Old English/Anglo-Saxon Period Years: 449-1066

Old English/Anglo-Saxon Old English/Anglo-Saxon Period Period

Years: 449-1066Years: 449-1066Content: Content: strong belief in fate strong belief in fate juxtaposition of church and pagan worlds juxtaposition of church and pagan worlds admiration of heroic warriors who prevail in battle admiration of heroic warriors who prevail in battle express religious faith and give moral instruction express religious faith and give moral instruction through literature through literature

Style/Genres: Style/Genres:

oral tradition of literature oral tradition of literature

poetry dominant genre poetry dominant genre

unique verse form unique verse form

caesura caesura

alliteration alliteration

repetition repetition

4 beat rhythm 4 beat rhythm

Effect: Effect: Christianity helps literacy to spread Christianity helps literacy to spread introduces Roman alphabet to Britain introduces Roman alphabet to Britain oral tradition helps unite diverse peoples and oral tradition helps unite diverse peoples and their myths their myths

Historical Context: Historical Context:

life centered around ancestral tribes or clans life centered around ancestral tribes or clans that ruled themselves that ruled themselves at first the people were warriors from invading at first the people were warriors from invading outlying areas: Angles, Saxons, Jutes, and outlying areas: Angles, Saxons, Jutes, and Danes Danes later they were agricultural later they were agricultural

Key Literature/Authors: Key Literature/Authors:

Beowulf Beowulf

Bede Bede

Exeter Book Exeter Book

Middle English PeriodMiddle English Period(The Medieval Period)(The Medieval Period)

Years: 1066-1485 Years: 1066-1485

Content: Content:

plays that instruct the illiterate masses in plays that instruct the illiterate masses in morals and religion morals and religion

chivalric code of honorchivalric code of honor

romances romances

religious devotionreligious devotion

Style/Genres: Style/Genres: oral tradition continues oral tradition continues folk ballads folk ballads mystery and miracle plays mystery and miracle plays morality plays morality plays stock epithets stock epithets kennings kennings frame storiesframe storiesmoral tales moral tales

Effect: Effect: church instructs its people through the morality and church instructs its people through the morality and miracle plays miracle plays an illiterate population is able to hear and see the an illiterate population is able to hear and see the literature literature

Historical Context: Historical Context: Crusades bring the development of a money economy Crusades bring the development of a money economy for the first time in Britain for the first time in Britain trading increases dramatically as a result of the trading increases dramatically as a result of the Crusades Crusades William the Conqueror crowned king in 1066 William the Conqueror crowned king in 1066 Henry III crowned king in 1154 brings a judicial system, Henry III crowned king in 1154 brings a judicial system, royal courts, juries, and chivalry to Britain royal courts, juries, and chivalry to Britain


Domesday Book Domesday Book L’Morte de Arthur L’Morte de Arthur Geoffrey Chaucer Geoffrey Chaucer

The Renaissance The Renaissance Years: 1485-1660Years: 1485-1660

Content: Content: world view shifts from religion and after life to world view shifts from religion and after life to one stressing the human life on earth one stressing the human life on earth popular theme: development of human potential popular theme: development of human potential popular theme: many aspects of love explored popular theme: many aspects of love explored unrequited love unrequited love constant love constant love timeless love timeless love courtly love courtly love love subject to change love subject to change

Style/Genres: Style/Genres: poetry poetry sonnet sonnet drama drama written in verse written in verse supported by royalty supported by royalty tragedies, comedies, histories tragedies, comedies, histories metaphysical poetry metaphysical poetry elaborate and unexpected metaphors called conceits elaborate and unexpected metaphors called conceits

Effect: Effect: commoners welcomed at some play productions (like commoners welcomed at some play productions (like ones at the Globe) while conservatives try to close ones at the Globe) while conservatives try to close the theaters on grounds that they promote brazen the theaters on grounds that they promote brazen behaviors behaviors not all middle-class embrace the metaphysical poets and not all middle-class embrace the metaphysical poets and their abstract conceits their abstract conceits

Historical Context: Historical Context: War of Roses ends in 1485 and political stability arrives War of Roses ends in 1485 and political stability arrives Printing press helps stabilize English as a language and Printing press helps stabilize English as a language and allows more people to read a variety of literature allows more people to read a variety of literature Economy changes from farm-based to one of Economy changes from farm-based to one of international trade international trade

Key Literature/Authors:Key Literature/Authors:

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare John DonneJohn DonneCavalier PoetsCavalier PoetsMetaphysical Poets Metaphysical Poets Christopher MarloweChristopher MarloweAndrew MarvellAndrew Marvell

