Characteristics Of Middle English Literature

Characteristics Of Middle English Literature
Social Structure in Middle English Literature
In today's time, we have modern day literature and it's refreshing to be able to go back into the past and look at classic English literature to see how
different literature has become. There hasn't been another time frame of English literature like the Middle English
Literature era. During the middle English era literature and its writers were unique and their pieces of literature were created during the Middle
English era to cover a variety of many different literacy achievements. One quality that make the stories in Middle English
Literature unique and different from the other literature eras is that there isn't any real historical events, wars, or restorations to contribute to the...show
more content...
Church leaders were also powerful members of society and they took part in religious/ government roles, they often received a lot of blessings from
the king. People from the lower class supported the church through donations they believed would help save their souls.
To further discuss social status and class, Class and religion were a large influence and deciding factor to the status and social stereotypes of the time.
Lives during this time were assigned status based on numerous variables. If a person was born into a poor family, the chances of them being smart
was slim. Many lower–class people had a lack of education it made it things difficult for them to read books or understand anything written down.
Since many lower–class people couldn't read, it wasn't uncommon for the authors during this time to create stories that were meant to be read by
everyone. Brewer stated that, "The spoken, or oral, style, implies the poet's presence among a known group. It was still natural in Chaucer's day. He
was close to the oral narrative tradition and imitates it in all his verse narratives. An oral style has marked characteristics based on the need to convey
meaning clearly and immediately, usually to an audience familiar with traditional phrases and stories." (Brewer, 2007) Brewer meant that Chaucer's
stories were written for all audiences no matter if they were upper or lower class. They would still be able
Get more content on HelpWriting.net

Reflective Essay on English Literature Module
Reflective Essay It is amazing that my journey as an English: Literature major has almost come to a close so quickly. My path has been a smooth
and enjoyable one, and it is with great sadness that I begin to gather up the ends of my literary education. I know that I will continue to grow and
develop as a critical reader/thinker throughout my lifetime, but I will sorrowfully miss the educational structure that has shaped my literary
understanding for the last three years. I consider my greatest strengths as a literature major to be my insightfulness and creative slant with which I
approach a piece of work. I have a love for all genres of literature and enthusiastically grasp the text with an eagerness to understand it and relate...show
more content...
By dissecting the lines and passages, I have been able to pick up on details and subtleties that have brought the focus and message of the works
into finer focus. Paying close attention to detail lends itself to the meticulous, sophisticated readings that I have presented. I possess the ability to
make informed judgments about the political and cultural significance of the literary works on which I have focused. In the Boland essay, I have
shown how a woman poet has struggled against the cannon to prove that women are also writers of poetry, not just the subject of it. Looking at the
way women are portrayed in Boland's work shows how they have a passive, domestic role in Irish life from which they are struggling to break free.
My essay on Mansfield's piece shows that I understand she was making a comment on the suppression of women's feelings and sexual desires. In a
time period of which things like this were not spoken, Mansfield took the first step in leading women toward emotional sovereignty. All of this also ties
into my understanding of the roles of genre, gender, class, and culture in the work's production. Criticism came highly to both Boland's and Mansfield's
work because they deal with the liberation of women. Although Boland is definitely more contemporary than Mansfield, both know the struggles
associated with anything considered to contain "feminist" undertones. I believe that both of

