This document provides an in-depth summary of the main literary eras from Medieval Literature to Postmodern style written by an A* English Literature student (a list of all eras in the document can be found below). Each era contains information on style, genre, context, content, and much more to en...
Medieval literature (1066-1500)
Medieval literature focused upon religion and is renowned for its Christian references in literature,
talk would come of great pieces, encouraging thousands to learn the art of reading and writing.
Content:
- plays that showcase illiterate population
- chivalric code of honour/romances/ courtly love/ Knight in shining armour
- religious devotion
Style/Genres:
- oral tradition continues
- folk ballads
- mystery and miracle plays
- morality plays
- stock epithets
- Kennings
- frame stories
- moral tales
Effect:
- morality plays instruct the population
- an illiterate population can hear and see the literature
Historical Context:
- Trading increases dramatically as a result of the Crusades
- William the Conqueror crowned king in 1066
- In 1154, Henry III was crowned king and brings chivalry, royal courts and a judicial system to Britain
KEY TEXTS/AUTHORS
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight /Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales /Dante’s ‘The Divine Comedy’
, Renaissance and Early Modern literature
Renaissance (1485 – 1600) and Early Modern (1500 – 1700)
Content:
- Popular theme: many aspects of love explored
- Unrequited love
- Constant love
- Timeless love
- Courtly love
- Love subject to change
Styles/ Genres:
- The sonnet: Shakespearean vs Petrarchan
- Metaphysical poetry
- Elaborate and unexpected metaphor = conceits
- Written in verse
- Tragedies, comedies, histories
Effect:
- Rise of humanism
- Literature gained greater psychological complexity
Historical context:
- The Black Death - by killing a large percentage of the population, ironically, the economy improved
and allowed wealthy people to invest in art and engage in the secular scholarly study
- During the 18th century, the Enlightenment ended with the French and American revolutions.
Philosophy and science increased in prominence.
KET TEXTS/AUTHORS
William Shakespeare/ Metaphysical poets: John Donne, Andrew Marvell/ Niccolò Machiavelli ‘The
Prince’
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