Respond to one of the following:
• Religious tensions are not new in this period; within Christianity there have been many splits (of particular interest to Europeans was the split between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church systems). Religious tensions often existed between Muslims and Christians, Muslims and Jews, and Christians and Jews throughout the Middle Ages, continuing up to the present. Moreover, each of these "religions of the book" had its local variants, some of which survived for shorter or longer periods of time, depending upon whether or not they were tolerated by their neighbors. The Reformation, another manifestation of ideological conflict, shook Europe with a force great enough to reverberate even today. Talk about the conflict between church and state that you read about in The Sixteenth Century: 1485-1603. What position(s) did each group take that contributed to the problem? How was the conflict resolved? Can you see a correlation between church and state conflict in the sixteenth century time period to today? What are some of the similarities and differences? If you want, feel free to discuss how the Reformation affected you or your ancestors. If you are interested in this topic look at "Dissent, Doubt and Spiritual Violence in the Reformation."
• Describe some of the challenges faced by Queen Elizabeth I. How did she respond to these challenges? What surprised or interested you most about her writings?
• Which speech do you think is better, or which do you prefer: Queen Elizabeth's speech to the Troops at Tilbury or her "Golden Speech"? Why? You might consider the conditions under which she presented the speech, her audience, her use of rhetoric and means of persuasion, and her purpose for making the speech.
• Poetry about courtly love took root in Italy during the Middle Ages and made its way to England. These poems typically feature a speaker/poet who pines after an unattainable woman who is usually married to someone else, and she is frequently of a higher social class. Raleigh's poem to Queen Elizabeth and her reply to him (found in the section on Elizabeth's writings) are in this tradition. Another tradition is pastoral poetry, which features common speakers such as shepherds, who live in the countryside and whose lives are seen as idyllic. Discuss one of the poetic exchanges-either Raleigh and Elizabeth or the shepherd and the nymph. What is the main argument of each poem, and which speaker is more convincing? Which poem is your favorite, and why?
• Does the information found in "The Magician, the Heretic, and the Playwright" change your interpretation of Marlowe's The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus? If so, how? You may consider the following: How does Marlowe's personal life affect your interpretation of his Faustus play, particularly the ending? What seems to be the point or lesson of this play? Do you think Marlowe would wish it to be read as a cautionary or religious tale or as a subtle critique of the religious climate of his day? Explain your answer(s).
• How do you interpret the character of Dr. Faustus? What is he like? What motivates him? Does he change during the course of the play? How do you interpret what happens to him at the end? Are we supposed to learn anything from him? If so, what?