The first English comedy was ‘Gammer Gurton’s Needle’ and the first tragedy was ‘Gorboduc’. Shakespeare is tagged as a remarkable figure in English literature because he has made a significant benefaction to the English literature through his work on Drama or Plays. It is based on the biblical story of the life of the religious persons. During that time, a civil war was fought between the supporters of the king (Cavaliers) and the supporters of the parliament (Roundheads). The dissolution of the Empire caused a remarkable transformation of the notions of Imperial hegemony and white superiority. In the 1950s emerged a group of dramatists composed by: Beckett, Adamov and Jonesco. Sometimes they even sat on the stage itself. Due to the industrial revolution, the country saw progress and growth. The Anglo-Saxon Period (the earliest time---1066) 1. They are also highly philosophical. They used personification frequently in the poems. Just Wanna this information in pdf but how?? Charles II, brother of Charles I who was defeated and beheaded returned to England from France. There was the rise of the two political parties – the Whigs and the Tories. The religious quarrel between the Protestants and the Catholics are also portrayed in his book. Sexual harassment, abduction of women, forced marriage took place in the period. The term ‘metaphysical poetry’ was coined by Samuel Johnson. As the entire country was Protestant it leads to a conflict between the two. Darwin in his book wrote that the species survive and evolve by natural selection, or in other words, it’s the survival of the fittest. The literature of this time is known for its use of philosophy, reason, skepticism, wit, and refinement. Having good manners and doing the right thing to the public was essential. The literature not only represents authors or writers from almost every part of the world but also it had untapped almost every major genre of writings that one could possibly imagine. The actors use their voice, bodies expressively to convey feeling and meaning. The army consisted of the Norman, Breton and the French which was led by William the Conqueror. Modern Age in British Literature Essay Example. Later they also picked up the French language. Get an answer for 'Discuss the major trends in modern English literature, with a particular reference to the English novel.' It is an epic poem which throws light on a young warrior in … In 1945 Germany finally surrendered (si arrese) and the atomic bomb defeated (sconfisse) the Japan. One remarkable figure was John Milton. The Anglo-Saxon age comprises about 600 years.Beowoulf is one of the most important works of that age. This video talks about the basic postmodernist literature. In broad terms, the period was marked by sudden and unexpected breaks with traditional ways of viewing and interacting with the world. The modern novelist is realistic in this sense. There were three types of Sonnet – Shakespearean Sonnet, Petrarchan Sonnet, and Spenserian Sonnet. The age is named ‘Puritan Age’ because of the Puritan dominance in England for the first time. Click here to download the entire Renaissance PDF. The generation gap (divario generazionale) between the young and the old, regarded as responsible for the lives wasted during the war, grew (crebbe). It is because there were no light facilities available. One such peak for the English language was the Early Modern period of the 16th to 18th Century, a period sometimes referred to as the Golden Age of English Literature (other peaks include the Industrial Revolution of the late 18th and early 19th Century, and the computer and digital age of the late 20th Century, which is still continuing today). The Modernist Period in English Literature occupied the years from shortly after the beginning of the twentieth century through roughly 1965. - We are a bunch of young undergrad bloggers who are trying to merge various pieces of information, compile them and present our assessments and interpretations to help out people around the world. The third popular dramatist or playwright was Ben Jonson. Comic scenes were also a part of Miracle plays. Moreover, the theatre became central to the Elizabethan era. Social background: the making of England; the invasion of Roman Empire in 4th AD ; the attacks of Danish Vikings, etc 2. Science and technology were also developed. Secondly, there was the wide popularity of metaphysical poetry. Some of his popular works are: Milton became most famous for the poem, Paradise Lost. Even though Queen Victoria, a lady was on the throne for the last 64 years, she was unable to do something for the upliftment of women. His throne at England is known as the Edwardian age. The end of the Victorian era is the beginning of modern age. During that era, drama shifted from religious to secular. One of the biggest comedy play written at that time was ‘Every Man in his Humour’. Trace the development of prose during restoration period. Some of the famous works of him are Volpone, The Alchemist etc. There were differences between science and religion. The Victorian age was a time of great prosperity in the History of English Literature. Similie, metaphors, imagery and other literary elements are used in writing these poems. To sum up in one line, ‘The Puritan age starts with Charles I