biography written by the founder of the expansive and useful website Luminarium: An Anthology of English Literature.
   
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• 2.2.2 Reading: for 2.2.2-2.2.3: Professor J.W.H. Atkins’ “Elizabethan Prose Fiction: Euphuism”

  Link:  The Bartleby.com’s version of the Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes (1907–21). Volume III. Renascence and Reformation. Professor J.W.H. Atkins’ “Elizabethan Prose Fiction:  Euphuism”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this article by J.W.H. ATKINS, M.A., Fellow of St. John’s College, Professor of English Language and Literature, University College of Wales, Aberystwyth for a scholarly analysis of the rhetorical characteristics of eupuism and its origins. Note- this reading applies to 2.2.3 as well)
   
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• 2.2.4 Reading: excerpt from John Lyly’s Euphues, The Anatomy of Wit

  Link:  Luminarium’s version of an excerpt from John Lyly’s“Euphues, The Anatomy of Wit”(HTML)
  Also available on Google Books
   
  Instructions:  Read this brief excerpt from the introductory portion of Lyly’s famous work to gain a better appreciation for his style.
   
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• 2.2.5 Reading: Professor J.W.H. Atkins’ “Elizabethan Prose Fiction: Lyly’s influence”

  Link:  The Bartleby.com’s version of the Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes (1907–21). Volume III. Renascence and Reformation. Professor J.W.H. Atkins’ “Elizabethan Prose Fiction:  Lyly’s influence”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this article by J.W.H. ATKINS, M.A., Fellow of St. John’s College, Professor of English Language and Literature, University College of Wales, Aberystwyth for a scholarly analysis of Lyly’s influence.
   
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• 2.3.1 Reading: for 2.3.1-2.3.2: Dr. Thomas S. Freeman’s “John Foxe: a biography”

  Link:  Humanities Research Institute, University of Sheffield-Sheffield:  Dr. Thomas S. Freeman’s “John Foxe: a biography”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  This lengthy, comprehensive essay by noted Foxe expert Dr. Thomas S. Freeman explores the life of John Foxe, his works and influence. Please note that this essay will address all the topics for 2.3.1-2.3.2.
   
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• 2.3.3 Reading: Dr. John N. King’s “Literary Aspects of Foxe’s Acts and Monuments”

  Link:  Dr. John N. King’s “Literary Aspects of Foxe’s Acts and Monuments” (HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this incisive essay by Ohio State University Distinguished Professor of English and Religious Studies Dr. John N. King for an excellent analysis of Foxe’s literary technique. Note – the essay makes copious use of excerpts from Acts and Monuments
   
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• 2.3.4 Reading: Professor David Loades’ “The Early Reception”

  Link:  Professor David Loades’ “The Early Reception”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this knowledgeable analysis of the book’s early receptions by respected Oxford University Professor David Loades.
   
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• 2.3.5 Reading: Professor David Loades’ “Foxe in theological context”

  Link:  Professor David Loades’ “Foxe in theological context” (HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this handy comparison of the ramifications of Foxe’s work to both Catholics and Protestants by respected Oxford University Professor David Loades.
   
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• 2.4.3 Reading: Ellen Hampton’s “Falsehood, Fantasy and Forger : 16th century English discovery literature on the New World”

  Link: Ellen Hampton’s “Falsehood, Fantasy and Forgery: 16th century English discovery literature on the New World” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to find the link to Hampton's article in PDF format.  Read this excellent essay which summarizes European travel writing endeavors of the 16^thCentury and compares them with the English travel writers who followed. This essay was published in Représentations – an independent electronic journal based in France.
   
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• 2.4.4 Reading: Part IV of Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana

  Link:  Fordham Univeristy’s version of Part IV of Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Scroll down the text to read the full “Part IV” which includes Raleigh’s famous assertion of his belief in the existence of the Ewaipanoma – a tribe with “eyes in their shoulders, and their mouths in the middle of their breasts.”
  
