HISTORY OF ENGLISH LITERATURE
Resume
of The History of English Literature
The history of English
literaure is closely related to the history of English people. It began with
the emergence of English nation and kept on developing with social development
of nation. There had been religious and political changes. Scientific
discoveries and inventions changed the mode of life. It also happened in its
literature. Then, there are some phasein the history of English literature.
Each phases known as “age” or “period”. It has names according to the name of
king or queen, and names of great writer.
The
periods are:
1. The Old English Period or The Anglo-Saxon (450-1066)
2. The Middle English Period (1066-1500)
a. Anglo-Norman Period (1066-1340)
b. The Age and Chaucer (1340-1400)
3. The Renaissance Period (1500-1660)
a. Elizabethan Age (1558-1603)
a. The Restoration Period (1660-1700)
5. The Romantic Period (1798-1832)
6. The Victorian Period (1832-1901)
a. The Pre-Raphaelites (1848-1860)
a. The Edwardian Period (1901-1910)
Explanation:
1. The Old English Period or The Anglo-Saxon (450-1066)
2. The Middle English Period (1066-1500)
a. Anglo-Norman Period (1066-1340)
b. The Age and Chaucer (1340-1400)
3. The Renaissance Period (1500-1660)
a. Elizabethan Age (1558-1603)
a. The Restoration Period (1660-1700)
5. The Romantic Period (1798-1832)
6. The Victorian Period (1832-1901)
a. The Pre-Raphaelites (1848-1860)
a. The Edwardian Period (1901-1910)
1. THE
OLD ENGLISH PERIOD OR THE ANGLO-SAXON (450-1066)
This
age started in the fifth century when the Jutes, Angles and Saxons came to
England from Germany. It ended in 1066 with the Norman Conquest. Thr literature
in this period is influenced by:
a. Christianity reached English
b. In 7th century monasteries were establish where a written literature began
2. THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD (1066-1500)
The period started with the Norman Conquest in 1066 and ended with the end of fifteenth century. There are two shorter ages in this period:
a. The Span from 1066 to 1340 is called Anglo-Norman Period because the literature of the period was written mainly in Anglo-Norman. It used French dialect.
b. The period from 1340 to 1400 is called the Age of Chaucer because Chaucer, the great poet, dominated the period.
3. THE RENAISSANCE PERIOD (1500-1660)
a. Christianity reached English
b. In 7th century monasteries were establish where a written literature began
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Literary Works of this Period: |
Literary Features of the Age: |
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Beowulf,
English literature was written in this period. “The Wanderer”, “The
Seafarer”, “The Husband’s Message” etc. The
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle written in this age is the earliest prose of
English literature. |
Most
of the writers of this age are unknown except Caedmon who is held to be the
first known poet of English and Bede, the first historian. Heroic deeds, love
of sea adventure intense love of glory and savagery are the main features of
literature of this period. |
The period started with the Norman Conquest in 1066 and ended with the end of fifteenth century. There are two shorter ages in this period:
a. The Span from 1066 to 1340 is called Anglo-Norman Period because the literature of the period was written mainly in Anglo-Norman. It used French dialect.
b. The period from 1340 to 1400 is called the Age of Chaucer because Chaucer, the great poet, dominated the period.
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Literary Features of this Period |
Major Writer and Their Major Works |
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Renaissance
began in 1453, its effect on English life and literature was felt after 1500.
In this period, renaissance spirit was the main force the characterized the
literature of this time. This period of 160 years is subdivided into four
shorter ages according to the names of the political rulers.
a. The
Elizabethan Age (1558-1603)
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Major writers and Their Major Words: |
Literary Features of the Period |
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This age is named after James I who reigned England from 1603 to 1625. The word “Jacobean” is derived from “Jacobus”.
Major writers and the major works:
· William Shakespeare (1590-1616) had started in the Elizabeth period wrote twelve serious plays.
This age is named after Charles I who reigned over England from 1625 to 1649. “Caroline” is derived from “Carolus”. This age is also a part of the Puritan Age (1620-1660).
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Major writers and Their Major Words: |
Literary Features of the Period |
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Donne
and Herbert, Henry Vaughan, Andrew Marvel and John Milton writes about
education, lycidas, etc. |
This age is not an age of drama. Drama
collapse because of civil war. Metaphysical poetry was the main literary
product of the age. |
The period when there was no monarch in England. After the death of Charles I, Oliver Cromwell came to power. The English people realized that monarchy was essential for them.
Major writers and their major works:
· John Milton,
The Elizabethan romanticism also came to a close by this time.
These writers of this age imitated ancient Greek and Roman literary tradition. Then, they focus on the technical perfection rather than innovation. Human beings are given most importance. The literary ideal of the age is “Art for Humanity’s Sake” not “Art for Art’s Sake”. There 3 the neoclassical period:
a. The Restoration Period (1660-1700)
The period is called the restoration period because in this period with the restoration of monarchy, the English literary tradition was restored in the Commonwealth Period Charles II..
