This course examines British literature and culture of the 17th century, when England becomes the centre of the European Renaissance. Students investigate a range of genres - including poetry, prose, and drama - produced by writers such as Shakespeare, Milton, Ford, and Behn. Topics may include English culture and imperialism, the significance of English Renaissance literature in the Commonwealth, the socio-political impact of canonized texts, and the study of stage and other art forms of the period.