A Brief History of English Literature: The 8 Major Periods
Prehistoric Times
The history of English literature begins in prehistoric times. Beowulf is one of the earliest surviving examples. It was written by an unknown Anglo-Saxon author sometime between the 8th and 11th centuries. Roughly 200 years after that, the first French poem was composed (by Chrétien de Troyes). Around this time, in England, Geoffrey Chaucer began to write his poems. More history can be found at: History of English Literature - Chronology Of Works
First two Millennia BC
It is unknown which came first, spoken language or written language. Many believe that written languages may have evolved from spoken languages, but others disagree. What is certain is that many different cultures in different parts of the world developed writing systems independently. One such example is Sumerian cuneiform script (dating back to at least 3200 BC). It is the earliest known writing system and one of the most successful ancient civilizations for propagating their language's spoken form into a widely accepted and used written form.
The earliest texts ever found are inscribed on clay tablets from Mesopotamia. These tablets date back as far as 3400 BC and were discovered at Nineveh. They consist of numerical notations, lists of goods, literary works such as epic poems, hymns, law codes and information about economic transactions. These scripts were mostly pictorial representations using either cuneiform or linear signs that represent syllables rather than individual sounds like phonetic scripts do. Cuneiform was adapted by many other languages including Akkadian, Urartian and Hittite among others - even the Egyptians adapted it for their hieroglyphics! In fact there is evidence that Babylonians used a true alphabet around 1800 BC; however there was no way to use this alphabet since people did not know how to read yet!
Third and Fourth Centuries
After the dissolution of the Roman Empire, early medieval scholars continued to read and translate classical Greek texts as Latin declined. Books were often written in a strange combination of scripts and languages called uncial letters. Around 800 CE, scholars at King Alfred's Academy began to use a modified set of Anglo-Saxon characters that came to be known as Old English.
English came into its own during the Middle Ages when it became more popular for nobles to learn how to read and write rather than simply rely on spoken word. As society shifted from an agricultural economy to one based in crafts and commerce, books also shifted from religious material towards practical instruction in various trades or skills.
Fifth Century
Much of what is known about the ancient Britons and Anglo-Saxons comes from writings by Christian monks in Britain who lived between 500 and 1000 A.D. This includes Gildas, Bede, Aldhelm, Boniface, Cædmon and Willibrord who was later canonized as Saint Willebrord. Celtic literature also survived the invasion. In the 7th century Christian missionaries began preaching among the Anglo-Saxons on a large scale, notably St Columba (c521-597) and St Augustine (c354-430). Learning to read and write soon became widespread because Christianity required those undertaking this education to do so in Latin rather than English or Celtic vernaculars.
Sixth Century
This period was a tumultuous time for England, and ushered in the end of Roman Britain. At this time, Britons were emerging from the Dark Ages and were encountering Roman civilization for the first time. In the southeast and around London, towns developed into trade hubs in order to exchange wool and hides with Southern Europe. Christianity reached even more people during this period as it became the state religion thanks to King Ethelbert. Bede was an early scholar from this era who wrote a history that included information about government, law, geography, tribes and battles among other topics. It is believed that he was inspired by Gregory's Historia Langobardorum when writing his own work.
The Viking Age began in 793 A.D., when Vikings sailed up the River Thames and attacked the monasteries on its banks. A generation later, they established their own kingdom in York, where they built ships and traded goods across Northern Europe with their large network of trading posts.
In 959 A.D., Alfred the Great restored stability to England by defeating invading Danes at Edington and forcing them back over seas - unifying what had been several kingdoms under one ruler after centuries of unrest and warfare between them.
Seventh through Tenth Centuries
The Anglo-Saxon period was the first true historical period in the history of English literature. It marks the transition from Old English to Middle English, and lasted from the seventh through tenth centuries. During this time, much literature in England was written in Latin or French, not until King Alfred's reign in the ninth century did Anglo-Saxon become more popular. Literacy during this period was limited as most literature was only read aloud to those who could afford books. A huge majority of writings during this time were religious texts which found their inspiration from bible stories or church teachings. The three surviving manuscripts from this era are Caedmon’s Hymn, The Dream of the Rood, and Exeter Book.
Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries
This was a period that led to the establishment of vernacular poetry, like Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde and Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron. These writers used their language in new ways, with more variation in syntax, phonology, and vocabulary. They also experimented with Latin elements such as hiatuses and onomatopoeia. Some famous writers from this period are Gower, Chaucer, Langland, Christine de Pizan (feminist), John Lydgate (focusing on Arthurian legend), Jean Froissart (early prose), Dante Alighieri (Italian) Geoffrey Chaucer.
Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Centuries
During the 13th century, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote one of the earliest works in English, The Canterbury Tales. William Langland also wrote Piers Plowman around this time.
The 14th century gave birth to a new genre called the romance. John Gower and Jean Froissart are two notable authors from this era. And Geoffrey Chaucer published Troilus and Criseyde, one of his most popular poems.
English supports Tourism
English literature supports tourism in many ways. It is the main language that some literary regions use, giving it a more authentic feel to foreign visitors. Foreigners can read and appreciate it as a way to learn about British culture without having to take costly courses. Plus, translations are always a plus for tourists who want to try something new or travelers who might be feeling homesick.
English Poetry
The second period of English literature begins with John Milton and his epic poems, Paradise Lost (1667) and Paradise Regained (1671). After that, the Romantics such as Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth brought Romanticism to England in the early 1800s. Other famous poets during this time are John Keats, Percy Shelley, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and Christina Rossetti. This era is known for its emphasis on the emotion behind poetry rather than poetic technique. In the mid-1800s Thomas Hardy published Far from the Madding Crowd which is considered a realist novel set in rural Victorian England.
Modern day English
Up until 1775, the British Empire had a prominent position in global affairs. At this time, England was the preeminent military and economic power in Europe, with colonies around the world. After 1775, British trade began to decline as other European nations became stronger militarily and economically. Slowly, other literary traditions were created that differed from traditional 18th century texts. Examples include Romanticism and Gothic literature. There were many additional changes to culture during the 19th century that influenced literature including imperialism, industrialization, urbanization and spiritualism. Modern day English is a mix of different genres and themes for which its period names can be vague or disputed by scholars. These categories include Victorian Literature (1837-1901), Edwardian Literature (1901-1910), Georgian Poetry (1714-1830), Neoclassical Poetry (1660-1790) and Restoration Poetry (1660-1700). We’ve included the most popular books from each category below.