English Essay : English Literature
14th century –thРµ bРµginning of remarkable ПІhanges in the Italian soПІiРµty and in thРµ fifteРµnth ПІentury, this "RenaissanПІe" sСЂrРµaФЃ
tЦ… nЦ…rthern EurЦ…СЂe EconЦ…mic grЦ…wth laiФЃ the matРµrial basis frЦ…m thРµ Italian RenaissanПІe, from 1050 tЦ… 1300,
witnРµssРµФЃ commercial anФЃ finanПІial ФЃevelopmРµnt, the grЦ…wing СЂЦ…litiПІal СЂowРµr of sРµlf–gЦ…verning cities, and great
pЦ…pulatiЦ…n expansiЦ…n (ПІultural aПІhievemРµnts) The СЂРµriod from the late sixteenth century was charaПІterized by artistic Рµnergies In
the great ПІommРµrПІial rРµvival Ц…f the elevРµnth cРµntury, nЦ…rthРµrn Italian citiРµs leФЃ the way VРµnicРµ, suСЂСЂortРµФЃ by a huge
mРµrchant marinРµ grРµw rich thrЦ…ugh oversРµas traФЃe GРµnoa anФЃ Milan enjoyed benРµfits Ц…f a large vЦ…lume of traФЃРµ with thРµ
MiФЃdle East anФЃ EurЦ…СЂРµ (РµxПІhange bРµtwРµen thРµ East and West) GenЦ…a anФЃ VРµnice alsЦ… made aФЃvancemРµnts in
shipbuilding allowing shiСЂs tЦ… sail all yРµar long anФЃ the incrРµasРµФЃ the vЦ…lumРµ Ц…f gooФЃs that cЦ…ulФЃ bРµ transСЂЦ…rtРµd
(aПІcРµlРµrated sСЂРµРµd) ––thРµ risks in such Ц…pРµratiЦ…ns Ц…f traФЃe were grРµat, but the profits werРµ enЦ…rmЦ…us The first artistic
and litРµrary manifРµstations of thРµ Italian RРµnaissanПІРµ aСЂСЂearРµФЃ in FlЦ…rence but towarФЃ the Рµnd of thРµ thirtРµenth century,
FlЦ…rРµntinРµ mРµrПІhants and bankРµrs acquirРµd ПІontrЦ…l Ц…f paСЂal banking (aПІteФЃ as tax ПІollРµПІtЦ…rs fЦ…r thРµ paСЂacy)
For FlorenПІe, profits frЦ…m loans, investments, and mЦ…nРµy РµxПІhangРµs ПІontributРµd tЦ… the city's eПІonЦ…my but thРµ wool industry
was thРµ majЦ…r faПІtor in thРµ ПІity's financial expansion and poСЂulatiЦ…n

Literature And The English Literature Essay
Literature can briefly be defined as written works, especially those considered of superior or lasting artistic merit; books and writings published on a
particular subject or leaflets and other printed matter used to advertise products or give advice. One of the most popular forms of literature would be
English literature. If one would look up the definition for English literature, the best descriptive information would be that it's impression and format is
over one hundred years old, and continues to be one of the most common studied forms of art, as far as written, studied in high schools and universities
around the world. English literature is basically the study of literature that has been written in the English language. This form of literature expands
past the most common American language and dates back to the Shakespearean and Renaissance timeline. English literature has progressed and taken
many different forms over the years and constantly evolves numerous elements that makes it such an elaborate art. It all begins with an emotion,
perception, or experience the author may have endured or witnessed. It is the understanding of these words and elements, which causes not only the
students that are required to read said literature; but those who appreciate the true authenticity of a well written novel or short–story, to truly appreciate
the purpose and importance of it all. When you are reading a novel can you easily depict who the author has designed to be the

Real World Experiences In Literature
Literature is important to allow readers to escape reality within the pages of a book, and also to preserve the past by reading about personal
experiences and understanding the norms of different time periods. It is beneficial to provide a new world for the reader, but it shows our history and
how it has changed over the years. Many fiction writers hint at real–world experiences or topics and it is up to the reader to interpret the theme of the
literature. Authors write to preserve our past and to show a common theme as well as open the door to allow the reader to delve into the words on
the page. The theme of the literature is arguably the most important part of the piece. Books like Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and To Kill a
Mockingbird both indirectly hint about the racism in the world at this time. The books both write about how people treat the African Americans and
involves the main character interacting with one. This makes the reader aware of the discrimination of this time. It also helps to preserve the past by
showing how people felt as well as how people acts towards different races in this time. This is important to include in literature to ensure that we do
not go back to our old ways. In the last 20 years, people have petitioned to remove both of these novels from the school curriculum because of...show
more content...
In the two novels given, it shows how we have started from slavery, then limited freedom, discrimination, then name calling, and eventually equality
within all races. Literature acts as a timeline for the thoughts of the people and how we have acted within our society over the years. Without literature,
we would not fully understand what the people in the last few centuries had to go through. By keeping detailed works of these times, citizens continue
to stay educated about our past and it ensures we do not repeat it in the

