1. TIMELINE!

History of British Literature – OLD ENGLISH to POSTMODERN

Old English Period | 450 CE – 1066 CE

Unknown–c. Caedmon’s Hymn (earliest surviving Old English

Caedmon 680 poem) 658–680

Ecclesiastical History of the English People (written

Bede 673–735 in Latin) 673–735

– Juliana
– Elene
Unknown (8th – The Fates of the Apostles
Cynewulf century) – Christ II 700–800

Beowulf (epic poem, the oldest surviving long 700

Anonymous N/A poem in Old English) (circa)

Translations: Pastoral Care by Gregory the Great, 9th

King Alfred 849–899 Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius, and others century

– The Wanderer
Anonymous N/A – The Seafarer (elegiac poems) 950–970

The Exeter Book (contains riddles, religious poems, 975

Anonymous N/A and elegies like The Wife’s Lament) (circa)

The Vercelli Book (includes The Dream of the 1000

Anonymous N/A Rood) (circa)

Sermo Lupi ad Anglos (Sermon of the Wolf to the 11th

Wulfstan Died c. 1023 English) century

Ælfric of 11th
Eynsham c. 955–c. 1010 Catholic Homilies, Lives of the Saints century
Middle English Period | 1066 CE – 1485 CE

1. The Age Before Chaucer | 1066 – 1300

• Linguistic transition from Old English to Middle English

• Religious and didactic literature dominated

• Emerging vernacular narratives and moral instruction themes

c. 1190–c. Brut (a Middle English chronicle based on Wace’s 1200

Layamon 1215 Roman de Brut) (circa)

Marie de Lais (a collection of Breton-inspired narrative 1160–

France 12th century poems) 1199

The Owl and the Nightingale (debate poem in 1189–

Anonymous N/A Middle English) 1216

12th
Anonymous N/A Ormulum (a Middle English verse homily) century

The Ancrene Wisse (a guide for anchoresses, 13th

Anonymous N/A written in Middle English) century

1300
Anonymous N/A Cursor Mundi (a religious Middle English poem) (circa)

2. The Age of Chaucer | 1300-1400

 Geoffrey c. 1343 - The Canterbury Tales, Troilus and Criseyde, The
Chaucer 1400 Book of the Duchess, The House of Fame 1380–1400

c. 1330 – Confessio Amantis, Vox Clamantis, Speculum

John Gower 1408 Meditantis 1370–1400

William c. 1332 – c.
Langland 1386 Piers Plowman (allegorical narrative poem) 1360–1386

Late 14th
The Pearl Poet Century

c. 1320 –
John Barbour 1395 The Brus (an epic poem about Robert the Bruce) 1375 (circa)

The Vision of Piers Plowman (continuations and Late 14th

Anonymous N/A adaptations) century

3. The Age of Revival (The Age After Chaucer) | 1400 – 1485

• Revival of English literature, influenced by both classical learning and the early
Renaissance

• The printing press, introduced by William Caxton, played a pivotal role in disseminating
literature.

• Moral, allegorical, and didactic themes, reflecting the transitional period from medieval
to Renaissance thought

c. 1415– Le Morte d’Arthur (a compilation of Arthurian

Thomas Malory 1471 legends) 1469–1470

c. 1370– Troy Book (an epic poem), The Fall of Princes, The
John Lydgate c. 1451 Temple of Glass 1400–1450
 Introduced the printing press in England; published
c. 1422– The Canterbury Tales, Le Morte d’Arthur, and other
William Caxton 1491 works 1476–1491

c. 1425–
Henryson, Robert 1500 The Testament of Cresseid, Moral Fables 1470–1500

Everyman (a morality play), The Second Shepherds’ Late 15th

Anonymous N/A Play century

James I of 1394– The Kingis Quair (an autobiographical dream-vision 1420

Scotland 1437 poem) (circa)

c. 1463– The Bowge of Courte, Philip Sparrow, Why Come Ye Late 15th
John Skelton 1529 Nat to Court? century

The Beginning of The ascension of Henry VII, ending the Wars of the
Tudor Rule 1485 Roses and establishing the Tudor dynasty

The Renaissance & Reformation | 1485 CE – 1660 CE

1. Early Tudor Period | 1485 – 1558

1478– Utopia (a socio-political satire and humanist

Sir Thomas More 1535 work) 1516

The Protestant The Act of Supremacy declared Henry VIII as

Reformation in England 1534 the Supreme Head of the Church of England

c. 1463– The Bowge of Courte, Colin Clout, Philip 1500–

John Skelton 1529 Sparrow 1528
 Henry VIII and the
Dissolution of the 1536– Led to the redistribution of monastic lands and 1536–
Monasteries 1541 influenced religious themes in literature 1541

Emphasis on classical learning and

The Renaissance 15th–16th individualism, as seen in works by Erasmus, 1485–
Humanism Movement century More, and other scholars 1558

Introduced the sonnet form to English

1503– literature; notable works include Whoso List to 1520s–
Sir Thomas Wyatt 1542 Hunt and other Petrarchan sonnets 1540s

Henry Howard, Earl of 1517– Developed the English sonnet form; translated
Surrey 1547 Virgil’s Aeneid 1540s

The First Complete William Tyndale’s translation of the Bible into

English Bible (Tyndale English; marked a shift in religious and literary
Bible) 1526 accessibility 1526

The Courtly Love 15th–16th Poetry reflecting themes of courtly love, 1485–
Tradition century heavily influenced by Wyatt and Surrey 1558

1504–
Nicholas Udall 1556 Ralph Roister Doister (the first English comedy) 1553

A return to Catholicism, influencing religious

The Accession of Mary I 1553 themes in literature 1553

The Printing of Early 1516– The rise of printed historical chronicles, such as 1516–
Chronicles 1558 The Chronicles of England 1558

2. Elizabethan Age | 1558-1603

 • political stability, naval supremacy, and the flourishing of English arts under Queen
Elizabeth I.