Neoclassical PeriodNeoclassical Period(The Restoration)(The Restoration)Years: 1660-1798 Years: 1660-1798

Content:Content:emphasis on reason and logic emphasis on reason and logic stresses harmony, stability, wisdom stresses harmony, stability, wisdom Locke: a social contract exists between the government and the Locke: a social contract exists between the government and the people. The government governs guaranteeing “natural rights” of people. The government governs guaranteeing “natural rights” of life, liberty, and property life, liberty, and property Style/Genres: Style/Genres: satire: uses irony and exaggeration to poke fun at human faults satire: uses irony and exaggeration to poke fun at human faults and foolishness in order toand foolishness in order to correct human behavior correct human behavior poetry poetry essays essays letters, diaries, biographies letters, diaries, biographies novels novels

Effect:Effect:emphasis on the individual emphasis on the individual belief that man is basically evil belief that man is basically evil approach to life: “the world as it should be” approach to life: “the world as it should be”

Historical Context: Historical Context: 50% of the men are functionally literate (a dramatic rise) 50% of the men are functionally literate (a dramatic rise) Fenced enclosures of land cause demise of traditional Fenced enclosures of land cause demise of traditional village life village life Factories begin to spring up as industrial revolution Factories begin to spring up as industrial revolution begins begins Impoverished masses begin to grow as farming life Impoverished masses begin to grow as farming life declines and factories build declines and factories build Coffee houses—where educated men spend evenings Coffee houses—where educated men spend evenings with literary and political associates with literary and political associates


Alexander PopeAlexander Pope

Daniel DefoeDaniel Defoe

Jonathan SwiftJonathan Swift

Samuel JohnsonSamuel Johnson

John BunyanJohn Bunyan

Romanticism Romanticism Years: 1798 – 1832Years: 1798 – 1832

Content:Content:

human knowledge consists of impressions human knowledge consists of impressions and ideas formed in the individual’s mindand ideas formed in the individual’s mind

introduction of gothic elements and introduction of gothic elements and terror/horror stories and novels terror/horror stories and novels

in nature one can find comfort and peace in nature one can find comfort and peace that the man-made urbanized towns and that the man-made urbanized towns and factory environments cannot offerfactory environments cannot offer

Style/Genres: Style/Genres:

poetry poetry

lyrical ballads lyrical ballads

Effects: Effects:

evil attributed to society not to human natureevil attributed to society not to human nature

human beings are basically goodhuman beings are basically good

movement of protest: a desire for personal movement of protest: a desire for personal freedomfreedom

children seen as hapless victims of poverty children seen as hapless victims of poverty and exploitationand exploitation


Napoleon rises to power in France and Napoleon rises to power in France and opposes England militarily and economically opposes England militarily and economically

gas lamps developed gas lamps developed

philosophy that government should NOT philosophy that government should NOT interfere with private enterpriseinterfere with private enterprise

middle class gains representation in the middle class gains representation in the British parliamentBritish parliament

Railroads begin to run Railroads begin to run


Novelists: Jane Austen, Mary Shelley Novelists: Jane Austen, Mary Shelley

Poets: Robert Burns, William Blake, Poets: Robert Burns, William Blake, William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, Coleridge, Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, John KeatsJohn Keats

Victorian Period Victorian Period Years: 1832-1900 Years: 1832-1900

Content:Content:conflict between those in power and the common masses of laborers and conflict between those in power and the common masses of laborers and the poor the poor

shocking life of sweatshops and urban poor is highlighted in literature to shocking life of sweatshops and urban poor is highlighted in literature to insist on reform insist on reform

country versus city lifecountry versus city life

sexual discretion (or lack of it) sexual discretion (or lack of it)

strained coincidencesstrained coincidences

romantic trianglesromantic triangles

heroines in physical dangerheroines in physical danger

aristocratic villainsaristocratic villains

misdirected lettersmisdirected letters

bigamous marriages bigamous marriages

Genres/Styles:Genres/Styles:

novel becomes popular for first time; mass produced for novel becomes popular for first time; mass produced for the first timethe first time

bildungsroman: “coming of age”bildungsroman: “coming of age”

political novelspolitical novels

detective novels: (Sherlock Holmes)detective novels: (Sherlock Holmes)

serialized novelsserialized novels

elegies elegies

poetry: easier to understand poetry: easier to understand

dramatic monologuesdramatic monologues

drama: comedies of mannersdrama: comedies of manners

magazines offer stories to the massesmagazines offer stories to the masses

Effect:Effect:

literature begins to reach the masses literature begins to reach the masses

Historical Context:Historical Context:

paper becomes cheap; magazines and paper becomes cheap; magazines and novels cheap to mass produce novels cheap to mass produce

unprecedented growth of industry and unprecedented growth of industry and business in Britainbusiness in Britain

unparalleled dominance of nations, unparalleled dominance of nations, economies and trade abroadeconomies and trade abroad