Literary Features of the Period:
Influenced by the French writers of the time and in reaction against the puritanical suppression of the earlier ages, in this age there was an absolute departure from the literary tradition of the Renaissance Period (1500-1660). The age experienced a transition from renaissance ideals to neoclassical ideals. The main spirit of the age was satiric.
Major Writers and Their Major Works:
Mbon wrote his great epic in this period, for example; Paradise Lost, Samson Agorist, John Buyan, The HolyWar, The Essay of Dramatic Poesy, All for Love, etc.
This age called Augustan because the writers of this period limited the style and elegance the writers who wrote in Italy during the reign of the Emperor Augustus. Major writers and their major works:
Literary Features of the Age:
Most of
the writings of this age were satires in prose. The literature of this age
suggest a political awareness of the people.
c. The Age of Sensibility (1745-85)
This age is called the age of sensibility because in this age a sense that prefers instinct, feeling and original genius. It is also called the age of Johnson who dominated this period. This age started after Pope’s death and ended with the first edition of Lyrical Ballads in 1798.
Major writers and their major works:
Samuel Johnson, Dictionary, Samuel Richardson, etc.
Literary Features of the Age:
This age marks a gradual of taste and technique in poetry.
5.
THE ROMANTIC PERIOD (1798-1832)
This age began in 1798 with the first edition of Wordsworth’s Lyrical Ballads and ended with the first Reformation Act of 1832. This period is also called the Revival of Romanticism. Lyrical Ballads brought a great change in literature-both in subject and style.
Major Writers and Their Major Works:
William Wordsworth, Lyrics Ballads, Samuel Taylor, etc.
Literary Features of the Period:
The literature of this age is largely poetical. It is golden age of the lyric. The characteristic features of this period are high imagination, subjectivity, medievalism, supernaturalism, revolutionary zeal, primitivism or spontaneity and excessive interest in Nature. This age has a number of women novelist and a number a good critic.
6.
THE VICTORIAN PERIOD (1832-1901)
This age is named after Queen Victoria who reigned over England from 1837 to 1901.
Literary Features of the Period:
The literature of this period reflects peace, order and stability. The ideals are” compromise” and ‘construction”.
Major Writers and Their Major Works:
Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Robert Browning, Matthew Arnold and Edward Fitzgerald.
7.
THE MODERN PERIOD (1901-1939) AND THE
POSTMODERN PERIOD (1939-….)
The Modern Period includes two shorter ages. The first decade of the modern period is called the Edwardian Period according to the reign of King Edward VII the years between 1910 to 1936 of this period is called Georgian Period according to the reign of George V.
Literary Features of the Period:
The modern period is dominated by novels. It became realistic and dealt with social problem with a view to educating the readers. Influenced by psychology the novelist dealt with the inner problem. Drama also realistically dealt with social problems. Poetic drama began in this period.
The postmodern drama dealt with the absurdity of human existence and reveal the “nothingness” or “meaninglessness” of human efforts.
Major Writers and Their Major Works:
Thomas Hardy, Henry James, Joseph Conrad and George Robert.
This age is called the age of sensibility because in this age a sense that prefers instinct, feeling and original genius. It is also called the age of Johnson who dominated this period. This age started after Pope’s death and ended with the first edition of Lyrical Ballads in 1798.
Major writers and their major works:
Samuel Johnson, Dictionary, Samuel Richardson, etc.
Literary Features of the Age:
This age marks a gradual of taste and technique in poetry.
This age began in 1798 with the first edition of Wordsworth’s Lyrical Ballads and ended with the first Reformation Act of 1832. This period is also called the Revival of Romanticism. Lyrical Ballads brought a great change in literature-both in subject and style.
Major Writers and Their Major Works:
William Wordsworth, Lyrics Ballads, Samuel Taylor, etc.
Literary Features of the Period:
The literature of this age is largely poetical. It is golden age of the lyric. The characteristic features of this period are high imagination, subjectivity, medievalism, supernaturalism, revolutionary zeal, primitivism or spontaneity and excessive interest in Nature. This age has a number of women novelist and a number a good critic.
This age is named after Queen Victoria who reigned over England from 1837 to 1901.
Literary Features of the Period:
The literature of this period reflects peace, order and stability. The ideals are” compromise” and ‘construction”.
Major Writers and Their Major Works:
Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Robert Browning, Matthew Arnold and Edward Fitzgerald.
The Modern Period includes two shorter ages. The first decade of the modern period is called the Edwardian Period according to the reign of King Edward VII the years between 1910 to 1936 of this period is called Georgian Period according to the reign of George V.
Literary Features of the Period:
The modern period is dominated by novels. It became realistic and dealt with social problem with a view to educating the readers. Influenced by psychology the novelist dealt with the inner problem. Drama also realistically dealt with social problems. Poetic drama began in this period.
The postmodern drama dealt with the absurdity of human existence and reveal the “nothingness” or “meaninglessness” of human efforts.
Major Writers and Their Major Works:
Thomas Hardy, Henry James, Joseph Conrad and George Robert.
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