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History of English Literature Timeline

Old Literature (858-1100) Middle Ages (1100-1500) Renaissance (1500-1660), Neo-Classical
Age (1660-1798) 19th Century Literature (1799 to 1900) English Literature Since 1901. Old
Literature (858-1100) : Anglo Saxon Norman Conquest (A landmark) Middle Ages (1100-
1500) Renaissance (1500-1660) :Tudor (1485-1603) Elizabethan (1558-1603) Jacobean
(1603-1625) Caroline (1625-1649) Late Renaissance (Puritans) (1625-1660) Neo-Classical Age
(1660-1798) Restoration Age (1660-1700) : Augustan Literature Age of Sensibility 19th
Century Literature Romanticism (1798-1837) Victorian Age (1837-1901) Edwardian Age
English Literature Since 1901 (Modern Age) Modernism (1901-1939) Post Modernism (1940-
21st Century)
Old Literature (858-1100) : People communicated the poems and literary works orally during the
period under consideration. Writing was not given much importance.
The Anglo-Saxons were made up of three tribes who came to England through the North Sea route
– the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. The Anglo-Saxon age comprises about 600 years. English
literature began on the Continent of Europe in the 5th century. It all began with the epic Beowulf'
whose author is not known (anonymous).
Beowulf is one of the most important works of that age. It is an epic poem which throws
light on a young hero who fights and kills monsters to save the Danes. As a very old man, he dies,
fighting a fiery dragon. It’s all about the heroic deeds of the German Warrior which happened
apparently in 5th&6th centuries. Beowulf is a 300 line poem and it was probably written 300 years
later when ‘written texts’ came into existence. It was probably completed in the 8th Century. Apart
from Beowulf, the works of Caedmon and Cynewulf are surviving examples of English poetry.
Caedmon was said to have got the power of verse as a divine gift.
The characteristics of Anglo-Saxon Poetry are: It is full of adventure and fighting There is a
fondness for sea Mostly ballads (long narrative stories in poems). The greatest Old English prose
was the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. King Alfred transformed it into a national history. A charming
dialogue poem The Owl and the Nightingale was also popular (author unknown)
Norman (French) Conquest: Invasion of the Normans in England in the year 1066. The army
consisted of the Norman, Breton and the French which was led by William the Conqueror. They
brought the French language to England. French was adopted as the new language for the
parliament. These people were initially sea rovers who inhabited Scandinavia, who later invaded the
northern part of France which is until present day known as Normandy. Later they also picked up
the French language.
Middle Ages (1100-1500): The most respected and famed writer of the middle age was Geoffrey
Chaucer. He is known as the father-figure in English literature. In the 13th century, the English
literature prospered at a distinguished rate. Chaucer introduced the Iambic Pentameter. His greatest
works are mostly narratives like The Canterbury Tales, The House of Fame etc.
FROM CHAUCER TO 'TOTTEL'S MISCELLANY' (1340 – 1557) : Chaucer lived during a
period of rapid political changes. Due to trade, wealth expanded. He was born in London. Hiss
business at home and abroad brought him into contact with a variety of people. Hence, his genius
was fed by his deep knowledge of life itself. His literary career is divided into three periods. They
are his French, Italian and English periods. His genius was nourished on French poetry and
romance. The reason was they were read by the court. His early work was done on French models.
Due to his visits to Italy, the Italian influences took over. His longest single poem Troylus and
Cryseyde is based on Boccaccio. Finally, Chaucer became English. But he continued to draw on
French and Italian models. To the last period belong The Canterbury Tales, his most famous work.
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories (ballad) united by a general framework. A
number of pilgrims meet at the Tabard Inn. By chance, Chaucer also stays there. He too joins them.
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The pilgrims are on their way to the shrine of St. Thomas Becket at Canterbury. The host makes a
proposal. Each pilgrim must tell two tales on the way to Canterbury. They must tell two tales on
their return journey too. The host shall be the judge. The one who tells the best tale would be treated
by others to a supper. The suggestion is accepted and the Canterbury Tales are the result. All this is
explained in the prologue. Chaucer proceeds to introduce his fellow-pilgrims. In the description,
Chaucer's powers are at their highest. The prologue is a masterpiece of insight and humour. But the
work is a fragment (incomplete) of twenty-four tales. The tales are not original in theme. Chaucer
took his raw material from different sources. But whatever he borrows, he makes it entirely his own.
