REVIEWER IN 21st CENTURY LITERATURE

FEUDALISM- the dominant social system, in which the nobility

WORLD LITERATURE held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service,
vassals were in turn tenants of the nobles, while the peasants
World Literature is used to refer to the sum total of (villains or serfs) were obliged to live on their lord’s land and
the world's national literatures, but usually it refers to the give him homage, labor and a share of the produce, notionally
circulation of works into the wider world beyond their country in exchange for military protection.
of origin.
Themes of literary works during this period- RELIGIOUS (to
Often used in the past primarily for masterpieces of West strengthen one’s spirit and hope). They made use of “dream-
European literature, world literature today is increasingly seen like-situation” as a way on how to produce moral teachings.
in global context.
“AGE OF CHIVALRY”- was a moral, religious and social code of
ENGLISH LITERATURE knightly and courtly conduct. The code varied, but it often
emphasized honor, courage and service. It may also refer to an
It is the literature which is distinctly written in the English idealized life and a knight’s manners while among his court.
language, as opposed to differing languages. English literature
includes literature composed in English by writers not With the age of Chivalry, CRUSADE insisted. This was the time
necessarily from England nor primarily English-speaking when Christianity got hold of the people that Jesus had
nations. crucified. They look out for the pieces of evidence (nails of
Jesus’ cross).
Until the early 19th century, this article deals with literature
from Britain written in English; then America starts to produce This was also the time when knights, together with
major writers and works in literature. In the 20th century, pages/assistants, were to help “damsels” or young ladies in
America and Ireland produced many of the most significant distress (with the implication that women need to be rescued,
works of literature in English, and after World War II, writers as by a prince in a fairy tale).
from the former British Empire also began to challenge writers
from Britain. NOTABLE WRITERS
1. PEARL POET/ GAWAIN POET- is the name given to
GEOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND the author of “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” (a
poem that made him popular).
Great Britain is the largest of the British Isles.
On Great Britain are located three constituent countries of the - remains unidentified. The author appears also to
United Kingdom: Scotland in the north, England in the south have written the poems “Pearl”, “Patience” and
and east and Wales in the west. There are also numerous “Cleanness”. These works are known from a
smaller islands off the coast of Great Britain. single surviving manuscript, the British Library
holding Cotton Nero A.X. (compilation of most-
ANGLO-SAXON- first people to be called “English”. They gave well regarded poems in the Middle English)
name to England (Engla Land means “Land of Angles”)
 SIR THOMAS MALORY is an English writer, the author
HEPTARCHY- the 7 Anglo-Saxon kingdoms: Northumbria, or compiler of “Le Morte d’Arthur”
Mercia, East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Sussex and Wessex.
- “Le Morte d’Arthur” - means “the death of
Alfred the Great- King of Wessex from 871 to 886 and King of Arthur”. It is a language chronicle of the
Anglo-Saxons from 886 to 899. Arthurian legend. It is about the tales of King
 He stated the decree that all must learn to speak Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Merlin and the
“Anglo-Saxon”; All documents and records must Knights of the Round Table.
be translated in Anglo-Saxon (except for the
literary work/ poem- “BEOWULF”, because it - “Excalibur” – is the legendary sword of King
represents the country’s beliefs and the original Arthur, sometimes also attributed with magical
beauty of it should remain.) powers or associated with the rightful
sovereignty of Britain.
HISTORY OF ENGLISH LITERATURE

- “Lawlessness” – no law existing before, but King

th th
A. MEDIEVAL PERIOD (5 -15 century) Arthur resolved this and made laws by means of
his “Round Table”. It is called such because King
“DARK AGES”- is the historical periodization traditionally Arthur advocates equality that in a round table,
referring to the Middle Ages, the asserts that a demographic, there would be no leader, everyone is equal.
cultural, and economic deterioration occurred in Western
Europe following the decline of the Roman Empire.

