English literature (0)

ENGLISH LITERATURE
Ancient Britain
Lived on the British Isles in the 1st millenium . They most probably came from Eastern Europe and belonged to the Celtic race and also spoke Celtic. They were primitive hunters-gatherers, farmers. Some Celtic words are still used in modern English, however they are used mostly in place names. For example:

• avon – river
  
• cumb – valley
  
• ford – shallow place in the river
  

Ancient Britons had their own religion and priests or druids and temples .
In the year 55 BC Britain became a Roman province . Romans were highly developed and had their own language – latin, which has also greatly influenced English. The military occupation of the Isles ended in 410 AD. The Romans eventually brought Christianity to Britain.
Hadrian's wall on the border of Scotland and England . It began construction in 122 AD.
An Anglo-Saxon attack on Rome forced the Romans to leave The British Isles. They were replaced by Germanic tribes – Angles, Jutes and Saxons , who drove the Celts to the north (Scotland) and west ( Wales ). They came from the North and Baltic Seas. Along with them came their dialects, which constitute the basis for Old English. Around 4500 words are still used today . They also had their own religion and Germanic gods. Their names are still used today: Freya – Friday , Thor – Thursday, Angle- land – England.
The Anglo-Saxons divided the cuntry into small warring kingdoms – Northumbria, Mercia , Wessex , Sussex, Essex, Kent , East Anglia. Due to constant conflict weakened the kingdoms. The political power was in Wessex, which was the most powerful of the kingdoms. The Anglo-Saxons were farmers and fishermen and lived in small communities. They deployed a crop rotation over three fields; used heavy ploughs.
In 787 AD came the Vikings from Scandinavia, who set up their own state – Danelaw. Had their own religion, however their rituals did not demand sacrifices. Introduced new words (1800). Placenames withe suffixes -by and - dale . They had their own customs and laws , which we know due to sagas (oral history). They had no written language.
Beowulf
Beowulf is an epic or a long poem describing the adventures of an hero. It belongs to the Anglo-Saxon period , when they were still living on the mainland and then brought to Greta Britain . It was made up in the 3rd or 4th century . I was spread orally until it was written down in the 10th century. The author is unknown and the manuscript is kept in the British Museum ( near Trafalgar Square ). The story is very important as it allows us to lear about the way of life in the 4th century. The characters can be divided into two groups – fictitious and historical.
The epic deploys many metaphors - e.g. the sea = the swan 's road , body = a house for bones – and alliteration. It is structured as two parts. In the first part King Hroghtgar, king of Danes built a palace – Hereot – near a lake. He disturbed the lake monsters sleep with his racuous parties . Grendel then goes to the castle every night and kidnaps a man. This went on for 12 years . Beowulf, a young viking, decides to put an end to it. He chooses 14 men to join him and sails across the strait – with no weapns, mind you, because Grendel fought unarmed and Beowulf was an idiot – however according to the rules of fiction he defeats Grendel. To reward him the king gave Beowulf armour of precious metals. At night Grendel's mother come for revenge at night, Beowulf defeats her as well with a magic sword.
At the beginning of part II 50 years have passed . Beowulf is a wise king of Jutland when a fire dragon comes to exact revenge for the theft of its precious cup. B. summons his men to battle the dragon, but only one man shows up. Despite that Beowulf manages to defeat the dragon. However he is badly injured and dies . He is buried . THE END.
William SHAKESPEARE
(April 23, 1564 – April 23, 1616 )
He was baptized on the 29th of April. His father , John, was a merchant , bailiff and leading citizen; his mother, Mary Arden, was a rich farmer's daughter . He attended the local grammar school. He wed his older wife , Anne Hathaway at the age of 18 and they had 3 children - Susanna, and twins Judith/Hamnet. Susanna later became William's caretaker after the death of his wife and the twins.
Shakespeare was forced toleave Stratford for London after a quarrel with the local squire. Will started as an actor before starting to write his own plays ; his career lasted for 21 years. Returned to Stratford in 1610 , where he lived until his death atthe age of 52 and was buried in the local churh.
Optimistic period – wrote two long poems , „ Venus and Adonis “, „Lucrece“, 154 sonnets, bright comedies, „ Romeo and Juliet“ and his historical plays.
Sonnets – the genre was developed in Italy, perfected by Petrarch, Shakespeare and Milton . In his poems there are the characters – The Dark Lady, the Young Friend , the author. In his sonnets he criticizes human vices. Shakespeares ideal beauty differed greatly from the traditional beauty of the time. The Earl of Southampton was his friend.
Comedies – The Taming of the Shrew, A Mid- Summer Night's Dream , The Twelth Night, Much Ado About Nothing, The Merchant of Venice, The Merry Wives of Windsor , The Two Gentlemen of Verona, As You Like It. Although the comedies take place in Italy, they reflect Renaissance England and the characters are men and women whose raison d'etre is enjoying life. There is sorrow and heartbreak in the comedies, but the ending is always relatively happy. The aim of the autho is to take the reader away from everyday troubles. The comic effect comes through comic characters and situations. Shakespeare believed in man's virtues. He hoped that man would achieve his happiness . Love of life. The problems ae serious. Comedies often contain deep philosophical thoughts and problems. Light and playful manner, smooth language.
Tragedies – Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet , Prince of Denmark, Othello , the Moor of Venice, King Lear, Macbeth , Anthony and Cleopatra, Coriolanus – all written duing his pessimistic period, except for R/J. Within his tragedies Shakesy acts as a severe critic of the Renaissance, the difference betwen its ideals and the reality . Also, slave trade. The main character was in most cases a noble figure in a difficult situations. Shakespeare shows the weakness of his characters nature . Evil forces are only victorious to a certain extent, however in the end vitue wins. Real political and social world, the influence of the environment and history on characters. Nature is an anemey in his tragedies.
Othello, The Moor of Venice – love's fight against racial discrimination. Othello is a talented , intelligent military leader ; Iago is his jealous enemy; Desdemano is O's wife.
King Lear – a tragedy of family and politics , take splace during the late feudalism period; Goneril, Regan , Cornelia. Lear's kind of an asshole. Ill, gains sympathy for the poor and oppressed, on his deathbed only Codelia and the fool care for him.
Macbeth
The Romantic Period – Cymbeline, The Tempest, The Winter 's Tale . Evil is not absolute, but relative. The guy learned how to write complexly.

