The Beat Movement
1. When was it? 1944 - 2. Who was writing? Jack KerouacAllen GinsbergWilliam BurroughsKen Kesey 3. History The Beat Movement (participants of which are known as 'The Beat Generation') was formed around a group of American writers who came to prominence at the conclusion of World War II. The origins of the movement…
Modernism
1. When was it? Late 19th Century - Early 20th Century 2. Who was writing? Joseph ConradFranz KafkaGeorge Bernard ShawJames EliotVirginia WoolfEzra PoundThomas MannGertrude SteinF. Scott LawrenceErnest HemingwayGeorge OrwellArthur MillerTennessee WilliamsAlbert CamusWilliam FaulknerGraham GreeneIsaac Asimov 3. History The beginning of the 20th century was a time when unifying ideals such as national identity,…
The Victorian Era
1. When was it? 1837-1901 2. Who was writing? William ThackerayCharles DickensAlfred, Lord TennysonCharlotte BrontëEmily BrontëAnne BrontëGeorge EliotRobert BrowningThomas HardyDante Gabriel RossettiChristina RossettiOscar Wilde 3. History The Victorian Age was the height of the British Empire. The largest empire in history, it ruled over nearly a quarter of the world's population and…
Gothic Literature
1. When was it? Mid-18th century - present Gothic literature reached the height of its popularity in the 19th century. 2. Who was writing? Ann RadcliffeMary ShelleyEdgar Allan PoeBram StokerHenry James 3. History Gothic literature grew out of literary habits and styles of the 18th and 19th centuries. The long, sweeping romances of…
The Romantic Period
1. When was it? 2. Who was writing? William BlakeRobert BurnsMary WollstonecraftWilliam WordsworthDorothy WordsworthSamuel Taylor ColeridgeGeorge Gordon, Lord ByronPercy Bysshe ShelleyJohn Keats 3. History The Enlightenment had brought about great social transformation in England, with endeavours for a fairer social model and an embracing of scientific, industrial and philosophical order. Such feelings were not…
The Restoration and 18th Century
1. When was it? 1660 - late 18th century 2. Who was writing? John DrydenJonathan SwiftAlexander PopeDaniel DefoeSamuel JohnsonJames Boswell 3. History After the execution of Charles I in 1649, England existed as a republic until 1660 when, following the death of Oliver Cromwell in 1658, political forces brought Charles's son to…
The Elizabethan Period
1. When was it? 1558-1603 2. Who was writing? John DonneEdmund SpenserSir Philip SidneyThomas MiddletonWilliam ShakespeareChristopher MarloweBen JohnsonJohn LylyThomas NasheThomas Wyatt 3. History Continuing from her father, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I oversaw a time of conquest and English dominance in Western Europe and beyond. With increased power, finance, and education, this was…
Middle English
1. When was it? 1066 - 16th century The height of Middle English literature is generally seen as the 14th-15th century. 2. Who was writing? Geoffrey ChaucerJohn LydgateJohn Skelton 3. History The Norman Conquest of 1066 saw much of modern-day England fall to William the Conqueror, a duke in Normandy,…
Old English
1. When was it? c. 5th century - Pre-14th century The first known 'Old English' texts date from around the 7th century. 2. Who was writing? Few of the written examples of Old English denote the author. However, some are known: Cædmon (*the earliest known Old English writer)BedeAldhelmCynewulf . 3. History Prior to…