The Classical Sources, Humanism And Modern Ideas In Renaissance Play

The aim of this paper is to study the essence of classical culture, the spirits of the times and the modern ideas in Renaissance play by analyzing the contents of it. It may help us to comprehend the cultural nature in Renaissance play more thoroughly.This paper consists of five parts. Part I is the preface, which explains the reason why the author choose this topic and its significance. Part II analyses the influence of classical play on Renaissance play from the latter's content and creation, and it also points out that Renaissance playwrights created four new types of play on the basis of classical one. Part III concentrates on the humanism reflected in Renaissance play. Part IV expounds the modern ideas of that age in Renaissance play, such as the Monarch, national idea, democratic thoughts and Machiavellism as well. Part V gets to a conclution, in which the author holds that Renaissance play is not the simple imitation to but the improvement of classical one. In fact, the Renaissance play surpassed the achievement of classical one and established the foundation for modern European play.