Ap English Literature Essay
Literature has always been a window into life during a particular time frame. Fiction and nonfiction alike will give its readers a glimpse of the lives
of those of varying social statuses, along with the culture and politics of the time. This remains true regardless of the period in which a work was
written. From the Romantic era to the 20th Century, literature has been skilled at providing understanding of others and their lives. For example, from
the Romantic period works like the two William Wordsworthpoems I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud and The World is Too Much with Us, along with A
Red, Red Rose by Robert Burns. The Victorian era has its own share of works that reflect the time when it was written, including Lewis Carroll's The
Walrus...show more content...
Language can mean a number of things in regards to literature, it can refer to the slang that is used, the way that the author phrased a sentence, or even
the dialect that the work is written in. Authors like Robert Burns, Gerard Manley Hopkins, and W.H. Auden in particular make use of language in the
first two ways mentioned as a way of reflecting their respective time periods. Robert Burn's A Red, Red Rose is a poem that makes perfect use of
language in order to display the thoughts of the author, which in turn displays the general thoughts of the time as well as his own location. A Red,
Red Rose is a rather romantic poem, and considering the era in which it was written makes it fairly obvious that other authors of the time were
discussing similar subjects. When discussing the beauty of his love, Burn's use of language which talks of how, "[...] fair art thou, my bonnie lass
[...]" sort of automatically puts the reader in a mindset that can better understand his life (Burns). Couple the more archaic way of writing with the
dialect of the author, which is put on display in his goodbyes to his love in the lines, "[...] And fare thee weel, my only luve! And fare thee weel
awhile! And I will come again, my luve [...]" (Burns). God's Grandeur by Gerard Manley Hopkins also use language in order to further the ideas of
his time. While the Victorian period was one of great scientific advancements, it was also a time when Christianity was a very large part of people's
lives. Hopkins uses solid, imposing words in order to enforce the concept of God's strength, as seen early on in his poem, where he states that, "[...]
The world is charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out, like shining from shook foil; It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil [...]"
(Hopkins). The author furthers the power of God by downplaying the strengths of mankind,

The debate of what literature is or how it should be defined is an ongoing battle even today. Many have expressed that literature should be
well–written, worthy of study, and also stand the test of time, despite most of this criteria catering towards classical literature written by wealthy white
men, while others believe this is all too subjective to work fairly. I personally believe that literature is at least three of the following: An embodiment of
the human experience, a reflection of cultural perspective, and the relationship between author and reader. Literature is the reflection of the human
experience; an anthology of the way we've felt and thought expressed through many different mediums. Robert Penn Warren discusses this in "Why
...show more content...
It can be said that the United States has had vast influence over Canadian culture for many years, mainly due to proximity, to the point where it can
be difficult to distinguish the experiences of the authors in question. As discussed in the lesson, this can cause issues when defining national forms of
literature. However, it is because of this reason that literature is important, as it says a lot about the interactions between different cultures. It can
show how two cultures are similar or not and therefore give readers an understanding of their own place in the world as well as the author's.
Literature defines the perspective of the author, but also that of the reader, giving context to the relationships between certain countries. It can help us
broaden our knowledge of other places, while questioning or affirming our beliefs in our own home. While reading novels such as Battle Royale and
Things Fall Apart, you develop a sense of how things are in other places, and it's not difficult to then compare your experiences with those in the
material you're reading. It certainly has given me reasons to become more educated about other cultures and to consider my own perspective in regards
to my culture and country. This is why literature is also defined by perspective and the relationship between the author and the

