-
400
Old English period
Features: Pagan origins, anonymous origins and Imitative quality. grammar shows declinable nouns, pronouns, and adjectives and a more elaborate verbal system than that of to-day.
Example: Beowulf (poem) -
1150
The Middle English Period
Dialects are still used. Scandinavian and french loan words are found.
1. Transition and Experiment.
2. Unknown authors
3. Poetry mainly used for fields as history, divinity and science.
4. Many of the authors are clerics.
5. Great production of Romances
6. Developtment of Rhymed metres.
Examples:
La 3amon Brut by La3amon, monk of Arley Kings. (About the history of Britain)
Story of England by Robert Manning of Br urine
The Ancrene Riwle. Unknown -
1350
The Age of Chaucer (1350-1450)
French and English have amalgamed to form the standard english tongue.
-Sharper spirit of criticism
-Interest in man´s affairs
-Less complacent acceptance of the stablished order
-Name of authors appear
-Foundation of an english prose style: Mandeville and Malory
-Barbour (1316) Important Scotish author.
-Geoffrey Chaucer the most important author of the period. Some of his works: "The Cantenbury Tales", "The Romaount of the Rose". -
1450
From Chaucer to Spenser (1450-1550)
-Poverty of Material
-Development and growth of Drama
-Appereance of Ecloge and Pastoral
-Importance of Allegory
-Development of the English Bible by Tindale and Coverdale.
-Importance of Scottish poetry. Authors: James I "The King´s Quair", Sir David Lyndsy "The Dreme".
-Other authors: John Skelton " Garlande of Laurell" and Hugh Latimer "Sermons" -
1550
Age of Elizabeth (1550-1630)
Reinassance is strongly felt in England. New passion for classical learning which helped to polish the earlier rudeness of English Literature.
Drama made a swift into maturity. It was related to disturbances in theatres, puritanical opposition to performances appear.
Prose is in a position of first-rate of importance. Euphemism appeared.
Authors:
-Sir Thomas Wyat "Tottel´s Miscellany",
-William Shakespeare "Midsummer night´s dream"
-Francis Bacon "The New Atlantis". -
Age of Milton (1630-60)
Civil war divided people and affected literature
Fashion towards shorter poems
Greatest author: John Milton (1608-74) Important works: Paradise Lost, On arriving at the age of twenty-three
Methaphysical Poets: Cowley and Done
Cavalier Poets: Herrich, Lovelace. Dealt with love themes
Expansion of Prose: Notable advance in Sermon, abundant pamphlets, history, politics, philosophy were well represented.
Collapse of Drama. -
Age of Dryden (The restoration)
Monarchy was restored in England.
Admiration for French literature.
Religious-political passions reflected in literature, showed the real picture of the corrupt society and court. Satirical writting.
Concerned with vices rather than virtues
Directness and simplicity of expression
Emphasize on reasoning rather than romantic fantasy
Imitation of classical writters, in particular latin ones.
Most important writter: John Dryden "Annus Mirabilis", " All for love, or the world well lost.
Heroic play -
Age of Pope (1700-50)
Age of tolerance, moderation and common sense.
Overmastering desire for neatness and perspicuity of poetry.
Political writting
Clubs and coffee houses as gathering places
Periodical writings
New publishing houses
New morality
The most important author is Alexander Pope "Imitations of Horace"
Other authors:
Jonathan Swift "A tale of a tub"
Daniel Defoe "Robinson Crusoe" -
Age of Transition (1751-1800)
Features:
1. Double Tendency: 2 movements observed in writting:
The allegance to the old order of clasicism and the search after the new order of Romanticism.
2. The new Romanticism
3. Return to real nature
4. Interest in man´s position in the world of nature
5. Sympathy for poor and oppresed
6. New learning fo archaic literary forms: Ballad, new editions of older authors like Shakespeare.
7. Historical research
Authors: Robert Blair "The Grave" and William Blake "Songs of Experience" -
The Victorian Age (1830-90)
Morality
Revolt against conventions
Intellectual development affected by new ideas of science, religion and politics.
New compulsory education brought an enormous reading public.
International Influences from America, Germany, Italy.
Important Authors: Edward Fitzgerald "Euphranor: a dialogue on youth; Alfred Lord Tennyson "In Memoriam", Charles Darwin "Origin of Species" -
Modern Literature (1890-1918)
Educational opportunities for everyone
Enormous output of books
Literature of social purpose
Dominance of the novel
Rebirth of Drama
Authors: Thomas Hardy "Under the Greenwood Tree", George Bernard Shaw "Pygmalion"