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• 2.4.5 Reading: Sapience’s “Greenblatt, Renaissance Self-Fashioning from More to Shakespeare”

  Link:  Sapience’s “Greenblatt, Renaissance Self-Fashioning from More to Shakespeare”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this blog entry by a New England grad student that breaks down to essential elements of leading New Historicist Stephen Greenblatt’s groundbreaking work.
   
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• 3.1.1 Reading: Gubernatix’s “Sonnets in English Literature”

  Link:  Gubernatix’s “Sonnets in English Literature”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this useful, well documented essay posted by one of the BBC’s h2g2 project’s authorized researchers for a concise survey of the rise of the sonnet form in English Renaissance literature and its subsequent loss of popularity.
   
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• 3.1.1 Reading: Francesco Petrarch’s poem 264 from The Canzoniere (“I go thinking”) translated by A.S. Kline

  Link: Francesco Petrarch’s poem 264 (“I go thinking”) from The Canzoniere translated by A.S. Kline
  Also available on Kindle($9.99)
   
  Instructions:  14^thCentury Italian poet Fransesco Petrarch is credited with mastering the sonnet form and inspiring the literary Renaissance that swept Europe and culminated in Shakespeare’s exploration of the form. Read this translation of one of Petrach’s sonnets posted by Petrach enthusiast Peter Sadlon.
   
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• 3.1.1 Reading: Sir Thomas Wyatt’s “Whoso list to hunt”

  Link: Sir Thomas Wyatt’s “Whoso list to hunt” (PDF)
  Also available in Google Books (taken from James Yeowell’s The Poetical Works of Sir Thomas Wyatt)
  
  Instructions:  Read and (if you like) listen to this famous sonnet by one of the father’s of the English sonnet Thomas Wyatt who reputedly composed these lines while imprisoned for loving Anne Boleyn who married Henry VIII and was later executed.
   
  Terms of Use: This poem is in the public domain, and the HTML and PDF links above above will direct you to a Saylor Foundation copy of the poem that you are free to copy, download, and distribute.  Please note that the Google Books version above may be subject to different licensing and copyright terms, and that you may not be permitted to use or reuse the content contained therein without explicit written permission.

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• 3.1.2 Reading: Nelson Miller’s “Basic Sonnet Forms”

  Link:  Nelson Miller’s “Basic Sonnet Forms”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this essay by Poet’s Corner editor Nelson Miller for an easy-to-understand comparison of the Petrarchan, Spenserian, and Shakespearean sonnet forms with accompanying examples.
   
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• 3.1.3 Reading: Professor Peter Sinclair’s “Background to Sir Philip Sidney and the Sonnet Tradition”

  Link:  Professor Peter Sinclair’s “Background to Sir Philip Sidney and the Sonnet Tradition”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this overview by Albertus Magnus College Professor Peter Sinclair for a better understanding of the adventure-filled, creative life of Sir Philip Sidney.
   
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• 3.1.4 Reading: Sir Philip Sidney’s “Astrophil and Stella”

  Link:  The Poets’ Corner’s version of Sir Philip Sidney’s “Astrophil and Stella”(HTML)
  Also available in PDF
   
  Instructions:  Read the 30 sonnets which form the cycle of Sidney’s famous poem of love, life and death.  To view in PDF format, please follow the "PDF" link above; click on the file name "astrophel.pdf" to open the document.
   
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• 3.2.1 Reading: Professor Hugh Blair’s “Lecture XLII: Epic Poetry” and “Lecture XLIII: Homer's Iliad and Odyssey; Virgil's Aeneid”

  Link:  Michigan State University’s versions of Professor Hugh Blair’s “Lecture XLII: Epic Poetry”(HTML) and “Lecture XLIII: Homer's Iliad and Odyssey; Virgil's Aeneid”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read these two lectures taken from the Belles Lettres by the celebrated Scottish scholar Hugh Blair (1718-1800) delivered while he was a teacher at the University of Edinburgh for an excellent overview of the Epic Poetry tradition and a brief discourse on two of ancient Greece’s masters of the form.
   