 WALTER SCOTT is a Scottish historical novelist, poet,

playwright and historian. Many of his works remain
 classics of both English-language literatures and of He supported a new religion which is the “ANGLICAN
Scottish literature. CHURCH” and somehow controlled over religious dictates in
- had written a lot of literary pieces such order to easily file a divorce.
as, Lady of the Lake, Ivanhoe and
Quentin Durward. He became popular Then, King Henry VIII married his 2nd wife- ANNE BOLEYN who
because of his interest in German became the queen of England for 3 years. They had a daughter,
Romanticism, Gothic novels and Elizabeth.
Scottish ballads.
 GEOFFREY CHAUCER is considered as the greatest Knowing that she had given first a daughter, there was a gossip
English poet and author. He has been styled the that Anne Boleyn was having an affair with other guys in
“Father of English Literature” and was the first writer order to have a son. She was afraid to be divorced from her
buried in Poets’ Corner of Westminster Abbey. husband.

- is best known for “The Canterbury Soon, King Henry VIII knew it, he beheaded Anne Boleyn.
Tales”, a collection of 24 narratives that
runs to over 17,000 lines. Its structure is Next, King Henry VIII married his 3rd wife- JANE SEYMOUR who
‘a story within a story’ that was became the queen of England in 1536-1537. Finally she had
patterned from Arabian Nights. given King Henry VIII a son, Edward.

- During this time, the tales like ROBIN Two weeks after the birth of her only child, a son, Jane
HOOD, an everyday hero, also grew in Seymour died due to postnatal complications.
popularity. Under the spreading
branches of Sherwood Forest lives this After what happened, King Henry VIII married his 4 th wife-
most famous outlaw of all time. ANNE OF CLEVES who had the shortest reigning of all his
- Unjustly branded as criminal, Robin queens (6months).
takes up the cause of the poor against
villainous lords of England. Anne of Cleves had gone down in history as the ugly wife.
Thus, King Henry VIII had a divorce from her.
B. RENAISSANCE PERIOD (15th-17th century)
So, King Henry VIII married his 5th wife- CATHERINE HOWARD
“REBIRTH OF NEW LEARNING” – there were new who was the queen of England from 1540-1541. She happened
scientific discoveries, learnings and explorations. to be a cousin of Anne Boleyn.

- This period started from the reign of Catherine Howard was stripped of her title as queen in
King Henry IV November in 1541.

WARS OF ROSES happened during this time. These She was beheaded 3 months later on the grounds of treason
were series of civil wars for control of the throne of England. It for committing adultery with her cousin, Thomas Culpeper.
was the fight of families between the white and red roses.
Lastly, King Henry VIII married his 6th wife- CATHERINE PARR
The only thing it will be at peace if one of the white roses will who was the queen for 4 years.
marry one of the red roses.
They didn’t have any child because that was the time when
Richard III was the last English king to be killed in battle (end King Henry VIII died from natural causes, his health was poor.
of war of roses). Then Henry Tudor succeeded Richard to It was the end of King Henry VIII’s reign.
become King Henry VII.
Due to rapidly progressive tuberculosis that developed after
“REIGN OF THE TUDORS” he had measles, King Edward VI died at age of 15. He ruled the
-King Henry VII was the King of England from 1485 up to his place for 6 years.
death.
Mary Tudor (Henry’s daughter from Catherine of Aragon) also
King Henry VII has two sons, Arthur and Henry. He was the known as Mary I of England was the next queen from 1553
one who searched for the wife of his son, Arthur. Then they until her death, 1558.
found Catherine of Aragon (from Spain).
Mary I was best known for her aggressive attempts to reverse
But Arthur died at his early age of 17. So the 2nd son- Henry the English Reformation, which had begun during the reign of
married Catherine of Aragon. her father. She is remembered for briefly remaking England a
Roman Catholic country.
When King Henry VII died, his 2nd son got the throne.
Mary I married Philip of Spain but they weren’t able to
It was the reign of KING HENRY VIII when he and Catherine of produce a child because of Mary having Reproductive System
Aragon had a daughter named “MARY”. Disease. Soon, she died because of a tumor.

