PERIODS OF

WORLD LITERATURE
PERIODS OF WORLD LITERATURE
I. The Classical Period (750- B.C. – A.D. 476)
II. The Anglo-Saxon Literature
III. The Medieval Period
IV. The Renaissance Literature
V. The Seventeenth & Eighteenth Centuries
VI. The Nineteenth Century
VII. The Twentieth Century
I. The Classical Period
(750- B.C. – A.D. 476)
 Our classical heritage consists of the work of the
ancient Greeks and Romans.

 The Greek created the first European literature. They

also invented many literary forms, including comedy
tragedy, the philosophical dialogue, lyric poetry,
and the epic.

 The Romans were the first to pattern their literature

after Greek models.
 The Literature of Ancient Greece
In Greece, as in other cultures, the first literature was ORAL.

Forms of Oral Literature:

1. Myths – probably the most common type of oral literature. These

stories began as people attempted to answer basic questions about the
world. They often involve gods, goddesses, and their offsprings.

2. Epics – are long poems about heroic deeds which grew out of the oral
tradition. The Iliad and The Odyssey are two epic poems that the poet
Homer composed during the 700’s B.C. For hundreds of years, epic
poems are presented at religious festivals. They also served as textbooks
for Greek children.
 The Iliad (/ˈɪliəd/;[1] Ancient Greek: Ἰλιάς Ilias,
pronounced [iː.li.ás] in Classical Attic;
sometimes referred to as the Song of Ilion or
Song of Ilium) is an ancient Greek epic poem
in dactylic hexameter, traditionally attributed
to Homer.

 Set during the Trojan War, the ten-year siege

of the city of Troy (Ilium) by a coalition of
Greek states.

 It tells of the battles and events during the

weeks of a quarrel between King
Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles
 Troy is a 2004 epic period war film
written by David Benioff, directed
by Wolfgang Petersen and co-
produced by units in Malta, Mexico
and the U.K. Shepperton Studios.
The film features an ensemble cast
led by Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, and
Orlando Bloom. It is loosely based[2]
on Homer's Iliad in its narration of
the entire story of the decade-long
Trojan War
 The Odyssey (/ˈɒdəsi/;[1] Greek: Ὀδύσσεια
Odýsseia, pronounced [o.dýs.sej.ja] in
Classical Attic) is one of two major
ancient Greek epic poems attributed to
Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad,
the other work ascribed to Homer
3. Fables – are brief stories that taught a moral, or a lesson.
Aesop, a Greek slave who lived about 600 B.C. created some
of these stories that were passed on orally for generations
before someone finally recorded them.

4. Lyric Poetry – expresses personal feelings. Sappho wrote lyric

poetry meant to be sung to the music of lyre.

5. Drama – Aristophanes was the greatest comedic playwright.

Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides wrote tragedies that influenced
later playwrights for many centuries.
 Aesop (/ˈiːsɒp/ EE-sop; Greek: Αἴσωπος,
Aisōpos; c. 620 – 564 BCE) was a Greek
fabulist and story teller credited with a
number of fables now collectively
known as Aesop's Fables.

 Although his existence remains unclear

and no writings by him survive,
numerous tales credited to him were
gathered across the centuries and in
many languages in a storytelling
tradition that continues to this day.

 Many of the tales are characterized by

animals and inanimate objects that
speak, solve problems, and generally
have human characteristics.
 Sappho (/ˈsæfoʊ/; Aeolic Greek
Ψάπφω, Psappho [psápːʰɔː]; c. 630 – c.
570 BC) was an archaic Greek poet
from the island of Lesbos.
 Sappho is known for her lyric poetry,
written to be sung and accompanied
by a lyre.[2] Most of Sappho's poetry is
now lost, and what is extant has
survived only in fragmentary form,
except for one complete poem – the
"Ode to Aphrodite".
AESCHYLUS
 Agamemnon, where he
describes how the gods punish
a family for a series of murders.