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• 3.2.2 Reading: Excerpt from Ludovico Ariosto’s “Orlando Furioso”

  Link:  Internet Sacred Text Archive’s version of excerpts from Ludovico Ariosto’s “Orlando Furioso”(HTML)
  Public Domain
   
  Instructions:  Read the brief introduction and then click on “Canto I” to read the “Argument” through stanza VI for a sampling of the influential Italian poet’s style.
   
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• 3.2.3 Reading: The Cambridge History of English and American Literature, Volume III. Renascence [sic] and Reformation. Chapter XI. The Poetry of Spenser. Section 11. “Orlando Furioso”

  Link:  Bartleby.com’s version of The Cambridge History of English and American Literature’s “Orlando Furioso”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this exploration of the manner in which Spenser was directly influenced by Aristo’s epic taken from the 18 volume work that came out between 1907 and 1921 and redefined the study of English and American literature.
  
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• 3.2.3 Reading: The Cambridge History of English and American Literature, Volume III. Renascence [sic] and Reformation. Chapter XI. The Poetry of Spenser. Section 9. “The Faerie Queene”

  Link:  Bartleby.com’s version of The Cambridge History of English and American Literature’s “The Faerie Queene”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this excellent analysis of Spenser’s most famous work taken from the 18 volume work that came out between 1907 and 1921 and redefined the study of English and American literature.
  
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• 3.2.3 Reading: Edmund Spenser’s Faerie Queen – Book II, Canto X

  Link:  University of Oregon’s version of Faerie Queen – Book II, Canto X (HTML)
  Also available in PDF, iBooks (Free)
   
  Instructions:  Scroll down to Canto X for a history of the kings of Britain including that of “King Leyr” – the literary inspiration for Shakespeare’s “King Lear”.  To view in PDF format, please follow the "PDF" link above; scroll down the list of authors to Edmund Spenser, and select "The Faerie Queene"
   
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• 3.2.4 Reading: The Norton Anthology’s “Paradise Lost in context: An Overview”

  Link:  The Norton Anthology’s “Paradise Lost in context: An Overview”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this superb summary of Milton’s work as well as the cultural and theological basis for its composition and thematic structure.
   
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• 3.2.4 Reading: John Milton’s “Paradise Lost – Book I”

  Link:  Dartmouth College’s version of John Milton’s“Paradise Lost – Book I”(HTML)
  Also available in PDF, Google Books, iBooks (Free)
     
  Instructions:  Read the Argument and Book I of Milton’s famous epic poem.  To view in PDF format, please follow the "PDF" link above; select either of the files in the box "Download Free eBook".
   
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• 3.2.5 Reading: The Poetry Foundation's version of Christopher Marlowe's "Hero and Leander"

  Link:  The Poetry Foundation's version of Christopher Marlowe's "Hero and Leander" (HTML)
  
  Instructions: Please read the entirety of this poem.  Note that it is written in "epyllion" or "little epic" form.  (For more on this poetic form, please refer to the reading in the next resource box.  Scholars have considered this poem particularly interesting for its "meta-poetic" narrative, or its treatment of the nature and status of literature.  In other words, this is a poem about poetry -- an art form about art itself.  Ask yourself what Marlowe is suggesting about cultural expression, and consider the ways in which the form of the poem plays into this commentary.
  
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• 3.2.5 Reading: Luminarium's "Epyllion"

  Link:  Luminarium's "Epyllion" (HTML)
  
  Instructions: Please read this brief entry on the epyllion form.
  
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• 3.3.3 Reading: Sir Herbert J.C. Grierson’s “Introduction” to Metaphysical Lyrics & Poems of the Seventeenth Century: Donne to Butler

  Link:  Bartleby.com’s version of Sir Herbert J.C. Grierson’s “Introduction”(HTML) to Metaphysical Lyrics & Poems of the Seventeenth Century:  Donne to Butler
   
  Instructions:  This classic essay by noted Scottish literary scholar Sir Herbert J.C. Grierson provides historical context and dissects the works of several metaphysical poets. Note – this reading also addresses 3.3.4
   
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• 3.3.5 Reading: John Donne’s “The Flea”, Andrew Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress” and Henry Vaughan’s “To Amoret gone from him”