What does the term RENAISSANCE mean in literature and art? When and where did the renaissance start? Compare how man was depicted during the Renaissance and Medieval Times . When did the Renaissance reach England?

The historical background of the Renaissance. The War of Roses , the monarchs of this period.

Cultural background. Discoveries, grammar schools, the first playwrites.

Emigration to America. Why, when, how + Thanksgiving.

Thomas Moore and utopia .

The development of drama. Mysteries and mirscles, morality plays, etc. Who were the actors ? Where were thet performed? Subject?

Shakespeare and his three periods. Sonnets, R/J etc.

Hamlet's soliloqui.
Civil War and Restoration
(1642-1702)
James I died in 1625 and his successor was Charles I, a king even more foolish and arrogant than dear old Jamesy. He was in constant conflict with Parliament , which he was financed by. At one point he even dissolved the Parliament, however, he was soon forced to reassemble it. In 1628 the king was orced to agree to the Petition of Rights, which gave inancial power to the Parliament. In 1637 he enraged the Puritans by appointing their enemy as the Archbishop o canterbury. In 1638 he aced the rebel Scottish army .
As a result he had no support from Parliament, had an inexperienced army and had to accept a law that declared that Parliament has to meet every three years. In 1641 – Ireland rebelled against Protestants in Ullster. 1642 – Charles attempted to arrest 5 Mps and was banned by the mayor of London from London. Charlie went to Nottingham and raised an amy there. This is considered the beginning of the Civil War.
Cavaliers were supporters of the king. Most of them were rom the House of Lords, some Mps, controlled the North and the West.
The Roundheads sided with the Parliament, their leader was Oliver Cromwell . Puritans and the Parliament. They controlled London, East Anglia and the Southeast. By 1645 Charles ran out of money and his army deserted. He was defeated at the battle of Naseby, captured and imprisoned. It took them four years to decide what to do with them. They decided to behead him in 1649 .
After his beheading the Commonwealth or Cromwell's republic was created. However, the government was too severe and it fell in 1660. The Commonwealth abolished the House of Lords, the Anglican Church and Scotland went under Cromwell's rule . 1653 it became a dictatorship. The army was used to retain law and order . The country strictly observed Puritan beliefs – no celebration of Christmas or Easter, no games on Sunday. Cromwell died in 1658 , his son was his successor, but fucked up. In 1660 Charles II was invited to return to the throne. He was a good and judicious diplomat. Was Catholic yet allowed both Puritans and Catholics to follow their beliefsystems. The first political parties were founded during that time: The Whigs and The Tories. The Whigs were MPs, supported religious reedom, against absolute monarchy. 1685 Charles died sans heirs. He was followed by James II, a devout and open Catholic, who tried to restore Catholicism but was opposed by the Parliament. In 1688 the Glorious Revolution happened and from that time on themonarch had to rule through the Parliament. Since 1701 only Potestants were allowed to inherit the crown . In 1701 – the Act of the Union with Scotland, which declared that Scotland becomes a part of the UK.
1611 – the authorised version of the Bible was piblished, which was used officially by the Anglican Church. This o course was followed bu the formation of different christian sects who all interpreted the Bible differently. In science empiricism became a thing that people did i.e. They didn't just assume shit and then proclaim it to be the whole truth. In 1660 the Royal Society was founded, which was a society of scientist. It is still on-going. In 1628 Edmund Halley sighted the Halley's comet. The Great Fie of London happened in 1666 2nd September. Previous to the fire it had been very dry and the fire started in a Pudding Lane bakery , where a baker had brought dry firewood and placed it near a fireplace . There were very few casualties due to the wind, the direction of which allowed the denizens to escape. The fire burned for 3 days and decimated 2/3 thirds of the city, to be rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren.
