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

Venerable Bede - historian - monk

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

• Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland

• Lives of the Poets

James Boswell(1740-95)• Life of Samuel Johnson

- is one of the greatest biographies in any language or time.