  Links:  Luminarium’s versions of John Donne’s “The Flea”(HTML, also available on Google Books), Andrew Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress”(HTML, also available in PDF) and Henry Vaughan’s “To Amoret gone from him”(HTML)
   
  Also available on Google Books
   
  Instructions:  Read these representative poems from the leading metaphysical poets of the English Renaissance
   
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• 3.4.1 Reading: Professor Mark Damen’s “Greek Lyric Poetry”

  Link:  Utah State University-Logan:  Professor Mark Damen’s “Greek Lyric Poetry”(HTML) from online course materials
   
  Instructions:  Read this brief but thorough introduction to the tradition of Greek lyric poetry and its legacy
   
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• 3.4.2 Reading: Dr. Amy Schmitter’s “Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance Theories of the Emotions”

  Link:  Dr. Amy Schmitter’s “Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance Theories of the Emotions” (HTML) in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
  
  Instructions:  From the page linked above, select  the link for (or scroll down to) item number 7, “Renaissance and 16^thCentury Discussions”, to read Dr. Schmitter’s analysis of several leading Italian Renaissance thinkers’ views of emotions.
  
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• 3.4.3 Reading: John Milton’s Lycidas

  Link:  Dartmouth College’s version of John Milton’s “Lycidas”(HTML)
  Also available on Google Books, PDF, iBooks (Free)
   
  Instructions:  Read the introduction to the work at the bottom of the page and then the complete poem as reproduced here.
   
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  Note on the text: Milton’s “Lycidas” is a pastoral elegy, or an expression of grief at the loss of a friend.  Highly stylized and conventional, the form would remain popular amongst later Romantic and Victorian poets. 

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• 4.1.1 Reading: University of South Florida-Tampa: Dr. Patrick M. Finelli’s “History of Theater”

  Link:  Tupelo Community Theater’s version of Dr. Patrick M. Finelli’s “History of Theater”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read the following sections from this useful essay:  “Greek Theater”, “Roman Theater”, “Medieval Theater” (note – you will need to click on “next section” to see the conclusion of the last section). Note – this also addresses topics covered in 4.1.2.
   
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• 4.1.1 Reading: Dr. Charles Burton Gulick “Greek Tragedy”

  Link:  Dr. Charles Burton Gulick “Greek Tragedy”(HTML) from Harvard Classics Vol. 51: Lectures on the Harvard Classics
   
  Instructions:  Read this lucid overview of Greek Tragedy to prepare for later readings and examples of Shakespeare’s work in the genre.
   
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• 4.1.2 Reading: Martha Fletcher Bellinger’s “Moralities, Interludes and Farces of the Middle Ages”

  Link:  Moonstruck Drama Bookstore’s version of Martha Fletcher Bellinger’s “Moralities, Interludes and Farces of the Middle Ages”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this essay, originally published in A Short History of the Drama, for an excellent overview that addresses, among other topics, why medieval audiences enjoyed onstage jokes about sex and digestion.
   
  Note – this reading also covers 4.1.3
   
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• 4.1.4 Reading: Harvard University-Cambridge: W.A. Neilson’s “Elizabethan Drama” (HTML)

  Link:  W.A. Neilson’s “Elizabethan Drama”(HTML) from Harvard Classics Vol. 51: Lectures on the Harvard Classics
  Also available on Google Books
   
  Instructions:  In 1.3.4 we read Professor Neilson’s study of the Elizabethan explorers. Bringing the same level of scholarship to this essay, Professor Neilson here explores the emergence and form of Elizabethan drama.  Read the entire essay but take special note of the first two sections where Professor Neilson’s traces the emergence of uniquely English, secular theater.
   
  Note – this essay partially fulfills the reading requirement for 4.1.5  
   
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• 4.2 Reading: Samuel Bowles’ “Shakespeare’s Elizabethan Audience”

  Link:  Samuel Bowles’ “Shakespeare’s Elizabethan Audience” (PDF)
   
  Instructions:  To access the PDF, please scroll down to the final entry under the Table of Contents, and select the link "download paper".  Read this superior essay by University of Southern Indiana President’s Medal recipient Samuel Bowles for a comprehensive discussion of Elizabethan theater audiences.
   