He remains one of the most delightful English story-tellers in verse. His finest work as a
narrative poet is Knight's Tale. It is heroic in subject and romantic in tone. It is a tale of the heroic
age of Greece. It picturises the middle-ages accurately. Chaucer took little serious interest in social
reform. He holds the mirror up to the life of his time. He may rightly be called 'the morning star of
Renaissance'. William Langland was a contemporary of Chaucer. His Piers the Plowman, an
enormous poem, runs to nearly 15,000 lines. The poem is confused and almost formless. But its
moral quality is dominant. He attacks the social abuses of the day. The clergy and those in high
places are accused of greed. Langland's spirit is puritan and democratic. He was deeply moved by
the misery of the masses. He tried to bring English religion back to simplicity and purity.
After Chaucer and Langland, there was a barren period. The great prose work Morte
D’Arthur was produced by Sir Thomas Malory. This work deals with the legend of King Arthur
and his Knights of the Round Table. It holds a high place in literary history. It has inspired many
modern poets. Utopia by Sir Thomas More was written in Latin. It was translated into English later.
It describes an ideal state. It talks of ideal life, government and religion. Ralph Robinson translated
the work into English. Thomas Wyatt and the Earl of Surrey wrote sonnets on love. Surrey was
the first to use blank verse. Tottel's Miscellany (prose work) was published in 1557. This work
marked the dawn of the new age.
The Origin of Drama: (Mystery, Miracle and Morality Plays) : Medieval theatre included
Mysteries, Miracle and Morality plays. The Miracle and Morality plays are to be discussed because
these two are the ones which are widely used.
(A) Miracle plays – They are also known as Saints play as they present a real or fictitious account
of their life. They are the principal kind of vernacular drama of European Middle Ages. By the 13th
century, they became vernacularized. In miracle plays, the actual story revolves around the main
characters and on the other hand, the other characters were short reckoned or undervalued. Comic
scenes were also a part of Miracle plays. Moreover, there were devil characters present in those
plays. The structure of the play is basically unpleasant.
It is based on the Biblical story of the life of the religious persons. The Miracle plays were banned
in England because of the teachings of the Roman Catholic. The language of the play shifted to
English because that made the play less religious. Moreover, they were performing in town
festivals. Most plays were about Saint Nicolas and Virgin Marry.
(B) Morality Plays – In morality plays, the protagonist of the play generally meets various moral
attributes through personification. The other characters in the play signify moral qualities and the
hero of the play represents mankind and humanity. Supporting characters in the play are
personifications of either good or bad. So, moral lessons can be learned from these plays. The hero
or the protagonist shows the difference between good and bad.
These types of plays were developed at the later 14th c. It gained more popularity in the 15th c.
Renaissance (1500-1660) & Elizabethan Era (1558-1603)– The word Renaissance implies the
rebirth of culture and learning. Renaissance was initially started at Italy in the late 14th century. The
European scholars and writers found that Renaissance was doing good at Italy. So, at around 1500
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they brought the Renaissance literature in England. This age is one of the most important in the
History of English Literature.
There are several factors for the coming of Renaissance literature in England. They are:
the introduction of the printing press. It made it possible for the writers to produce written works.
the ‘plague’ in England has passed and the hundred years’ wars were over. The productivity of
people at that time had increased as people lived longer because they weren’t dying or fighting.
After Chaucer passed away the English literature became dull in England. The standard of literature
became low. So, people have to adopt Renaissance which was doing really great in Italy
THE AGE OF SHAKESPEARE: These Morality Plays enjoyed great freedom with plot and
characters. The Interlude was a late product of the development. It meant any short dramatic piece.
In tone, it was less serious than the Morality Plays. These early experiments are historically
important. They did much to prepare the way for the regular drama. The first person to come on the
list is William Shakespeare. Besides him, there are few other writers who gained popularity due to
their writings like, Christopher Marlowe, Ben Jonson etc. Shakespeare coined a lot of words by
his own.
According to scholars, he is responsible for coining around 1700 words. His works are said
to be universal for which it got more prevalent. He made the English vocabulary damn rich. A word
which is used widely, ‘beautiful‘ was coined by Shakespeare. It’s hard to imagine such an
indispensable word not being used before him. He also came up with a genre called, ‘Tragi-
Comedy’ which implies the merging through two words tragedy and comedy. His famous plays are
Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, Merchant of Venice etc.
According to some scholars, Marlowe and Shakespeare were rivals in this field. People
also suspected Marlowe to be a secret agent of Queen Elizabeth. One of his most famous work is
‘Dr. Faustus’, where he talks about the tragical history of the life and death of Doctor Faustus. He
also wrote The Jew of Malta which got popular during that period. He died when he was 29. The
third popular dramatist or playwright was Ben Jonson. He is well known for his satirical plays.
