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Timeline of British History and Literature Anglo-Saxon Period

450

(450 A.D. – 1066) This was the first period in British literary history. It was filled with fighting due to the invasions by Germanic people. There was no written language, so literature was passed down through storytellers.

Old English (450 A.D. – 1066) During the entire Anglo-Saxon Period, Old English, also called Anglo-Saxon, was the spoken language.

1066

Conquest of England (1066) This conquest started the Medieval Period. William of Normandy, a French Duke, invaded England and took the crown.

Medieval Period (1066 – 1485) Social life was defined by the feudal system where everyone had a certain role and job-related task. Middle English was the spoken and written language.

The Printing Press Renaissance Period

1485

(1485 – 1660) This period was known as the rebirth. Books became readily available to everyone and people began embracing new ideas. Many ideas were rooted in the values of ancient Greece and Rome. During this period, William Shakespeare created his famous works.

1660

(1450) Johannes Gutenberg of Germany created the printing press with movable type that allowed for the mass production and distribution of books.

Restoration Period and Neoclassical Period

1660

King Charles II (1661) King Charles II was finally restored to the English throne after years of living in exile.

(1660-1798) The Restoration Period was the first part of the Neoclassical Period, lasting only from 1660 to 1714. During this period, England, Scotland, and Wales united to become Great Britain.

1714 During the Neoclassical Period, writers drew on the “new classical” style of Roman and Greek models. Journalism became a real profession and they saw themselves as reformers. England became industrialized and people moved to the city where they lived in poor conditions.

The Age of Enlightenment (1685 – 1815) The Enlightenment was when scientists, artists, and philosophers created ideas and works based on logic and reason rather than religion.

1798 Romantic Period (1798 – 1832) This period was a reaction to the industrialization of the economy and the Age of Enlightenment. This period celebrated the experience of artists. Artists mainly focused on expressing social change, imagination, nature, personal experience, and emotion in their work.

1832

Victorian Period

1832

(1832 – 1901) Named after Queen Victoria, this period observed many social rules and valued decorum. The shift in morality and change in society was based around reforms for women and workers.

1901 Modern Period (1901 – Present) This period lasted until after WWII. People shifted away from conservatism and accepted and embraced new ideas. Fashion became less formal and new forms of music, such as jazz, became more popular.

Post-Modern Period (1945 – Present) After WWII, Great Britain was transitioning. The two World Wars and rise of communism shifted the accepted political and social ideas. Writers did not associate with a specific school or ideology and used experimental literary techniques.

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