English Literature Jacobean Age

The Jacobean Age (1603-1625)

This age is named after James I who reigned England from 1603 to 1625. The
word ‘’Jacobean’’ is derived from ‘’Jacobus’’, the Latin version of James. Some
historians like to call the last five years of this age as a part of another age
which they call The Puritan Age (1620-1660). They call it so because in
between 1620 and 1660 Puritanism became the driving force in the life and
literature of England. The important elements of this age were:
1. Colonial territories were expanded.
2. Religious conflict that subsided in the Elizabethan age, revived in this period.
Protestants were divided into three sects: 1. Anglicans, 2. Presbyterians, 3.Puritans

3. Renaissance’s influence continued.

4. Scotland was brought under the rule of the king of England.

Major Writers and Their Major Works:

1. Shakespeare, who had started in the Elizabethan Period, wrote twelve serious

plays in this period. Those plays are: 1. Measure for Measure (1604), 2. Othello

(1604), 3. Macbeth (1605), 4. King Lear (1605), 5. Antony and Cleopatra

(1606), 6. Coriolanus (1606), 7. Timon of Athens (unfinished-1608), 8. Pericles

(in part-1608), 9. Cymbeline (1609), 10. The Winter’s Tale (1610), 11. The

Tempest (1611), 12. Henry VIII (in part-1613).

Though Shakespeare had written his serious plays in the Jacobean Age, he is

called an Elizabethan dramatist and never the Jacobean. The period

(1590-1616) in which he wrote is also called Shakespearean Age.

2. Ben Jonson, who had started in the Elizabethan period, wrote his famous

plays in this period: Volpone (1605), The Silent Woman (1609), The Alchemist

(1610).
3. Francis Bacon also continued to write in this period: Advancement of
Learning, Novum Orgum. Some new essays were added to the new edition of
his Essays (1625).
4. King James I, known as the Wisest Fool, instituted the translation of the Bible
into English in 1611. Its language became the standard of English prose.
5. John Webster (1580-1625): The White Devil (1612), The Duchess of Malfi
(1614).
6. Cyril Tourneur (1575-1626): The Revenger’s Tragedy (1600), The Atheist’s
Tragedy (1611).
7. John Donne (1572-1632) and George Herbert (1593-1633), the metaphysical
poets, started writing in this period.
Literary Features of the Period:
Drama still remained the main mode of expression. The dramatists practiced
classical rules of drama. Elizabethan idealization of love and romance almost
died out. Poetry took a new and startling turn.
c. Caroline Age (1625-1649):
This age is named after Charles I, who reigned over England from 1625 to 1649.
‘’Caroline’’ is derived from ‘’Carolus’’, the Latin version of ‘’Charles’’. This age is
also a part of the Puritan Age (1620-1660). The important events of this period
were:

1. There was a long civil war between ‘’Cavaliers’’ and ‘’Roundheads’’. Those

who supported the king were called ‘’Cavaliers’’. Most of them were lords and

their dependants. ‘’Roundheads’’ were those who supported parliament. Most of

them were puritans. A group of lyric poets associated with the ‘’Cavaliers’’ are

called ‘’Cavalier poets’’. Richard Lovelace, Sir John Suckling, Robert Herrick and

Thomas Carew were the members of this group. Those poets were also called

Sons of Ben as they were the admirers and followers of Ben Jonson. Their lyrics

are trivial, gay, witty and often licentious.

2. In 1642 English theatre was officially closed. On 14 June 1643 Licensing

Order for printing was passed.

3. The Cavaliers were defeated, the king was caught and publicly beheaded on

30th January, 1649. His death marked the dissolution of monarchy for the time

being.

4. English colonies were further expanded.

5. Oliver Cromwell emerged as a puritan leader and came to power in 1649.

Writers and Their Major Works:
1. Donne and Herbert continued to write their metaphysical poetry. Henry
Vaughan and Andrew Marvell also wrote metaphysical poetry.
2. John Milton (1608-74) started writing in this period and wrote—‘’ Of
Education’’, ‘’Areopagitica’’, ‘’Comus’’, ‘’Lycidas’’.
Literary Features:
This age is not an age of drama. Drama collapsed because of the civil war and
puritanical attack. Metaphysical poetry was the main literary product of the age.
d. Commonwealth Period (1649-1660):
This is the period when there was no monarch in England. After the death of
Charles I, Oliver Cromwell, the puritan leader, came to power. In this period
Puritanism became gradually unpopular. The English people realized that
monarchy was essential for them.
Major Writers and Their Major Works:
1. John Milton who was still alive had not written anything important in this
period.
2. Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), a political philosopher: ‘’Leviathan’’.
3. Jeremy Taylor (1613-67): ‘’Holy Living’’, ‘’Holy Dying’’.
4. Vaughan (1621-95) and Marvell (1621-78) continued.