Literature Periods (1800-1918) Quiz

Literature Periods (1800-1918)

• Romantic Period (1800-1830): Shift from reason to emotion, imagination, and nature. Interest in the past, distant civilizations, common people, and folk literature. Often employs simple language and escapism. Included interest in the supernatural.

• Gothic (within Romanticism): Focuses on the darker, more destructive aspects of nature, fear, horror, and the supernatural.

• The Sublime: A concept emphasizing vastness, darkness, gloom, and power. These qualities overwhelm and inspire feelings of exhilaration and terror.

• The Byronic Hero: Charming but flawed characters—exiled, brooding, self-destructive, often misunderstood.

• Medievalism: A fascination with the Middle Ages, seen as a time of social stability, faith, and a rejection of rationalism. This period saw a rediscovery of medieval literature, art, and architecture.

• Victorian Age (1830-1900): The period of Queen Victoria's reign, characterized by industrialization, rise of the middle class, and the expansion of the British Empire. This era also saw challenges to religious belief and social anxieties.

• The Time of Troubles (1830s-1840s): A period of hardship with high unemployment, poverty (including potato famines), and dangerous working conditions in industrial cities.

• Mid-Victorian Period (1848-1870): Marked by greater prosperity with improvements in societal conditions, such as the abolishment of slavery, better working conditions, and improvements to the urban infrastructure.

• The Era of Anxiety: This period of time was faced with industrialization, technological advances, the British Empire, yet no religious certainty. This brings about various social issues, such as industrial waste, pollution, and various types of poverty.

• The Great War (1900-1918): A time of significant conflict. War poets emerged, grappling with the realities of war, from initial patriotism to despair and disillusionment.

Key Figures

• William Wordsworth: A key figure in the first generation of Romantic poets, interested in political change, and experiencing changing stances regarding conservatism.

• Percy Bysshe Shelley: Second-generation Romantic poet, known for political interests and a rebellious, often abstract style.

• John Keats: A Romantic poet bridging the first and second generations, tragically dying young.

• Lord Byron: Famous for creating the "Byronic Hero" archetype.

• Walter Scott: Known for his historical fiction, including works like Ivanhoe, which explore medieval themes.

• J.R.R. Tolkien: While not directly from the 1800-1918 period, his work showed medieval influences.

Literary Forms

• The Ballad: A form of folk song, often characterized by quatrains with specific rhyming schemes and lines.

• Chivalric Romances: Tales of heroic knights and often feature Arthurian legends.

• National Epic: Long poems relating to the history or culture of a nation.

Victorian Period Specifics

• Developments: The Victorian period saw significant changes in England's society, culture, and economy, including industrialization, the rise of the middle class, and the expansion of the British Empire, leading to challenges to religious beliefs.

• Victorian Decorum: A strict code of conduct, emphasizing correct behavior, polite manners, and the roles of women within society.

• War Poets: Poets who served in World War I, often grappling with the realities of warfare and producing significant works that reflect their experiences.

• Queen Victoria: The ruler of England during the Victorian period, whose reign reflected the era's values.

Literary Works Mentioned

• Robinson Crusoe: An example of a work from the Age of Reason period highlighting a literary focus on logic and reason at the time.

• Beowulf, Chanson de Roland, Das Nibelungenlied, El Cid: Examples of National Epics.

• La Belle Dame sans Merci: A poem by John Keats.

• Ivanhoe (Walter Scott): An example of a chivalric romance.

• Lord of the Rings (J.R.R. Tolkien): Demonstrates interest in medieval history.

• Dulce et Decorum est (by Wilfred Owen): A significant war poem reflecting the horrors of war.