• Renaissance humanism, patriotism, and exploration of themes like love, tragedy, and
ambition dominated the era.

• rise of English drama, with Shakespeare and Marlowe leading the way in establishing the
foundations of modern theatre.

• defeat of the Spanish Armada and the establishment of professional playhouses

significantly influenced literature and drama

Elizabeth I becomes Queen, marking the start

of the Elizabethan era and a golden age of
Elizabeth I’s Accession 1558 English culture and literature

(cont.) Renaissance 16th Continued focus on classical learning,

Humanism in England century individualism, and human potential

1552– The Faerie Queene (epic allegorical poem), 1590–

Edmund Spenser 1599 Amoretti (sonnets), Epithalamion 1596

Early works: Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer

1564– Night’s Dream, The Merchant of Venice, Henry 1590–
William Shakespeare 1616 IV, Julius Caesar 1603

1564 – Doctor Faustus, Tamburlaine the Great, The 1587–

Christopher Marlowe 1593 Jew of Malta, Hero and Leander 1593

1554– Astrophel and Stella (sonnet sequence), The 1570s–

Sir Philip Sidney 1586 Defence of Poesy, Arcadia 1580s

England’s naval victory over Spain; inspired

The Spanish Armada 1588 patriotic themes in Elizabethan literature
 Early works: Every Man in His Humour, Volpone
1572– (though written later, he rose to prominence
Ben Jonson 1637 during the Elizabethan age) 1598

1554– Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit, Euphues and His 1578–

John Lyly 1606 England 1580

1558– The Spanish Tragedy (a foundational revenge 1587

Thomas Kyd 1594 tragedy) (circa)

Group of playwrights and poets including

1580s– Marlowe, Kyd, Lyly, Greene, and Peele; paved 1580s–
The University Wits 1590s the way for Elizabethan drama 1590s

The Printing of Popular 16th Ballads and pamphlets became widespread, 1558–
Ballads and Pamphlets Century reflecting popular themes and concerns 1603

The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd (response

1552– to Marlowe’s The Passionate Shepherd to His Late 16th
Sir Walter Raleigh 1618 Love) century

The Formation of James Burbage builds The Theatre, the first

Professional Theatres 1576 permanent public playhouse in England 1576

1561– 1597–
Francis Bacon 1626 Essays, The Advancement of Learning 1605

3. Jacobean Age | 1603-1625

• increasing political tension, skepticism, and religious unease.

• Drama reached new psychological depths, exploring themes of corruption, revenge, and
mortality
 • The 1611 translation had a profound and lasting impact on English prose and religious
life

• Jacobean drama often focused on dark, tragic themes, with playwrights like Webster,
Middleton, and Jonson creating masterpieces

• These performances were popularized at the royal court, reflecting the opulence and
political propaganda of the era.

James I becomes King of England, uniting the

crowns of England and Scotland; the start of
James I’s Accession 1603 the Jacobean Age 1603

Late works: Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, The 1603–

William Shakespeare 1564–1616 Tempest, Cymbeline 1611

Volpone, The Alchemist, Bartholomew Fair, 1605–

Ben Jonson 1572–1637 Epicoene, or the Silent Woman 1614

Authorized translation of the Bible into English;

The King James 1611 deeply influenced English prose and literature 1611

Novum Organum, The Essays, The 1605–

Francis Bacon 1561–1626 Advancement of Learning 1620

c. 1580–c. 1612–
John Webster 1634 The Duchess of Malfi, The White Devil 1614

The Changeling (with William Rowley), Women 1611–

Thomas Middleton 1580–1627 Beware Women, A Chaste Maid in Cheapside 1624

The rise of court masques, elaborate theatrical

Civic and Masque performances often involving music, dance, 1603–
Theatre 1603–1625 and allegory 1625
 Bussy D’Ambois, The Revenge of Bussy
c. 1559– D’Ambois, translations of Homer’s Iliad and 1603–
George Chapman 1634 Odyssey 1616

Holy Sonnets, Devotions upon Emergent 1609–

John Donne 1572–1631 Occasions, An Anatomy of the World 1625

Political Unrest and The failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605; increased

Gunpowder Plot 1605 political tensions and reflected in the literature 1605

John Fletcher and 1584–1625, Collaborative works: Philaster, The Maid’s 1607–
Beaumont 1586–1616 Tragedy, A King and No King 1611

The Decline of the Shift towards darker themes, reflecting 1603–

Elizabethan Worldview 1603–1625 uncertainty, skepticism, and political instability 1625

3. Caroline Age | 1625 – 1649

• increasing political and religious turmoil, culminating in the English Civil War and the
execution of Charles I.

