ANGLO SAXON

450_1066

Roman armies conquered the Britons Romans introduced cities, stone roads, written
scholarship, and Christianity. Romans abandoned Britain

The Anglo-Saxon Period was filled with constant fighting Most Anglo-Saxons were Pagans
who believed in many gods until the middle of the 5 th Century when they were Christianized.

The language of the Anglo-Saxons gave this land its name-Engla land, or England. During this
period a distinct form of English literature developed and helped to define the English national
character.

The collapse of the Roman Empire left Britain, its northernmost province, vulnerable to invasion.
Angle and Saxon invaders imposed their warrior culture on the island for six centuries. Divided
at first into clans, the Anglo-Saxons were later united under Alfred the Great.

For the Anglo-Saxons, creating poetry was as important as fighting, hunting, farming, or loving.
For the non Christian Anglo-Saxons, whose religion offered no hope of an afterlife, only fame
and its commemoration in poetry could provide a defense against death. Perhaps this explains
why the Anglo- Saxon bards, gifted with the skill to preserve fame in the collective memory,
were honored members of society.

MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD

1100_1500

The most important philosophical influence of the Middle Ages was the Church, which
dominated life and literature. the Church referred to the Roman Catholic Church.

Anglo-Saxon society evolved into feudalism.

Outbreaks of the plague, known as the Black Death, affected both the everyday lives and the
philosophy of the Middle Ages.

Women frequently died in childbirth, infant and child mortality rates were high and life
expectancies short.

In addition to religion, a second philosophical influence on medieval thought and literature was
chivalry. The ideals of chivalry form the basis of the familiar Arthurian legends, the stories of
King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. The word chivalry, based on the French word
chevalerie, derives from the French words for horse (cheval) and horsemen, indicating that
chivalry applies only to knights, the nobility.
Mystery plays [plays depicting events from the Bible] morality plays [plays, often allegories,
intended to teach a moral lesson]

William Caxton revolutionized the history of literature in the English language in 1476 when he
set up the first printing press in England.

RENAISSANCE PERIOD

1500-1600

Elizabethan period (1558-1603)

The Renaissance (French: rebirth) was a period of revival of classical art, literature,
architecture and philosophy in Europe, beginning around the 14th century.

The liberal arts and their studies should not be reserved solely for the rich Approval of the
self, human worth and individual dignity

Act of Supremacy was restored, after being repealed by Mary I in 1554. The Queen was
affirmed as the Governor (not 'Head') of the (Protestant) Church of England, which was thus
independent of Rome.

Act of Uniformity - Everyone had to go to church once a week or be fined 12 pence, a

considerable sum for the poor. With this act Elizabeth I made it a legal obligation to go to church
every Sunday.

golden age in English history. height of the English Renaissance, and saw the flowering of
English literature and poetry. Elizabethan theatre grew and William Shakespeare, among
others, wrote plays that broke with England's past style of plays. more Londoners were
educated during this time than ever before. * world influence and a colonial power * return to
Protestantism * improvement of the educational system * English language gained in importance
* literary movements and developments (drama and theatre)

Humanism inspired new forms of writings about the daily life and feelings of people. Humanists
sought fulfillment in daily life and believed individuals had dignity and worth.

Puritan Age

1600_1660

The period between 1625 and 1675 is known as the "Puritan Age (or John Milton's Age)",
because during the period, Puritan standards prevailed in England, and also because the greatest
literary figure John Milton (1608-1674) was a Puritan. The Puritans struggled for righteousness
and liberty. Puritanism became a great national movement. They believed that The
Bible represented the true law of God.
Puritanism, as a religious movement, believed in cleansing the church of all of its remaining
Roman Catholic ties. Its followers, dubbed Puritans, lived by a moral and religious code that not
only influenced their own lives, but sought to impact the lives of everyone around them.

Puritan literature relied on a religious, rather than an entertainment, theme. Puritans didn't
believe in writing for entertainment; rather, they thought of writing as a tool to reach people with
the story of God. Puritan literature relied on Biblical allusions. Biblical allusions, or references to
Biblical events or characters, were used heavily in Puritan writing. Many authors would compare
themselves or current struggles to hardships endured by characters illustrated in the Bible.

