History of English Literature

History of English Literature

• English literature encompasses a wide range of written works, reflecting societal, cultural, and political changes across centuries.
• It demonstrates how language, themes, and literary techniques evolve.
• Early English literature (pre-1485) includes Anglo-Saxon poetry, known for heroic narratives and oral traditions like Beowulf. Middle English works, influenced by French, developed poetic forms, exemplified by Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.
• The Elizabethan era (1558-1603) saw a dramatic flourishing, with playwrights like Shakespeare exploring love, ambition, and human nature.
• The Renaissance period (roughly 1485-1660) saw innovations including sonnets, the rise of the novel, and explorations of human potential.
• The 17th century (roughly 1600-1700) was a transitional period, featuring both the peak of metaphysical poets and the beginning of neoclassical approaches emphasizing reason, order, and decorum.
• The 18th century (roughly 1700-1800) saw the novel's development with authors like Defoe, Richardson, Fielding, and Austen.
• The Romantic period (roughly 1785-1830) emphasized emotion, imagination, and individualism, with poets like Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Blake.
• The Victorian era (roughly 1837-1901) saw realism and social critique, featuring novelists like Dickens, Emily Brontë, and George Eliot.
• The Modernist period (roughly 1900-1945) experimented with form and language, exploring loss, alienation, and disillusionment, prominently with authors like Woolf and Joyce.
• Postmodernism (roughly 1945-present) followed modernism, characterized by fragmentation, irony, and self-reflexivity, with authors like Rushdie and Morrison offering varied perspectives.

Introduction to Literature

• Literature encompasses diverse genres like poetry, drama, and prose.
• Literary analysis involves comprehending the text's meaning and the author's intent.
• Analysis considers theme (core ideas), plot (sequence of events), character (individuals), setting (time and place), and style (author's unique presentation).
• Literary criticism uses various approaches:
  • Historical criticism examines the text within its historical context.
  • Biographical criticism considers the author's life.
  • Psychological criticism focuses on character motivations and mental processes.
  • Sociological criticism explores themes of social class, power, and conflict.
  • Feminist criticism analyzes the representation of women.
• Studying literature reveals diverse human experiences and fosters critical thinking through analysis.
• It helps understand various cultures, historical periods, and social issues.