-
1200 BCE
Homeric or Heroic Period
Chaotic period of warrior princes wandering sea traders and fierce pirates. Authors and Work:
-Homer’s iliad and Odyssey -
Period: 1200 BCE to 455
Greek Legends
THE CLASSICAL PERIOD
This period refers to the great masterpieces of Greek, Roman and other ancient civilizations. Not only novels but also epic, lyric, tragedy, comedy, pastoral, and other forms of writing. “…There is the heat of love, the pulsing rush of longing, the lover’s whisper, irresistible magic to make the sanest man go mad.”
- Homer, The Iliad Features:
Oral tradition, Myths, Fundamental Religious text often centered or Royalty. -
800 BCE
Classical Greek Period
It's called the golden age of Greece because of the sophisticated city Athens, where the world’s finest art (poetry, drama, architecture and philosophy) originated and also the rise of early democracy. Authors and Work:
Medea and Hippolytus by Euripides, Antigone by Sophocles, Lysistrata by Aristophanes, Meno by Plato. -
200 BCE
Classical Roman Period
Roma conquered Greece and the Roman Republic was founded in 509 BCE, after that Roma slid into a Dictatorship under Julius Caesar, and decades later became a monarchy under Cesar Augustus in 27 CE. Authors and Works:.
Aesop's Fable, Ovid´s Metamorphose, Virgil's Aeneid, Seneca's Thyestes -
70
Patristic Period
This is a vital point in the history of Christianity with a lot of written information spreading across Europe. Some Authors and Works:
-St Jerome's Bible compilation, Tertullian's Apologeticus -
423
The Old English Period
Poetry in the vernacular (religious writings) Anglo- saxon appeared. Authors and Works:
The Wanderer by Dion DiMucci, The Seafarer, The Battle of Maldon, Beowulf anonymus poems. -
Period: 423 to 1485
Modern English Origins
THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD
This period refers to the literature produced from the invasion of celtic england by germanic tribes. "Mind must be harder, spirit must be bolder, And heart the greater, as our might grows less"
- The Battle of Maldon poem Features:
Classical reborn, Finding place for humans in changing world, Free Expression -
1066
The Middle English Period
In this period the standard literary language derived from the dialect of the London area known as modern english. Some Authors and Works:
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight poem, Geoffrey Chaucer´s Canterbury Tales, Thomas Malory´s Morte dÁrthur -
1485
Early Tudor Period
Period of english literary renaissance, at this point of the time occured the war of the roses in England and emergence of protestantism. Authors and Works:
Hamlet by William Shakespeare,The Tragicall History of D. Faustus by Christopher Marlowe, The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser -
Period: 1485 to
Poetry, Prose and Drama
THE RENAISSANCE AND REFORMATION PERIOD
It was a time of great change across Europe, in which society broke away from the conformist views and the constraints of the church. “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.”
-William Shakespeare, All's Well That Ends Well Features:
-Classical reborn, Finding place for humans in changing world, Free Expression -
1558
Elizabethan Period
This period inspired national pride through classical ideals, international expansion, and naval triumph.
Lyric poetry, prose and drama were the major styles of literature flowered in this age. Authors and Works:
the sonnets of Sir Philip Sidney and William Shakespeare, and Sir Walter Raleigh's lyrics -
Jacobean Period
Produced rich prose and drama also King James made the translation of the Bible Authors and Works:
The White Devil and The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster, The Changeling by Thomas Middleton, The Iron Horse by John Ford -
Caroline Age
The cavalier poets were the last to write in the elizabethan tradition (cavalier poetry express the joys and celebrations in a much livelier way than its predecessors did). Some Poets:
Thomas Carew, Richard Lovelace and John Suckling. -
Commonwealth (Puritan) Period
This period evolves a radical movement that reform the Church of England.Theaters on this period were closed on morals and religious grounds for 18 years. Authors:
John Milton’s political writings, The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up In America by Anne Bradstreet -
Restoration Period
Produced an abundance of prose and poetry and the distinctive comedy of manners. Autors and Works:
John Milton's Published paradise Lost and Paradise Regained,
Other major writers of the area include John Dryden, John Wilmot. -
Period: to
Philosophical Theroy and Politcal Revolution
THE ENLIGHTENMENT OR NEOCLASSICAL PERIOD
Influence of classical literature due to the reverence for logic and disdain for superstition against earlier puritanism and America’s revolution against England. “Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.”
-Jonathan Swift Features:
Science, Nature, Age of Restoration in England, Use of philosophy, reason, with and refinement in literature. -
The Augustan Age
Elegance and balance of judgment, and the release of the first english novels by Deofe Authors and works:
Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, works The Dunciad by Alexander Pope, and Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe -
The Age of Johnson
Reflected the world view of enlightenment and the instinct and feeling rather than judgment and restraint - In the age of sensibility an interest in medieval ballads and folk literature arose Authors and works:
A Journey to the Western Isles of Scotland by Samuel Jhonson, Richardson’s Clarissa, Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones -
The Romantic Period
This period was characterized by authors who wrote about life, love and nature symbolism, also by gothic literature: a kind of savage, fantastic and grotesque characters and situations involved in mysterious and melodramatic scenarios. Autors and Works:
Samel Taylor Coleridge, I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud poem y William Wordsworth, Pride and Perjudice by Jane Austen, She Walks in Beauty poem by Lord Byron.