beheaded and Oliver Cromwell into the rule‘. Born in Paris, where his father was a legal adviser, hiss mother died when he was eight years of age, and his father two years later. THE IMPORTANT PERIODS IN THE HISTORY OF ENGLISH LITERATURE •The old English [450AD -1066AD] •The Middle English [1066AD-1500AD] •The Renaissance period[1500-1600] •The Elizabethan period[1558-1603] •The Jacobean period[1603-1625] •The Caroline period[1625-1649] •The Puritan period[1649 … It is an epic poem which throws light on a young warrior in Geatland who fought for his people. The Puritans closed the Theatre which was given much importance in the Elizabethan era. This era is also known as the era of enlightenment. Renassaince was initially started at Italy in the late 14th century. John Dryden, greatest of all the poets of this age, established heroic couplet in English Poetry. Under strong leadership of Winston Churchill the British resistance became extremely determinated. Modern Literature (1900-1961) The Modern Age in English Literature started from the beginning of the twentieth century, and it followed the Victorian Age. Charles II was restored in 1660 not James II. They  questioned (mettevano in discussione) the traditional rules of sexual morality and marriage and also they mocked (deridevano) the political, social and religious establishment. I tried to show the formation of antiheroes in modem literature by looking into the protagonists of three novels and a play. He divided the Sonnet into 3 quatrains summed by a couplet. After the death of Queen Victoria, Edward came to the throne. The half-century between the years 1625 and 1675 is known as the Puritan age. After the death of Queen Victoria, Edward came to the throne. Charles II wanted to establish Catholicism in the country. History of English Literature: English literature dates back exceeding five centuries. It’s all about the heroic deeds of the German Warrior which happened apparently in 5th&6th centuries. He also wrote ‘The Jew Of Malta’ which got popular during that period. In 1949 there was the official proclamation of the Republic of Ireland. You will also know about the style of writing of the poets and authors that prevailed back then. Shell shock was the term used by doctors to allude to the shell explosions they blamed for the frequent cases of psychological disorders among soldiers. Born on October 27, 1914, Thomas grew up in South Wales, Swansea with an English Literature professor for a father. The structure of the play is basically unpleasant. The Edwardian Age (1901-1910) – After the death of Queen Victoria, Edward VII came into the throne. So, people have to adopt Renaissance which was doing really great in Italy. One group of people supported the King (Cavaliers) and the other supported the Parliament (Roundheads). ... explanation makes post-modern literature almost unreachable to … The language of the play shifted to English because that made the play less religious. To download Neo Classical literature PDF version, click here. Most importantly, the Theatre closed down by the Puritans was restored. Old English literature is mostly chronicle and poetry - lyric, descriptive but chiefly narrative or epic. The productivity of people at that time had increased as people lived longer because they weren’t dying or fighting. These type of plays often results in the death of both the murderer and the avenger. (A) Miracle plays – They are also known as Saints play as they present a real or fictitious account of their life. The hero or the protagonist shows the difference between good and bad. The commonest form of public transport was the electric tram-car and the trains. The Edwardian wasn’t a good period, was a time of industrial unrest (agitazione industriale) and violent strikes, for high prices and low wages. The Anglo-Saxons were made up of three tribes who came to England through the North Sea route – the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. Many events contributed to the concept of ‘modern’ which are given below. (B) Morality Plays – In morality plays, the protagonist of the play generally meets various moral attributes through personification. But along with that poverty and exploitation was also a part of it. There was the rise (aumento) of socialist theatre and there were an increasing number of Fringe, a sort of Studio theatres, in basements (cantine), attics (soffitte) and the back rooms of pubs (retro dei pub). In September 1939 Germany invaded Poland and the Second World War started. Special effects were a part of the show. Germany marched through Belgium, a neutral territory, in order to attack France and Britain declared war on Germany. He wrote various comedies. Moreover, there were devil characters present in those plays. The drama which had suffered steep decline during the Victorian Age was revived with great force at the beginning of the 20th century and the course of six decades has witnessed many trends and currents in the 20th-century drama.The drama of Talking about the famous writers, the first person to come on the list is William Shakespeare. As a consequence, this led to a revolution which is known as the ‘Bloodless Revolution’. It’s there below. these kinds of protagonists in the modern literature. We will be discussing the Miracle and Morality plays