British literature

BRITISH LITERATURE

Old english literature

- fiction was influenced by Pagan traditions, magic, Christians ideas

- the works of the period include – annals, historical novels, chronicles

- the masterwork of the time is the poem Beowulf and also the Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

Medieval english literature

- period follows after the Norman conquest, during the Norman invasion

- Geoffrey Chaucer

• is considered to be the father of English poetry (his poetry was realistic, iconic, humoristic)

• the most famous work: the Canterbury Tales

English renaissance

- period between medieval and modern times

- common forms of literature were: poetic drama, songs, lyrics, balladas

- William Shakespeare

• is one of the world’s well-known playwrights

• was born in Stadford-upon-Avon (his father was glove maker)

• he married Anne Hathaway – they had two daughters and a son (he died at the age of 11)

• he bought Globe Theatre in London (built in 1599, a round building)

• he died on the same day as he was born

• he wrote historical plays (Henry IV., V., VI., Richard II., III.), comedies (The Comedy of Errors, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, As You Like It) and tragedies (Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, Othello); his sonnets are well-known as well

Revolution literature of 17th century

- a time of social changes and revolution; important post-Shakespearen playwrights included

- John Milton

• he wrote famous works such as: Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained (both works are philosophical and religious)

English literature of 18th century - classicism

- fiction of this time uses much more social and political criticism

- Daniel Defoe

• became famous for his novel Robinson Crusoe (the story about a castaway on a deserted island)

- Jonathan Swift

• wrote sartical prose, popular for work Gulliver Travels (he lived among the giant)

Romantic literature

- a time of great technical inventions and Industrial Revolution

- arts wanted to express the feelings about regained freedom

- romantic writers looked for beauty in man

- Walter Scott

• founder of the historical novel

• his most famous novel Ivanhoe

- Jane Austen

• romantic prose writer, she created the domestic (family) noveldealing with family life

• born in Steventon in 18th century

• her works were published anonymously during her lifetime

• she never married

• she has written several novels (Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense and Sensibility)

• Pride and Prejudice

• tells story of the five daughters of the Bennet family,

• it mostly describes the complicated relationship between Elisabeth and the rich and proud Mr. Darcy

• at the end, they get engaged

Victorian literature

- the social novel is the major type oype of works of this period

- Charles Dickens

• was representative of critical realism

• novels: Oliver Twist, Little Dorriot

- Oscar Wilde

• became famous though his fairy tales (The Happy Prince) and novel (The Picture of Dorian Gray)

20th century literature

- this writing technique was influenced by Freud’s psychoanalysis