One time, Henry VIII wanted to have a son with Catherine but Elizabeth, King Henry’s daughter from his 2nd wife-Anne
she couldn’t give him. Henry VIII got tired. Boleyn, became the next queen of England from 1558 until her
death- 1603.
So King Henry VIII had a divorce from Catherine of Aragon,
leading to breaking his life in Roman Catholicism (Catherine’s Queen Elizabeth I was belittled and bullied by others before
influence to him). she became a queen. It made her stronger.
She read a lot of books and encouraged her constituents to “PURITAN PERIOD”
write. Many genius poets and writers were produced. The Puritans were members of a religious reform movement
known as PURITANISM, then arose within the Church of
Queen Elizabeth I’s reign marks the “GOLDEN AGE OF ENGLISH England in the late 16th century.
LITERATURE.”
“PURITAN PERIOD”
NOTABLE WRITERS - ELIZABETHAN ERA They believed that the Church of England was too similar to
the Roman Catholic Church and should eliminate ceremonies
 Sir PHILIP SIDNEY was one of the most prominent and practices not rooted in the Bible.
figures of the Elizabethan Era.
- One of Sidney’s works was “The Defense OLIVER CROMWELL was the “Lord Protector” of Puritanism,
of Poesy” (An Apology for Poetry), a acting simultaneously as head of state and head of
book of literary criticism. government of the new republic.
 Sir CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE (aka Kit Marlowe) was
the foremost Elizabethan tragedian of his day. “PURITAN PERIOD”
- One of Marlowe’s famous works was In this movement, it was strict, simple and not extravagant.
“The Passionate Shepherd to His Love” They wore simple cotton clothes with earthly colours (green,
 Sir WALTER RALEIGH was famous for his “History of black, brown). Amusement was prohibited. Literary works had
the World” that covers the creation of the world. It spiritual themes such as God, conscience, souls and etc.
aims to show history as a moral exercise.
- RALEIGH also wrote “The Nymph’s -
The main goal of Puritanism was to
Reply to the Shepherd” “purify” religion and politics of
 Sir BEN JONSON was an English playwright and poet, corruption. They were first called
whose artistry exerted a lasting impact upon English “Puritans” by their enemies. They later
poetry and stage comedy. spread to American colonies of New
- Sir BEN JONSON popularized the England.
comedy of humors and was known as NOTABLE WRITERS – Puritan Era
the greatest comedy playwright in his
time.  JOHN MILTON, secretary of Oliver Cromwell, was
- Sir BEN JONSON wrote the four most known for his poem “Paradise Lost”.
famous plays: Volpone, The Alchemist, - MILTON’s Paradise Lost concerns the
Epicoene and Bartholomew Fair. (all biblical story of the fall of man; the
within 8 years) temptation of Adam and Eve by the
 Sir EDMUND SPENSER was best known for “The fallen angel Satan and their expulsion
Faerie Queene”, an epic poem and fantastical allegory from the garden of Eden. Its purpose is
celebrating the Tudor Dynasty and Elizabeth I. to justify the ways of God to men.
 WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE was the greatest writer/  JOHN BUNYAN, a Puritan preacher, was best
dramatist of them all because his works were remembered as the author of the Christian allegory
voluminous. “The Pilgrim’s Progress.” He wrote it while he’s in jail.
- SHAKESPEARE was often called the  JOHN DRYDEN was made England’s first “Poet
England’s National Poet and the “Bard Laureate” in 1668.
of Avon” - was seen as dominating the literary life
- His works, including collaborations, of England to such a point that the
consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, 2 period came to be known in literary
long narrative poems, and a few other circles as the “Age of Dryden”.
verses, some of uncertain authorship. - wrote elegies, prologues, epilogues and
odes. His most famous poem “Absalom
Queen Elizabeth I died in 1603. She almost certainly lived and and Achitophel” depicts the political
died a virgin. She was called the “Virgin Queen”, because she and religious struggle in England.
never married and never had children. “Poet Laureate”
 - is a poet officially appointed by the government or
Thus, she was the last of the 5 monarchs of the House of conferring institution, typically expected to compose
Tudor. poems for special events and occasions.

KING JAMES VI and I was the next ruler from 1603 until his C. NEO-CLASSICAL PERIOD (1660-1798)
death- 1625
This time period is broken down into three parts:
KING JAMES VI and I made a bible known as the “King James Restoration period, the Augustan period and the Age
Version”. It is an English translation of the Christian Bible for of Johnson. Writers of this period tried to imitate the
the Church of England, begun in 1604 and completed as well styles of Romans and Greeks.
as published in 1611.
RESTORATION PERIOD- marked the return of King
KING JAMES VI and I died in 1625 after suffering a stroke. Charles II following the period of Cromwell’s
Commonwealth. The bishops were restored to
His son succeeded him as KING CHARLES I from 1625 until his parliaments, which established a strict Anglican
execution in 1649. orthodoxy.

