Historians have divided English literature into periods for convenience. The numbers, dates or the names of the periods sometimes vary. The following list follows the prevalent practice of listing:
450-1066 Old English (Anglo-Saxon) Period
(From the invasion of the Celtic England by Germanic tribes to the conquest of England in 1066 by the Norman French)
Anglo Saxon Period- Chronology
Literature:
Poetry was written in the vernacular – Anglo Saxon – called Old English
Beowulf – the greatest of Germanic epics
Caedmon and Cynewulf wrote on religious and biblical themes
Alfred the Great translated several books of Latin prose into Old English, and also recorded the important events in England.
1066-1500 Middle English Period
About 1500 – the standard literary language took the form of “modern English”
1100-1350 – the non-Latin literature was produced in the French dialect (by the invades who were then the ruling class of England)
The important work of this period was Guillaume de Lorris’ and Jean de Meun’s Roman de la Rose
Later on, the narrative vernacular – middle English – became the literary language especially for religious writings
The secular literature became more popular in the second half of the 14th century. This was the age of Chaucer and John Gower. Remarkable works of this time were William Langland’s great religious and satirical poem Piers Plowmen, and Thomas Malory’s the famous prose romance called Morte d’ Arthur.
The 15th century poets: “Scottish Chaucerians”
King James I and Robert Henryson occupied chief position.
15th century was remarkable for popular literature addressed to the upper class. It was the age of excellent songs and of folk ballads, and was the time of the miracle and morality plays.
1500-1600 The Renaissance (Early Modern) Period
1558-1603 Elizabethan Age
1603-1625 Jacobean Age
1625-1649 Caroline Age
1649-1660 Commonwealth Period
1600-1785 The Neo-classical Period
1660-1700 Restoration Period
1700-1745 The Augustan Age
1745-1783 The Age Of Sensibility
1785-1830 The Romantic Period
1832-1901 The Victorian Period
1848-1860 The Pre-Raphaelites
1880-1901 Aestheticism and Decadence
1901-1910 The Edwardian Period
1910-1914 The Georgian Period
1914- The Modern Period
1945- Post Modernism
Green Moments
Reflections: A Collection of Short Poetry
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July 24, 2009 at 2:58 am
thanks for such a nice reminder of e-lit (rita roswita duyo, lecturer of e-lit in YPUP college at Makassar, indonesia)
April 21, 2010 at 9:29 am
Thank you very much for uploading the information about the history of English language and literature which will be very useful for many learners like me
May 3, 2010 at 11:42 am
Further breakdown of the periods is highly needed
August 5, 2010 at 6:33 pm
Its really helpful and interesting to go through such informative blog
August 5, 2010 at 6:37 pm
information about periods of english literature can be helpful in order to understand english literature better thank u for that
October 16, 2010 at 8:22 am
It is very helpful for competitive exams and to go deep in the history of eng. Lit.
October 16, 2010 at 8:39 am
It provides the way to go deep in the history of eng.lit.
November 22, 2010 at 7:25 pm
the work is great but i’m disappointed because u didn’t continue your discussion about the renaissance period up to the postmodernism..hahaizt..
January 17, 2011 at 4:48 pm
SUCH KIND OF INFORMATION IS VERY USEFUL & HELPFUL FOR BETTER UNDER STANDING OF ENGLISH LITERATURE
March 13, 2011 at 9:08 am
it was here my problem of sorting out the exact chronological order of different periods of English literature is solved.thanks
March 21, 2011 at 1:33 am
It is to be happy to be know of the periods of English Literature. May it to be helping others as it to be helping me.
April 25, 2011 at 3:24 pm
hi this is kanmani. thank u ..its really useful for me to remember the period.
May 31, 2011 at 11:03 am
Thanks a lot. just n time when i was runnig short of time to make a list
June 19, 2011 at 8:39 pm
thank you so much for uploading the chronological periods of the history of english literature. it would be nice if you could also mention some of the important writers and a few of their works. it would help me to know exactly where the writer belongs to.
June 25, 2011 at 1:44 pm
thanks for such a nice information.its very helpful for students like me……
July 10, 2011 at 7:44 am
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July 15, 2011 at 10:51 am
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July 29, 2011 at 8:11 am
hi….i m vishakha…..really very useful…..thanks.
August 3, 2011 at 4:16 pm
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August 4, 2011 at 7:05 pm
thanks for uploading such a informative blog.
September 11, 2011 at 11:32 am
Thanks fo the data u have made avilable . This hats off for ur great work. once again thanks
October 1, 2011 at 5:56 pm
i thank 4 giving me a chronological order
October 10, 2011 at 5:59 am
such remady may help all the interesting learndrs like me.
thanks 4this
February 9, 2012 at 9:38 am
Hi I am Praveen kumar (student of Allahabad University) nd i’m too happy to know about the periods of English Literature so thank u for providing me such a information………
February 19, 2012 at 8:19 am
The best way through which the works of literature can be better understood; it’s the period or age of the writing…
February 27, 2012 at 11:37 am
thanks a lot for giving period wise record of english literature
May 16, 2012 at 7:19 am
thanx for providing this authentic and credible information
May 19, 2012 at 7:59 am
i’m interest about english litrature.So i think it’s very useful for me
May 19, 2012 at 8:01 am
and thanks for entering the details about English literature
May 26, 2012 at 2:22 am
Thanks uploading this periods system of English literature.
July 25, 2012 at 5:38 pm
few more information could have been added but nice
July 29, 2012 at 6:11 am
thank you very much for such great datas
July 31, 2012 at 8:19 pm
very useful…nice work