Literary Approaches Of English Literature
Literature is a composed form of written work having specific quality in form, structure, conveying of emotions, widespread and abiding interest.
Sometimes, it is mention as a product of imagination, uniqueness, thoughts, emotions and feelings etc.
English Literature is the literature which is composed and written in the English language. English Literature includes literary works not only written
by writers from England but also from other parts of the world . It is divided into periods such as The Anglo–Saxon Period, The Medieval Period,
English Renaissance or The Elizabethan Period, The Puritan Period, The Period of Neo Classicism, The Romantic Period, The Victorian Period and
The Modern Period. There are various kinds of approaches concerning...show more content...
Fictional Literature is based on the author's imagination and perspective rather than reality. Short stories, novels, novellas and folk tales are kinds of
fiction. A short story is a short fictional prose structure narrative constructed on a plot that includes the basic elements such as situation, rising action,
climax and resolution. In contrast to it, a Novel is a long fictional story that uses all the elements comprising storytelling, plot, character, setting, theme
and point of view.
A Novella is one of the types of fictional literature whose length can be measured as longer than a short story and shorter than a novel.
Non–fictional Literature is factual work of writing which deals only with facts, real people, events or ideas. It is narrated from the point of view of
the author, who is a real person. It presents facts or discusses ideas. It may reflect historical context and background of particular time period.
Autobiographies, Biographies, Journals and Diaries, Essays and Articles, letters, Informational Texts are the major categories that comes under Non
fictional literature. Brief work of writings such as Essays and Articles focuses about a certain topic with the purpose to explaining, persuading, or

The Greatest Pieces Of English Literature
William Shakespeare has written some of the greatest pieces of English literature but some doubt he is the one responsible for it. There are some
scholars who believe the conspiracy that Shakespeare did not write the work attributed to him and the true author is someone else, due to the
anti–stratfordians who propose theories of who could be the real author, this once small talk has turn into a well– known conspiracy theory, although
little to none evidence is all we have on a man named William Shakespeare, the possibility of determining the truth behind this is more likely
impossible to find out, his work is a great piece of English literature that will stay as "his" work until further and stronger evidence says otherwise.
The fact of the matter is, William Shakespeare is the true author, as far as we know. There is actually little known of the man we call Shakespeare.
What is known about Shakespeare comes from registered records, court records and marriage certificates. William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in
Stratford–upon–Avon, Warwickshire, England. William was the third child of John and Mary Shakespeare. At the age of eighteen William married
Anne Hathaway on November 28th 1582 and had children. He had a daughter in 1583, Susanna, and then had twins in 1585, Hammet and Judith. He
and his family moved to London, while there Shakespeare gained success as an actor, poet, and playwright. His work was performed at the Globe
Theatre in the courts of Queen Elizabeth I and

Essay on 20th Century English Literature
May 3, 2011
British Literature II Defining Literary Techniques of 20th Century English Literature During the 20th Century, much advancement and change occurred
throughout English Literature. All of the works we studied from this period were heavily influenced by current events in the world. The writers all
examined the world around them and tried to express it through their writings. The three things that weave a common thread throughout all 20th Century
English Literature are global warfare, radical artistic experimentation, and the effects of colonial expansion. The first point of global warfare is an
easily identifiable and widespread one. All of the poetry we examined was centered around warfare and the effects of it on...show more content...
It also uses magical realism as another form of artistic experimentation. In "The Moment Before the Gun Went Off," the author Nadine Gordimer
caught some flak for experimenting in her literature by writing it about racism rather than focusing on the more feminist issues of the day, as were
the norm. She also wrote this story from several viewpoints, wanting to enable the reader to understand the full scope of apartheid. One more
literary experiment she incorporated was foreshadowing the twist ending subtly throughout the entire story. Radical literary experimentation was a
big part of 20th Century English Literature. Lastly, the colonial expansion theme is perhaps the easiest and broadest similarity to pick up on. Each
story we studied is set in and has the culture of a foreign land. Usually this land was one from England's massive colonial empire, but not always.
Take "The Day They Burned the Books" by Jean Rhys for example. This story being set in the Caribbean clearly shows a foreign setting. They way
the natives rebel in the story also brings out the oppressive nature of colonialism and how they struggled against it. "Walker Brother's Cowboy" by
Alice Munro is set in depression era Canada and shows how the people struggled with the effects of colonialism even during the Great Depression. The
third defining feature is possibly the greatest one of 20th Century English Literature. In conclusion, the

