British Lit Timeline

449 Ango-Saxon

Characterized by an oral tradition of epic poems, songs, and poetry. Old English or Anglo Saxon literature was well established by pre-Christian Germanic settlers. One of the most well known works of this time period is “Beowulf”, an epic poem about the eponymous Geatish warrior.

Anglo-Saxon

1066 Medieval

Medieval or Middle English was prompted by the invasion of the Normans into Britain, when the Duke of Normandy defeated King Harold of Britain at the Battle of Hastings. The language was a dialect was of French descent with Germanic influences, usually called Anglo-Norman. This diversion brought English closer to what we know and use today. Famous works during this period include the History of the Kings of Britain (containing the legend of King Arthur) and the Canterbury Tales. This period had a large focus on Roman Catholic church, as it was an essential part of everyday life for both royalty and peasants.

Medieval

1485 Renaissance

The English Renaissance saw the rise of the merchant class in Britain. Math, science, technology, education, and exploration became more accessible to the masses. The feudal system was slowly dissolving as middle class merchants rose in wealth. Plays became popular as they appealed to all classes. Notable playwrights include Christopher Marlowe, and William Shakespeare, arguably the greatest dramatist of all time.

Renaissance

1660 Neoclassical

Neoclassical writers tried to imitate the style of the Roman and Greeks, “Neo” meaning “new” and “classical” referring to classic works. This era was the starting point of the modern middle class and the tradition of afternoon tea. People would gather to discuss politics and other ideas of the Enlightenment. Characteristics of writing focused primarily on people's appearances rather than their true feelings or intentions. In contrast to the renaissance that saw people as inherently good, Neoclassical literature saw man as ‘flawed’.

Neoclassical

1798 Romantic

Romanticism shifted from reason, logic, and science to a belief in the senses. Feelings, imagination, and experiences were valued above all. Previously an emphasis was on an interest in urban society, during this movement, people focused on rural and natural life. Works consisted of extremely personal works that touched on the mysterious and infinite world.

Romantic

1832 Victorian

Beginning with the crowning of Queen Victoria and culminating the year of her death, the Victorian era saw a battle between romantic/gothic and neoclassical/enlightenment ideas. During this time, the middle class far outnumbered the nobles. Many upper middle class members felt that they could join the ranks of their betters and focused on acting like the dignitaries of the time. Characters and authors of this time period are often stereotyped as being stuffy, hypocritical, and narrow-minded.

Victorian

1900 Modernism

Modernist British authors had a sense of betrayal after being devastated by two world wars in Europe. They lost faith in their institutions of government, which they once believed in and now saw as having led them into bloody conflicts. They no longer saw their government or even their religions as reliable means to provide answers in life, therefore turning away and looking to seek the answers themselves. Sometimes using allegory or even fantasy to do so.

Modernism