British Literature

BRITISH LITERATURE

British literature is closely connected to the history of Britain. As the country developed politically, socially and economically, literature reflected those changes. From medieval epics to modern dystopian novels, British writers have influenced world literature a lot.

Old English Literature (around 5th–11th century)

After the Anglo-Saxons invaded Britain, literature was mostly passed down by word of mouth.

• Beowulf (author unknown, written around the 8th–10th century) – It is an epic poem about a hero who fights monsters and a dragon. It combines pagan warrior values with early Christian ideas.

The author is unknown, which was common in medieval literature.

Middle English Period

After the Norman Conquest in 1066, French influenced English language and culture.

• Geoffrey Chaucer (1343–1400)

◦ often called "the father of English literature" because he helped establish English as a literary language

◦ The Canterbury Tales – a collection of stories told by pilgrims travelling to Canterbury. The stories are humorous, realistic and sometimes critical of the Church and society.

Renaissance & Elizabethan Era (16th–17th century)

Time of national pride, exploration and cultural flowering.

• William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

◦ the greatest playwright in English history, poet

◦ his plays explore love, power, jealousy and human psychology. His language shaped modern English.

◦ Famous works: Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Othello,

King Lear, Henry IV / Henry V / Henry VI

◦ Sonnets (154 poems)

• Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593)

◦ Doctor Faustus – a tragedy about a man who makes a deal with the devil. J. W. Goethe was later inspired by this legend for his own Faust.

17th Century

• John Milton (1608–1674)

◦ Paradise Lost – an epic poem about the fall of Adam and Eve and the rebellion of Satan.

18th Century – Rise of the Novel

This period saw the birth of realistic prose fiction.

• Daniel Defoe (1660–1731)

◦ Robinson Crusoe – story of survival on a deserted island. It reflects colonial ideas and individualism. (Some people considered it a true story at that time).

Romanticism (late 18th – early 19th century)

Romantic writers focused on emotions, imagination and nature.

• George Gordon Byron (1778–1824) – passionate and rebellious poetry

◦ Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, Don Juan

• Mary Shelley (1797–1851)

◦ Frankenstein – it tells a story of Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who creates life artificially. It is considered one of the first science fiction novels.

• Jane Austen (1775–1817)

◦ as a British novelist, she wrote during the transition between Romanticism and the 19th century

◦ she focused on women's position in society, marriage, and social manners, often using irony

◦ Famous works: Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma

Victorian Era (19th century)

Time of the Industrial Revolution and expansion of the British Empire.