• Metaphysical Poetry explored complex spiritual and philosophical ideas using striking
metaphors.

• Cavalier Poetry celebrated courtly themes and loyalty to the monarchy, often in a lighter
and more accessible style.

• The masque continued as a popular art form, blending poetry, music, and dance,
although the Civil War curtailed theatrical productions.

• Political and religious conflicts deeply influenced literature, with themes of loyalty,
mortality, and divine providence appearing frequently.

Charles I becomes King of England; tensions rise

between monarchy and Parliament, leading to the
Charles I’s Accession 1625 English Civil War
 Poets like John Donne, George Herbert, and
Early 17th Henry Vaughan explored spiritual and 1625–
Metaphysical Poetry century philosophical themes 1649

Early works: Comus (masque), Lycidas (pastoral 1634,

John Milton 1608–1674 elegy) 1637

George Herbert 1593–1633 The Temple (a collection of religious poems) 1633

Poets like Robert Herrick, Richard Lovelace, and

Early 17th Thomas Carew celebrated themes of love, loyalty, 1625–
Cavalier Poetry century and honor 1649

Late works: The Sad Shepherd (pastoral play), A 1630–

Ben Jonson 1572–1637 Tale of a Tub 1637

Robert Herrick 1591–1674 Hesperides (a collection of poems) 1648

Armed conflict between Royalists (Cavaliers) and

The English Civil War Parliamentarians (Roundheads); heavily
begins 1642 influenced literature

A Ballad upon a Wedding, The Sessions of the

John Suckling 1609–1642 Poets 1630s

To Althea, from Prison, To Lucasta, Going to the

Richard Lovelace 1617–1657 Wars 1640s

Emblems (a collection of religious and allegorical

Francis Quarles 1592–1644 poetry) 1635

An Elegy upon the Death of Dr. Donne, The 1620s–

Thomas Carew 1595–1640 Rapture 1630s
 The Trial and The monarchy ends with Charles I’s execution,
Execution of Charles transitioning to the Commonwealth period under
1 1649 Oliver Cromwell

3. Commonwealth Period / Puritan Interregnum |1649 – 1660

• Puritanical governance, emphasized simplicity, morality, and religious piety, which

deeply influenced literature.

• Religious and moral topics dominated, and secular entertainment, like drama, was
suppressed

• Although restrained, the groundwork for later intellectual developments (e.g., the Royal
Society) was laid during this time

Cromwell becomes Lord Protector, establishing

Oliver Cromwell’s Rule 1653–1658 a Puritan-dominated government 1653

Eikonoklastes (defense of regicide), Defensio

pro Populo Anglicano (defense of the English 1649,
John Milton 1608–1674 people) 1651

Religious themes dominate literature; writers

Mid-17th like John Milton and George Herbert focus on 1649–
Religious Poetry century divine and moral questions 1660

Public stage plays remain banned during the

1642 Commonwealth, suppressing dramatic 1649–
Banning of Theatres (continued) literature 1660

To His Coy Mistress, An Horatian Ode upon

Andrew Marvell 1621–1678 Cromwell’s Return from Ireland 1650s
 Emphasis on moral and religious themes; stark
Puritan Influence on style; suppression of secular and extravagant 1649–
Literature 1649–1660 works 1660

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners

John Bunyan 1628–1688 (spiritual autobiography) 1660

Political Pamphlets Mid-17th Writers like Milton and Marvell produce tracts 1649–
and Tracts century addressing governance, liberty, and religion 1660

Scientific Development of scientific thought continued; 1649–

Advancements 17th century precursor to the Royal Society (founded 1660) 1660

Final battle of the English Civil War; solidifies

Battle of Worcester 1651 Cromwell’s control over England 1651

The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates, arguing

Milton’s Later Works 1608–1674 for the right to depose tyrannical rulers 1649

Suppression of Arts Strict Puritan morality leads to a decline in 1649–

and Entertainment 1649–1660 secular art forms, including drama and music 1660

Succeeds Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector but

resigns within a year, leading to the collapse of 1658–
Richard Cromwell 1626–1712 the Commonwealth 1659

Growing unrest and desire for the monarchy’s

Restoration return culminates in the Restoration of Charles 1659–
Movement Late 1650s II in 1660 1660
The Age of Enlightenment / Neoclassical Period | 1660 CE – 1790 CE

1. Restoration Period | 1660 – 1700

• revival of monarchy and the arts, following years of Puritan suppression.

• Restoration comedies and tragedies flourished, characterized by wit, sexual themes, and
critique of societal norms

• The Royal Society symbolized the age’s commitment to reason and experimentation.

• social and political commentaries.

• themes of slavery and colonialism, a precursor to later abolitionist literature.

