The presentation highlights the major periods or the eras of English Literature dated from Anglo-Saxon till 20th century i.e. the Modern Era. It shows the political, social, economic background of the ages.
1. Major Periods Of English Literature
Presented By –
Muskan Solanki
2. What is Literature’ ?
It is the art of Written work.
It literally means “Things made from letters”.
Literature is commonly classified as having two major forms
Fiction & Non-fiction
and two major techniques –
Poetry & Prose
It may consists of texts based on factual information or
imagination .
Literature can also be classified according to historical
periods , genres and political influences.
3. Important historical periods in English Literature -
450-1100 (7th-11th century) – Anglo Saxon & Norman Literature
Or Old English Literature
1350-1400 (Later 14th Century) – The age of Geoffrey Chaucer
1400 – 1550 – Early Renaissance Or The Revival Of Learning
1550 – 1620 – The age of Elizabeth Or The age of Shakespeare
1625 – 1660 – The age of Milton
1660 – 1700 – The age of John Dryden
1700 – 1750 – The age of Alexander Pope
1750 – 1798 – The age of Transition or Age of Dr. Samuel Johnson
1798 – 1850 – The age of Wordsworth
1850 – 1900 – Victorian age
20th century – Modern age
4.
5. Anglo Saxon literature encompasses literature written in old english during 600 year
Anglo-Saxon period of England
These works include genres such as epic, poetry, hagiography, sermons, Bible
translations, legal works, chronicles, riddles and others.
400 surviving manuscripts texts with little in common.
Frequently reflect non-English influence.
Among the most important work of this period is the poem Beowulf, “The Wanderer”
A writer of this time was Bede.
His famous book “The history of the English church ”
Anglo Saxon is classified under the following four heads-
Personal and Elegiac poems
War songs
the riddles
The Epic poems
6.
7. Geoffrey Chaucer was born in London sometime around 1343.
He is also known as the Father of English Literature and is widely
considered the greatest English poet of the middle ages.
He achieved fame during his lifetime as an author, philosopher,
alchemist and astronomer.
His works include The Canterbury Tales, The Book of the Duchess,
The House of Fame, the Legend of good Women.
This period was of great political, social, religious and literary
activity.
other famous poets of this era were John Gower, William Langland
etc.
8.
9. A period from the early 1300’s to roughly 1600 when there was a
renewed interest in history literature and art.
Renaissance = “Rebirth”
Renewed study of ancient Greece and Rome
Europe’s economic recovery
10. Origins
The period coincided with the decline of medieval European
civilization.
It was both a political and economic movement as well as a
cultural and artistic one.
The Renaissance was a period of commercial, financial,
political, and cultural awakening, first in Italy and then in
northern Europe.
The northern Italian cities led a commercial renewal;
especially cities such as Venice, Genoa, and Milan.
11.
12. The Elizabethan Age of English Literature coincides with the reign of Elizabeth I,
1558 - 1603.
During this time, medieval tradition was blended with Renaissance optimism.
Lyric poetry, prose, and drama were the major styles of literature that flowered during
the Elizabethan Age.
Some important writers of the Elizabethan Age include William Shakespeare,
Christopher Marlowe, Edmund Spenser, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Ben Jonson.
13. General characteristics of Elizabethan literature -
It was mainly dominated, however, by the spirit of romance
it was also full of the spirit of dramatic action
influenced by the literature of Italy
literary spirit was all pervasive
the period has the great variety of almost unlimited creative force,
period of experimentation
14. Shakespeare (1564-1616)
• considered to be the greatest playwright in the world.
• invented a lot of words and invented expressions that we still use today!
• understood the human personality.
• wrote about individuals: Hamlet, Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Othello, Romeo &
Juliet.
• wrote comedies: Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer’s Night Dream
• wrote tragedies: Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, Othello
• was a Renaissance humanist: He wrote about people and understood human
nature.
15.
16. It was also known as Puritanism.
Decline in Literature
The output of poetry is much smaller
There is a mass decay in exaltic poetic servour of
previous age.
Expansion of Prose
17. Two Classes of poets in this Period -
Metaphysical Poetry Cavalier Poetry
Started by John Donne They were secular poets
Deal with thought development &
blend of passion
Deal with subject of love
Lyrical in nature They followed Ben Johnson
Full of learnt imagery & striking
conceits
There work is simple, highly
polished & graceful structure
Major Poets – John Donne,
Crashaw, Vaughan, Marvell..
Major works – The Anniversary,
The Elegy, The songs & Sonnets
and Poetry.
Major Poets – Herrick, Thomas
Carew, Richard Lovelace, Sir John
Suckling…
Major Works – The night piece of
Julia, Ask me no more Rapture,
Going to the vast, Ballad upon a
wedding .
18.
19. Break from the Elizabethan Tradition
Imitation of the ancients
Imitation of the French. Famous French Writers are Pascal, Bossuet,
Matherbe, Corneille, Racine, Moliere.
Development of Poetry
Satire was cultivated with great assiduity
Great Satires of Dryden are-
Absalom and Achitophel
Medal
Mac Flecknot
20.
21. Also known as Augustan Age and New-Classical age
The age of reason and good sense
Religious and Philosophical thought of the age
The French influence
First Follow Nature
The main works of Pope are –
The Rape of the lock
Essay on Criticism
The Essay on Man
22.
23. An era of change from pseudo classicism to romanticism,
French revolution of 1789 was the climax to long deeply diffused unrest,
categorized by mild renaissance of learning,
rise of middle class,
characterized by rapid growth of democracy,
stress was laid on individual worth of man,
in poetry we find co existence of double tendency,
poets completely abandoned the classical tradition and became the fore bearers of era of
romanticism
24.
25. Constitute an era of rapid social change took place
between 1776-1832.
Progress of social change accelerated by war with France
which lasted till 1815,
Series of scientific inventions gave England a new and
vast revolutionary industry
agriculture and scientific methods of farming evolved
26.
27. o Region of Queen Victoria extends from 1837-1901,
o Era of material influence, political consciousness, democratic reforms ,
industrial and mechanical progress
o crime and war stir in England,
o poor living condition were there
o social reformers took initiative for poor,
o age of humanitarian consideration,
o education expanded,
o still religious and moral were important and had great importance
28.
29. new writers rejected the doctrine of art for art sake and supported art for life sake,
took action for better living of poor,
poor became raw material of writing,
economic and social changes, rapid industrial expansion led to agriculture depression,
poets used hard dry use of exact word and produced poetry that is hard and clear