English Literature Throughout History: A Brief Overview (part 2)
This the second part of an article series about the history of English literature here on the blog. In this series we travel through ten literary periods, starting from 450 AC until now. We’ll focus mostly on British authors in this series but be mindful that many great non-British writers have also made significant contributions to the advancement of English literature.
In this second article you’ll learn about two of the most popular literary periods in British history. This first one was the Romantic period, where works of writers such as Jane Austen and William Blake when first published. The second period is the Victorian period, the time of Charles Dickens, George Elliot and the Brönte Sisters.
The Romantic Period (1785 - 1832)
Scholars disagree about when the Romantic period in literature began exactly. Some believe that it directly followed ‘the Age of Sensibility’, a time when feeling and emotion were at the forefront of English literature. While others point to the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789. However, most experts say that it started in 1798 with the publication of the ‘Lyrical Ballads’ of William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
The Romantic period of literature is primarily known for emphasizing emotion and individualism in written works. This focus on emotion led writers to explore subjects that were ‘strange’, ‘scary’ or ‘supernatural’ too. An example of this is Mary Shelley’s world-famous story of ‘Frankenstein’.
The Romantic period ends with the death of novelist, poet and historian Sir Walter Scott and the passage of The Reform Bill of 1832.
The Victorian Period (1832 - 1901)
This period lends its name to Queen Victoria, who reigned from 1873 until her passing away in 1901. The Victorian period was a time of great social, economic and religious tumult. It all started with the Reform Bill that granted voting rights to a broader segment of the (male) population. Before this bill, people had to own property or pay certain taxes to be allowed to vote.
In the Victorian period, literature became more popular due to higher literacy rates, and novels, magazines, and newspapers became more affordable. As a result, literature for all layers of society was published. Less-educated readers, for instance, greatly enjoyed the modern crime novels of author Wilkie Collins. In general, works from the Victorian age often had quite complicated plots and many characters. A great example of this is Charles Dickens’ novel ‘Great Expectations’, which is still read today.
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I hope you enjoyed reading this second part of our series on English literary periods! In the next article, you’ll learn all about the periods in which the writers George Bernard Shaw, Rupert Brooke, and James Barrie made their mark on English literature.