Charles II is restored to the throne, ending the Puritan

Restoration of Commonwealth and ushering in a revival of arts and
Charles II 1660 literature 1660

Paradise Lost (epic poem), Paradise Regained, 1667,

John Milton 1608–1674 Samson Agonistes 1671

Absalom and Achitophel, Mac Flecknoe, Annus

Mirabilis, The Hind and the Panther, Restoration 1660s–
John Dryden 1631–1700 dramas 1680s

The Diary of Samuel Pepys (detailed accounts of 1660–

Samuel Pepys 1633–1703 Restoration society, the Great Fire, and the Plague) 1669

The Great Fire Devastates much of the city; sparks rebuilding efforts
of London 1666 and inspires literature

Celebrated wit, satire, and sexual innuendo;

Restoration Late 17th playwrights include William Congreve, George 1660s–
Comedy century Etherege, and Aphra Behn 1700
William
Wycherly 1641–1716 The Country Wife (Restoration comedy) 1675

Oroonoko (proto-novel about slavery and 1688,

Aphra Behn 1640–1689 colonialism), The Rover 1677

Principia Mathematica (revolutionizes physics and

Issac Newton 1643–1727 mathematics) 1687

William
Congreve 1670–1729 The Way of the World (Restoration comedy) 1700

The Licensing Reimposed censorship on printed works, limiting

Act of 1662 1662 freedom of the press

The Glorious Overthrow of James II and the establishment of

Revolution 1688 constitutional monarchy under William III and Mary II

Thomas Otway 1652–1685 Venice Preserv’d (tragedy) 1682

The Royal Founded to promote scientific thought and

Society 1660 experimentation

Sir George
Etherege 1636–1692 The Man of Mode (Restoration comedy) 1676

Satirical Late 17th Satire becomes a dominant literary form; Dryden and 1660–
Literature century others critique politics, society, and rival writers 1700

A Short View of the Immorality and Profaneness of

Jeremy Colllier 1650–1726 the English Stage (critique of Restoration drama) 1698
2. Augustan Age | 1700 – 1750

Literary movement emphasizing order,

Early 18th clarity, and classical ideals; major forms
Neoclassical Movement century include satire, essays, and poetry 1700–1750

1688– The Rape of the Lock, The Dunciad, An

Alexander Pope 1744 Essay on Criticism, An Essay on Man 1712–1743

1667– Gulliver’s Travels, A Modest Proposal, The 1726, 1729,

Jonathan Swift 1745 Drapier’s Letters 1724–1725

The Spectator (Joseph

Addison and Richard 1711– Essays promoting morality and societal
Steele) 1712 values through accessible prose 1711–1712

1660–
Daniel Defoe 1731 Robinson Crusoe, Moll Flanders 1719, 1722

Emergence of prose fiction as a dominant

Early 18th form; pioneered by Defoe, Richardson, and
The Rise of the Novel century Fielding 1700–1750

1689–
Samuel Richardson 1761 Pamela, Clarissa 1740, 1748

1707–
Henry Fielding 1754 Joseph Andrews, Tom Jones 1742, 1749

Battle of Blenheim (War British victory under Marlborough;

of the Spanish celebrated in political and patriotic
Succession) 1704 literature 1704
 Imposed strict censorship on plays,
The Licensing Act of 1737 1737 reshaping theatrical production 1737

1709– Early works; notable contributions to 1730s–

Samuel Johnson 1784 essays and periodicals 1740s

1700– The Seasons (a series of blank-verse

James Thomson 1748 poems celebrating nature) 1726–1730

1683– Night Thoughts (a long poem exploring

Edward Young 1765 themes of death, immortality, and religion) 1742–1745

1685– A Treatise Concerning the Principles of

George Berkeley 1753 Human Knowledge (philosophy) 1710

The Beggar’s Opera (John 1685– A satirical ballad opera critiquing

Gay) 1732 corruption in society 1728

18th Intellectual movement emphasizing

The Enlightenment century reason, science, and skepticism 1700–1750

1711–
David Hume 1776 A Treatise of Human Nature (philosophy) 1739–1740

William Hogarth (Painter 1697– Satirical engravings such as A Harlot’s 1730s–

and Satirist) 1764 Progress and Marriage A-la-Mode 1740s

1676– Britain’s first de facto Prime Minister;

Robert Walpole 1745 inspired political satire in literature 1721–1742
3. The Age Of Johnson / The Age of Sensibility | 1750 – 1790

1755, 1750–
1709– A Dictionary of the English Language, The 1752, 1759,
Samuel Johnson 1784 Rambler (essays), Rasselas, Lives of the Poets 1779–1781

1740– The Life of Samuel Johnson (a landmark in

James Boswell 1795 biographical literature) 1791

A Philosophical Enquiry into the Sublime and

1729– Beautiful, Reflections on the Revolution in
Edmund Burke 1797 France 1757, 1790

1728– The Vicar of Wakefield, She Stoops to 1766, 1773,

Oliver Goldsmith 1774 Conquer, The Deserted Village 1770

1716–
Thomas Gray 1771 Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard 1751

1731–
William Cowper 1800 The Task, Olney Hymns 1785, 1779

Literary group promoting intellectual

The Bluestocking 1750s– engagement among women, led by Elizabeth
Group 1780s Montagu and others 1750s–1780s

James 1736– Ossian Poems (claimed as translations of

Macpherson 1796 ancient Gaelic epics, sparking controversy) 1760–1765

Richard Brinsley 1751–

Sheridan 1816 The Rivals, The School for Scandal 1775, 1777

1717–
Horace Walpole 1797 The Castle of Otranto (first Gothic novel) 1764
 1755, 1750–
1709– A Dictionary of the English Language, The 1752, 1759,
Samuel Johnson 1784 Rambler (essays), Rasselas, Lives of the Poets 1779–1781