* The Persians, in which the

Athenian victory at Salamis is
celebrated.

* Prometheus Bound, where the

myth of Prometheus, the world's
first humanitarian, is discussed.
 SOPHOCLES

* Oedipus Rex, (which is generally considered his

greatest work) explores the depths of modern
psycho-analysis as Oedipus unwittingly kills his
father and marries his mother in an attempt to
avoid a prophecy he fulfills anyway.

* Antigone, describes the tale of a passionate

young woman who refuses to submit to earthly
authority when it forbids a proper burial for her
brother, Polyneices.

* The Women of Trachis, which offers a touching

story of a jealous woman (Deianira) and her
husband (Heracles).
 EURIPIDES
* Hippolytus and The Bacchae, where
he explores the psyche of men
attempting to deny a natural life-force
such as sexuality or emotional release.

* Medea, where he takes a look at the

frenzied jealousy of a woman who has
lost her husband's interest.

* Hecuba, in which he documents the

cruelty of Greek warriors who enslave
the Trojan queen and sacrifice her
daughter at the tomb of Achilles.
 The Literature of Ancient Rome
Literary Writers of this Era:
1. Cicero – a great writer and statesman. His letters, speeches, and philosophical
works have informed and influenced people for many centuries.

2. Catullus – wrote lyric poetry of great intensity.

3. Virgil – wrote Aeneid, an epic poem that is a masterpiece of world literature.

4. Horace – wrote Epodes and Odes.

5. Ovid – composed his masterpiece, the poem Metamorphoses.

6. Martial – perfected the epigram, a kind of short, witty comments on life.

 The Aeneid (/ɪˈniːɪd/; Latin: Aeneis
[ae̯ˈneːɪs]) is a Latin epic poem,
written by Virgil between 29 and
19 BC,[1] that tells the legendary
story of Aeneas, a Trojan who
travelled to Italy, where he
became the ancestor of the
Romans. It comprises 9,896 lines in
dactylic hexameter.[2] The first six
of the poem's twelve books tell the
story of Aeneas's wanderings from
Troy to Italy, and the poem's
second half tells of the Trojans'
ultimately victorious war upon the
Latins, under whose name Aeneas
and his Trojan followers are
destined to be subsumed.
 The Odes were developed as a conscious
imitation of the short lyric poetry of Greek
originals – Pindar, Sappho and Alcaeus are
some of Horace's models. His genius[POV? –
discuss] lay in applying these older forms to
the social life of Rome in the age of
Augustus.
 The Odes cover a range of subjects – Love,
Friendship, Wine, Religion, Morality,
Patriotism; poems of eulogy addressed to
Augustus and his relations; and verses written
on a miscellany of subjects and incidents,
including the uncertainty of life, the
cultivation of tranquility and contentment,
and the observance of moderation or the
"golden mean."
 The Metamorphoses (Latin:
Metamorphōseōn librī: "Books of
Transformations") is a Latin
narrative poem by the Roman
poet Ovid, considered his
magnum opus.

 Comprising fifteen books and over

250 myths, the poem chronicles
the history of the world from its
creation to the deification of Julius
Caesar within a loose mythico-
historical framework.
II.Anglo-Saxon Literature
Much of Anglo-Saxon literature reflects the heroic struggles of the Germanic people
who settled in England.

The Oral Tradition

 The first Anglo-axon literature was oral. Kings and nobles would entertain large
groups of people in enormous halls, often to celebrate victory in battle.

 A scop is a professional singer or minstrel. The scop would recite poems or retell
stories about the legendary heroes and adventures. Sometimes the warriors would
present at the gathering would sing about their own heroic deeds.

 The oral tradition reflected values that were largely pagan. Yet it continued for
many years after the Anglo-Saxon were converted to Christianity. Original works by
Christian writers also reflected the themes and the spirit of this oral literature.
 Types of Anglo-Saxon Poetry
 1. A heroic epic is a long narrative poem whose central character is a hero, who is a noble
figure with great courage and sometimes superhuman abilities. The most famous of these
epics is Beowulf. It tells of heroic deeds that were supposed to have happened during the
second or third century A.D.