Gothic novelist: Ann Radcliffe and Mary Schelley -
Period: to
Romantic Poets and Gothic Writers
THE ROMANTIC PERIOD
This period was considered innovative because of its spontaneous, imaginative and personal writing mode. "What is there in our nature that is for ever urging us on towards pain and misery?"
- Mary Shelley Features:
Nature mysterious, Mortality and mutability, Search for sublime, Personal emotion and experience and developed into Gothic period -
American Renaissance Period
Critics regard that it could be the period with the best american fiction ever written. Authors and Works:
Hope by Emily Dickenson, Leaves of grass by Whalt Whitman, Movie Dick by Herman Milvelle, The Scarlet letter by Nathaniel Ha wthorne. -
Transcendentalism Period
It was a vital part of the Romantic movement, They believed there is a divine spirit in nature and in every living soul and believed in the importance and efficacy of human striving. Autors and Works:
Ralph Waldo Emerson - Nature, Henry David Thoreau - The Dial
Margaret Fuller - The Great Lawsuit, Amos Bronson Alcott, - Conversations with Children Upon the Gospels. -
Period: to
National Spirit
AMERICAN RENAISSANCE PERIOD
Age of an expression of national spirit, the writers used to utilize native dialect, history landscape descriptions to explore american issues. “Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality.”
- Emily Dickinson Features:
Expression of national spirit, utilization of native dialectic, history, landscape and character -
Period: to
Theological Rebelion and Spiritual Development
TRASCENDENTALISM PERIOD
Philosophy or system of thought based on the idea that humans are essentially good. “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson Features:
New england unitarianism, essential unity to all creation, humanity's greatest truths may be formulated through insight rather than logic. -
Early Victorian Period
The period saw the British Empire grow to become the first global industrial power, producing much of the world's coal, iron, steel and textiles.
In this period were written sentimental Novels and works about Intellectual movements like Aestheticism and Feminism. Autors and works:
Ulyises by Aifred Lord Tennyson, Elizabeth Barret and Robert Browning, Dover beach by Matthew Arnold, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens -
Period: to
Feminism, Evolution and Class tensions
THE VICTORIAN PERIOD
Accession of Queen Victoria to the throne in 1837. Victorian literature involves issues and problems of the day like socioeconomic, religious and intellectual surrounding the industrial revolution. "A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life."
- Charles Darwin Features:
Political, philosophy and social revolution, Early feminist movement, Class tensions , Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution -
Late Victorian Period
This period covers the later half of the 19th century, for a portion of the true reign of Britain's Queen Victoria due to their great industrial power, more population started to live in the urban areas instead of rural areas. Autors and Works:
The impact of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution,
The return of the native by Thomas Hardy, Les miserables by Victor Hugo, Treasure island by Robert Louis Stevenson -
American Realism Period
Realism sought to position identifiably flawed human beings within the complex webs of economic forces and American social class. Autors and Works:
Mark Twain: The adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn -
Period: to
The Civil War
AMERICAN REALISM AND REIONALISM PERIOD
Focusing on ordinary characters and situations on which the audience could identify extraordinary events and exotic locals.
Literature in this period is written in vernacular and the use of symbolism is controlled and limited “All right, then, I'll go to hell.”
- Mark Twain Features:.
Character is more important that action and plot, Humans control their destinies, Renders reality closely and in comprehensive detail, Class is important. -
Naturalism Period
American literary naturalism arising out of post-Enlightenment developments in science and philosophy, Is the literature born out of the tension between older, traditional belief systems and the new science of the post-Darwinian nineteenth century. Authors and Works:
Edith Wharton - The House of Mirth, Jack London - To Build a Fire -
Period: to
Post Darwinian Reconsiderations
NATURALISM PERIOD
The dominant theme in this period of literature is that persons are fated to whatever situation in life like their heredity, environment and social conditions. "The real loneliness is living among all these kind of people who only ask one to pretend."
-Edith Wharton Features:
Scientific principles of objectivity, study of human begins, It focuses of the “brute within” of each individual. -
The Edwardian Period
Is named for king Edward VII and reflects the social conditions, the british empire was at its height and wealthy lived lives of materialistic luxury. The writers of this period reflect and comment on this social conditions. Autors and Works:
Poets: T.S Eliot - The Waste Land (1922), Dylan Thomas - "Do not go gentle into that good night"
Novelists: James Joyce - A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man”, D.H Lawrence- Sons and Lovers. -
Period: to
Experimentation and Innovation
THE MODERNISM
Modernist writers in general rebelled against clear-cut storytelling and formulaic verse from the 19th century. "Work hard, do the best you can, don't ever lose faith in yourself and take no notice of what other people say about you."