Sensibility Mid-18th Emphasis on emotional responsiveness,

Movement century sympathy, and moral virtue in literature 1750–1790

1752– Evelina, Cecilia (novels exploring manners and

Fanny Burney 1840 societal norms) 1778, 1782

Inspired literature reflecting political and

The American 1775– philosophical debates about liberty and
Revolution 1783 governance 1775–1783

Thomas 1752– Poems of Thomas Rowley (medieval-inspired

Chatterton 1770 poetry, later revealed as forgeries) 1770s

The Sublime in Mid-18th Influenced by Edmund Burke’s theory; inspired

Literature century works with themes of awe, terror, and nature 1750–1790

1757–
William Blake 1827 Poetical Sketches 1783

Reynolds and the

Royal Academy of Founded Sir Joshua Reynolds’ lectures promoted
Arts 1768 neoclassical aesthetics 1768

The French
Revolution Sparked interest in themes of freedom, equality,
(Beginning) 1789 and revolution in literature 1789
Romantic Period | 1785 CE – 1832 CE

Songs of Innocence, Songs of Experience, The 1789, 1794,

William Blake 1757–1827 Marriage of Heaven and Hell 1790–1793

William
Wordsworth 1770–1850 Lyrical Ballads (with Coleridge), The Prelude 1798, 1850

Samuel Taylor The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Kubla 1798, 1816,
Coleridge 1772–1834 Khan, Biographia Literaria 1817

Percy Bysshe 1818, 1820,

Shelley 1792–1822 Ozymandias, Prometheus Unbound, Adonais 1821

Ode to a Nightingale, Ode on a Grecian Urn, To

John Keats 1795–1821 Autumn 1819

Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Don Juan, She Walks in 1812–1818,

Lord Byron 1788–1824 Beauty 1819–1824

Mary Shelley 1797–1851 Frankenstein, The Last Man 1818, 1826

The French Inspired revolutionary ideas and themes of liberty

Revolution 1789 and equality in literature 1789

The Gothic Late 18th Continued growth of Gothic literature, including

Revival century Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein 1785–1832

Sir Walter Scott 1771–1832 Waverley (historical novel), Ivanhoe 1814, 1819

1811, 1813,
Jane Austen 1775–1817 Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma 1815
 Late 18th– Focused on emotion, nature, imagination, and
Romanticism early 19th individualism; reaction against industrialization
(Movement) c. and neoclassicism 1785–1832

Profound social and economic changes that

Industrial Late 18th influenced themes of alienation and progress in 1780s–
Revolution century Romantic literature 1830s

Anna Laetitia Eighteen Hundred and Eleven, poems exploring

Barbauld 1743–1825 political and social themes 1812

Table Talk, The Spirit of the Age (essays exploring

William Hazlitt 1778–1830 literature, philosophy, and culture) 1820s

Charles Lamb 1775–1834 Essays of Elia 1823

Thomas De
Quincey 1785–1859 Confessions of an English Opium-Eater 1821

The Peterloo Event that influenced radical literature and

Massacre 1819 themes of political justice 1819

The Shepherd’s Calendar, poems exploring rural

John Clare 1793–1864 life and nature 1827

Leigh Hunt 1784–1859 The Story of Rimini 1816

Marked the end of the Romantic period, initiating

The Reform Act 1832 political reform and a shift in literary focus 1832
Victorian Period | 1785 CE – 1832 CE

1. Early-Victorian Period | 1832 – 1848

1836, 1836–
1812– Sketches by Boz, The Pickwick Papers, 1837, 1837–
Charles Dickens 1870 Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby 1839, 1838–1839

Elizabeth Barrett 1806– Poems (Volume 1), The Seraphim, and

Browning 1861 Other Poems 1838, 1838

1795– Sartor Resartus, The French Revolution: A

Thomas Carlyle 1881 History 1833–1834, 1837

Alfred, Lord 1809– Poems, Chiefly Lyrical, Poems (Volume 2),

Tennyson 1892 The Lady of Shalott 1830, 1842, 1832

1818–
Emily Brontë 1848 Began writing Wuthering Heights 1845–1847

1816–
Charlotte Brontë 1855 Began writing Jane Eyre 1846–1847

Profound social and economic changes

Industrial 19th impacting literature and themes of class,
Revolution century labor, and industrial life 1830s–1840s

1810– Mary Barton (a novel addressing working-

Elizabeth Gaskell 1865 class struggles) 1848

The Chartist 1838– Working-class movement advocating for

Movement 1857 political reform 1838–1857

Literature addressing social issues such as

Social Problem 1830s– poverty, child labor, and industrial
Novel 1840s conditions 1830s–1840s
 1812–
Robert Browning 1889 Pauline, Paracelsus 1833, 1835

1803–
George Borrow 1881 The Bible in Spain 1843

Themes of morality, nature, and social

1830s– change emerged in the poetry of Tennyson,
Victorian Poetry 1840s Browning, and Barrett Browning 1832–1848

The Reform Act of Expanded voting rights; inspired political

1832 1832 and social commentary in literature 1832

The Corn Laws

(Repeal Movement Early Advocated for free trade, influencing
Begins) 1840s themes of economic reform in literature 1830s–1840s