AUGUSTAN PERIOD- was the period of British style

literature produced during the reigns of Queen Anne,
King George I and King George II in the first half of 18th
 century and ending in 1740s. (beginning of the infused with abstract ideals of beauty,
Hanoverian Dynasty) nature, love, longing and death.
ROMANTIC TRIUMVIRATE
AGE OF JOHNSON- has been called by several titles, 1. LORD BYRON
such as The Enlightenment, the Pre-Romantic Period, 2. PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY
the Georgian Age, Age of Classical Prose, the Age of 3. JOHN KEATS
Revolutions, the Age of Expansion and the Age of
Literature of Everyday Life
- was named after Samuel Johnson who  LORD BYRON
was the author of the first great English -a bisexual who died at age of 36 and was said to have formed
dictionary and inventor of the idea of many relationships with men He was known for his “Don Juan”,
dictionary that traced the usage and a satiric poem that portrays not a womanizer but as a man
change of usage of words by quotations easily seduced by women.
from significant writers.
 SAMUEL JOHNSON- was famous throughout the  PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY was regarded as the
English-speaking world as an essayist and notable as England’s finest lyric and philosophical poet and the
a great editor and critic. most influential one.
- JOHNSON produced several revised
editions during his time. Until the - A radical in his poetry as well as in his
completion of the OXFORD ENGLISH political and social views, Shelley did not
DICTIONARY 173 years later, Johnson’s see fame during his lifetime, but
was viewed as the pre-eminent English recognition of achievements grew
dictionary. steadily following his death.
NOTABLE WRITERS  JOHN KEATS was a poet who loved to write about
mythological characters. Although he died at the age
 ALEXANDER POPE- was best known for his satirical of 25, he had perhaps the most remarkable career of
poetry including The Rape of the Lock, The Dunciad, any English poet.
and An Essay on Criticism.
 VICTOR HUGO was a French poet, novelist and
- was the one who gave guidelines in dramatist of the Romantic movement. He was
writing a poem; no common wors considered to be one of the greatest and best-known
should be used and themes should be French writers.
intellectual.
 ALEXANDRE DUMAS- was a French writer who
published historical novels such as the Three - Outside France, his most famous works
Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, Twenty Years are the novels Les Miserables and The
Later and etc. Hunchback of Notre-Dame.
- ALEXANDRE DUMAS’s novels have been E. VICTORIAN PERIOD (1837-1901)
adapted since the early 20th century for
nearly 200 films. It was the period of Queen Victoria’s reign who
 THOMAS GRAY was a classical scholar and professor happened to be the last monarch from Hanoverian
who was widely known for his “Elegy Written on A Dynasty
Country Churchyard”
-the period of exaggeration
D. ROMANTIC PERIOD (1798-1837) -Men were superior
was the time of the reigns of King George III, King -Women were dressed and should have covered the
George IV, King William IV. (continuation of whole body.
Hanoverian Dynasty) -also called the Era of PRUDISH (excessively attentive
to decorum/ extreme modesty)
- Romanticism was an artistic, literary, It was also the era of poor were very poor; rich were
musical and intellectual movement. It very rich. The quality of life during Victorian era
was characterized by its emphasis on depended on whether you were rich or poor. Wealthy
emotion and individualism as a well Victorians enjoyed a good and easy life. Poor
glorification of all the past and nature, Victorians had a rough and hard life, often ending up
preferring the medieval rather than in the workhouse or early death.
classical.
F. MODERN PERIOD (Late 19th-20th Century
NOTABLE WRITERS
Literary modernism, or modernist literature, has its
 WILLIAM WORDSWORTH and SAMUEL TAYLOR origins in the late 19th to 20th century, mainly in
COLERIDGE Europe and North America, and is characterized by a
- WORDSWORTH and COLERIDGE were very self-conscious break with traditional ways of
joint together in writing poems and writing, in both poetry and prose fiction.
published it as “Lyrical Ballads”
- Their works generally considered to Most literature had a clear beginning, middle and end
have marked the beginning of English (or introduction, conflict, and resolution). Modernist
Romantic movement in literature. stories was often more of a stream of consciousness.
- In the series, Wordsworth and Coleridge Irony, satire and comparisons were often employed
sought to write unaffected English verse to point out society’s ills.