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Period: 439 to 1066
Old English (Anglo - Saxon) Period
This period comes from two Germanic tribes: The Anglos and the Saxons. Much of the first half prior to the seventh century, at least-had oral literature. In this period, Beowulf poem and the poets Caedmon and Cynewulf stand out, who deepened the literature in religious and biblical themes. Other works of religious themes that stand out in this period are The Venerable Bede (731) about the history of the English church and people and The Edas Material (959) developed in Iceland. -
975
Beowulf poem
It's an Old English epic poem in the tradition of Germanic heroic legend consisting of 3,182 alliterative lines. It is one of the most important and most often translated works of Old English literature. The date of composition is a matter of contention among scholars; the only certain dating is for the manuscript, which was produced between 975 and 1025. Scholars call the anonymous author the "Beowulf poet". -
Period: 1066 to 1500
Middle English Period (1066 - 1500)
This period sees a huge transition in the language, culture, and lifestyles of England. As with the Old English Period, the Middle English writings were religious in nature. This period is home to the likes of Thomas Malary, Robert Henryson, and Geoffrey Chaucer. The most notable works in this period are ''Piers Plowman'' (between 1370 and 1390), and ''Sir Gawain and the Green Knight'' (Late fourteenth century). -
1370
Piers Plowman (Between 1370 and 1390)
Piers Plowman is considered by many critics to be one of the greatest works of English literature of the Middle Ages, even preceding and influencing Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Piers Plowman contains the first known reference to a literary tradition of Robin Hood tales. -
Period: 1500 to
The Renaissance
This period is subdivided into four parts: The Elizabeth age (1558 - 1603) that is a golden age about English drama with figures like William Shakespeare. The Jacobean age (1603 - 1625) is notable for the translation of the Bible and legends such as Shakespeare and Michael Drayton. At the end of this period, we have The Caroline age (1625 - 1649) and the Commonwealth age (1649 - 1660) with some prose writers such as Thomas Fuller and political writers such as Thomas Hobbes. -
Hamlet
Hamlet is considered among the most powerful and influential works of world literature, with a story capable of "seemingly endless retelling and adaptation by others". It was one of Shakespeare's most popular works during his lifetime and still ranks among his most-performed, topping the performance list of the Royal Shakespeare Company. -
Period: to
The Neoclassical Period
This period is subdivided into three ages: The Restoration (1660-1700) which highlights the rise in popularity of comedy and satire, as well as writers such as John Locke, Aphra Behn, and John Milton with Paradise Lost (1667). The Augustan Age (1700-1745) which highlights the poet Lady Mary Wortley for challenging stereotypically female roles. The age of sensibility (1745-1785) that was the time of Edmund Barke and Samuel Johnson who published his magisterial Dictionary of the English Language. -
Paradise lost
It's an epic poem in blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton (1608–1674). The first version, published in 1667, consists of ten books with over ten thousand lines of verse. A second edition followed in 1674, arranged into twelve books with minor revisions throughout. It is considered to be Milton's major work, and it helped solidify his reputation as one of the greatest English poets of his time. The poem concerns the biblical story of the Fall of Man. -
Period: to
The Romantic Period
The beginning of this period is debated if it began in the year 1785 or if it began with the publication of the book ''Lyrical Ballads'' by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor in 1798. This period is characterized by the prominence of romanticism in American literature, although the true referent of this field is British literature. This period featured writers such as Jane Asten, Wendell, and works such as ''The Last Leaf'' (1831) and ''A Vindication of the Rights of Woman'' (1792). -
Lyrical Ballads
Lyrical Ballads, with a few other poems, is a collection of poems by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, first published in 1798 and generally considered to have marked the beginning of the English Romantic movement in literature. The immediate effect on critics was modest, but it became and remains a landmark, changing the course of English literature and poetry. -
Period: to
The Victorian Period
This period is named for the reign of Queen Victoria, who ascended to the throne in 1837. This period in strong contention with the Romantic period for being the most popular, influential, and prolific period in all of English literature. Some of the outstanding writers of this period are H.G. Wells with his novel ''The Time Machine'' (1895), and Frank Baum with ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' (1900), as well as authors of legendary prose such as Charles Dickens, and Charlotte and Emily Bronte. -