1820– The Condition of the Working Class in

Friedrich Engels 1895 England 1845

2. Mid-Victorian Period | 1848 – 1870

Songs of Innocence, Songs of Experience, The 1789, 1794,

William Blake 1757–1827 Marriage of Heaven and Hell 1790–1793

William
Wordsworth 1770–1850 Lyrical Ballads (with Coleridge), The Prelude 1798, 1850

Samuel Taylor The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Kubla 1798, 1816,
Coleridge 1772–1834 Khan, Biographia Literaria 1817

Percy Bysshe 1818, 1820,

Shelley 1792–1822 Ozymandias, Prometheus Unbound, Adonais 1821
 Ode to a Nightingale, Ode on a Grecian Urn, To
John Keats 1795–1821 Autumn John Keats

Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Don Juan, She Walks

Lord Byron 1788–1824 in Beauty Lord Byron

Mary Shelley 1797–1851 Frankenstein, The Last Man Mary Shelley

The French Inspired revolutionary ideas and themes of The French

Revolution 1789 liberty and equality in literature Revolution

The Gothic Late 18th Continued growth of Gothic literature, including

Revival century Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein 1785–1832

Sir Walter Scott 1771–1832 Waverley (historical novel), Ivanhoe 1814, 1819

1811, 1813,
Jane Austen 1775–1817 Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma 1815

Late 18th– Focused on emotion, nature, imagination, and

Romanticism early 19th individualism; reaction against industrialization
(Movement) c. and neoclassicism 1785–1832

Profound social and economic changes that

Industrial Late 18th influenced themes of alienation and progress in
Revolution century Romantic literature 1780s–1830s

Anna Laetitia Eighteen Hundred and Eleven, poems exploring

Barbauld 1743–1825 political and social themes 1812

Table Talk, The Spirit of the Age (essays exploring

William Hazlitt 1778–1830 literature, philosophy, and culture) 1820s

Charles Lamb 1775–1834 Essays of Elia 1823

 Thomas De
Quincey 1785–1859 Confessions of an English Opium-Eater 1821

The Peterloo Event that influenced radical literature and

Massacre 1819 themes of political justice 1819

The Shepherd’s Calendar, poems exploring rural

John Clare 1793–1864 life and nature 1827

Leigh Hunt 1784–1859 The Story of Rimini 1816

Marked the end of the Romantic period,

initiating political reform and a shift in literary
The Reform Act 1832 focus 1832

3. Late-Victorian Period | 1870 – 1901

1891,
1840– Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Jude the Obscure, The 1895,
Thomas Hardy 1928 Mayor of Casterbridge 1886

1890,
1854– The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Importance of 1895,
Oscar Wilde 1900 Being Earnest, The Canterville Ghost 1887

1881,
1843– The Portrait of a Lady, The Turn of the 1898,
Henry James 1916 Screw, Daisy Miller 1878
 1912,
1856– Pygmalion, Man and Superman, Mrs. Warren’s 1903,
George Bernard Shaw 1950 Profession 1902

1875,
1844– The Wreck of the Deutschland, God’s 1877,
Gerard Manley Hopkins 1889 Grandeur, The Windhover 1877

1894,
1865– 1901,
Rudyard Kipling 1936 The Jungle Book, Kim, If— 1895

Thomas Morris (M. P. 1865– 1901,

Shiel) 1947 The Purple Cloud, The Last Man 1898

1898,
1866– The War of the Worlds, The Time Machine, The 1895,
H.G. Wells 1946 Invisible Man 1897

1851– 1893,
Henry Arthur Jones 1929 The Case of Rebellious Susan, The Liars 1887

The Pre-Raphaelite The movement continued into the late

Brotherhood 1848– Victorian period, influencing the aesthetic and 1848–
(Continued Influence) 1860s themes of late Victorian poetry. 1900s

Emphasized “art for art’s sake,” with figures like

The Aesthetic Late 19th Oscar Wilde, and sought to elevate beauty over 1870s–
Movement century social or political messages 1890s

Reaction against Victorian morality and social

The Decadent 1890s– values, focusing on excess, sensuality, and
Movement 1900s artifice (led by Oscar Wilde) 1890s
 The rise of suffragette movements and
Social Reform & Late 19th literature advocating for gender equality, 1870s–
Feminism century including works by George Eliot and others 1900

Charles Dickens
(Posthumous 1812– Continued posthumous influence as his works 1880s–
Influence) 1870 were adapted for stage and film 1900s

The impact of imperial wars, like the Boer War,

The Boer War (1899– 1899– influenced themes of imperialism and British 1899–
1902) 1902 identity in literature 1902

Beginning of a transition from Victorian realism

Late 19th to Modernism, focusing on experimental form 1890s–
The Rise of Modernism century and perspective in the 20th century 1901

1839– 1873,
Walter Pater 1894 The Renaissance, Marius the Epicurean 1885

Edwardian Period | 1901 CE – 1914 CE

1899,
1857– 1900,
Joseph Conrad 1924 Heart of Darkness, Lord Jim, Nostromo 1904

1908,
1879– A Room with a View, Howards End, Where 1910,
E.M. Forster 1970 Angels Fear to Tread 1905

