History of English literature
450-1066: Old English (or Anglo-Saxon) period
1066-1500: The Middle English Period
1500-1660: Renaissance
1558-1603: The Elizabethan Age
1603-1625: The Age of James
1625-1649: The Age of Caroline
1649-1660: Commonwealth Period (or Puritan Age)
1660-1785: Neoclassical period
1660-1700: Restoration
1700-1745: Age of Augustus (or Age of the Pope)
Between 1745 and 1785 was the Age of Sensibility (or Age of Johnson).
Period of Romanticism: 1785-1830
1832-1901: The Victorian Period
1848-1860: The Pre-Raphaelites
1880-1901: Aesthetics and Decadence
1901-1914: The Edwardian period
1910-1936: The Georgian period
1914-1945: The Modern Era
1945-Present: The Postmodern Period
KPPSC PPSC FPSC English lecturer Interview Questions and Answers
KPPSC PPSC FPSC English Lecturer Interview Questions and Answers Part 2
Introduction
English literature is one of the world's most decadent kinds of literature. As the literature of a great nation, it has established itself in the world thanks to its spirit of adventure, presence, and tenacity. Literature is a reflection of society; literature carries various refining processes.
When we study English literature from the earliest to modern times, we find that it has passed through certain phases; many terms such as ages or periods.
Old English period, or Anglo-Saxon period 450-1066
A period in English literature known as the Old English period, or Anglo-Saxon period, was defined as the period beginning with the invasion of Celtic England by Germanic tribes in the first half of the fifth century onward until William the Conqueror conquered England in 1066.
During the Old English period, written literature developed from oral tradition. The eighth century saw the emergence of poetry written in vernacular Anglo-Saxon (also known as Old English). Beowulf, a beautiful Germanic epic poem, is one of the most famous Old English works from the 8th century. Caedmon and Cynewulf were two poets of the Old English period who wrote on biblical and religious themes.
Middle English (1066-1500)
Middle English literature covers the period between the Norman Conquest in 1066 and about 1500, when the standard literary language, derived from the dialects of the London area, became known as "Modern English."
Before the second half of the fourteenth century, folk literature mainly consisted of religious writings. The most famous writings are Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, the anonymous Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Thomas Malory's Morte d'Arthur. Secular literature started in the second half of the 14th century.
The English Renaissance (1500-1660)
With the accession of the House of Tudor to the English throne in 1485, the English Renaissance began, but the English Literary Renaissance began with Sir Thomas More and Sir Thomas Wyatt.
Four periods constitute the English Literary Renaissance:
- The Elizabethan Age (1558-1603)
- The Jacobean Age (1603-1625)
- The Carolingian Age (1625-1649)
- The Commonwealth Period or The Puritan Age (1649-1660)
The Elizabethan Age
The Elizabethan Age of English literature started with the reign of Elizabeth I, 1558 - 1603. During this time, medieval tradition mingled with Renaissance optimism. Lyrical poetry, prose, and drama were significant styles of literature that flourished during the Elizabethan age. Critical writers of the Elizabethan era include William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Edmund Spenser, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Ben Jonson.
Jacob's Age of English literature
Jacob's Age of English literature coincides with the reign of James I, 1603 - 1625. During this time, literature became sophisticated, unhappy, and aware of social abuse and rivalry. The Jacobean Age produced rich prose, drama, and the Bible translation of King James. Shakespeare and Jonson were literary figures during the Elizabethan and Jacobean ages, along with John Donne, Francis Bacon, and Thomas Middleton.
The Carolingian Age
The Carolingian Age of English literature coincides with the reign of Charles I, 1625 - 1649. The writers of this age wrote in a cultured and elegant manner. In this period, there was a group of poets known as cavalier poets, and the dramatists wrote their plays in the tradition of Elizabethan drama.
The Puritan or Common Wealth
The Puritan or Common Wealth period includes literature produced during the time of the Puritan leader Oliver Cromwell. The political treaties of John Milton, Thomas Hobbes, and the prose of Andrew Marvell were famous in this period. In September 1642, the Puritans closed the theatres for moral and religious reasons. The theatres remained closed for the next eighteen years, accounting for the lack of drama produced during this era.
The Neoclassical period (1660 - 1785)
The Neoclassical period (1660 - 1785) was greatly influenced by contemporary French literature, which was in the midst of its most remarkable age. The literature of this period is known for its use of philosophy, reason, skepticism, wit, and sophistication. The Neoclassical era also marks the first great age of English literary criticism.
Like the English Renaissance, the Neoclassical period can be divided into three subsets:
- The Restoration,
- The Augustan Age, and
- The Age of Sensibility.
