Survey of British Literature The Historical and Social Context for Prominent Literary Movements, Key Genres, Major Writers, and Notable Works 449-1066 A.D. – The Anglo-Saxon Period 1066-1485 A.D. – The Medieval Period 1485-1660 A.D. – The English Renaissance 1660-1798 A.D. – The Restoration & Enlightenment Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

The Anglo-Saxon Period 449 A.D. – 1066 A.D. Live fast, die young, and be a good looking epic hero. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

The Romans Arrive in Britain Julius Caesar arrived in 55 B.C. Romans established towns and cities. Romans brought high civilization to Britain. Romans withdrew during the fifth century and left Britain on its own. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

The Anglo-Saxon Period Angles, Saxons, Jutes, and other Germanic tribes began invasions around 449 A.D. They were pagan warriors who believed in “wyrd” (fate or destiny). They eventually became more settled and accepted Christianity. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

The Growth of Christianity Even though Roman power collapsed in Britain, Christianity never truly faded. St. Patrick (of Ireland) and St. Augustine (founded Canterbury) helped spread the faith throughout the British Isles. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

The Danish Invasions – Part I In the 790s, Danish invaders (Vikings) began raiding and settling in Britain. King Alfred the Great (Anglo-Saxon) defeated the Danes and forced them to accept Christianity. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

The Danish Invasions – Part II Edward the Confessor became king in 1042, but he had little support. He named Harold, earl of Wessex, as his successor. William the Conqueror, who was duke of Normandy in France, killed Harold in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings; William was the last successful invader of Britain. William’s invasion ended the Anglo-Saxon Period. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Literature of the Anglo-Saxons Beowulf The Seafarer The Wanderer The Wife’s Lament A History of the English Church and People Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

The Medieval Period 1066 A.D. – 1485 A.D. Welcome to the age of chivalry – and be glad you’re not a peasant. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Life Under William the Conqueror William the Conqueror came from Normandy, so he brought French ways to the Anglo-Saxons. He established feudalism, a political and economic system. Anglo-Saxons were at the bottom of the society. William’s barons fought for control after his death. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Henry II & Eleanor of Aquitaine Henry II was the grandson of William the Conqueror. He reformed the judicial system. His wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, was French and imported the idea of chivalry. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Richard the Lionhearted & King John Richard the Lionhearted fought in the Crusades and in France. John became king when his brother, Richard, died. In 1215, John was forced to sign the Magna Carta (“Great Charter”), which gave more power to the nobles. The signing of this document was an early step toward democracy. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

The Decline of Feudalism The growth of towns and trade led to a decrease in the power of nobles. Merchants became more and more important and wealthy. Universities, such as Oxford, helped advance knowledge. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Plague, War, and Death Stalks the Land War between England and France lasted off and on for more than a century. The Black Death (plague) killed 1/3 of England’s population. English King Henry V defeated the French at Agincourt; the female French war leader Joan of Arc lifted the siege of Orleans. War of the Roses – Henry Tudor (Lancaster) defeated Richard III (York) in 1485 and became Henry VII. The Medieval Period comes to a close in England. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Literature of the Medieval Period Notable works The Canterbury Tales Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Le Morte D’Arthur Various mystery, miracle & morality plays Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

The English Renaissance 1485 A.D. – 1660 A.D. Rebirth! Renewal! Reawakening! The movement started in Italy, but it didn’t stop there. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Major Themes of the Renaissance Intellectual focus moved from religion and the afterlife to life on earth. Art and literature flourished. Ancient Greek and Roman civilizations served as models for European culture. Emphasis was placed on the individual – the idea of the “Renaissance Man” was born. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

England – the Slow Learner The War of the Roses delayed adoption of Renaissance ideas. When the war ended, Henry Tudor became King Henry VII. Henry VII expanded English holdings in the New World, negotiated favorable treaties, allied with Spain, and married his two sons to the same woman…but not at the same time. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Henry VIII – A Renaissance Man King Henry VIII succeeded his father, Henry VII, in 1509 Henry VIII was a true Renaissance Man – an athlete, poet, musician, linguist, etc. At first, Henry VIII remained a strong Catholic, loyal to the Pope in Rome. But… Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Henry VIII – The Dark Side Henry’s first wife, Catherine, never gave birth to a son, but she did produce a daughter, Mary. Hoping for a son, Henry broke away from the Catholic Church and married Anne Boleyn. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Henry VIII – The Dark Side Henry founded the Anglican Church, with himself as the head. Anne produced a daughter, Elizabeth. Henry later had Anne executed. Henry married yet again, and finally got a son, Edward VI, who died at 15 after reigning for only six years. Henry had six wives in total. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Elizabeth: Queen and True Diva Elizabeth’s older sister Mary ruled until she died in 1558. Mary tried to convert the English back to Catholicism. The English rejected Mary’s efforts. The English people welcomed Elizabeth as queen after Mary’s death. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Elizabeth I: A Modern Monarch Elizabeth was one of the most effective English monarchs. She excelled in politics, management, diplomacy, and warfare. She executed her rival, Mary Queen of Scots, in 1587 and defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588. She wrote poetry as well as ruled England as queen. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

