Queen Elizabeth - Impact on english literature

Queen Elizabeth was one of the greatest monarchs in British history. During her reign the hour grew ripe and there came the greatest outburst of creative energy in the whole history of English literature. Fine arts received support and encouragement from the Queen that was unparalleled by any other English monarch; and as a result, the authors and works of this time period came to be known as Elizabethan.

She was an avid reader and often held theater performances in her court, particularly from her own company of actors, known as The Queen's Players. It was full also of the spirit of dramatic action, as befitted an age whose restless enterprise was eagerly extending itself to every quarter of the globe.

The period has the great variety of almost unlimited creative force; it includes works of many kinds in both verse and prose, and ranges in spirit from the loftiest Platonic idealism or the most delightful romance to the level of very repulsive realism. Literature, in particular, flourished under the reign of Elizabeth, with many influential authors developing their personal styles during this time and is still seen clearly in many ways.

The given research paper is entitled Queen Elizabeth I Impact on English Literature and the importance of this research paper is based on several key elements. It is important to note that Queen Elizabeth I had a huge influence on English writers and artists. The impact is obvious during her lifetime; it is spread through the English culture and it still continues today.

The main goal of the research paper that has to be achieved is to analyze and identify the impact of Queen Elizabeth I on English literature.

To achieve the main goal were set up the following objectives:

-To define the term" Renaissance";

-To study and explore the historical background of the Renaissance Period;

-To study and identify the importance of Queen Elizabeth I in Elizabethan Era;

-To identify the Elizabethan Impact on English Literature;

-To determine the general characteristics of Elizabethan literature and writers;

-To study and analyze the main literary forms of the Age;

-To identify the main divisions of drama and poetry existed during this period;

-To introduce the most popular representatives of the age;

The following methods of research: Identification, Analysis, Observation, Classification, Investigation, Identification, was used during writing the work.

The research consists of three chapters. The First Chapter contains theoretical material on Queen Elizabeth I short biography, on history background of Renaissance period, investigation of literary forms of the Age, where is given the explanation of each of them. The Second Chapter contains practical material and it consists of two parts: Elizabethan Impact on Drama and Elizabethan Impact on Poetry.

The extension of Queen Elizabeth's influence is a measure of her significances but is also reflects the particular nature of the greatness. Elizabethan literature forms and their representatives were influenced in a positive way by Queen Elizabeth I and it was conclude that drama and poetry are the most flourished literary forms during the Renaissance period. These representatives with their works help the readers to reflect upon significant issues of life.

Considered one of the greatest monarchs of the Renaissance period that made significant contributions to English literature, Queen Elizabeth I always attracts attention of a great variety of critical scholars, writers and approach, etc. And this topic is not an exception, that's why in this paper it was used the information and critical analysis from such scholars as Fletcher R. H, Kenneth Brodey, Tcacenco L., Gredina I., Schelling Felix Emmanuel, Keast William B., Mititelu Ina, Carter Ronald and McRae John, etc.

CHAPTER I. QUEEN ELIZABETH - THE SYMBOL OF REVIVAL

1.1. On Queen Elizabeth I Short Biography

Elizabeth I (September 7, 1533 - March 24, 1603) was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from November 17, 1558, until her death. She was the fifth and final monarch of the Tudor dynasty, having succeeded her half-sister, Mary I. Elizabeth was the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Through her Religious Settlement of 1559 she enforced the Protestant religion by law. She had Mary Queen of Scots executed in 1587. She steadied England during a period of political and religious turmoil and set her nation's course to become the leading Protestant world power for the next three centuries. [1]

According to Ronald Carter she was a brilliant, well-educated and talented woman, fluent in seven languages: English, Latin, Greek, Italian, French, Spanish, Welsh and apparently even Cornish, a language which is now only spoken by about 2,000 people in Cornwall, whose 45-year reign is considered one of the most glorious in English History. She was very careful with public money and also very diplomatic; she knew how to deal with the Parliament, respecting their privileges and, as a result, assuring their loyalty. Elizabeth I reduced taxes, broadened education and arts. She promoted sea power and colonial expansion, by stimulating commerce and exploration. By pursuing moderate religious policies, she prevented the danger of open conflict between Protestants and Catholics. The Elizabethan religious settlement consisted of the Acts of Uniformity and Supremacy (1559), The Prayer Book of 1559, and the Thirty-nine Articles of 1563. [2]

The image of Elizabeth's reign is one of triumph and success. The Queen herself was often called 'Gloriana' by Edmund Spenser, 'Good Queen Bess' and 'The Virgin Queen'. Elizabeth chose never to marry. If she had chosen a foreign prince, he would have drawn England into foreign policies for his own advantages (as in her sister Mary's marriage to Philip of Spain); marrying a fellow countryman could have drawn the Queen into factional infighting. Elizabeth used her marriage prospects as a political tool in foreign and domestic policies. However, the 'Virgin Queen' was presented as a selfless woman who sacrificed personal happiness for the good of the nation, to which she was, in essence, 'married'. [3]

After John McRae Queen Elizabeth's reign gave England some sense of stability and a considerable sense of national and religious triumph after the defeat of the Spanish Armada in