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• 4.2.2 Reading: Thomas Larque’s “A Lecture on Elizabethan Theater”

  Link: Thomas Larque’s “A Lecture on Elizabethan Theater”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read Section 4 “The Players”, Section 5 “The Playwrights” and Section 7 “Costume, Scenery and Effects” by scholar Thomas Larque for a better understanding of theatrical life during the Elizabethan age.
   
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• 4.2.3 Reading: Arkansas State University-Jonesboro: Dr. Wayne Narey’s “Renaissance English Drama: Elizabethan Playhouses”

  Link: Luminarium’s version of Dr. Wayne Narey’s “Renaissance English Drama: Elizabethan Playhouses”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  For a general understanding of the origins and evolution of the Elizabethan stage
   
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• 4.2.4 Reading: Arkansas State University-Jonesboro: Dr. Wayne Narey’s “Renaissance English Drama: Elizabethan Staging Conventions”

  Link: Luminarium’s version of Dr. Wayne Narey’s “Renaissance English Drama: Elizabethan Staging Conventions”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  For a general understanding of the origins and evolution of the Elizabethan staging conventions.
   
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• 4.3.1 Reading: Helen Hull, Meg Pearson and Erin Sadlack’s “History of the Masque Genre”

  Link:  Helen Hull, Meg Pearson and Erin Sadlack’s “History of the Masque Genre”(HTML)
   
  Instructions: Read this thorough essay posted by several University of Maryland graduate students that provides a solid understanding of the masque – its origins and significance to Elizabethan theater. Note – this reading also fulfills 4.3.2 and 4.3.3
   
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• 4.3.4 Reading: The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes – Volume VI. The Drama to 1642, Part Two, Section XIII – “Johnson’s Masques”

  Link: Barleby.com’s version of “Johnson’s Masques”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this scholarly assessment of Johnson’s masques taken from the 18 volume work that came out between 1907 and 1921 and redefined the study of English and American literature.
  
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• 4.3.4 Reading: Ben Johnson’s “The Masque of Blackness”

  Link:  Luminarium’s version of Ben Johnson’s “The Masque of Blackness”(HTML) from The Works of Ben Johnson (1853)
   
  Instructions:  Read the full text of Johnson’s influential work, noted for its poetic achievements, that won him favor at court and cemented his reputation as the most accomplished author in the genre.
   
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  Note on the text: The Masque of Blackness,” Ben Jonson’s quasi-dramatic work, was performed before a court audience, earning him the favor of a number of wealthy patrons

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• 4.4.1 Reading: Kevin N. Nensteil’s “A Brief Life of Christopher Marlowe”

  Link:  Kevin N. Nensteil’s “A Brief Life of Christopher Marlowe”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this essay by novelist and playwright Kevin N. Nensteil to learn more about the various controversies surrounding Marlowe’s early life as well an overview of his works.
   
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• 4.4.2 Reading: The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes – Volume V. The Drama to 1642, Part One. Chapter VII. Marlowe and Kyd. Section 15 “Creation of Blank Verse as a dramatic instrument.”

  Link:  Bartleby.com’s version of “Creation of Blank Verse as a dramatic instrument.”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this scholarly assessment of black verse in theater and Marlowe’s contribution taken from the 18 volume work that came out between 1907 and 1921 and redefined the study of English and American literature.
  
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• 4.4.3 Reading: Wiliam Lyon Phelps’ “The Life and Works of Christopher Marlowe”

  Link: theatrehistory.com’s version of Wiliam Lyon Phelps’ “The Life and Works of Christopher Marlowe”(HTML)
  Also available on Google Books
   
  Instructions:  Read this essay, originally published in Christopher Marlowe (1912) for an exceptional gloss of the playwright’s life and lasting significance. Note – this reading also fulfills 4.4.5
   
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• 4.5.1 Reading: AbsoluteShakespeare.com’s “Shakespeare Biography

  Link:  AbsoluteShakespeare.com’s “Shakespeare Biography”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this fact-based, clearly outlined review of Shakespeare’s life.
   