1903,
1843– The Ambassadors, The Wings of the Dove, The 1902,
Henry James 1916 Golden Bowl 1904
 1925,
1882– Mrs. Dalloway, To the Lighthouse, The Voyage 1927,
Virginia Woolf 1941 Out 1915

1922,
1888– 1916,
Katherine Mansfield 1923 The Garden Party, Bliss, Prelude 1918

1908,
1866– The War in the Air, The First Men in the 1901,
H.G. Wells 1946 Moon, Kipps 1905

1906,
1867– The Forsyte Saga, The Man of Property, The 1906,
John Galsworthy 1933 Silver Box 1906

1873– 1915,
Ford Madox Ford 1939 The Good Soldier, Parade’s End 1924

1902,
1856– Pygmalion, Man and Superman, Mrs. Warren’s 1903,
George Bernard Shaw 1950 Profession 1902

1902,
1865– 1901,
Rudyard Kipling 1936 Just So Stories, Kim, The Jungle Book 1894

Focused on class, society, and individual

Early 20th struggles, with authors like Forster, 1901–
The Edwardian Novel century Galsworthy, and Conrad as key figures 1914

Early modernist experimentation with form

Early 20th and style in reaction to Victorianism and 1900s–
Modernism (Early) century Edwardian societal values 1914
 The fight for women’s suffrage and labor rights
Social Change and Early 20th significantly influenced literature (key figures 1900–
Suffrage Movement century like Emmeline Pankhurst) 1914

Event that influenced works on human hubris,

The Titanic Disaster social class, and the fragility of civilization in
(1912) 1912 literature 1912

Reflections on imperialism, identity, and the

1899– costs of empire appeared in the works of 1901–
The Boer War (Legacy) 1902 writers like Conrad and Kipling 1914

The Edwardian Period’s A move away from Victorian realism to more

Rise of Psychological Early 20th complex psychological explorations of 1901–
Realism century characters’ inner lives and motives 1914

Georgian Period | 1910 CE – 1936 CE

1902,
1856– Pygmalion, Man and Superman, Major 1903,
George Bernard Shaw 1950 Barbara 1905

1887–
Rupert Brooke 1915 1914 and Other Poems, The Soldier 1914

Dulce et Decorum Est, Anthem for Doomed 1917,

1893– Youth, The Parable of the Old Man and the 1917,
Wilfred Owen 1918 Young 1918

Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man, The War 1928,

1886– Poems of Siegfried Sassoon, The Old 1918,
Siegfried Sassoon 1967 Huntsman 1917
 1922,
1888– The Waste Land, The Love Song of J. Alfred 1915,
T.S. Eliot 1965 Prufrock, The Hollow Men 1925

1925,
1882– Mrs. Dalloway, To the Lighthouse, Jacob’s 1927,
Virginia Woolf 1941 Room 1922

1913,
1885– Sons and Lovers, Women in Love, Lady 1920,
D.H. Lawrence 1930 Chatterley’s Lover 1928

1910,
1879– Howards End, A Passage to India, Where 1924,
E.M. Forster 1970 Angels Fear to Tread 1905

1918,
1844– Poems, The Wreck of the Deutschland, The 1875,
Gerard Manley Hopkins 1889 Windhover 1877

1901,
1866– The War of the Worlds, The Time 1895,
H.G. Wells 1946 Machine, The Invisible Man 1897

The Georgian Poets Focused on pastoral poetry, traditional verse,

(including Rupert Brooke, Early and nature, often contrasting the horrors of
Edward Thomas, and 20th war with the beauty of the English 1900–
others) century countryside 1936

A group of intellectuals and writers including

Early Virginia Woolf, E.M. Forster, and Lytton
20th Strachey, influencing modernism, art, and 1910s–
The Bloomsbury Group century society 1930s
 A literary movement characterized by
Early experimental forms, psychological depth,
Modernism (Continued 20th and themes of alienation (Eliot, Woolf, and 1910s–
Development) century others) 1930s

Major influence on literature, particularly the

1914– war poets and the disillusionment reflected 1914–
World War I 1918 in works by Owen, Brooke, and Sassoon 1918

Irish authors like W.B. Yeats, James Joyce,

Early and George Bernard Shaw contributed to a
20th national literary movement, influencing the 1900s–
The Irish Literary Revival century Georgian period 1930s

Early Writers like Virginia Woolf and others

Feminist Movement 20th addressed feminist concerns in their works, 1910s–
(Women Writers) century advancing the role of women in literature 1930s

Economic downturn influenced literature’s

focus on social realism and economic
1929– hardship (notably in the works of D.H. 1929–
The Great Depression 1939 Lawrence) 1936

Modern Period | ~1914 CE – 1945 CE

1922,
1888– The Waste Land, The Love Song of J. Alfred 1915,
T.S. Eliot 1965 Prufrock, The Hollow Men 1925

1925,
1882– 1927,
Virginia Woolf 1941 Mrs. Dalloway, To the Lighthouse, Jacob’s Room 1922
 1922,
1882– Ulysses, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young 1916,
James Joyce 1941 Man, Dubliners 1914

1913,
1885– Sons and Lovers, Women in Love, Lady Chatterley’s 1920,
D.H. Lawrence 1930 Lover 1928