only because these two are the ones which are widely discussed upon. Hey, huge thanks for the point out. The wealthy or the rich people hired the labors at a very cheap rate. But Roosevelt’s New Deal wouldn’t have been sufficient (non sarebbe stato sufficiente se) if a new world conflict had not gave (non avesse dato) American factories a new impulse. Perhaps you might like to read this article which talks about his contribution. Many of the Romantic writers believed that people regardless of wealth or social class must be able to appreciate art and literature. Here are some of the chief characteristics of this period. This age was the beginning of modern prose. John Dryden lived between the Restoration and Augustan age. Moreover, for a century and a half, after Chaucer passed away the English literature became stagnant in England. The war ended in November 1918 and the Peace treaty was signed at Versailles in 1919. The politicians were corrupt too. His greatest works are mostly narratives like The Canterbury Tales, The House of Fame etc. Why shakespeare is famous in English literature ? A Short History of English Literature Chapter I. The blow of the modern age were the … Three most important and remarkable writers of that period are William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, and Ben Jonson. The theatre is also seen as a good mode of business in that period. Chaucer introduced the Iambic Pentameter. The first primary factor is the introduction of the printing press. The modern age of English literature is characterized by a focus on the individual, experimentation in technique and form, a focus on the absurd, symbolism, and a concentration on form and craft. Literature: Beowulf, the earliest literature, the … modern period in english literature pdf An English translation of Jacob Grimm, Grimms Fairy Tales appeared. That’s all. In this post, all the major ages are focused on. He died when he was 29. Alexander Pope was the biggest name of this period. Moreover, the PDF version of every age is uploaded singly. S.B. Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” is generally considered as the starting point of “Absurd Drama”. He became the king there. The main features of the theatre of the Absurd are: Since the 1960s the content of British plays has got more and more revolutionary (sempre più rivoluzionario). Cromwell built a commonwealth of members which didn’t last long. Cheers! He was famous for his unconventional and metaphysical style of poetry. The following are the important characteristics of the modern age: According to some scholars, Marlowe and Shakespeare were rivals in this field. It broke out when the Austrian Archduke Francis Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo in 1914. The Welfare State implied  an system of government based in looking after the interests and welfare of everyone, in such areas as (in tutti i settori come) health, unemployment and pensions. Prerequisite: None. This period made a lot of changes amongst people. Another reaction was the segregation of minorities into city slums (for example: Harlem). Restoration Period (1660-1700) – The restoration age begins in 1660. Charles II and his followers enjoyed a gay life in France during the exile. Shakespeare coined a lot of words by his own. By the 13th century, they became vernacularized. People had a different way of living as compared to the other ages. Some of the most famous Augustan writers are Virgil, Horace etc. Moreover the abolition (inoltre l’abolizione) of the theatre censorship (della censura) gave playwrights more freedom. The main social classes were merchants, landowners, and manufacturers. THE ‘MODERN’ PERIOD The modern period (known also as the ‘modern era’, or also ‘modern times’) is the period of history that succeeded the Middle Ages (which ended in approximately 1500 AD) As a historical term, it is applied primarily to European and Western history. Download full-text PDF. The poor were hired for industrial labor at a very low rate. The word Renaissance implies the rebirth of culture and learning. Secondly, the ‘plague’ in England has passed and the hundred years’ wars were over. ... Modern lyric poetry in English begins in the early 16th century with the work of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547). Literary Periods: The Modern 1914-1945 Literature has been written for millennia. They brought the French language to England. The first half of the twentieth century was an age of transformations and a deep cultural crisis. Most of the literary works of this age talk about human feelings, classicism and Romantic revival. The struggle for independence continued and in 1919 the Irish volunteers became the IRA (Irish Republican Army) and began the civil war. The other characters in the play signify moral qualities and the hero of the play represents mankind and humanity. The war was only ended with the establishment of the Irish Fre State as a dominion of the empire, while the six predominantly Protestant countries of Ulster remained part of the United Kingdom, with their own parliament in Belfast. You can access the eBooks in either PDF and/or HTML format available for free download on this website. The Wealthy people bought the best seats. 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