21st

American Literature

  • Definition: American literature refers to the body of written works produced in the English language in the United States.

    • Historical Influence: Shaped by the history of America, which initially consisted of colonies along the eastern seaboard before becoming the United States after a successful rebellion against Great Britain.

  • Characteristics of American Literature:

    • Third-person omniscient narration.

    • Reaction against romanticism and surrealism.

    • Perceived indifference of nature.

    • Themes often center around plots of decline.

19th Century American Literature

  • William Cullen Bryant:

    • Roles: American romantic poet, journalist, editor of the New York Evening Post.

    • Early Career: Started as a lawyer; showed interest in poetry at an early age.

    • Contribution: Known for accessible poetry; part of the fireside poets.

  • Washington Irving:

    • Roles: Short-story writer, essayist, biographer, historian, diplomat.

    • Notable Works: "Rip Van Winkle" (1819) and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" (1820) from The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.

    • Historical Contributions: Biographies of Oliver Goldsmith, Muhammad, George Washington, and histories of 15th-century Spain.

  • Edgar Allan Poe:

    • Roles: Writer, poet, editor, literary critic.

    • Notable Works: Known for poetry and short stories, particularly mystery and macabre genres.

    • Contribution to Literature: Credited with inventing detective fiction; notable stories include "The Fall of the House of Usher" (1839) and "The Cask of Amontillado" (1846).

  • Nathaniel Hawthorne:

    • Roles: Novelist, dark romantic, short story writer.

    • Themes: Focuses on history, morality, and the inherent evil/sin of humanity.

    • Notable Works: Symbolical tales such as "The Hollow of the Three Hills" (1830) and "Young Goodman Brown" (1835).

  • Walt Whitman:

    • Roles: Poet, essayist, journalist.

    • Notable Contributions: Influential in American poetry, particularly known for Leaves of Grass and the father of free verse.

    • Controversial Work: His poetry was criticized for its overt sensuality.

20th Century American Literature

  • Robert Frost:

    • Style: Utilized traditional stanzas and blank verse (iambic pentameter without rhyme).

    • Themes: Poetic focus on ordinary people and everyday situations.

    • Notable Works: "Mending Wall," "The Road Not Taken," and "After Apple-Picking" (published in 1914).

  • E. E. Cummings:

    • Roles: Poet, painter, essayist, playwright.

    • Contributions: Held a significant place in 20th-century American poetry; known for modernist free-form poetry and unconventional punctuation.

    • Works: Compiled in Complete Poems (1968).

  • Allen Ginsberg:

    • Roles: Poet and writer.

    • Notable Work: "Howl" (1956) characterized by incantatory rhythms and raw emotion.

    • Movement: Part of the Beat poets, advocating for poetry's return to the streets and resistance against militarism, materialism, and sexual repression.

English Literature

  • Definition: Encompasses the body of written works produced in English by inhabitants of the British Isles from the 7th century to present, recognizing distinctions from other literatures like American and Australian.

  • Characteristics of English Literature:

    • Common themes: Boy meets girl, quests, voyages and returns, overcoming monsters, and rags to riches.

Old English Literature

  • Definition: Earliest form of the English language spoken by the Anglo-Saxons.

    • Notable Work: Beowulf, recognized as the longest epic poem in Old English.

    • Kennings: Use of phrases or compound words to name indirectly.

Middle English Literature

  • Definition: A mix of Old English and Norman French dialect.

    • Notable Work: Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales.

Elizabethan Period

  • Description: Known as the golden age of English literature and drama.

    • Notable Figure: William Shakespeare (the “Bard of Avon”).

    • Key Works: Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, Othello, The Merchant of Venice and 154 sonnets.

Romantic Period

  • Characteristics: Marked by the rise of lyric poetry; focuses on emotion.

    • Notable Works: Songs of Innocence and of Experience by William Blake, Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, The Eve of St. Agnes by John Keats, Don Juan by Lord Byron, Ode to the West Wind by Percy Bysshe Shelley.

Victorian Period

  • Characteristics: Rise of the novel with significant contributions from key authors.

    • Notable Figures: Charles Dickens (author of Great Expectations), Alfred Lord Tennyson (In Memoriam A. H. H.), Robert Browning (My Last Duchess), Oscar Wilde (The Importance of Being Earnest).

