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Period: 450 to 1066
Old English
This period of literature dates back to their invasion (along with the Jutes) of Celtic England circa 450. The era ends in 1066 when Norman France, under William, conquered England. Much of the first half of this period, had oral literature. A lot of the prose during this time was a translation of something else or otherwise legal, medical, or religious in nature; however, some works, such as Beowulf and those by period poets Caedmon and Cynewulf, are important -
Period: 1066 to 1500
Middle English
The Middle English we can recognize today as a form of “modern” (recognizable) English. As with the Old English period, much of the Middle English writings were religious in nature; however, from about 1350 onward, secular literature began to rise. This period is home to the likes of Chaucer, Thomas Malory, and Robert Henryson. Notable works include "Piers Plowman" and "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight." -
Period: 1500 to
English Renaissance
This period is often subdivided into four parts, including, the Elizabethan Age(1558–1603) . Some of its noteworthy figures include Christopher Marlowe, and of course, William Shakespeare. The Jacobean Age(1603–1625) is named for the reign of James I. It includes the works of John Donne. The Caroline Age(1625–1649) John Milton and George Herbert are some of the notable figures. Finally, the Commonwealth Period (1649–1660) John Milton and Thomas Hobbes’ political writings appeared. -
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The Neoclassical Period
This period is also subdivided into ages, including The Restoration (1660–1700) Satire became quite popular, as evidenced by the success of Samuel Butler. Other notable writers of the age include Aphra Behn, and John Locke. The Augustan Age (1700–1745) Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, a poe t, was prolific at this time and noted for challenging stereotypically female role Daniel Defoe was also popular; and The Age of Sensibility (1745–1785) was the time of Edmund Burke and Samuel Johnson. -
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The Romantic Period
The time period ends with the passage of the Reform Bill (which signaled the Victorian Era) and with the death of Sir Walter Scott. This era includes the works of such juggernauts as Wordsworth, Coleridge, William Blake, Lord Byron, Charles Lamb, Mary Wollstonecraft, Jane Austen, and Mary Shelley. There is also a minor period, also quite popular (between 1786–1800), called the Gothic era. Writers of note for this period include Matthew Lewis, Anne Radcliffe, and William Beckford. -
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The Victorian Period
This period is named for the reign of Queen Victoria. The period has often been divided into “Early” (1832–1848), “Mid” (1848–1870) and “Late” (1870–1901). The Victorian period is in strong contention with the Romantic period for being the most popular,in all of English (and world) literature. Poets of this time include Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, among others. Finally, prose fiction truly found its place under the auspices of Charles Dickens and Elizabeth Gaskell. -
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The Edwardian Period
This period is named for King Edward VII and covers the period between Victoria’s death and the outbreak of World War I. The era includes incredible classic novelists such as Joseph Conrad, Ford Madox Ford, Rudyard Kipling, H.G. Wells, and Henry James (who was born in America but spent most of his writing career in England); notable poets such as Alfred Noyes and William Butler Yeats; and dramatists such as James Barrie, George Bernard Shaw, and John Galsworthy. -
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The Georgian Period
The Georgian period usually refers to the reign of George V (1910–1936) but sometimes also includes the reigns of the four successive Georges from 1714–1830. Georgian poetry today is typically considered to be the works of minor poets anthologized by Edward Marsh. The themes and subject matter tended to be rural or pastoral in nature, treated delicately and traditionally rather than with passion or with experimentation. -
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The Modern Period
This period traditionally applies to works written after the start of World War I. Common features include bold experimentation with subject matter, encompassing narrative, verse, and drama. This period include the novelists Virginia Woolf, and D.H. Lawrence; the poets W.B. Yeats, and T.S. Eliot; and the dramatists Tom Stoppard and George Shaw. New Criticism also appeared at this time, led by the likes of William Empson, and others, which reinvigorated literary criticism in general. -
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The Postmodern Period
It begins about the time that World War II ended. Many believe it is a direct response to modernism. Some say the period ended about 1990, but it is likely too soon to declare this period closed. Poststructuralist literary theory and criticism developed during this time. Some notable writers of the period include Samuel Beckett, Joseph Heller, Anthony Burgess, John Fowles, Penelope M. Lively, and Iain Banks. Many postmodern authors wrote during the modern period as well.