LESSON 3-EUROPEAN LITERATURE

European Literature

Historical Period

Medieval Period

  • Fall of Rome:

    • The collapse of the Roman Empire in the 5th century led to the rise of feudalism.

    • Spread of Christianity influenced literary themes significantly.

  • Religious Influence:

    • The Church was a dominant force in shaping literature.

    • Specific types of significant literature include religious texts, hagiographies, and theological writings.

Medieval Period Genres and Forms

  • Epic Poetry:

    • Examples include "Beowulf" and "The Song of Roland."

    • Common themes: heroism, adventure, and moral lessons, often tied to national identity.

  • Allegory:

    • Notable work: Dante's "Divine Comedy."

    • Explores moral and spiritual themes through allegorical storytelling.

  • Lyric Poetry:

    • Emergence of lyric poetry marked by forms such as sonnets and songs.

    • Focus on themes of love and nature, as illustrated by French troubadours.

Major Works and Authors of the Medieval Period

  • Dante Alighieri:

    • Authored "The Divine Comedy" which is central to Italian literature.

    • Themes: sin, redemption, and the afterlife.

  • Geoffrey Chaucer:

    • "The Canterbury Tales" offers a rich depiction of medieval society.

    • Features diverse voices and social commentary.

  • Sir Thomas Malory:

    • "Le Morte d'Arthur" compiles and transforms Arthurian legends.

    • Reflects the era's chivalric ideals.

Renaissance Period

  • The invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in 1440 transformed literature access, reaching larger audiences.

  • Writers drew on classical methods and styles from ancient literature, notably from Aristotle, Homer, Plato, and Socrates.

  • Political themes were prevalent, as exemplified by Machiavelli's "The Prince." Christian influences were also significant.

Important Renaissance Works

  • Miguel de Cervantes: "Don Quixote"

  • William Shakespeare: "Hamlet," "Macbeth," "Romeo and Juliet"

  • Niccolo Machiavelli: "The Prince"

  • Giovanni Boccaccio: "The Decameron"

  • Petrarch: "Canzoniere," "Trionfi"

  • Sir Francis Bacon: "New Atlantis"

  • Sir Thomas More: "Utopia"

  • John Milton: "Paradise Lost"

  • Christopher Marlowe: "Doctor Faustus"

Enlightenment Period

  • Characterized by an emphasis on logic and intellectualism, focusing on useful rather than abstract thought.

  • The period sought to improve humanity's condition through ideals of tolerance, freedom, and equality.

  • Writers began questioning established churches, fostering a rise of deism.

  • The rise of the middle class emphasized prose novels and short stories as significant genres.

Works of the Enlightenment

  • John Locke: "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding"

  • Mary Wollstonecraft: "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman"

  • Adam Smith: "The Wealth of Nations"

  • Daniel Defoe: "Robinson Crusoe"

  • Voltaire: "Candide"

  • Denis Diderot: "Encyclopédie"

Romanticism

  • This movement emphasized imagination and emotions over reason and logic.

  • Key characteristics:

    • Interest in the common man and childhood.

    • Focus on emotions and feelings, and reverence for nature.

    • Emphasis on the individual and myths.

    • Imagination regarded as important for literary expression.

  • Symbolism was preferred for its ability to evoke multiple interpretations.

Notable Romantic Works

  • Victor Hugo: "Les Misérables"

  • Jane Austen: "Pride and Prejudice"

  • Mary Shelley: "Frankenstein"

Realism

  • Focused on depicting the hypocrisy and brutality of life, particularly for the bourgeois.

  • Advocated for scientific objectivity and observation in literature.

  • Rejected romantic idealization, portraying the dark aspects of life caused by industrialism.

Important Realist Authors

  • Charles Dickens: "A Tale of Two Cities"

  • Leo Tolstoy: "The Adventures of Oliver Twist"

Victorian Period

  • Literature emphasized the middle class, reality, work, and national concerns.

  • Central themes included:

    • The exploration of religion, science, and morality.

    • Glorification of war, empire expansion, industrialism, economic prosperity, and reform.

Notable Victorian Writers

  • Robert Browning

  • Robert Louis Stevenson: "Treasure Island"

  • Oscar Wilde: "The Importance of Being Earnest"

  • George Eliot

  • Elizabeth Barret Browning

  • Emily Bronte: "Wuthering Heights"

  • Thomas Hardy

  • Lord Alfred Tennyson

Modernism

  • Critical of middle-class society but focused more on aesthetics than social issues.

  • Emerged prior to World War I but gained prominence post-war due to the turmoil experienced.

  • Values such as experimentation and individualism were emphasized over traditional norms.

Postmodernism

  • Moved away from conclusive endings prevalent in modernism, favoring chance.

  • Questioning cultural distinctions and employing metafiction to challenge writer authority.

Notable Postmodern Works

  • Vladimir Nabokov: "Lolita"

  • Roald Dahl: "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"

  • George Perec: "Life: A User’s Manual"

  • Italo Calvino: "If on a winter’s night a traveler"

  • Alasdair Gray: "Lanark: A Life in Four Books"

  • Alan Moore: "Watchmen"

  • Dmitry Galkovsky: "The Infinite Deadlock"

  • Umberto Eco: "Foucault’s Pendulum"

  • Walter Abish: "How German Is It"