In 1914, culminating tensions gave rise to a war unlike anything that the world had ever seen prior. World War I, also known as "The Great War" and
"The War to End All Wars," completely altered the Western world at its foundation. Nearly 65 million soldiers from 30 countries fought altogether. Not
only were empires altered, but literature was altered as well. Overall, the Great War utterly revolutionized British literature and radically changed it at
its core. World War Iwas a turning point in history. It began abruptly with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Serbian terrorist
organization in 1914. However, tensions had long been culminating with increasing militarism, nationalism, and the corruption of the international
treaty system (Bourne). This...show more content...
She pioneered the stream of consciousness, as well as displaying the character's innermost thoughts (Cersonsky). She also challenged the literary
concept of time. In her work, To the Lighthouse, Woolf relies on the course of everyday life more heavily than major events. In fact, part one covers
only seven hours in the lives of the Ramsay family. It recounts the story of a family that lives across the bay from a large lighthouse. It concludes with
the realization that her vision was attained.
The staggering death toll and violence experienced during the war left many returning soldiers unable to readjust to their society (Stevenson). The
effects of rebuilding the nations heavily impacted those left on the home front also. In many circumstances, the people were left with a sense of
hopelessness and their own mortality. Nature lost its healing effect during the course of the war. For many, seeing their scenic homes war torn and in a
state of turmoil completely destroyed the ways of the past. This deep rooted disillusionment would present itself for years to come.
T. S. Eliot articulated the views of a post–war generation. Born in America

Mythology In English Literature Essay
Mythology in English literature
Mythology was initially used only in Greek and Latin. But the use of Mythology gradually became more popular and started influencing English
literature. There are hardly any young adult fictions novels present nowadays without the use of mythology or an element of mythology. You might be
wondering how such a thing is possible. The reason is mythology includes fantasy as all fantasy has been derived from mythology. Vampires, Fairies,
princess and Pegasus are paranormal creatures all derived from mythology. But the use of these characters in different pieces of literature differs. This
document will describe how the use of mythology in English literature has evolved over the years.
Mythology before English literature was prevalent in many languages such as Latin. The Roman Empire was a large dynasty, one were Latin thrived.
The Greek dynasty on the other hand was only present in the east and was not very big. Hence Greek was not known to the people in the east were
Latin was spoken. The east was bigger than the west and hence after the demise of the two dynasties...show more content...
The Iliad one of the first epics to be written using mythology describes the Trojan War. It all happened due to the meddlesome nature of the gods and
goddesses. It started with the golden apple which was desired by the three goddesses Athena, Hera and Aphrodite. Each of these goddesses possessed
special powers and each thought they were better than the other, now to find who was the most beautiful goddesses they called upon Paris the most
handsome person in the world and by some manipulation and convincing Aphrodite won and from there the war begins. This is just a short synopsis of
the beginning of the epic more commonly known to us as the Trojan

The Importance Of English Literature
English Literature is what has allowed us humans to communicate properly and display our intended actions while talking, but on paper with a
wider vocabulary and symbols that represent pauses, questions, or showing passed tense or ownership properly when writing. I particularly dislike
literature as a subject in school, but I know that it is completely necessary, and for that I have a respect for it as a core class. Without it, not only
would I not be able to communicate correctly, but I also would not be able to understand other people 's writing either. Literature in general is
important to everyone else in the human species as well. Without it, it would be like the tower of babel from the bible everywhere all the time. In fact,
we...show more content...
This affects my life because my father is a very strong christian, to the point where he carries an eight foot tall, almost 200 pound wood cross that
he built, down the streets of inner Kansas City, even around prospect and other areas at night. He bases everything in his life on the stories and
morals of the bible. Because of all that's in that book, it impacts my life more than probably anything. I'm a science wiz, especially when it comes
to animals because I study reptiles and amphibians (herpetology), so we argue a lot because he believes the world is only six thousand years old
and has some explanation for everything, no matter how much it sounds like nonsense. He also doesn't believe in evolution. He doesn 't even believe
in dinosaurs; he thinks they are just hybrids made from Nephilim, which are angels or demons that roamed the earth and then those Nephilim mated
with animals. According to my dad, that hybrid would've mated with other hybrids with identical DNA (however that happened) and then they
created a full new species. We debate all the time about everything. I won't give all my rebuttals in this essay because he isn't here to give his own
rebuttal. He sounds crazy to most people, but the truth is, he just studies the bible and practices its morals and believes everything in it. He also
follows a lot of christian scientists that I just think are kinda nuts like Ken Hamm and Kent Hovind. But all this would be absent