 2. An elegiac lyric is a lyric poem in which a single speaker expresses thoughts and feelings.
Like heroic epics, elegiac lyrics often recall the glories of the past. They deal with solemn
subjects such as death. “The Seafarer,” which probably was composed in the early 700’s, is an
elegiac lyric.

 3. Riddles were another form of Anglo-Saxon literature. Composed in verse, they challenged
the listener or readers to guess their subject.

 4. The Christian poets who wrote original works were influenced by the Anglo-Saxon oral
tradition. Two such poets were the monks Caedmon and Cynewulf. Although their poems
deal with religious topics and themes, their rhythm and imagery are similar to the poetry that
developed from the Anglo-Saxon oral tradition.
 Beowulf (/ˈbeɪoʊwʊlf/ Old English:
[ˈbeːo̯ˌwulf]) is an Old English epic poem
consisting of 3,182 alliterative lines. It may
be the oldest surviving long poem in Old
English and is commonly cited as one of
the most important works of Old English
literature
Anglo-Saxon Prose
 English prose developed much later than poetry. Until King Alfred came to
power in 871, most prose was written in Latin.

 Alfred translated Paulus Orosius’ Compendious History of the World in English. He

encouraged others to translate Latin works and also to create original works in
English.

 Another important historical work was Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English
People, written in 731. This work was translated from Latin into English in
approximately 900.
 III. The Medieval Period
(1000-1500 A.D.)
 Much of the literature of the Medieval Ages was
presented orally. The literature took the form of songs,
romantic tales, epic and lyric poetry, and plays. This era
also produced several of the first great European writers
to express themselves in their own languages rather than
in Latin. These writers created works that still stand as
masterpieces of world literature.
Forms of Medieval Literature:
1. Ballads – are narrative songs that became popular during the middle ages. They told
stories about ordinary people as well as legendary heroes. They often contained themes
related to love, envy, bravery, loyalty, and revenge. Although many of these songs told of
tragic or disastrous events, others were quite humorous.

2. Romances – are tales of adventure that celebrate the brave deeds of noble knights.
Some examples are:

a. The Romance of the Rose – one of the most important French Romances.
b. Morte d’ Arthur – written by Thomas Malory in the 1400’s, was the first England prose
version about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
c. Tales about King Arthur also were composed in other countries, including Italy, France,
and Germany.
 The Roman de la Rose (French:
[ʁɔmɑ̃ də la ʁoz]; "Romance of the
Rose"), is a medieval French poem
styled as an allegorical dream vision.
It is a notable instance of courtly
literature. The work's stated purpose
is to both entertain and to teach
others about the Art of Love. At
various times in the poem, the "Rose"
of the title is seen as the name of the
lady, and as a symbol of female
sexuality in general. Likewise, the
other characters' names function
both as regular names and as
abstractions illustrating the various
factors that are involved in a love
affair.
Forms of Medieval Literature:
3. Poetry

a. Epic poetry – was an important means of expression during the middle Ages.

Ex. The Song of Roland – a French poem; The Song of Nibelungs- a German epic;, and
the Poem of the Cid- a great Spanish epic written during the 1100’s.

b. Lyric Poems – are about love and sang by wandering poets known as minnesingers
in Germany and troubadours in France.

c. Narrative Poetry – an example is Geoffrey Chaucer’s masterpiece, The Canterbury

Tales, a collection of stories in verse, using the natural rhythms of the spoken
language. It gives the reader a vivid picture of the English society in the 1300’s.
 Geoffrey Chaucer (/ˈtʃɔːsər/; c. 1343 – 25 October
1400), known as the Father of English literature,[1] is
widely considered the greatest English poet of the
Middle Ages. He was the first poet to be buried in
Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey.