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
is an American children's novel written by author L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W.W. Denslow, originally published by the George M. Hill Company in May 1900. It has since seen several reprints, most often under the title The Wizard of Oz, which is the title of the popular 1902 Broadway musical adaptation as well as the iconic 1939 live-action film. -
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
The Tale of Peter Rabbit is a children's book written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter that follows mischievous and disobedient young Peter Rabbit as he gets into and is chased around, the garden of Mr. McGregor. The tale was written for five-year-old Noel Moore, son of Potter's former governess Annie Carter Moore, in 1893. It was revised and privately printed by Potter in 1901 after several publishers' rejections. -
Period: to
The Edwardian Period
This period is named for King Edward VII. This period includes amazing novelists such as Joseph Conrad and Henry James; notable poets such as Alfred Noyes and William Butler; notable dramatists such as Jamie Barrie and George Bernard; and amazing books such as ''The Tale of Peter Rabbit'' (1901) by Beatrix Potter, and notable novels such as ''The History of Mr. Polly'' (1910) by H.G. Wells. -
Period: to
The Georgian Period
This period refers to the reign of George V. The themes and subjects in this period were focused on rural and pastoral topics, treated delicately and traditionally rather than with passion. The most notable poets of this period are Ralph Hodgson, John Masefield, and Rupert Brooke, as well as notable works such as the poems published in 1914 by Rupert Brooke and the novel ''Mrs. Dalloway'' (1925) by Virginia Woolf. -
Mrs. Dalloway
It's a novel by Virginia Woolf that details a day in the life of Clarissa Dalloway, a fictional high-society woman in post–First World War England. It is one of Woolf's best-known novels. Created from two short stories, "Mrs. Dalloway in Bond Street" and the unfinished "The Prime Minister", the novel addresses Clarissa's preparations for a party she will host that evening. -
Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind is a novel by American writer Margaret Mitchell, first published in 1936. The story is set in Clayton County and Atlanta, both in Georgia, during the American Civil War and Reconstruction Era. It depicts the struggles of young Scarlett O'Hara, the spoiled daughter of a well-to-do plantation owner, who must use every means at her disposal to claw her way out of poverty following Sherman's destructive "March to the Sea". -
Period: to
The Modern Period
This period traditionally applies to works written after the start of World War I. Common features include encompassing narrative, verse, drama, and bold experimentation with the subject matter. New criticism also appeared at this time. Some of the most notable writers of this period include the novelists James Joyce and Joseph Conrad; the poets W.B. Yeats and T.S. Eliot; dramatists Tom Stoppard and George Bernard; and works like ''Gone with the Wind'' (1936) and ''Whom the Bell Tolls'' (1940). -
Period: to
The Postmodern Period
This period began a few years after the end of World War II. Poststructuralist literary theory and criticism were developed during this period. Some of the most notable writers of this period are Samuel Beckett, C.S. Lewis, Maya Angelou, J.K. Rowling, Anthony Burgess. Many postmodernist authors wrote during the modernist period as well. Some works that stand out in this period are: ''Narnia in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'' (1950) and ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' (1997). -
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling. The first novel in the Harry Potter series and Rowling's debut novel; it follows Harry Potter, a young wizard who discovers his magical heritage on his eleventh birthday when he receives a letter of acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. -
Period: to
The Contemporary Period
In this period, novels and works related to fantasy and fiction stand out more, being very similar to the previous period. In this period stand out works such as ''The Hunger Games'' (2010) by Suzanne Collins, and ''Cormoran Strike'' (2013) by J.K Rowling. -
The Hunger Games
It's a series of young adult dystopian novels written by the American author Suzanne Collins. The series is set in the Hunger Games universe, with the first three novels being a trilogy following the teenage protagonist, Katniss Everdeen. The novels were all well received. In August 2012, the series ranked second, exceeded only by the Harry Potter series in NPR’s poll of the top 100 teen novels,