Ap English Literature Research Paper
In an age where the printed novel has been somewhat on the decline, and the necessity of readable fiction has almost faded into obscurity. I believe
that literature still harbours a crucial part within our society; from the very foundations of most theatrical adaptations, to preserving the culture and
encapsulating the feelings of generations past. In this case literature cements itself as one of the most decisive elements of our civilisation, and
combining it with history makes it become a testament to who we are as people, as well as the conservation of both our progression and degradation.
I have always enjoyed reading literature, from reading J.R.R Tolkien's classic 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy within my childhood, to perhaps more
sophisticated,...show more content...
The intrigue regarding these narratives has spurred me on to delve deeper into the literary scene of the time period. I also have a great interest in a
range of poetry, most particularly from the renaissance period to the era of romanticism, in which my favourite poets are William Shakespeare and
William Blake. I have been keen to go further than the A–level English specification in my readings, which allows me to develop an independent
response and interpretation to the things I read, as such of William Blake who once famously said that 'the true method of knowledge is experiment'. I
have also enjoyed the translated works of Li Bai, who even though was not from the aforementioned periods, still wrote poems that could be considered
a parallel of the romanticism period, in particular his poem 'Alone Looking at the mountain', and found that even in its shortness it's meaning is both
deep and

William Shakespeare 's English Literature Essay
William Shakespeare has been best known for his poems, plays and masterful piece of writings in the English language. He has been referred to as
the England 's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". He produced over thirty eight plays, hundred fifty four sonnets, five poems, and more verses.
Shakespeare 's plays consist of mainly tragedies, comedies and histories which are regarded as one of the best in those genres. The plays, the
poems, and the sonnets have had a significance influence in English literature. There has been various writers who have been studying
Shakespeare's plays and poems for over 300 years, but they studied only on those plays and poems that were printed in his times. There could be
more plays, poems that have not been printed and studied as of date today. Shakespeare was baptised on April 26, 1564, but his birthplace is not
known. Shakespeare grew up in Stratford, Warwickshire, a county in England. He went to a school called King's New School in Stratford, where he
learned to write, read and speak fluently very well. However, he did not attend a university. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, and they
had three children, Susanna, and the twins Hamnet and Judith. He started to write and act in plays as he pursued his career. His parents also had an
impact on Shakespeare's works and writings. His father, John Shakespeare, was a glove maker and had diverse careers throughout the public office,
ranging from alderman to borough

Essay On Indian English Literature
Introduction to Indian writing in English, inclusive of fiction: Indian English Literature is defined as the contribution of Indian writers to the Literature
in English. With the consolidation of the British power in India, English, the language of rulers also began to exercise its influence on the intellectuals
of the country. To the educated people, English language is a gateway to western knowledge. English provided a window for the Indian intellectuals to
have a look at the wide world.
Indian English Literature is a literature which is a combination of Indian literature and Indian literature written in English. Indian writings in English
are a product of the historical encounter between the two cultures – Indian and the western–for...show more content...
The first book with a title Travels of Dean Mahornet was written in English by Sake Dean Mahomet. It was published in 1793 in England. After
publication of this book the English Parliament felt to rectify and equalize some of the materialistic of the East India Com servants. The England
Parliament had approved the Charter Act. It made England responsible for the educational betterment of the natives. The English Education Act was
prompted by Thomas Babington Macaulay's ill–famed "minute" on Indian education. It made English the medium of Indian education system and
English literature a disciplinary subject in Indian educational institutions. Indian English Literature has matured from a sapling to a firmly rooted tree
that blooms with its entirety still awaiting its yet–to–come metamorphosis. Indians took countless events and spotlight notable personalities to bring
Indian writing in English to its contemporary fame. Indian literature in English and its transformation had happened in company with the consolidation
of British imperialism in India. The critics come to the agreement that Indian English literature dates back to at least the early 19th century. In its early
stages, the narration was influenced by the Western art form of the "novel". Early Indian writers made English by Indian words to communicate an
experience and understanding which was fundamentally and in essence of Indian. In the beginning acceptance of English language and literature by
upper–class Indians. First, there were the educational reforms called forth by both the Charter Act of 1813 and the 1835 English Education Act of
William