Some of the famous works of him are Volpone, The Alchemist etc.
Elizabethan era was the period of new ideas and new thinking. Various other works like fine
arts endured support and assistance from the Queen. Due to the Queen’s support and patron, the
works of that time came to be known as ‘Elizabethan’. This period is generally regarded as the
greatest in the history of English literature. The age saw a great flourishment in literature. The
poetry and dramas were prospered more, in particular. Three most important and remarkable writers
of that period are William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, and Ben Jonson.
There were three types of Sonnet – Shakespearean Sonnet, Petrarchan Sonnet, and Spenserian
Sonnet. Sir Wyatt brought Sonnet from Italy which was later popularized in England. Later, they
gave a different style to the sonnets. It was being changed by Shakespeare. He divided the Sonnet
into 3 quatrains summed by a couplet. Shakespeare, in his career, wrote 154 sonnets. He dedicated
126 of them to a young man and the others to a woman.
Classical Drama : The Elizabethan dramatists like Sir Philip Sydney wanted to imitate ancient
models. They supported the Senecan or 'classic' species of play. But writers like Shakespeare cared
for public amusement. The principles of classical drama were rigid. It adhered rigorously to unity
of subject. Hence, it kept the spheres of comedy and tragedy entirely separate. A tragedy had to be a
tragedy from first to last. No humour was permitted in it.
Similarly, no tragic element was allowed to enter a comedy. There was little dramatic action
on the stage. The action was reported to the audience. The three unities of time, place and action
controlled the construction. The entire story of a play had to be confined to a day. There would be
no sub-plots or minor episodes. It had to be educative in nature. These principles came to English
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drama from the Latin poet Seneca's plays. But the romantic or Shakespearean drama was of the
opposite type.
University Wits : A group of playwrights who had their University education were commonly
known as "University Wits" (Shakespeare did not have University Education). They were all men of
academic learning. They had absorbed the spirit of new learning in Oxford and Cambridge
Universities. They were John Lyly, Thomas Kyd, George Peele, Thomas Lodge, Robert
Greene, Christopher Marlowe and Thomas Nash. (Two of them are very important)
John Lyly wrote eight comedies. These were all written for the court. Lyly helped to give
comedy an intellectual tone. He also combined courtly main plot with clownish fooling. In comedy,
he was Shakespeare's first master. Christopher Marlowe's importance is even greater. He was by
nature a lyric poet than a dramatist. Marlowe introduced blank verse to the romantic drama. His
Tamburlaine the Great, Dr. Faustus, The Jew of Malta and Edward II inspired Shakespeare.
William Shakespeare : William Shakespeare was from a middle class family. He was first an actor
and then a playwright. Translations gave him easy access to the treasures of ancient literature. In his
writings, creative imagination is combined with a sound common sense. His dramatic work
comprises of 37 plays. The authenticity of several of these is doubtful. His activity as a writer
extended for 24 years. Shakespeare's critics sub-divide this period into four periods.
i) 1588-1593 : The early period was to a large extent experimental. He revised old plays such as
three parts of ‘Henry VI’ and ‘Titus Andronicus’. To this period belong his first comedies like
'Love's Labours Lost', 'The Two Gentleman of Verona' and 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. 'Richard
III', a chronicle drama and 'Romeo and Juliet', a tragedy, were written during this period. There is
little depth and the art is immature.
ii) 1594-1600: This was the period of the great comedies and chronicle plays. Shakespeare's work
becomes independent. There is immense development in technique. It is massive in quality and
there is maturity in thought. The youthful crudeness disappears. The humour and characterization
become deep.
iii) 1601-1608 : This was a period of the great tragedies. His powers were at their highest. This was
the time of the supreme masterpieces. He is pre-occupied with the darker side of human experience.
The sins and weaknesses of men form the base of his plots. 'Julius Caesar', 'Hamlet', 'Othello', 'King
Lear', 'Macbeth' and 'Antony and Cleopatra' were written during this period.
iv) 1608-1612 : There is a sudden change in the temper of his work. The sky grows clear towards
sunset. Evil is conquered by the good. There is a decline in the dramatist's powers. His plays form
the greatest single body of work. His greatness lies in his variety. He was at home in tragedy and
comedy. He is the most often quoted of English writers. No one has created so many men and
women who are accepted as alive. His vocabulary runs to some 15,000 words. In short, he is the
greatest dramatist. Shakespeare's non-dramatic poetry consists of two narrative poems Venus and
Adonis and Lucrece. A sequence of 154 sonnets was also written by him. They contain the finest
lyrical poetry of the time. They record a disastrous love and broken friendship.
