A SHORT INTRODUCTION TO HISTORY OF BRITISH HISTORY OF BRITISH LITERATURE 3 main periods 1. Old English literature 2. Middle English literature 2. Middle English literature 3. Modern English literature Old English literature Historical background: Anglo-Saxon, the earliest form of English, from about A.D. 600 to about 1100. about A.D. 600 to about 1100. Christianity was brought to England -> Religion in Poetry and Prose. Old English literature 2 dominant literary forms: Poetry: poems without rhyme (epic poetry- alliterative lines), descriptions of God (taken from the Bible)- Caedmon’s Hymn (taken from the Bible)- Caedmon’s Hymn and Boewulf. Prose: early history of the country – Anglo- Saxon Chronicle. Old English literature Famous works: Beowulf: the earliest greatestreatest NationalNational epic 22 partsparts:: ““ thethe herohero asas aa youngyoung man”man” andand ““ thethe herohero asas anan agedaged king”king” aboutabout thethe conflictconflict betweenbetween thethe goodgood andand thethe evilevil (the(the goodgood alwaysalways defeatsdefeats thethe evilevil )) FamousFamous authorsauthors:: AnonymousAnonymous (handed(handed downdown orallyorally fromfrom oneone generationgeneration toto another)another) CaedmonCaedmon ((earliestearliest EnglishEnglish poetpoet)) Middle English literature Historical background: From about 1100 to about 1500. Peasants’ Revolt and Wars of Roses began -> descriptions of the poor in the war (their sorrows and pilgrimages) in Poetry Middle English literature Genres: Many dialects (corresponding to the region, history, culture & background of individual writers) 2 dominant literary forms: (Long romances of chivalry served the noble & the lyrical ballads/ alliterative poetry served the ordinary). Middle English literature The beginning of drama, mainly related to religion: - Miracle/ Mystery plays (based on stories of Saints in Bible) in Bible) - Moral/ Allegorical plays (based on allegorical stories) -> moral lessons and ideal guides for living - The Interlude (short, played between the acts of long Moralities) -> fun. Middle English literature Famous author: Geoffrey Chaucer: The first great English poet- the father of English poetry. Famous works: The Canterbury Tales: - Epic story: first realistic and humorous works in English Literature - the panorama of the 14th century English society. Modern English literature * The Elizabethan period (1500-1603) + (1603- 1660) - Early modern literature : Literature of renaissance – William Shakespeare. * The 17 th century period (1660-1798): Literature * The 17 th century period (1660-1798): Literature of restoration – Robert Burns. * The 18 th century period (1798-1832): Literature of Romanticism – William Wordsworth.