The Rise and Fall of the Stuarts Elizabeth died in 1603. She was followed by James I (James VI) of Scotland, who united Scotland and England and is still known for his version of the Bible. James’s son, Charles I, became king in 1625. Neither James nor his son were as effective as Elizabeth. Charles plunged England into civil war in 1637. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

The English Commonwealth Charles’s Royalist forces were defeated by rebels under Oliver Cromwell in 1645. Charles was executed in 1649. Cromwell ruled as “Lord Protector” of the Commonwealth. His son, Richard Cromwell, followed him, but was a terrible ruler. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

The Restoration of the Monarchy Richard Cromwell did such a poor job ruling England that Parliament kicked him out. In 1660, Parliament invited Charles II, son of Charles I, to return and rule. This was known as the Restoration. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Literary Movements of the Renaissance Period in England Poetry Lyric Poems – express the emotional aspect of the poet’s feelings; often meant to be sung Followed a set form (sonnet form was common) Followed a set rhyme scheme Drama Shakespeare Marlowe Comedies, Tragedies, Histories Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Restoration & Enlightenment 1660 AD – 1798 AD Reason and Intellectualism Influence Art, Politics, Science and, of course, Literature Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis Why “Restoration”? England hoped for a prosperous and secure time after its rocky Civil War and demise of a national church. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Restoration More Than a Name This time in English history had many names. None of the names completely described the time period. But each name described a particular aspect of the time: Neoclassicism or Augustan Age; the Restoration; the English Enlightenment; the Age of Reason; the Age of Satire. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Inequality in Restoration Society A huge gap existed between the wealthy and the poor. The wealthy wasted money while London children and the impoverished died of poor nutrition and health. The writer Samuel Pepys’ secret diary allowed historians a means to experience the inequities and characteristics of Restoration England. Daniel DeFoe’s Journal of a Plague Year documented the year 1665, which brought mass destruction to England. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Deism, Age of Reason, and Enlightenment Thinking Renewed interest in classical writers such as Aristotle reminded English thinkers of the power of the scientific method. Philosophers such as Hume popularized a “faithless” religion called Deism. The Enlightenment’s reach stretched to politics as well. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Creating a New Social Order The Restoration was a time when leaders attempted to create order from chaos. Samuel Johnson accepted the challenge to compile an English dictionary. Writers like Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift revealed social inequities with their witty use of satire. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis The Growth of Novels Daniel DeFoe’s adventure novel Robinson Crusoe popularized the English novel. Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones and Samuel Richardson’s Clarissa followed. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Odes & Elegies Gain Prominence In poetry, the ode and the elegy increased in popularity. Odes are formal tributes to an honoured, absent subject. Elegies are similar to odes, but feature a tone of mourning as they pay tribute to someone who has passed on. Thomas Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” is a famous example from this period. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

The Theatre Experiences Rebirth Puritan disapproval of the theatre faded in this century, and theatre became another outlet for social satire. Restoration comedies addressed social issues like manners. The works were sophisticated in style and mature in content. John Dryden’s “Essay of Dramatic Poesy” brought Shakespeare back to center stage. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Female Writers Gain a Voice Aphra Behn published poetry and short novels, ensuring her place in history as the first seriously respected female English writer. Lady Mary Montagu was a well-travelled and sophisticated poet. These two writers demonstrated skill in what was once a male-only profession. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis

Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis The End of the Restoration Becomes the Beginning of the Romantic Period Like many artistic movements, the pendulum swung far toward rational and scientific thought, but a subsequent movement emerged that took the opposite approach. The interest in odes continued, but the late 1700s brought about a new “Romantic” era that focused on the individual, not society, and praised direct, emotional expression. Copyright 2014 - Peter S. Willis