Art of Biography popularized which was unknown in previous ages. Rebirth of the moral nature
of man which followed intellectual awakening of Europe in 15th and 16th century. Puritans was
the name given to the people who advocated certain changes in the form of the worship of the
reformed English church under Queen Elizabeth.
Restoration Age
1660-1700
The period from 1660 to 1700 is named as the Restoration period. In 1660 King Charles II was
brought to the throne. The people of England were suffering from tension due to strict rule of
Cromwell. Thus the nation welcomed the Restoration of Charles II. This Restoration brought
about a revolutionary change in social life and literature. Corruption was rampant in all walks of
life. In the Restoration period we see the rise of two political parties. They were the Whigs and
the Tories. The religious controversy was also going on. It was very bitter. The Protestant and
the Catholics were face to face. During the Restoration period a new literary movement started.
It is known as Neo-Classical movement. The authors of this period turned to the great classical
writers. Charles II and his companions demanded that poetry and drama should follow the
French style. Now began the so-called period of French influence.

Augustan Age

1700-1800

The Eighteenth Century in England is called the Classical Age or the Augustan Age in literature.
It is also called the Age of Good Sense or the Age of Reason. The Eighteenth Century is called
the Classical Age in English literature on account of three reasons. In the first place, the term
classic, refers in general, applies to writers of the highest rank in any nation. This term was first
applied to the works of the great Greek and Roman writers, like Homer and Virgil. As the writers
of the eighteenth century in England tried to follow the simple and noble methods of the great
ancient writers, they began to be called Classical writers. In the second place, in every national
literature there is a period when a large number of writers produce works of great merit; such a
period is often called the Classical Period or Age. For example, the reign of Augustus is called
the Classical Age of Rome; and the Age of Dante is called the Classical Age of Italian literature.
As during the eighteenth century in England there was an abundance of literary productions, the
critics named it the Classical Age in English literature. In the third place, during this period the
English writers rebelled against the exaggerated and fantastic style of writing prevalent during
the Elizabethan and Puritan ages, and they demanded that poetry, drama and prose should follow
exact rules.

The 18'th century is the golden age of novel. In this age there were four men of genius. They
were Richardson, Fielding, Smollett and Stern. With them novel reached the highest point of
glory. They are known as The Four Wheels of Novel. Among these four wheels Fielding is
called the father of English novel. His 'Joseph Andrews', 'Jonathan Wild', 'Tom Jones' and
'Amelia' are very popular novels.

Romantic Age

1798-1824

The Romantic period in English literature began in the late 1700s and lasted through the mid-
1800s. Romanticism focuses on the emotional side of human nature, individualism, the beauty of
the natural world and the simplicity of common people.

The poets of Romantic Age wrote poetry in freestyle without following any rules and
regulations.

In the poetry of Romantic Revival, the interest of poets was transferred from town to rural life
and from artificial decorations of drawing rooms to the natural beauty and loveliness of nature.

Romantic Poets started taking interest in the lives of the common people, the shepherds and the
cottages. In Romantic Poetry, the emphasis was laid on liberty and freedom of the individual.
They escaped from the problems of the world to a world of beauty and joy. In many ways,
Romantic Poetry proved to be the poetry of escape from the sorrows and sufferings of worldly
life. Supernaturalism is another outstanding quality of Romantic Poetry.

Victorian Age

1832-1900

Rapid progress in all the arts and sciences and in mechanical inventions like spinning looms to
steamboats and from matches to electric lights.

All these material things as well as the growth of education have their influence upon the life of a
people.

Industries had been started emerging in the cities which led to migration. Due to migration,
people left villages and agriculture was affected severely.
When everyone went to city, it became overpopulated. As people were working in industries,
they got money and food but getting shelter was their main problem.

There was dark and gloomy atmosphere everywhere. Majority of people were poor. The
dominant people were money minded and so humans were used as machines. Workhouses were
getting full as people were in search of job to earn money.

Workhouses looked like prisons. They were very much dirty and stinky. The conditions of
people were not good.

There was severe socio-economic depression people were threatened by the name of God.

The origin of the Oxford movement can be traced to the opposition of the scientific discoveries
against age old religious beliefs and faiths. The aim of the movement was to rehabilitate the
dignity of the church, to defend the church against the interference of the state, to fight against
rationalism. This age is remarkable for the growth of democracy following the Reform Bill of
1832; for the spread of education among all classes; for the rapid development of the arts and
sciences; for important mechanical inventions; and for the enormous extensions of the bounds of
human knowledge by the discoveries of science.