1. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, ELIZABETHAN AND JACOBEAN DRAMA, ELIZABETHAN AND METAPHYSICAL POETS

Vocabulary flashcards covering major people, genres, terms, and concepts from the lecture on Elizabethan and Jacobean literature, drama, and poetry.

The Renaissance (c. 1500–1600)

Period marking the rebirth of modern ideas in geography, science, politics, religion, society, and art; England rose to European power.

William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

English playwright, actor, and poet whose works profoundly shaped the English language and drama.

The Globe Theatre

Playhouse built in 1599 by the Lord Chamberlain’s Men where many of Shakespeare’s plays were performed.

First Folio (1623)

Authoritative collection of Shakespeare’s plays published seven years after his death in large folio format.

Shakespearean Tragedy

Play type ending in the hero’s death; includes Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet.

Shakespearean Comedy

Play type that resolves threats happily; examples include A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night.

History Play

Dramatic genre staging national conspiracies, rebellions, and wars; often centers on the reign of a monarch.

Blank Verse

Unrhymed iambic pentameter commonly used in Elizabethan drama.

Christopher Marlowe

Playwright of Doctor Faustus, Tamburlaine, and The Jew of Malta; major influence on Renaissance drama.

Revenge Tragedy

Elizabethan-Jacobean genre featuring graphic violence, ghosts, and plots of retribution inspired by Seneca.

Machiavel

Stock character in revenge tragedy—scheming, amoral villain advocating political ruthlessness.

Ghost (dramatic device)

Figure that links past and present, serving as memento mori and catalyst for action in revenge tragedies.

Play-within-a-play

Meta-theatrical technique used to prick conscience or enact retribution, as in Hamlet.

Masque

Lavish court entertainment with masked performers, mythological themes, music, and dance.

Quarto

Medium-sized book format made by folding a sheet twice; many early plays were printed this way.

Folio

Large, prestigious book format created by folding a sheet once; used for Shakespeare’s First Folio.

Octavo

Small book format produced by folding a sheet three times; less prestigious than folio or quarto.

King James Bible (1611)

Authoritative English translation of the Bible that shaped English prose style.

Elizabethan Playhouse

Open-air, oval theater with a thrust stage and yard for groundlings; examples include The Globe and The Rose.

Groundlings

Lower-class spectators who stood in the uncovered yard of Elizabethan theaters.

City Comedy

Satirical plays about London’s merchant class, social climbing, and greed; written by Jonson, Dekker, Middleton, etc.

Jacobean Drama

Plays written during James I’s reign, noted for darker themes, moral ambiguity, and explicit violence.

John Webster

Jacobean playwright of The Duchess of Malfi and The White Devil, known for macabre tragedies.

Thomas Middleton

Jacobean dramatist of The Revenger’s Tragedy and A Chaste Maid in Cheapside, exploring corruption.

Ben Jonson

Playwright of Volpone and The Alchemist; master of satire and classical structure.

Metaphysical Poets

17th-century group blending intense emotion with intellectual wit and startling conceits.

Conceit (Metaphysical)

Extended, ingenious metaphor linking dissimilar ideas to provoke thought.

John Donne

Leading Metaphysical poet of The Flea and Holy Sonnets; melded passion with complex imagery.

George Herbert

Metaphysical poet whose devotional verse in The Temple features elaborate religious conceits.

Andrew Marvell

Poet of To His Coy Mistress; combined wit with reflections on love, politics, and nature.

Henry Vaughan

Metaphysical poet noted for mystical spirituality in Silex Scintillans and The World.

Petrarchan Sonnet

14-line poem divided into octave and sestet, popular in Renaissance England.

Shakespearean Sonnet

14-line poem of three quatrains and a closing couplet in iambic pentameter.

Pastoral Mode

Literary mode praising simple country life, leisure, and humility, often featuring shepherds.

Heroic Mode

Mode celebrating honor, martial courage, and national glory; epitomized by the epic.

Epic

Long, elevated poem recounting heroic deeds of a nation’s past; e.g., Spenser’s Faerie Queene.

Faerie Queene

Epic poem by Edmund Spenser glorifying Elizabeth I and national virtues.

Iambic Pentameter

Meter of five iambs per line; the rhythm of much Renaissance poetry and drama.

Red Lion (1567)

Earliest recorded permanent playhouse in London, preceding Shakespeare’s theaters.

The Theatre (1576)

Playhouse built by James Burbage; one of the first purpose-built permanent theaters in England.

Ornamental Language

Elaborate rhetorical style favored in Elizabethan literature, mirroring ornate clothing and art.

Philip Sidney’s “The Defence of Poesy”

Key Renaissance text asserting poetry’s moral and imaginative power.

Mystery Plays

Medieval biblical dramas performed before permanent theaters; many manuscripts now lost.

What was the Renaissance and how did it affect England?

he Renaissance marked the beginning of the modern world, from around 1500 to 1600, influencing geography, science, politics, religion, society, and art. England became the most powerful nation in Europe during this period.

Who played a significant role in the religious changes of the Renaissance?

King Henry VIII, who made himself the head of the Church of England, cutting ties with the Catholic Church and the Pope.

What are some key facts about William Shakespeare’s life?

Born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, married Anne Hathaway, and became an actor, playwright, and co-owner of Lord Chamberlain’s Men. His works have been translated into all major languages.

How did Shakespeare influence the English language?

He coined many phrases still in use today, such as "break the ice," "heart of gold," and "wild-goose chase."

What was the significance of the Globe Theatre?

Built in 1599, it was the home of many of Shakespeare’s plays, and he often acted in them.

What are some of Shakespeare’s famous tragedies?

Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth – these focus on themes of revenge, jealousy, and family.

What are some of Shakespeare’s famous comedies?

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, The Taming of the Shrew – comedies often end happily with resolved conflicts.

Name some of Shakespeare’s history plays.

Julius Caesar, Henry IV, Henry V – often centered on the reigns of English monarchs and their struggles.

Name some major playwrights of the Elizabethan era besides Shakespeare.

Christopher Marlowe (Doctor Faustus), Ben Jonson (Volpone), and Thomas Middleton (The Revenger’s Tragedy).

What are revenge tragedies, and how were they depicted in Elizabethan drama?

Revenge tragedies focus on themes of vengeance and often include graphic violence. Examples include Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus.

How did Jacobean drama differ from Elizabethan drama?

Jacobean drama often explored darker themes like corruption, revenge, and moral ambiguity. The language became more elaborate, with increased violence and psychological depth.

Who are notable playwrights from the Jacobean era?

John Webster (The Duchess of Malfi), Thomas Middleton (The Revenger’s Tragedy), and Ben Jonson (Volpone).

What defines Metaphysical poets?

Metaphysical poets blended intense emotion with intellectual wit, using conceits (extended metaphors) and complex imagery to explore love, death, and spirituality. Notable poets include John Donne, George Herbert, and Andrew Marvell

Describe the structure of an Elizabethan playhouse.

They were oval-shaped with an unroofed yard for the groundlings and three rising tiers for wealthier spectators. The stage jutted into the yard.

What were the key characteristics of Elizabethan Drama?

Themes of love, power, betrayal, revenge, the supernatural, and the human condition. Drama often had a five-act structure, with blank verse used for nobility and prose for lower-class characters.