English Literature Overview: From Old English to Modernism

Study Notes

Overview of English Literature

English literature spans over 1,000 years, from Old English to Modern English
It encompasses various genres, styles, and movements, reflecting the cultural and historical context of the time

Old English (c. 450-1100)

Characterized by oral tradition and epic poetry
Notable works:
- Beowulf (anonymous)
- The Wanderer (anonymous)
- The Seafarer (anonymous)

Middle English (c. 1100-1500)

Saw the rise of written literature and the influence of Norman Conquest
Notable works:
- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (anonymous)
- The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer

Renaissance (c. 1500-1660)

Marked by the revival of classical learning and the emergence of drama
Notable works:
- Sonnets by William Shakespeare
- The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser

17th and 18th Centuries

Dominated by the Restoration and Neoclassicism
Notable works:
- Paradise Lost by John Milton
- The Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope
- Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

Romanticism (c. 1780-1830)

Emphasized emotion, imagination, and the beauty of nature
Notable works:
- I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth
- Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Victorian Era (c. 1830-1900)

Characterized by social realism and the rise of the novel
Notable works:
- Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
- The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

20th Century and Beyond

Saw the emergence of Modernism and Postmodernism
Notable works:
- Ulysses by James Joyce
- Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
- The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot

Description

Delve into the rich history of English literature, spanning over 1,000 years, from the epic poetry of Old English to the modernist movements of the 20th century. Explore the notable works and authors that defined each era, from Beowulf to Brave New World. Test your knowledge of this vast literary landscape!