The Renaissance Period
1. age: 1500-1660
2. background: stimulated by the rediscovery of ancient Roman and Greek classic; England's Golden Age, especially in literature; the Church of England broke away from the Catholic Church
3. features:
(1)New poetical forms introduced, e.g. blank verse and sonnet;
(2) the English drama based itself on the models of Roman and Greek classics and the precedents from Italy and Spain
(3)the universal tend of humanism in emphasizing man's dignity and his worldly happiness

文艺复兴时代
1.年代：公元1500-1600
2.背景：受激于古罗马和古希腊文学经典的重新发现；英国尤其是文学上的鼎盛时期；英格兰基督教从天主教分离；
3.特点：
（1）提倡新的诗体，如：无韵诗和十四行商籁体；
（2）英国喜剧基于自身及古罗马和古希腊经典作品模式，引用西班牙和意大利风格；
（3）人们普遍倾向人文主义强调人的尊严和世间的幸福感。