The Renaissance period is known as one of the most exceptional centuries of English literature. Spanning from the Elizabethan period to the early Stuart period, writers were expressing their opinions and feelings on the social, intellectual, religious, and cultural contexts of their time. Not only was history going through many changes during this era, but the English language itself was changing, which is noticeable when examining texts from this point in time. By comparing the first half of the Renaissance, roughly 1550 to 1600, to the latter half, roughly 1600 to 1650, one can view the evolution of English literature, and how the language continued to make the change toward its modern form that is used today.

The first half of the Renaissance—and the literature that stemmed from it—was subject to the reign of Elizabeth I and the influences she made, along with other external factors that were ongoing in England. The social conditions at the time were setting the stage for a transformation in the English language. “…England’s population doubled; prices rocketed, rents followed, old social loyalties dissolved, and new industrial, agricultural, and commercial veins were first tapped” (Britannica). As old ties were cut, and England grew, there was an increasing call to make advancements in all aspects of life. This included literature, and language itself. England felt the need “to catch up with Continental developments in arts and philosophy” (Britannica). More educational programs were created, and the English language was beginning to be cultivated into its own unique form and style. To see this, it is helpful to compare and contrast English literature from the first and second half of the Renaissance—one can view this as the change within a century of literature, covering texts between 1550 to 1650.

This previously mentioned change in cultural and educational movement, pushed writers to develop their skills with the language they used, involving things such as vocabulary, syntax, and style. Within the first half of this century of English literature, the writings of Sir Philip Sidney and Edmund Spenser offer sufficient examples of how the language was coming into its own. These two writers created a level playing field for the English language; the English language could no longer be looked down on in comparison with Latin and French texts. Modern English was not old-fashioned or unoriginal. Sidney was regarded as “a dazzling and assured innovator whose pioneering of new forms and stylistic melody was seminal for his generation” (Britannica). Spenser was also praised for his work and the way he improved literature of the time. Though their writings still incorporate some aspects of Middle English, these two were some of the main pioneers for founding English in its modern structure, and they gave way to the success of different writing forms. “The lessons taught by Sidney and Spenser in the cultivation of melodic smoothness and graceful refinement appear to good effect in the subsequent virtuoso outpouring of lyrics and sonnets” (Britannica).

The latter half of the century shows the deeper growth and appreciation English literature, and the finalization of Modern English itself. Prominent writers such as John Milton, William Shakespeare, and Ben Jonson helped in solidifying this change, within the Renaissance period. All three were noted for their successful styles and extensive amount of works produced. During the time when their works were produced and published, England was ruled by James I—his reign was identified as the Jacobean or Early Stuart period. The style of literature continued to change during this time, taking more of a satirical nature, while the English language continued on the path to its modern appearance.

To analyze the confirmation of Modern English, the writings of Sidney and Spenser—from the first half the century being examined—was compared to the writings of Milton, Shakespeare, and Jonson. These writers were main contributors of their time and analyzing their work gives a good overview of how literature and language were being developed. Selected texts from each writer were used to generate the results of the text analysis.

English.Literature.Analysis-26mbujy

 

When looking at the actual language that Sidney and Spenser used, one can identify the links to Middle English roots, while also distinguishing how social contexts shaped what vocabulary was used. A text analysis showed that in comparison to the second half-century writers, the top fifteen words that were used more often in the first half were:

1. Faire
2. Selfe
3. Loue
4. Owne
5. Euen
6. Soule
7. Paine
8. Can
9. Thinke
10. Stella
11. Haue
12. Stellas
13. Alas
14. Giue
15. Name

It is clear to see the connections to Middle English in this list. Words such as “loue” and “haue” still used the written “u” instead of “v.” Furthermore, words such as “faire” and “paine” still kept an added “e” at the end, which is another characteristic of the older form of the English language.

In contrast, the fifteen most used words from 1600-1650, have a much more modern form, showing that writers were turning the English language into its own. The list follows:

1. Every
2. Fresh
3. Love
4. Green
5. Leaves
6. Fair
7. Hence
8. Hear
9. O’er
10. Tears
11. Appear
12. Seen
13. Fear
14. Hill
15. Upon

Now it is easy to see the transformation from “loue” to “love” and “faire” to “fair.” What was interesting was that many of the words were the same, just written in different ways. This analysis showed how Modern English actually came about and began to be finalized, all within the span of one hundred years.

The words themselves also show how the Renaissance impacted what was being written about. Words like “thinke,” “selfe,” and “appear” are indicators of the intellectual and individualistic change that was occurring, while “love” and “soule” show the effects of religious progress being made. Other words like “paine,” “fear,” and “tears” portray the hardship that England was facing, with increasing population and overcrowding, among other massive disruptions that the country underwent. The country was still recovering from the “Black Death” that had taken many lives—England was rebuilding not only its people but also its language. Finally, the words “fresh,” “green,” and even “alas” give a sense of hope and renewal that was brought about by the Renaissance. Those words have a positive connotation that fit with the improving nature of this century.

The use of Voyant Tools also helps visualize what was prominent in the English language, and what writers were incorporating into their literature.

This wordcloud shows the tone of English literature during the Renaissance. The words “sweet,” “grace,” and “faire” depict a warm, positive tone to the writing of that time. This could have been due to the idea that the Renaissance was a time of rebirth for England, with fresh ideas and a new outlook on many aspects of life.

Another interesting feature that Voyant revealed was that although Sidney and Spenser wrote longer texts, the later writers, such as Jonson and Milton had higher vocabulary density. It seems that as writers grew their skills during this time, they also took on a wider range of word use.

To view more of Voyant’s results, use the link below:

http://voyant-tools.org/?panels=cirrus%2Ccorpusterms%2Ctrends%2Csummary%2Ccorrelations&corpus=55c189d11b46a19b0daef7e63f0c1131

 

Overall, the time from 1550 to 1650 encompassed many things, and many changes were made. While the social context of England developed, so did its literature and language. Within the span of just a century, Modern English emerged and began to be implemented in the hand of every English writer.

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Encyclopedia Britannica. English Literature. 2017. Web.