Ben Jonson : He was a contemporary of Shakespeare. But Jonson's principles were different. He
opened his career with the satiric comedy Everyman in His Humour.. His plays fall into three
groups, namely, court masques, historical tragedies and comedies. The best comedies are The
Alchemist', Volpone or The Fox' and Epicoene or The Silent Woman'. He was a realist and his
comedies reflect London life. His aim was to amuse and thereby correct and teach. He also takes
Latin comedy as his model. His characterization is based on a specific idea.
Jonson labels his characters with names to indicate their qualities.. For instance, Downright,
Morose, Well-bred and so on. His work is the product of learning and not of creative power. But
Jonson is historically very important. He was the real founder of the 'Comedy of Manners'.
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Shakespearean Stage : To begin with, the plays were performed in the open spaces. Later, two
play houses were built. But by the end of Elizabeth's reign, there were at least eleven. Shakespeare
was closely connected to 'The Globe' and 'Black friars'.
Actors had to obtain licenses from patrons. The playhouses were very small and made of
wood. The stage and the boxes had thatched roofs. The boxes were occupied by the wealthy. Some
of them sat on the stage itself. The 'groundlings' or 'the pit audience' sat on the ground. Movable
scenery was not in use. Stage properties and placards were freely used. Normally, dramas began in
the afternoon by three and lasted for two hours. There were no actresses on the stage. Women's
roles were played by boys.
Francis Bacon : Bacon was the principal prose master of his time. He wrote volumes on many
subjects. His greatest works are ‘Advancement of Learning’ and ‘Novum Organum’. His ‘Essays’
are based on the French thinker Montaigne. But the matter and manner are entirely Bacon’s own.
They are loaded with the ripest wisdom. They are also highly Latinized. He is remembered for his
epigrammatic force. He has the power of packing his thoughts in the smallest possible space.
Even though this age produced a lot of prose works, essentially it was an age of poetry.
Moreover, the theatre became central to the Elizabethan era. During that era, drama shifted from
religious to secular.The first English comedy was ‘Gammer Gurton’s Needle’ and the first tragedy
was ‘Gorboduc’. They came in this period. One of the biggest comedy play written at that time was
‘Every Man in his Humour’. Some of the characteristics or features of play are:
 Plays were presented quickly. The actors use their voice, bodies expressively to convey
feeling and meaning.
 Plays were generally performed at the time of the afternoon. It is because there were no light
facilities available. Special effects were a part of the show.
 Women were not allowed to perform as there was the existence of gender inequality. The
males only played as females.
 The Wealthy people bought the best seats. Sometimes they even sat on the stage itself.
 Even the illiterates could understand the play.
 The theatre is also seen as a good mode of business in that period.
Edmund Spenser: He was the greatest non-dramatic poet of his age. Edmund Spenser's
Shepheardes Calender opened the 'Golden Age' of Elizabethan literature. It is divided into twelve
parts, one for each month of the year. The poet writes of his unfortunate love for one Rosalind.
Spenser's fame rests mainly on Faery Queene, a fragment (unfinished). Spenser planned to write a
poem of twelve parts. But only six were published during his life time. The poet's scheme is
explained in a letter to his friend Sir Walter Raleigh. The Fairy Queen keeps her annual feast for
twelve days. On each day, a knight at her command undertakes an adventure. Each adventure forms
the subject of one book.
Prince Arthur, the legendary hero, appears in each story at a crucial moment. In short, King
Arthur links all the stories. 'The Faery Queene' is not simply a romance. It is a didactic romance.
The work is inspired by a high moral and religious aim. The poet uses his stories as vehicles of the
lessons he wished to convey. Each adventure represents the temptations of each virtue. The ultimate
triumph of each virtue, with the help of Divine power is projected. Arthur is the incarnation of
Divine power.
His Amoretti, a series of 88 sonnets, describes his love for Elizabeth Boyle. He married
her. The event inspired Epithalamium, the noblest wedding hymn in the language. He has been
rightly called 'the poet's poet'.
A new kind of poetry began with John Donne. He initiated the 'metaphysical' school of poetry.
