Defenders of Poetry in Literature and Theology

Medieval and Renaissance Literary Criticism

• Preface: English literary consciousness began in the Middle Ages. This course outlines the early stages of criticism, encompassing European influences, not just vernacular writers. It's a key to understanding 16th-century Renaissance literature. The Middle Ages were often misunderstood as lacking criticism.
• Medieval Criticism: The period between the Classical and Renaissance ages, encompassing eight centuries in England, from Beowulf's composition to Caxton's first printed book (725 AD - 1474 AD). A key development was the adoption of Christianity in the Mediterranean region. Medieval literature was classified under grammar, rhetoric, and poetry, with a focus on systematic poetic grammar.
• Renaissance Criticism: The 14th–16th centuries in Europe, characterized by a rebirth of classical learning and a shift from religious to secular themes. The term is associated with Italian origins. Two viewpoints exist: one posits a revival of classical Greek and Roman greatness after the Middle Ages, while the other sees a gradual progression from medieval to Renaissance thought and culture. There's a focus on man's inherent dignity and divinity.
• Literary Criticism in the Renaissance: Renaissance criticism sought to justify imaginative literature. Literature was not judged by critical standards. It aimed to establish criteria for evaluating past works and answer Plato's objections. Important critics were Petrarch, Scaliger, Minturno, Boccaccio, and Sidney.
• Literary Criticism (Medieval): Focuses on the integration of classical and Christian beliefs. Key critics and works included Augustine, Isidore of Seville, and the Venerable Bede, and his Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum. Critical engagement was heavily influenced by biblical interpretation.
• Poetics in the Tudor Age: The lack of explicit literary theories in England during the Middle Ages contrasted with the growing influence of Italian Humanist thought in the 16th century. Key texts of the period included Chaucer's The Nun Priest's Tale and works by William Caxton
• English Humanism around 1500: The early English humanists, like Elyot, Wilson, and Ascham, sought to adapt and apply humanist principles from Italy to England, focussing on adapting classical styles to the English vernacular. Key concern was English style, and criticism of verse forms and content.
• Early Defenses of Poetry: The 16th century witnessed defenses of poetry, most notably by Sidney. This period saw a mix of praise for classical forms and an emerging sense of indigenous, "native" English literary values
• The Early 17th Century (Criticism): This period saw a rise in criticism by authors like Ben Jonson (literary criticism in relation to his plays). Jonson and his contemporaries championed neoclassical ideals in drama and defended the role of playwriting as an important vehicle for social and political commentary, contrasting with purely aesthetic concerns.
• The Age of Milton (Criticism): Milton's critical standpoint was influenced by the English Civil War and the Commonwealth, with a focus on poetry's role in shaping civic virtue and challenging political authority.
• Continental Critics: Focused on adapting classical approaches to the English language and style. These critics included Julius Caesar Scaliger, and Ludovico Castelvetro, who explored concepts of decorum, imitation, and the function of poetry.
• Three Traditions of Critical Thought Mingle in Sidney: Horatian-Aristotelian tradition, Cicero, and neo-Platonic ideals, influencing Sidney's approach. It reflects a syncretic approach.
• Poetry in the Rennaissance: Shifting from largely allegorical or religious interpretations towards aesthetic exploration of ideas that were either moral or worldly/worldly and moral

Questions

• Key questions regarding Medieval and Renaissance literary theory and criticism are provided. Questions cover Neoplatonism, St. Augustine, Dante, Boccaccio, and other notable figures. Specific issues and theories in literary criticism, like the concept of Imitation, are also discussed.