This is my class presentation of M.A, Sem-1 on Paper no.: 105A: History of English Literature – From 1350 to 1900. In this presentation I am dealing with general characteristics of all the ages. Here, I have tried to bring out the outline of history of English Literature.

1. Department of English, MKBU
Change in Historical Period:
Age of Chaucer to The
Victorian Age.
Prepared by Jheel Barad

2. I am Jheel Barad
Roll No.: 18 Enrollment no.:4069206420210003
Sem.: 1 (M.A.)
Paper no.: 105 A Paper code: 22396
Paper name: History of English Literature- from 1350 to 1900
Topic: Change in Historical Period from Age of Chaucer to
Victorian age.
Submitted to: Smt S.B. Gardi, Department of English, M.K.B.U
E-mail- jheelbarad@gmail.com
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3. Age of Chaucer (1350- 1400)
✣ 14th century is remarked in history for:
1. 100 years war
2. Balck death
3. Peasant revolt
✣ People were discontent and at unrest.
✣ Heavy taxation.
✣ 1/3rd population died, labour was scarce,
no demand of things.
✣ Geoffrey Chaucer was the greatest writer of this age, prose emerged.
✣ Opening moment for english literature.
✣ Chaucer is the father of english literature.
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4. ✣ Transition period- decline of age of Chaucer and preparation for age of
Elizabeth.
✣ It began with chaos and wars but settled with reformed religion.
✣ Henry VII became kiing and encouraged education,sent scholars to study
classics.
✣ It is also an age of reformation, religious reformation against rigid practices
of catholic church.
✣ General standard of literature was very low- no great english work appeared.
✣ Remarkable for; intellectual progress, introduction of printing, discovery of
America and growth of political power
✣ Miracle and mystery play were most popular form of entertainment.
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The revival of learning (1400-1550)

5. ✣ Golden age of English Literature
✣ It marks strong national spirit, patriotism, religious tolerance, social
content, intellectual progress and unbounded enthusiasm.
✣ Development of drama: age of thought, feeling and action
✣ Produced remarkable poetry: variety, freshness,
youthful and romantic feeling
✣ Both has Italian influence.
✣ Literature of Renaissance (newness, revival of
✣ greek and italian).
✣ Shakesprance age- prominent writer, his writing
was referred as Early Modern English.
✣ Gave Greatest writer of English Language.
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Age of Elizabeth (1550-1620)

6. The Puritan Age (1620-1660)
✣ The puritan period existed till 1675 for two reasons; puritan ideals were alive
and the greatest writer of the age was Puritan, John Milton.
✣ The age of moral and political revolution.
✣ Puritans overthrew monarchy, beheaded Charles I and established
Commonwealth under Cromwell.
✣ Overlaps Elizabethan age from one side and
Restoration from other.
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7. ✣ It has great variety in literature due to change in political and religious
ideals.
✣ Differs from Elizabethan age: no unity of spirit; Literature was sombre, it
saddens; critical and intellectual.
✣ Literature of this age was divided into four parts
1. Transition poets
2. The Spenserian poets
3. The metaphysical poets
4. The Cavaliers
✣ John Bunyan has also given an exceptional work ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’
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8. Period of Restoration (1660-1700)
✣ Tremendous social reaction from the restraints of Puritans.
✣ Charles II was throned, he brought the influence of France with him.
✣ For a generation many natural pleasures were suppressed; theatres
reopened, bull and bear baiting revived along with sports, music and dancing.
✣ Politically country was divided in Whigs ( seeking liberty for the people) and
Tories (upholding kings).
✣ Religion conflict as Charles II was Anglican and James II Catholic.
✣ As they lack excellence of elizabethan age they turned to great classicism .
✣ The dramas were influenced or copied from French.
✣ This age marks birth of modern English prose as it was age of intellectualism
and rationalism.
✣ John dryden was the greatest writer of the age, he established heroic couplet
in English poetry. It is also known as age of dryden.
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9. ✣ Age of Enlightenment- Period of scientific and wisdom thought.
✣ First half is neoclassical/ Augustan / age of Pope as writers imitated classical
Roman writer.
✣ Second half is Age of Transition / Pre- romantic Age.
✣ Second half included English revolution (1688), beginning of French Revolution
(1789) and Industrial revolution.
✣ Rise of two political parties.
✣ The period begins in 1689 with the adoption of Bill of right (1689); final step in
the establishment of constitutional government.
✣ This strife has direct influence on literature, many writers were used by them
for their personal interest and to satirize their enemies.
18th Century Literature (1700-1800)
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✣ Age had rapid social development but the moral standards of people was very
low.
✣ First half century was age of prose. Polished, unimaginative and formal.
✣ Modern newspaper began in this age.
✣ Prose and poetry was this age were frequently satiric.
✣ Poetry were modified in later part of the century.
✣ Dictionary was also introduced for the first time by Samuel Johnson.

11. Age of Romanticism (1800-1850)
✣ This age is return to Nature.
✣ Romantic age began with publication of Lyrical Ballads in 1798.
✣ Supported the idea of French Revolution, overthrowing the Monarchy.
✣ This age is also known as ‘Age of Revolution’ and ‘Age of Industrial
revolution’.
✣ Sweeping changes were taking place during late 17th century and 18th
century in social, political, industrial and literary sphere.
✣ The literature was largely on poetical
form and romantic in spirit.
✣ Simple, common people language was
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✣ Emphasis was laid on nature, Feelings and emotions gained the center
stage, Imagination was celebrated.
✣ The writers wrote with so excellency in the later part of age that it
became ‘Second Creative Period on English Literature’.
✣ Six chief characteristics of this age- prevalence of romantic poetry,
creation of historical novel, first appearance of romantic novel,
development of literary criticism,
the practical and economic bent,
establishment of magazines.

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The Victorian Age (1850- 1900)
✣ Next golden period after Elizabethan Age and longest in the English period.
✣ The modern period of progress and unrest.
✣ It began with the reign of Queen Victoria (1837 1901).
✣ There was lot of material development, intellectuality increased.
✣ Victorian age is about realism.
✣ Romanticism is escapism from reality, Wordsworth in 1835 wrote in poem
‘Extempore Effusion upon the Death of James Hogg’
“From sunshine to a sunless land”
when literature was going towards reality from imagination.

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✣ Beginning of modern era, high use of science and technology.
✣ Remarkable for the growth of democracy.
✣ Literature of this age was very close to everyday life.
✣ Talked about social problems, influence of science and religion.
✣ Novel was most popular form of literature.
✣ Literature of this age gave moral preaching than entertainment.

15. REFERENCES:
Long, William. “ENGLISH LITERATURE.” Accessed December 10, 2021.
https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/10609/pg10609-images.html.
Ward, Adolphus. “Chaucer | Anglo Saxon and Medieval Literature.” Cambridge University Press.
Accessed December 10, 2021. https://www.cambridge.org/gb/academic/subjects/literature/anglo-
saxon-and-medieval-literature/chaucer,
https://www.cambridge.org/gb/academic/subjects/literature/anglo-saxon-and-medieval-literature.
Wordsworth, William. “Extempore Effusion upon the Death of James Hogg by William Wordsworth.”
Text/html. Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, December 9, 2021.
Https://www.poetryfoundation.org/. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45517/extempore-
effusion-upon-the-death-of-james-hogg.
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