Renaissance Poetry

Just like writers of every time period, the poets of the English Renaissance era responded to events that occurred during their lives in the poems that they composed. The allure of the natural countryside, contrasted against the backdrop of unsanitary city life, inspired Christopher Marlowe to idealize love and happiness in his poetry. Sir Walter Raleigh, having seen new worlds as an explorer in the Western Hemisphere, reflected his more mature and down-to-earth viewpoints in a poem that directly responded to Marlowe's. Personal tragedy was another source of inspiration in the poetry of Renaissance writers, such as Ben Jonson, who grieved the loss of his young son to the plague, and John Donne, who encouraged his wife to be strong during times of separation. Lastly, poets like Amelia Lanier responded to the norms and expectations of society by writing arguments in favor of equality and offering new perspectives in her poetry.