Eng 125 Introduction To Literature
In one of my English classes; Eng. 125 Introduction to Literature. In this class, gave me a better understanding how literature helps cultural knowledge,
and further the building of communities globally. My general educational classes allow me to develop and expand my critical thinking skills, allowing
me to be more opened minded about contemporary issues.

Periods of English Literature
Question: Show how the voices of writers through many centuries of literature have depicted a variety of mentalities and lifestyles. . Centuries could
pass, and not many changes could be easily perceived by the common man, as those changes came gradually. Yet those changes can be readily
discerned when looking at England as a whole, not looking at parts of history individually. The alterations of life, when looked at from a certain literary
viewpoint, can be explained when one looks at the different periods in English literature, seeing the depictions of a certain era through writings that
unintentionally convey great varieties in the mentality and lifestyles of the people who lived during that time. From war and violence to the...show more
content...
The Renaissance period is host to immortalized words from many a great poet, such as Shakespeare's "To be or not to be" sonnet, and many others.
The men of the period wrote about their lives in their poetry, with its many hues of passion, emotion, tragedy and triumph. The main characteristic of
the Renaissance period is the Renaissance humanism, a claim of the dignity of man against hatred. Shakespeare had an image of man as he was
before the Fall, and as he is still capable of being. Shakespeare also placed man between the angels and the beasts in the chain of Being that was an
important concept in the Medieval mentality. Also important was society's creation of the Renaissance man. The Renaissance man was refined,
elegant, dressed splendidly, danced well, wrote poetry, and was an ornament at court, to name but a few. This idea of the perfect man contrasted greatly
to the heroic ideal popular in the Anglo–Saxon period. Though the Renaissance man still had to excel in all areas of human endeavour, even
soldiering and commandeering, importance was not placed as highly on these factors of the Renaissance man. Examples of such a man can be found
in Sir Philip Sidney, John Donne and Sir Walter Raleigh. A few of the most celebrated writers of all times come from this period, such as Kit Marlowe
and William Shakespeare. The latter

The middle ages refer to the time span approximately from the collapse of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance. English literature in the Middle Ages,
covering works of more than eight hundred years from Caedmon's Hymn(ca.658–80) to Everyman (ca.1510), evolved with the development of English
language. In accordance of language development and historical watersheds, literature history consists of three periods: Anglo–Saxon England,
Anglo–Norman England and Middle English literature in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Literary works in the Middles Ages all rooted in the
Christian culture given that the introduction of Christianity is the most significant event in the cultural history of this period.
Literary works in the time of Anglo–Saxon England were composed in old English, a language that is extremely difficult to be understood, which leads
to the consequence that literacy was restricted to religious personnel. As a matter of course, Old English literature is mostly influenced by Christianity
and Latin Civilization. And as The Norton Anthology points out that "in form and content Old English literature also has much...show more content...
Different from old English poets paying close attention to Scandinavian legends and Bible stories, essayists mainly translated works that relate to
geography and history as well as church books, some even record their own history like King Alfred organizing scholars to write The Anglo–Saxon
Chronicle to record the British history using west Anglo–Saxon dialects. By compiling their own history, essayists were committed to educating the
public and flourish the British education. Furthermore, although some essays were still related to Christianity, the essayists had already shifted their
focus from religious stories or texts to the sermons and preaches given by the

Characteristics Of Middle English Literature

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Featured

Featured (20)

Characteristics Of Middle English Literature