english literature -had it’s beginning with works written in about the 6 th century. -works were...
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ENGLISH LITERATURE- Had it’s beginning with works written in about the 6th century.
- Works were written in a language that few today would recognise as English.
- Old English or Anglo – Saxon was the language of England for a long time before the Norman Conquest in
A.D.1066
OLD ENGLISH LITERATURE
- The study of English literature usually begins with the Anglo – Saxon epic
poem Beowulf.
- The only manuscript of Beowulf, written down sometime in the 10th century , is preserved in the British Museum in London
BEOWULF
Setting: DenmarkCharacters: King Hrogthar, the Dane,
Grendel, Beowulf
- Though Beowulf is an ancient pagan myth lie beneath the story, its heroing stands for Christian virtues.
Poems in the Old English Era
The Wanderer - a sorrowful journeys of a man driven from his home after the death of his Lord.
The Seafarer - a dialogue between a youth and an old sailor who talks about hardships and joys of seafaring life.
The Battle of Maldon - deal with war
OLD ENGLISH WRITERS
Caedmon - in the 7th century, wrote a creation hymn, of which only a few lines survive.
- his an ignorant shepherd,inspired through visions to sing praises of the creation.
Cynewulf - lived into the 9th century.
King Alfred(849-99) - is a important figure in Old English literature and the only monarch England has honored as “the Great”.
- his interests went beyond his duties as a ruler and warrior.
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
- Foundation stone of English history
- Gives the events of English history from the Roman invasion of Britain in 54 B.C. to the middle of the 12th century
MIDDLE ENGLISH LITERATURE
- Sees the true beginning of the great heritage of English literature.
- Works were written Latin
Writers:Geoffrey Monmouth(1100-54)•History of the Kings of Britain
- romance as well as history•Brut(Brutus) of Layamon
- contains the first account in English of Arthur, as well as King Lear and Cymbeline
•Sir Gawain and the Green Knight- a superb poem of unknown authorship
Sir Thomas Malory(1471)•Le Morte Darthur “The Death of Arthur”•Morte Arthure
Tennyson •The Idllys of the King
T.H. White•The Once and Future King
William Caxton – the first English printer
William Langland•Piers Plowman
John Gower•Mirour de l’Omme “Mirror of Man”•Vox Clamantis “The Voice of One Crying”•Confessio Amantis “ The Lover’s Confession”
Geoffrey Chaucer (1343 – 1400)- This poet is an experienced man of the
world- He enjoyed the favour of three kings
• Edward III• Richard II• Henry IV
He belonged in the Trio of English poetry giants
Chaucer’s Works:
The Canterburry Tales – his masterpiece
The Parliament of FowlsThe Legend of Good Women
- supposed dream visions
Troilus and Criseyde – romance of the Trojan War
Middle English Drama
- Religious drama- Was not created for reading- It grew out of faith and life of the era
Pagyn – comes the word pageant. - when plays were put on outside,
they were often presented on a procession of wagons.
Plasterers – groups of merchant and labourer performed certain biblical stories.
Miracle Plays - dramas based on saint’s miracles and the biblical miracles.
Second Shepherd’s Play - drama about Nativity from the town of Wakefield
Morality - a form of allegory.- kind of allegory that each
character represents a social type or a certain character trait.
•Everyman - greatest allegorical plays- shows the summoning of
Everyman by death.
18th Century- Shift from the mood and tone of 17th -
century literature.- Age of wit and skepticism.- The first important dictionary of the
language was produced.
Satire – a form of writing that ridicules human vices and follies, expressed the spirit of the time.
Drama
Restoration Drama - possessed stored-up energy, for the Puritans had closed all theaters, holding them to be immoral.
Restoration Comedies - were comedies of manners / drawing-room comedies.
Writer:Dryden(1652-85)
Thomas Otway(1652-85)•Venice Preserved
Sir George Etherege(1635-91)
William Wycherley(1641-1716)
Sir John Vanbrugh(1664-1726)
William Congreve(1670-1729)•The Way of the World
George Farquhar(1678-1707)•The Beaux’ Strategem
Both works of Congreve and Farquhar were outstanding.
John Gay(1685-1732) - wrote one of the great popular
successes of his time.
•The Beggar’s Opera -a play with ballads.
- a tale of cutthroats and highwaymen was really
a satire of the government of Sir
Robert Walpole, a British prime minister.
Licensing Act 1737 - this act was passed because of Walpole’s anger at satires of Gay and other playwrights.
- all theatres were closed except Covent Garden and Drury Lane and all plays were subject to censorship by the government.
Oliver Goldsmith(1730-74)•She Stoop to Conquer – successful play
•Vicar of Wakefield – one of the best of the 18th century
His two long poems:
•The Traveller
•The Deserted Village
Brinsley Sheridan(1751-1816)•The Rivals - was produced by the Covent Garden in London.
•The School for Scandal - his masterpiece- still very
much alive in the theatre.
Poetry
Alexander Pope(1688-1744)
- most outstanding poet of the first half of 18th century.
- He wrote most of his poetry in rhyming couplets.
Pope’s Works:• The Rape of the Lock(1712-14)
- a poem which is a special kind of satirical poem called mock-heroic.
• Essay on Criticism • Essay on Man
- Both were philosophical poem.
- Pope also wrote verse translation of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey.
James Thomson(1700-48)•The Season - his masterpiece
•Rule, Britannai - patriotic song
William Collins(1721-59) -•Ode to Evening
William Cowper(1731-1800) - popular for his humorous ballad.
•John Gilpin
Thomas Gray(1716-71)•Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard
Robert Burns(1759-96)Poems:
•Tam O’Shanter•To a Mouse•To a LouseSongs:
•Comin’ thro the Rye•Auld Lang Syne
William Blake(1757-1827)- His a son of a stocking maker.- He did not go to school but was
apprenticed to an engraver.
•The Tiger comes from “Songs of Experience”
•Songs of Innocence
Prose Jonathan Swift(1667-1745)-A master of satirical form in prose.
•Gulliver’s Travel(1726)1st Voyage – LILLIPUT (land of tiny people)
2nd Voyage – BROBDINGNAG (land of giants)
YAHOOS – filthy creatures
HOUYHNHNMS – high-minded horses.
Joseph Adison(1672-1719)
Sir Richard Steele(1672-1729)•The Tatler(1709- 1711)
•The Spectator(1711-1712)
Samuel Johnson(1709-84)
- a superb critic, a poet, a dictionary maker and possibly the world’s most famous conversationalist.
- his greatness was his literary criticism.
- known for his critical studies of Shakespeare that are still of value.
• London
• The vanity of Human Wishes- his essays appeared in his twice-
weekly publication, the Rambler and in the Idler, a regular section he wrote for a newspaper.
• Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia – romance