English Literature

By rosy18
  • 450 BCE

    Old English- Anglo Saxon Period (450-1066)

    Anglo- Saxons deal with the legendary literature of an ancient Northern people.
    Widsith (the song of the traveler) was the earliest English poem.
    Deor's complaint is a lyrically of one bard about another and more successful rival.
  • Period: 450 BCE to 1066

    Old English- Anglo Saxon

    Beowulf is the most representative in this era. This poem of over 3000 lines has a background of Scandinavian scenery. This poem deals with hard fighting and hearty eating and drinking.
    The Anglo- Saxons were a pastoral people.
    English poetry after the conquest of Britain.
    Caedmon was the first native English maker of verse.
    Cynewulf was the Caedmon successor, wrote " the clashing of the sea waves" and "the rolling of the waters and foaming billows songs".
  • Period: 450 BCE to 1047

    Old English/Anglo- Saxon

    (937) The song of Bruna burgh was a conflict between Saxon and Dane figures prominently. Characteristics:
    It resembles Hebrew poetry.
    In meter, it is marked by accent and persistent alliteration.
    Rhyme is absent.
    Poetry was sung.
    Prevalence of compound words.
    The style of this poetry is diffuse. content:
    1. The juxtaposition of church and pagan worlds.
    2. Strong believe in fate.
    3. Express religion faith and give moral instruction through literature.
  • 1066

    The Middle English Period(1066-1485)

    The Morte d' Arthur and Piers Plowman being two of the most famous examples.
    In the reign of Edward I, English poetry once again became a force.
    Content:
    Religious devotion.
    Chivalric code of honor/romances
    Styles/ genres
    Folk ballads
    Moral tales
    Mystery and miracle plays
    Kennings
    Frame stories
  • Period: 1066 to 1485

    The Middle English Period

    Effect:
    Church's instruct its people through morality and miracle plays.
    An illiterate population is able to see and hear the literature.
    Historical context:
    Crusades bring the development of a money economy for the first time in Britain.
    William the Conqueror crowned king in 1066.
    Henry II crowned king 1154 brings a judicial system, royal courts, juries and chivalry to Britain.
    Trading increases dramatically as a result of the crusades.
    Literature & Authors
    Geoffrey Chaucer
    Domesday Book
  • 1485

    The Renaissance (1485-1660)

    The Elizabethan period, the reign of Elizabeth I, 1558- 1603
    Jacobean period, reign of James I of England, 1603-1625
    Popular theme: development of human potential
    Popular theme: many aspects of love explored.
    war of roses end in 1485 and political stability arrives
    Printing press stabilize English as a language and allows more people to read a variety of literature
    Literature & authors
    William Shakespeare
    Thomas Wyatt
    Ben Jhonson
    Robert Herrick
    Andrew Marvell
    Katherine Philips

  • The Neoclassical (1660- 1798)

    The restoration: The reign of Charles II, 1660-1685 (after his restoration to the throne in 1660 following the English civil war and Cromwell).
    The age of enlightenment (the eighteenth century)
    Styles/genres: satire, poetry, essays, letters, novels.
    Emphasizes the individual
    Believe that humanity s basically evil
    Emphasis on reason and logic
    stresses harmony, stability, wisdom.
    50% of males are functionality literate (a dramatic rise)
    Alexander Pope, Daniel Defoe, John Milton.

  • Romantic Period (1798- 1832)

    Human knowledge consists of impressions and ideas formed in individual's minds.
    Introduce Gothic elements and terror/ horror stories and novels
    Poetry: lyrical ballads
    Human beings are basically good.
    Children are seen as a hapless victim of poverty and exploitation.
    Napoleon rise to power in France and opposes England militarily and economically
    Tory philosophy the government should not interfere with private enterprise
    Novelist: Jane Austen
    Poets: William Blake, Lord Byron, John Keats.

  • The Victorian Period (1832-1901)

    The novel becomes popular for the first time Bildungsroman, political novels, detective novels (Sherlock Holmes), serialized novels (Charles Dickens)
    elegies
    Poetry: easy to understand, dramatic monologues. Drama: comedies of manners, magazines offer stories to the masses.
    Literature begins to reach the masses
    Paper becomes cheap
    The conflict between those in power and the common masses of laborers and the poor
    country versus city life
    sexual discretion
    romantic triangles
    Aristocratic villains

  • The modern Period 1901

    Genres/ styles: poetry- free verse
    Epiphanes begins to appear in literature
    speeches
    memoirs
    novels
    Effect: a stream of consciousness
    Historical context: British empire loses 1 million soldiers to world war I.
    British colonies demand independence
    Winston Churchill leads Britain through WW II and the Germans bomb England directly
    Literature & Authors
    James Joyce
    Dylan Thomas
    George Orwell
    Bernard Shaw
    William Butler Yeats