Twentieth Century

  • Notable Figures: William Butler Yeats, T.S. Eliot and their modernist poems.

    • Key Works of Eliot: "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" and "The Waste Land".

    • Literary Techniques: Stream of consciousness used by Virginia Woolf in Mrs. Dalloway and James Joyce in Ulysses.

European Literature

  • Definition: Literature written in the context of Western culture, including Indo-European languages and various regional languages, forming a key element of Western civilization.

  • Characteristics of European Literature:

    • Themes: Reform, industrialism, economic prosperity, glorification of wars, expansion of empires.

Greek Literature

  • Definition: Literature ranging from ancient Greek literature in 800 BC to modern Greek literature; includes epic poems and other literary forms.

  • Characteristics:

    • Mythology and religious content prominently featured.

    • Use of prose in political oratory contexts.

    • Dramatic genres: Tragedy, comedy, satire.

  • Key Figures:

    • Homer: Known for The Iliad and The Odyssey; pivotal to Western literature; uncertain existence.

    • Sophocles: Renowned for Antigone and Oedipus the King; improved theatrical methods, including introduction of a third actor.

    • Herodotus: Known as the father of history; introduced history as a science.

    • Euripides: Modern approach in plays like Alcestis, Medea, Helen; portrayed strong female characters.

    • Hippocrates: Considered the father of medicine; famous for the Hippocratic Oath which outlines medical ethics.

Italian Literature

  • Definition: Literature written in Italian, originating in the 12th century as the Italian vernacular began to emerge.

  • Characteristics:

    • Biblical themes and influences from French literature; use of vernacular language.

  • Key Figures:

    • Dante Alighieri: Authored Divine Comedy, a foundational work of the Middle Ages; established vernacular use.

    • Francesco Petrarca: Notable for poetry and Latin prose, exploring various themes.

    • Giovanni Boccaccio: Known for The Decameron and innovative stylistic choices; blends dialogue realism with creative narrative.

    • Ludovico Ariosto: Author of Orlando Furioso, employing ottava rima; satirical of chivalric traditions.

    • Alessandro Manzoni: Noted for The Betrothed, pivotal in Italian literature and language stabilization.

Spanish Literature

  • Definition: Literature written in the Spanish language, intersecting with various literary traditions in Spain.

  • Characteristics:

    • Themes: Knights’ feats, legends, traditions, often serving religious purposes.

  • Key Figures:

    • Miguel de Cervantes: Author of Don Quixote; pivotal in Spanish literature.

    • Lope de Vega: Prolific playwright during the Spanish Golden Age; renowned for his literary output.

    • Federico Garcia Lorca: Influential poet/playwright linked to the Generation of '27; wrote extensively on cultural themes.

    • Arturo Perez-Reverte: Contemporary author known for historical fiction.

    • Rafael Alberti: Notable member of the Generation of '27 who blended painting and poetry with political engagement.

French Literature

  • Definition: Literature primarily in the French language; includes contributions from various Francophone regions.

  • Characteristics:

    • Themes: Adventures, philosophical humor, liberal humanism, and individualism.

  • Key Figures:

    • Gustave Flaubert: Influential realist novelist; known for Madame Bovary.

    • Guy de Maupassant: Renowned for short stories emphasizing naturalism.

    • Jules Verne: Pioneer of science fiction; famous works include Journey to the Center of the Earth.

    • Alexander Dumas: Notable for high-adventure novels like The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers.

    • Victor Hugo: Prominent Romantic figure; celebrated for masterpieces such as Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.

Russian Literature

  • Definition: Literature from Russia, covering various periods from the Middle Ages to modern-day.

  • Characteristics:

    • Themes: Struggle for stability, societal issues, and historical chronicles.

  • Key Figures:

    • Leo Tolstoy: Famous for War and Peace and Anna Karenina; master of realistic fiction.

    • Anton Chekhov: Acknowledged for modern short stories; known for observational qualities.

    • Ivan Turgenev: Renowned for Father and Sons; significant in exploring societal issues.

    • Alexander Solzhenitsyn: Exposed Soviet labor camps in works like The Gulag Archipelago.

    • Alexander Pushkin: Founder of modern literary poetry, famous for Eugene Onegin; a romantic hero.