Donne was a celebrated preacher. He wrote songs, sonnets, marriage poems, elegies and satires. All
these are characterized by genuine poetic feeling, harsh metres and turns of speech called 'conceits'.
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Jacobean Era (1603-1625) – Jacobean Era comes just after the Elizabethan era. The two primary
contribution of this age in English literature is the Revenge play and Metaphysical poetry.
Revenge play signifies the plays where the victim is retaliated or avenged. These types of plays
often results in the death of both the murderer and the avenger. These types of plays were extremely
popular during the Elizabethan and the Jacobean era. Some of the best writers of plays of this kind
are Thomas Kyd, Shakespeare etc.
Secondly, there was the wide popularity of metaphysical poetry. The term ‘metaphysical poetry’
was coined later by Samuel Johnson. This type of poetry is witty and ingenious. They are also
highly philosophical. Some of the topics on which metaphysical poems are written are love,
existence, life etc. Simile, metaphors, imagery and other literary elements are used in writing these
poems.
One of the greatest lyricists of that era was John Donne. He was famous for his unconventional
and metaphysical style of poetry. He wrote short sonnets and love poems. Two of his most popular
poems are – The Sun Rising and The Canonization.
Caroline Era (1625-1649) – This era coincided with the age of Charles I (1625-1642). During
that time, a civil war was fought between the supporters of the king (Cavaliers) and the
supporters of the parliament (Roundheads).
Some of the prominent writers of that era are George Herbert, Henry Vaughan, Katherine Philips,
John Donne etc.
Puritan Age (1625-1660) : The half-century between the years 1625 and 1675 is known as the
Puritan age. The age is named ‘Puritan Age’ because of the Puritan dominance in England for the
first time. Furthermore, the greatest literary figures of that time were Puritans. One remarkable
figure was John Milton. Some of his popular works are:
Paradise Lost (1667), Paradise Regained (1671) On Shakespeare (1632), Doctrine and
Discipline of Divorce (1643) and his Holy Sonnets.
Milton became most famous for the poem, Paradise Lost. It was a poem with religious beliefs.
The Puritans closed the Theatre which was given much importance in the Elizabethan era. There
was a Civil war during that period. One group of people supported the King (Cavaliers) and the
other supported the Parliament (Roundheads). The ones supporting parliament won. So, as a result,
Charles I was removed and Oliver Cromwell came into power. To sum up in one line, ‘The Puritan
age starts with Charles I beheaded and Oliver Cromwell into the rule‘. Cromwell built a
commonwealth of members which didn’t last long. After him, Charles II from France came into
power and Restoration began.
Neo-Classical Age (1660-1798) / Restoration Age/ Augustan Age/ The Age of Dryden
The word ‘Neo-Classical’ is merged with the two words ‘Neo’ and ‘Classical’. Neo implies ‘new’
and classical denotes the ‘Roman and Greek classics’. This era is also known as the era of
enlightenment. People in England would meet at the coffee house and talk about productive things.
It started the British tradition of ‘afternoon tea’. Popular types of literature include parody, letters,
essays, and satire. People were interested in appearance, not in the being genuine. Having good
manners and doing the right thing to the public was essential.
This age is divided into three parts: Restoration Period Augustan Literature & Age of Sensibility
Restoration Period (1660-1700) – The restoration age begins in 1660. In the restoration period,
Charles II was restored to the throne. There was a complete rejection of ideas. People had a
different way of living as compared to the other ages. A lot of changes took place during that
period. Monarchy was restored in England. Charles II, brother of Charles I who was defeated and
beheaded returned to England from France. He became the king there.
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Most importantly, the Theatre closed down by the Puritans was restored. John Dryden, the greatest
of all the poets of this age, established heroic couplet in English Poetry. He developed a new prose
style that was suited to the practical needs of the age.
Charles II and his followers enjoyed a gay life in France during the exile. Later, when he came to
England, he demanded that drama should follow the French style of writing.
John Dryden’s text, Absalom and Achitophel talks about the religious and political conflict. The
religious quarrel between the Protestants and the Catholics are also portrayed in his book.
There was the rise of the two political parties – the Whigs and the Tories. The Tories supported
the king and the Whigs opposed it. Here are some of the chief characteristics of this period. This
age was the beginning of modern prose.
Charles II wanted to establish Catholicism in the country. As the entire country was Protestant it
leads to a conflict between the two. Charles II became infamous for this act. As a consequence, this
led to a revolution which is known as the ‘Bloodless Revolution’. It took place in 1688.