THE ENLIGHTENMENT
Britain prospered due to the productivity of its colonies in India and North America. Of course, many other countries also wanted those colonies and England waged wars with France , Spain and the Netherlands . Textile industry became the most important and developed industry in England. It was a time of domestic peace and prosperity.
Queen Anne (1702 – 1714). Her successors were in fact German – they didn't even speak English – ans were the beginning of the Hannove dynasty. George I (1714 – 1727 ), George II ( 1727 – 1760 ), george III (1760 – 1820) in 1783 he lost the American colonies, except Canada.
Reason and common sense pervaded the land . Isaac newton lived during that time. It was also the beginning of the industrial revolution, which was precipitated by the invention of the steam engine by James Watt in 1775. Trading developed quickly, especially importing.
The number of readers increased due to the spread of education – the Enlightenment was led by the bourgeoisie who insisted on education for all children, spread of literacy and the publishing newspapers and magazines. The novel become the most popular genre and the Enlightenment era novel differed from the previous representations of the genre. Novels represented the outlook and values of the bourgeoisie, writers aimed at balance, coherence and clarity and most important of all the stories were not entirely invented, but were instead based on true events . To some extent, anyway, and not without exceptions. Usually the exact time and location are given in the book.
The language became more descriptive.
Essays also rose in importance. Essays are political pieces.
Daniel Defoe (1660 – 1731) was a writer of the Enlightenment period. He came from a wealthy, Puritan family. Danny was to become a clergyman, but he preferred to be a merchant and that's what he did. He had an interesting life. 1694 he became active in public affairs. He was the first literary journalist and combined the life of a man of action and a writer.
He wrote ' Essay on Projects' in which he recommended establishing saving- banks , building railways, allow higher education for women, 'The True Bon Englishamn', 'The Shortest Way with Dissenters' in which he attacked both the Tories and the church and deended religious freedom . For the latter he was sent to the pillory for three days. After that experience he wrote 'Hymn to the Pillory' in which he criticized the law.
' Robinson Crusoe' was published in 1719. It is based on the true story of Alexander Selkirk and is also autobiographical. Robinson is considered the first bourgeoisie character. He also wrote 'Roxana', ' Captain Singleton' and ' Moll Flanders'.
Jonathan Swift (1667 – 1745) was born in Dublin to a poor family. However, his father died before he was born and he was raised by his uncle . He attended Dublin Univerity, where he excelled at history, literature and languages . After graduation he became a private secretary to Sir William Temple in London, who had a very large library where Swift could educate himself and he received his MA degree in 1692 from Oxford . He returned to Ireland and became a vicar, but went back to London in a year. In 1713 he became Dean of St. Patrick's cathedral in Dublin, where he witnessed the poor conditions of the working class which inspired him to criticize the Engish colonial policy . He wrote 'A Modest Proposal' in which he suggest that poor families could sell their children for sustenance. 'The Battle of Books', 'A Tale of the Tub' – he satirized the church.
'Gulliver's Travels' was published in 1726. it is a skillful satire of contemporary England in four parts. The main character is Lemuel Gulliver.