The Most Important Literary Genres
Restoration period from 1660 to 1700
During the Restoration period from 1660 to 1700, the monarchy was restored, and reason and tolerance prevailed over the religious and political passion of the writers. There was an abundance of prose and poetry during this period. A particular type of comedy (Comedy of manner) flourished in this age. John Milton's Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained were also published in this period. Other notable writers of the time include John Dryden, John Wilmot 2nd Earl of Rochester, and John Locke.
The English Augustan Age (or Age of Pope)
The English Augustan Age (or Age of Pope) derives its name from the significant literary period of Virgil and Ovid under the Roman Emperor Augustus (27 BC – 14 AD). From 1700 to 1745, the Age of Augustus (in English literature) is characterized by refinement, clarity, elegance, and balance of judgment. Notable writers of the Augustan Age include Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, and Daniel Defoe. A significant contribution to this period was the publication of the first English novels by Defoe and Samuel Richardson's "character novel" Pamela in 1740.
Age of Sensibility
It was during the "Age of Sensibility" that literature began emphasizing instinct and feeling over judgment and restraint, reflecting the worldview of the Enlightenment. The Sensibility period encouraged people to think more about the Middle Ages. One of the main reasons for this was that many people became interested in medieval ballads and folk literature. The Sensibility period is also called the Age of Johnson after the dominant authors of this period who were Samuel Johnson and his literary and intellectual circle. The period produced some essential early English novels, including Richardson's Clarissa (1748) and Henry Fielding's Tom Jones (1749).
The Romantic Period
The Romantic Period started in the late 18th century and ended around 1832. The authors of this Period were innovative because they wanted their writings to be personal, imaginative, spontaneous, and accessible. Writers from this Period include Samuel Taylor Coleridge, William Wordsworth, Jane Austen, and Lord Byron.
Gothic literature began in the Romantic Period with dark and gloomy settings, fantastic characters, and dramatic novelists. The two most famous Gothic novelists are Anne Radcliffe and Mary Shelley.
The Victorian Period
The Victorian Period of English literature lasted for six decades and ended in 1901 with the death of Queen Victoria. The years from 1837 to 1870 are known as the "early period", and 1870-1901 are known as the "late period." In general, Victorian literature deals with political and social problems.
Various contemporary issues that the Victorians dealt with include:
- Social, economic, religious, and intellectual issues and problems surrounding the Industrial Revolution.
- Growing class tensions.
- Pressures toward political and social reform.
- The impact of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution on philosophy and religion.
Some of the most recognized authors from the Victorian Era include Elizabeth Barrett Browning, her husband Robert, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Matthew Arnold, Charles Dickens, Charlotte Brontë, George Eliot, and Thomas Hardy.
There were two major literary movements throughout the Victorian era. A group of English painters commonly known as the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood prioritized simplicity and honesty in their work. Through their literature, Rossetti and his sister Christina adopted these principles.
Aestheticism and Decadence trend in English literature
The French movement of the same name gave rise to the Aestheticism and Decadence trend in English literature. The founders of this movement supported experimentation and believed that art is entirely at odds with "natural" moral principles. This literary movement challenged the supremacy of scientific thought and resisted society's animosity toward any form of art that was not helpful or did not promote moral values. The expression "art for art's sake" first appeared in the Aestheticism and Decadence movement. Oscar Wilde is a well-known author associated with the English Aestheticism and Decadence movement.
Edwardian Period
The Period between the passing of Queen Victoria in 1901 and the start of World War I is known as the Edwardian Period after King Edward VII (1914). The British Empire was at its height during this time, and the affluent led luxurious, worldly lives. But four out of every five people in England were living in squalor. These societal conditions are reflected in and discussed in texts from the Edwardian Period. For instance, authors like George Bernard Shaw and H.G. Wells criticized social inequality and the conceit of the affluent. William Butler Yeats, Joseph Conrad, Rudyard Kipling, Henry James, and E.M. Forster are a few other authors from the era.
The Georgian Period
The Georgian Period is a period in British literature named after George V's reign (1910-36). Many Edwardian Period writers continued to write during the Georgian Period. This Period also gave birth to a group of poets known as the Georgian poets. These writers, now considered minor poets, were published in four anthologies titled Georgian Poetry, published between 1912 and 1922 by Edward Marsh. Georgian poetry is traditional in technique and form, focusing on rural subjects.
The Modern Period
The Modern Period refers to British literature written after World War I in 1914. The authors of the Modern Period experimented with the subject matter, form, and style, producing works in all literary genres. Yeats, T.S. Eliot, Dylan Thomas, and Seamus Heaney were among the Period's poets. James Joyce, D.H. Lawrence, and Virginia Woolf are among the novelists. Noel Coward and Samuel Beckett are two dramatists.
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