English Literature

MARTA LÓPEZ BORDONADO

MAIN PERIOD OF ENGLISH LITERATURE:

A) OLD ENGLISH / ANGLO-SAXON LITERATURE

-English as an Indo-European language:

It began in 2000 B.C. It comes from Italic.English is a branch from of Germanic.
The evolution of the idiom was in 4th B.C., that the Saxon/Anglian arose, this is the beginning of Old English, at the same time England was invaded by Roma and wasinfluenced by the latin language. In the 8th we had some invasion, like the Vikings and the brought some influences. Later, the famous moment was in 1066, there was the invasion of the Normans theyspoke old French. After this, the comun people spoke old English, but the official language was French.

B) MIDDLE ENGLISH / MEDIEVAL LITERATURE (1066 – 1500)

Then, we got to Middle English, in1066 from 1500. From the 15th century we got Early modern English to ours days, that we get Modern English.

C) TUDOR / ELIZABETHAN PERIOD:

The 16th century is divided in two parts, the firstone in the 1st half, when Henry VIII lived, from the Tudor. He was famous because he had six wifes, his first wife was Catherina of Aragon, who was daughter of Isabel and Fernando. His second wife wasAna Bolena. The most important thing of the 1st half was the theater plays.
An important writer was Christopher Marlowe, who wrote Edward II, he died too young, he was killed. Another importantwriter was William Shakespeare, he wrote plays for theatre. The last play he wrote, as far as we know, is The tempest.
In the second part, was when Elisabeth I lived. The public entertainment for peoplewas the theatre.

D) JACOBEAN / STUART PERIOD:

The first stuart was James I, king of Scotland and English. James I was enthroned by her son, Charles I, that rejected parlament. In 1649Charles I was killed.
From 1650 to 1660, Oliver Cromwell was the head of state. Later, he died and his son died later. Then they don’t had a king. In 1660, Charles II became the king of England.
In...