Augustan Literature – The Augustan age was a Roman Empire age. King Augustus was the
emperor of that time. Some of the most famous Augustan writers are Virgil, Horace etc. Major
poets of that age are Pope and Dryden. And on the other hand, Jonathan Swift was famous for his
prose works.
This age is also known as Classical age. The first half of the 18th century was marked by the
preparation of Industrial revolution. The main social classes were merchants, landowners, and
manufacturers. The condition of women was not satisfactory. Sexual harassment, abduction of
women, forced marriage took place in the period. The politicians were corrupt too. This is the age
of material greed.
John Dryden lived between the Restoration and Augustan age. He wrote various comedies. But the
attribute for which he was highly admired was his verse satires. His followers and other small poets
valued this writing style.
Alexander Pope was the biggest name of this period. He basically wrote on harmony. The heroic
couplet is famous in his poems. One of his famous works is The rape of the Lock.
Age of Sensibility (1750-1798)- The age of Sensibility is also known as the age of Johnson. Two
most famous writers of this period are R. B. Sheridan and Oliver Goldsmith. Sheridan was a love
poet. Most of the literary works of this age talk about human feelings, classicism and Romantic
revival.
19th Century Literature (1799 to 1900): The 19th-century literature is merged with three ages.
They are:
 Romanticism (1798-1837) Victorian Age (1837-1901) Edwardian Age (1901-1910)
Romanticism (1798-1837) – This period was mainly a reaction against the Romantic philosophy of
Enlightenment period that dominated much of European Philosophy. Individual achievements are
highly valued. Many of the Romantic writers believed that people regardless of wealth or social
class must be able to appreciate art and literature.
Some of the most famous poets of the period are – John Keats, William Blake, William
Wordsworth, Thomas Grey etc. The works were basically on the depiction of nature. They used
personification frequently in the poems. The poets basically tried to bring out their inner feelings.
Victorian Age (1837-1901) – The Victorian era was one of the most important eras in the History
of English Literature. Queen Victoria, at the age of 18 ruled England continuously for 64 years until
her death. It is one of the longest reigns in the history of England. Many important social and
historical changes altered the structure of the nation. The population of the country almost doubled.
The British Empire expanded exponentially. Technology and industrial progress helped Britain to
be one of the most dominant countries in the world.
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The Victorian age was a time of great prosperity in the History of English Literature. This
period made a lot of changes amongst people. The lower-class became more self-conscious but on
the other hand, the middle-class people got more power in them. The rich became vulnerable in the
society. Just like the Elizabethan England, The Victorian England saw a great expansion of
prosperity, prestige, and culture. Some of the most trending topics of that time are the democracy,
feminism, unionization of workers, Marxism, socialism etc.
Due to the industrial revolution, the country saw progress and growth. But along with that poverty
and exploitation was also a part of it. The poor were hired for industrial labor at a very low rate.
The Victorian period was a time of contradiction, often referred to as the Victorian
Compromise. There were differences between science and religion. Various conflicts arose due to
these differences. Secondly, the gap between the rich and the poor widened drastically. The poor
starting becoming poorer and the rich started becoming richer. The wealthy or the rich people hired
the labors at a very cheap rate.
The Victorian novels depicted almost every perspective of nineteenth-century Victorian
life. Though poetry and prose were unquestionably brilliant, it was the novel that conclusively
proved to be the Victorians special literary success. Charles Dickens, Great Expectations, and David
Copperfield are some of the most prominent authors.
Charles Darwin wrote Origin of the Species which caused full-scale controversy in
Europe. 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. This led to a debate among the Victorian people which
also led to the alteration of their intellectual and religious life. Another most popular author of the
period under consideration was Lord Alfred Tennyson. He wrote In Memoriam which talks about
the reflection on the death of his friend.
The Edwardian Age (1901-1910) – After the death of Queen Victoria, Edward VII came
into the throne. His throne at England is known as the Edwardian age. It lasted less than a decade.
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. But in this era, the women status in the society seems to
increase. Science and technology were also developed. Wright brothers invented the first airplane
during that time.
H.G Wells, Beatrix Potter, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Edith Nesbit were some of the renowned
writers of the age.
English Literature Since 1901
Modernism (1901-1939) – Literature from various parts of the world started spreading. New
writers were tried to impersonate the glory of British writers. Women at the time were suppressed in
the literary sense. They were not allowed to write freely.
Post-Modernism (1940-21st Century) – In post-modernism, basically the history of English
Literature of 5 geo-locations are being studied. They are – African, Australian, Canadian, Caribbean
and Indian Literature.