Charles DickensCharles Dickens

Thomas HardyThomas Hardy

Rudyard KiplingRudyard Kipling

Robert Louis StevensonRobert Louis Stevenson

George EliotGeorge Eliot

Oscar WildeOscar Wilde

Alfred Lord TennysonAlfred Lord Tennyson

Charles DarwinCharles Darwin

Charlotte BronteCharlotte Bronte

Robert BrowningRobert Browning

Modern/Post Modern Period of Modern/Post Modern Period of LiteratureLiterature

Years: 1900-1980Years: 1900-1980Content:Content:

lonely individual fighting to find peace and comfort in a lonely individual fighting to find peace and comfort in a world that has lost its absolute values and traditions world that has lost its absolute values and traditions

man is nothing except what he makes of himself man is nothing except what he makes of himself

a belief in situational ethics—no absolute values. a belief in situational ethics—no absolute values. Decisions are based on the situation one is involved in at Decisions are based on the situation one is involved in at the moment the moment

mixing of fantasy with nonfiction; blurs lines of reality for mixing of fantasy with nonfiction; blurs lines of reality for reader reader

loss of the hero in literatureloss of the hero in literature

destruction made possible by technology destruction made possible by technology

Genres/Styles: Genres/Styles:

poetry: free versepoetry: free verse

epiphanies begin to appear in literature epiphanies begin to appear in literature

speeches speeches

memoir memoir

NovelsNovels

stream of consciousness stream of consciousness

detached, unemotional, humorlessdetached, unemotional, humorless

present tensepresent tense

magic realism magic realism

Effect:Effect:

an approach to life: “Seize life for the an approach to life: “Seize life for the moment and get all you can out of it.” moment and get all you can out of it.”


British Empire loses 1 million soldiers to British Empire loses 1 million soldiers to World War I World War I

Winston Churchill leads Britain through Winston Churchill leads Britain through WW II, and the Germans bomb England WW II, and the Germans bomb England directly directly

British colonies demand independence British colonies demand independence

Key Literature/AuthorsKey Literature/Authors

James JoyceJames Joyce

Joseph ConradJoseph Conrad

D.H. LawrenceD.H. Lawrence

Graham GreeneGraham Greene

Dylan ThomasDylan Thomas

Nadine GordimerNadine Gordimer

George OrwellGeorge Orwell

William Butler YeatsWilliam Butler Yeats

Bernard ShawBernard Shaw

Contemporary Period of Contemporary Period of LiteratureLiterature

(Post Modern Period Continued)(Post Modern Period Continued)1980-Present 1980-Present

Content:Content:

concern with connections between people concern with connections between people

exploring interpretations of the pastexploring interpretations of the past

open-mindedness and courage that open-mindedness and courage that comes from being an outsidercomes from being an outsider

escaping those ways of living that blind escaping those ways of living that blind and dull the human spiritand dull the human spirit

Genres/Styles:Genres/Styles:

all genres representedall genres represented

fictional confessional/diaries fictional confessional/diaries

50% of contemporary fiction is written in 50% of contemporary fiction is written in the first person the first person

narratives: both fiction and nonfiction narratives: both fiction and nonfiction

emotion-provokingemotion-provoking

humorous ironyhumorous irony

storytelling emphasizedstorytelling emphasized

autobiographical essaysautobiographical essays

mixing of fantasy with nonfiction; blurs mixing of fantasy with nonfiction; blurs lines of reality for readerlines of reality for reader

Effect: Effect:

too soon to tell too soon to tell


a world growing smaller due to ease of a world growing smaller due to ease of communications between societies communications between societies

a world launching a new beginning of a a world launching a new beginning of a century and a millennium century and a millennium

media culture interprets values and events media culture interprets values and events for individualsfor individuals


Seamus HeaneySeamus Heaney

Doris LessingDoris Lessing

Louis de BernieresLouis de Bernieres

Kazuo IshiguroKazuo Ishiguro

Tom StoppardTom Stoppard

Salman RushdieSalman Rushdie

John Le CarreJohn Le Carre

Ken FollettKen Follett

Documents

Old English/Anglo-Saxon Period Years: 449-1066