-Noel Coward Features:
A break with traditions is one of the fundamental constants in this period, provided a radical break with traditional modes of literature and stylistic innovations. -
The Georgian Period
Involves the time from queen Victoria’s death 1901 to the beginning of world war I. During this time the british empire was at its height and the wealthy lived lives of materialistic luxury despite the misery of the population. Authors and Works:
Novelist: Virginia Woolf - Mrs. Dalloway (1925)
Dramatics: Noel Coward - Hay Fever and Samuel Becket- Murphy . -
Harlem Renaissance Period
The creative expression became an outlet for writers in this period with a particular concentration in Harlem Authors and Works:
Langston Hughes - Lament for Dark Peoples and Other Poems, Claude MacKay- If We Must Die, Nella Larsen- Quicksand and Rudolph Fisher - Walls of Jericho. -
The Lost Generation Period
These authors were said to be disillusioned by the large number of the casualties of the world war. Cynical disdainful of the antiquated nations of morality and propriety of their aiders and ambivalent about gender ideals. Authors and Works:
Novelist Ernest Hemingway- The sun also risess and F. Scott Fitzgeral- The beautiful and damned (1922). -
Period: to
World War I and Exile
THE LOST GENERATION PERIOD
This period of time has become synonymous with modernism, the authors of this period of time were pursued by their impulses to find some meaning in the world in the wake of chaos for the first world war. “The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places.”
- Ernest Hemingway Features:
Youthful idealism, sought the meaning of life, rejected modern American materialis, expatriates who lived in Paris. -
Period: to
Black American Experience
HARLEM RENAISSANCE PERIOD
This was the period when many african-americans migrated from the south to northern cities seeking economic and creative opportunities. "The rhythm persisted, the unfaltering common meter of blues, but the blueness itself, the sorrow, the despair, began to give way to hope."
-Rudolph Fisher Features:
An explosion of African- American literature, art and music, African American received formal education. -
Postmodernism Period
Following World War II (1939-1945), the postmodernism period of British Literature developed. Postmodernism blends literary genres and styles and attempts to break free of modernism forms. Authors and works:
Linda Hutcheon - A poetics postmodernism, Eliot - The Waste Land, Pond - Cantos, David Jones - In Parenthesis. -
Period: to
Braking free from Modernism Froms
POSTMODERNISM PERIOD
New forms of war, The rise of multinationalism and capitalism, Multiculturalism, Information Age. The poetry was focused, highly technical forms of literary analysis characteristics of the new Criticism, determined to find wherever it could structures. "Postmodernism is both academic and popular, élitist and accessible"
- Linda Hutcheon Features:
Metafiction, Multiculturalism, Magic and Poetry, -
Beat Generation Period
Beat poets sought to transform poetry into and expression of genuine lived experience
The beat generation advocated personal release, purification and illumination through the heightened sensory that might be induced by drugs, jazz and sex. Authors and works:
Kerouac - The town and the city, Holmes - Go, William S. Burroughs - Junki. -
Period: to
Bohemian Artist Communities
BEAT GENERATION PERIOD
A new cultural and literary movement staked its claim on the nation's consciousness. This generation was never a large movement in terms of sheer numbers, but in influence and cultural status, they were more visible than any other competing aesthetic. “Silence is only frightening to people who are compulsively verbalizing.”
-William S. Burroughs Features:
Sexual liberation and exploration, portraying the human condition clearly, rejection of materialism. -
Confessional Poetry Period
Poets went against the grain if this social idea and yet reflected its inevitable, distorted enlargement of individual psychology. Authors and Works:
Robert Lowell - Lord Wery´s castle , the dolphin Sylvia Plath - The bell Jar and Ariel Anne Sexton - Live or die. -
Period: to
The Poetry of the Personal
CONFESSIONAL POETRY PERIOD
Confessional poetry is the poetry of the personal, like private experiences and feelings about death, trauma, depression and relationships. Those were addressed in this type of poetry, often written in an autobiographical manner. "The light at the end of the tunnel is just the light of an oncoming train."
-Robert Lowell Features:
Focuses on subject matter once considered taboo -
Postcoloniaism Period
It is a critical analysis of the history culture and modes of discourse on the third world countries in Africa , Asia, the Caribbean Islands and South America. Consist itself with the study of colonization wich began as early as the renaissance. Authors and works:
The Conservationist (1974), Burger’s Daughter (1979), and July’s People, Tayeb Salih’s Season of Migration to the North (1966)
Derek Walcott’s Dream on Monkey Mountain (1970), Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth. -
Period: to
Decolonization and Identity
POSTCOLONIALISM PERIOD
Represents the aftermath of Western colonialism, it can also be used to describe the concurrent project to reclaim and rethink the history of people subordinated under various forms of imperialism. “Each generation must discover its mission, fulfill it or betray it, in relative opacity.”
-Frantz Fanon Features:
It is a literature of emancipation, about decolonization Struggles, nationhood and Nationalism, cultural identity and ethnicity.
