English Literature: Old, Middle English & Renaissance

• English literature includes diverse texts like poetry, novels, plays, and essays.
• These works are written in English and originate from around the world.
• English literature is one of the most influential and rich bodies of literature globally.
• Its history spans from the Anglo-Saxon era to today.

Old English (c. 450-1066)

• This period is also known as Anglo-Saxon literature.
• Beowulf is the most well-known work from the time.
• Oral tradition, alliterative verse, and heroic themes characterize it.
• Religious texts by writers like Cædmon and Cynewulf were also important.

Middle English (c. 1066-1485)

• This period followed the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.
• It blends Anglo-Saxon and Norman influences.
• Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales is a key work.
• Other notable works are Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Le Morte d'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory.
• The period saw increased romance, allegory, and religious drama.

Renaissance (c. 1485-1660)

• A renewed interest in classical learning and the arts defines this period.
• The Early Renaissance (Tudor period) and the Late Renaissance (Jacobean and Caroline periods) divide it.
• William Shakespeare is the most significant writer of the Renaissance.
• Other important writers include Edmund Spenser, Christopher Marlowe, and John Donne.
• Common themes included love, beauty, mortality, and religious faith.
• The printing press was developed, greatly enhancing literature accessibility.

Neoclassical Period (c. 1660-1798)

• Reason, order, and classical forms were emphasized.
• The Restoration Age, the Augustan Age, and the Age of Sensibility divide the period.
• Key writers include John Milton, John Dryden, Alexander Pope, and Jonathan Swift.
• Common literary features included satire, wit, and social commentary.
• The novel rose as a common literary form.

Romantic Period (c. 1798-1837)

• Emotion, imagination, and individualism were highly valued.
• It was a reaction to the Enlightenment and Neoclassicism.
• Key figures include William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and John Keats.
• Themes such as nature, the sublime, and the supernatural were explored.
• The beauty and power of nature were celebrated.

Victorian Period (c. 1837-1901)

• It occurred during the reign of Queen Victoria.
• The period is defined by social, economic, and technological change.
• Key writers include Charles Dickens, the Brontë sisters (Charlotte, Emily, and Anne), George Eliot, and Thomas Hardy.
• Themes of social justice, class inequality, and the effects of industrialization were explored.
• The novel became the main literary form.
• It reflected moral and religious concerns of the time.

Modern Period (c. 1901-1945)

• Experimentation, fragmentation, and disillusionment characterized the period.
• It reflected the effects of World War I and the rise of modernism.
• Important writers include James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, TS Eliot, and WB Yeats.
• Themes such as alienation, loss, and the search for meaning during a time of change were explored.
• Experimentation with narrative structure, stream of consciousness, and symbolism was common.

Postmodern Period (c. 1945-Present)

• The era rejects grand narratives, focuses on subjectivity, and uses playful language and forms.
• Key writers include Samuel Beckett, Joseph Heller, Kurt Vonnegut, and Toni Morrison.
• Explored themes include identity, power, and the nature of reality.
• The period blurs genres and uses metafiction and intertextuality.
• It saw the rise of diverse voices and perspectives in literature, like postcolonial and feminist literature.

Literary Genres

• Poetry: Verse intended to evoke thought and feeling.
• Drama: Literature designed for performance.
• Novel: A long work of fictional narrative.
• Short Story: A short work of fictional narrative.
• Essay: A short, focused piece of writing on a particular subject.

Literary Movements

• Transcendentalism, the Harlem Renaissance, and the Beat Generation have significantly impacted English literature.
• Each literary movement features specific themes, styles, and philosophical foundations.

Literary Criticism

• It involves the study, interpretation, and evaluation of literature.
• Different critical lenses shape literary texts, including formalism, feminism, and Marxism.