1909,
1874– Three Lives, Tender Buttons, The Autobiography of 1914,
Gertrude Stein 1946 Alice B. Toklas 1933

1924,
1879– A Passage to India, Howards End, Where Angels Fear 1910,
E.M. Forster 1970 to Tread 1905

1920,
1865– 1928,
W.B. Yeats 1939 The Second Coming, The Tower, The Winding Stair 1929

1951,
1914– Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, Under Milk 1954,
Dylan Thomas 1953 Wood, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog 1940

1932,
1894– 1921,
Aldous Huxley 1963 Brave New World, Crome Yellow, Point Counter Point 1928

1901,
1866– The War of the Worlds, The Time Machine, The 1895,
H.G. Wells 1946 Invisible Man 1897

1947,
1907– The Age of Anxiety, The Shield of Achilles, Funeral 1955,
W.H. Auden 1973 Blues 1936
 A group of intellectuals and writers including Virginia
The Bloomsbury Early 20th Woolf, E.M. Forster, and Lytton Strachey, influencing 1910s–
Group century modernism, art, and society 1930s

A literary movement characterized by

experimentation with form and content, stream of
Early 20th consciousness, and a break with tradition (Woolf, 1910s–
Modernism century Joyce, Eliot) 1940s

The focus on individualism, meaninglessness, and

Existentialism 1920s– existential crises, with authors like Beckett and Camus 1920s–
and Absurdism 1940s influencing literature 1940s

While not British, this cultural movement in the U.S.

influenced British writers and themes of race, identity,
The Harlem and culture in works of writers like Langston Hughes
Renaissance 1920s and others 1920s

The war influenced much of the literature of the time,

1914– particularly with the disillusionment expressed in 1914–
World War I 1918 works by Owen, Sassoon, and other war poets 1918

This global economic downturn influenced many

works focused on poverty, class struggles, and the
The Great 1929– failure of social systems. Key writers include Huxley 1929–
Depression 1939 and Woolf 1939

World War II influenced the literature of the time,

1939– with writers reflecting on the impact of war, 1939–
World War II 1945 totalitarianism, and social collapse. 1945
Postmodern Period | 1945 CE –

1953,
1957,
Samuel Beckett 1906–1989 Waiting for Godot, Endgame, Krapp’s Last Tape 1958

1979,
The Bloody Chamber, Wise Children, Nights at the 1991,
Angela Carter 1940–1992 Circus 1984

1981,
1947– Midnight’s Children, The Satanic Verses, The 1988,
Salman Rushdie Present Moor’s Last Sigh 1995

2005,
1946– Arthur & George, The Sense of an 2011,
Julian Barnes Present Ending, Flaubert’s Parrot 1984

2001,
1948– 1998,
Ian McEwan Present Atonement, Amsterdam, Enduring Love 1997

1985,
1959– Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, Written on the 1992,
Jeanette Winterson Present Body, The Passion 1987

1989,
1954– The Remains of the Day, Never Let Me Go, The 2005,
Kazuo Ishiguro Present Buried Giant 2015

1973,
1937– 1966,
Thomas Pynchon Present Gravity’s Rainbow, The Crying of Lot 49, V. 1963
 1984,
1949– 1989,
Martin Amis Present Money, London Fields, The Information 1995

1985,
1936– 1997,
Don DeLillo Present White Noise, Underworld, Libra 1988

Literary movement characterized by a rejection of

Mid 20th metanarratives, experimental forms,
century– intertextuality, and playfulness with language and 1945–
Postmodernism Present meaning Present

Fiction that self-consciously addresses the devices

Late 20th of fiction, often breaking the fourth wall (e.g., If on 1950s–
Metafiction century a Winter’s Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino) Present

The blending of magical or fantastical elements

20th–21st with reality, seen in the works of writers like 1960s–
Magical Realism century Gabriel García Márquez and Rushdie Present

Literature that addresses gender, identity, and the

Mid 20th power dynamics of patriarchy, often seen in
century– writers like Angela Carter, Jeanette Winterson, and 1960s–
Feminist Literature Present Doris Lessing Present

The postcolonial perspective influences literature,

The Fall of the Mid 20th as writers explore themes of cultural identity, 1945–
British Empire century migration, and postcolonial issues Present

Late 20th– The rise of digital technology, the internet, and

Cultural and 21st mass media leads to new ways of storytelling and 1990s–
Technological Shifts century interactivity in literature Present
The Rise of Digital The advent of digital literature, e-books, and
Literature and E- 2000s– interactive narratives; new forms of storytelling 2000s–
books Present emerge in digital formats Present

Globalization and Writers like Aravind Adiga, Zadie Smith, and

Postcolonial 21st Bernardine Evaristo address issues of 2000s–
Themes century globalization, migration, and cultural identity Present

Focus on climate change, environmental

Environmental 21st degradation, and sustainability in works by writers 2000s–
Literature century like Amitav Ghosh, and others Present

Transculturalism Exploration of multicultural identity, migration,

and 21st and intercultural exchange in the works of authors 2000s–
Multiculturalism century like Zadie Smith Present

Writers like Sarah Waters, Jeanette Winterson, and

21st Ali Smith explore LGBTQ+ themes, gender identity, 2000s–
Queer Literature century and sexualities Present