English Renaissance literature - the plays of Shakespeare and Marlowe, the poetry of Wyatt or Milton, the prose of John Lyly - is central to all English literature courses. However, many students find their understanding hampered by changes in both the sound and sense of the language, which have taken place in the intervening centuries. This book provides an explanation of these changes, along with a detailed demonstration of how the great Renaissance writers employed language to achieve such striking literary effects. This book should be of interest to students of English literature and historical linguistics.