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• 4.5.1 Reading: New Folger Library’s “Shakespeare’s Story”

  Link:  New Folger Library’s “Shakespeare’s Story”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this selection which forms part of the “Shakespeare’s Life” from the New Folger Library’s Shakespeare editions edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine
   
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• 4.5.2 Reading: Farleigh Dickinson University’s FDU Magazine’s “All the World’s His Stage”

  Link:  FDU Magazine’s “All the World’s His Stage”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this lively discussion of Shakespeare’s legacy, style and major works. Participants include Stephen Hollis, director of Fairleigh Dickinson University’s theater arts program and assistant professor of visual and performing arts; Harry Keyishian, professor of English; and June Schlueter, provost and Charles A. Dana Professor of English at Lafayette College, Easton, Pa.
   
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• 4.5.3 Reading: The Review of Arts, Literature, Philosophy and the Humanities’ review of Shakespeare’s Language by Frank Kermode

  Link: The Review of Arts, Literature, Philosophy and the Humanities’ review of “Shakespeare’s Language by Frank Kermode”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this book review for a humorous, well-informed look at Shakespeare’s linguistics.
   
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• 4.5.3 Reading: “Gwynneth Bowen’s “Shakespeare’s Early Style” (HTML)

  Link:  Sourcebook’s version of “Gwynneth Bowen’s “Shakespeare’s Early Style”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this excellent parsing of Shakespeare’s early compositions; the article originally appeared in The Shakespeare Fellowship News-Letter in 1958.
   
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• 4.5.3 Reading: University of Toronto-Toronto: Professor David Reibetanz’ “Shakespeare’s Mature Style: Language as Drama”

  Link:  Professor David Reibetanz’ “Shakespeare’s Mature Style:  Language as Drama”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this essay dealing with Shakespeare’s later compositions.  Compare with Bowen’s treatment in the earlier reading.
   
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• 4.5.3 Reading: Jem Bloomfield’s “Soliloquy Basics”

  Link:  Jem Bloomfield’s “Soliloquy Basics” (HTML)
    
  Instructions: Read this brief but helpful description of a key element of Shakespeare’s literary technique.
   
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• 4.5.3 Reading: Cosmos Online’s “Shakespeare Good for the Brain” (HTML)

  Link:  Cosmos Online’s “Shakespeare Good for the Brain”
   
  Instructions:  Read this article from Australia’s award-winning, “#1 science media brand” to learn about a 2006 University of Liverpool study of what happens to a person’s brain while reading Shakespeare.
   
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• 4.5.4 Reading: New Folger Library’s “Romeo and Juliet”

  Link:   New Folger Library’s “Romeo and Juliet”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this short but helpful overview from the New Folger Library’s Shakespeare editions edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine
   
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• 4.5.4 Reading: “Romeo and Juliet – an analysis of the play by Shakespeare”

  Link:  theatrehistory.com’s version of “Romeo and Juliet – an analysis of the play by Shakespeare”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read this insightful essay with pertinent passages from the play originally published in The Drama: Its History, Literature and Influence on Civilization, vol. 14. (ed. Alfred Bates) in 1906.
   
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• 4.5.4 Reading: William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”

  Link:  Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s version of William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  Read the entire text of Shakespeare’s famous romantic tragedy.

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• 4.5.5 Reading: Wily Walnut’s “Learn what literary genius William Shakespeare knew about communication and how you can "get it" inside your head!”

  Link:  Wily Walnut’s “Learn what literary genius William Shakespeare knew about communication and how you can "get it" inside your head!”(HTML)
   
  Instructions:  To appreciate the extent of Shakespeare’s influence, read this usurpation of his reputation that is remarkably on-target, occasionally crass and often humorous. Enjoy.
   
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  Note on the text: Perhaps the most famous love story of all time, Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” has been performed, adapted, and re-imagined innumerable times.  The original work features Shakespeare’s unique blend of the humorous and the tragic as he explores class relations, the concept of fate, and the experience of love.

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