THE PERIODS OF ENGLISH LITERATURE by ASTRI DWISETYATI

Astri Dwisetyati October, 1st 2009
0801191
Dik 3B1

THE PERIODS OF ENGLISH LITERATURE

The term English literature means a literature that written in English, no matter it written by authors not from England. English literature has some periods.

1. Old English
Old English appeared in the early Middle Ages. The oldest survived text from that era was Cædmon’s Hymn. The epic poems were the famous literature in that era, for example Beowulf.

2. Middle English
Middle English was a literature written in English approximately from 1336 until 1470. The literature example from this era was Sidrakan Bokkus. There were three categories of Middle English literature, such as religious, courtly love, and Arthurian.

3. Early Modern Period
Early Modern Period appeared in the late of Middle English era (the latter half of the 15 century) until 1650. One of the authors in this era was William Shakespeare. This era was divided in some periods, such as Elizabethan Literature, with Gorboduc theatre by Sackiville and Norton as the literature example; Jacobian Literature, the literature example was a comedy titled The Knight of The Burning Pestle by Beamount and Fletcher; Caroline and Cromwellion Literature, the literature example was Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes; Restoration Literature, with Oroonoko by Aphra Ben as the literature example; and Augustan Literature, the literature example was The Spectator by Joseph Addison and Richard Steele.

4. 18th Century
The 18th Century literature was a literature that appeared in the earlier of 18th century. The famous literature in this era was The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe which appeared in the late of 18th century.

5. Romanticism
In this era, almost the authors wrote a romantic literature or fall in love with something. The literature example was Ode to the Wind by Percy Shelley.

6. Victorian Literature
Victorian literature happened during the Queen Victoria’s authority in 1837 until 1901. In this era, there were lots of author that wrote novels, Jane Austen and Walter Scott for the examples.

7. Modernism Literature
This era happened in Europe between 1900 and in the middle of 1920s. Modernist literature addressed aesthetic problems similar to those examined in non-literary forms of contemporaneous Modernist art, such as Modernist painting. The literature example was The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T. S Eliot.

8. Postmodern Literature
The term Postmodern literature is used to describe certain tendencies in post-World War II literature. It was a continuation of the experiments by the writers of the modernist period. One of the writers in that era was Alexander Trocchi.


taken from www.wikipedia.com