 While he achieved fame during his lifetime as an

author, philosopher, and astronomer, composing
a scientific treatise on the astrolabe for his ten-
year-old son Lewis, Chaucer also maintained an
active career in the civil service as a bureaucrat,
courtier and diplomat. Among his many works are
The Book of the Duchess, The House of Fame, The
Legend of Good Women and Troilus and Criseyde.
He is best known today for The Canterbury Tales.

 Chaucer's work was crucial in legitimizing the

literary use of the Middle English vernacular at a
time when the dominant literary languages in
England were French and Latin.
Forms of Medieval Literature:
4. Drama and Prose

a. Mystery Plays – were based on the stories from the bible.

b. Miracle Plays - were plays about the lives of saints.

c. Morality Plays - taught moral and ethical values.

d. Other prose Works – The Decameron is a collection of one hundred tales written
by the Italian writer, Giovanni Boccaccio.
 IV. Renaissance Literature
(1485-1660)
 The period following the Middle Ages in Western Europe is
known as the Renaissance which means “rebirth”. The
Renaissance began min italy in the 1300’s and later spread
north throughout Europe. It was marked by an incredible
surge of creative and intellectual energy. This period
produced some of the greatest work of arts, literature, and
scholarship that the world has ever known.
Renaissance Literature
Its characteristics:

1. There was a renewed interest in the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome.

2. There was an emphasis on the individual. This emphasis on the individualism lead
to the questioning of authority such as that of the Catholic Church.
Forms of Renaissance Literature:
A. The Drama
1. The Elizabethan Drama – flourished between 1580 to 1603.
Writers of the Era:
a. Christopher Marlowe – wrote Tamburlaine and Dr. Faustus.
b. William Shakespeare – most important dramatist of this era.
c. Ben Johnson
d. John Lyly

2. The Spanish Drama – its golden age lasted from about 1550 until the Lte 1600’s.
Writers of this Era:
a. Lope de Vega
b. Pedro Calderon
Forms of Renaissance Literature:
B. Poetry – types
1. Lyric Poetry- the sonnet is one type of lyric poet. Composed of 14 lines the sonnet
follows a set pattern and the rhyme scheme.
a. The Petrarchan or Italian Sonnet - by Petrarch
b. The Shakespearean or English Sonnet – William Shakespeare

2. Pastoral Poetry – portrays shepherds who live rustic lives in the countryside.
Pastorals were written by poets such as the Marquis of Santillana, a Spaniard; Jacopo
Samarano, an Italian; and Christopher Marlowe and Sir Walter Raleigh, English.

3. Epic Poetry – included The Faerie Queene (written in honor of Queen Elizabeth) by
Edmund spencer, Venus and Adonis by William Shakespeare, Orlando Furioso (a
poem dealing with chivalrous love) by Ludovico Ariosto.
Forms of Renaissance Literature:
C. Prose

1. The Prince – by Niccolo Machiavelli

2. Utopia – by Sir Thomas More

3. The Freedom of the Christian Man – by Martin Luther

4. Don Quixote – by Miguel de Cervantes

5. The Personal Essay – a new literary from invented by Michel de Montaigne

V. The Seventeenth and Eighteenth
Centuries
 The literature of the 17th and 18thcenturies reflects the
new emphasis on reason. Much of this literature is of
Philosophical nature. A movement called Neoclassiscism
or ”New Classicism”, greatly influenced the writers of this
era. During the late 1700’s, Romanticism developed as a
reaction against Neoclassicism.
 Neoclassicism was a movement that developed in Europe
during the 1600’s and 1700’s. Neoclassical writers modelled
their work on the classical literature of ancient Greece and
Rome. Like classical writing, Neoclassical literature is orderly,
reasonable, and dignified. It usually deals with public rather
than private themes and avoids expressing personal feelings.
Romanticism developed in Europe during the late 1700’s.
Romantic writers reacted against the forms and themes of
Neoclassical literature. They expressed themselves using freer
artistic forms, and they valued emotion over reason. The
Romantics focused on the individual rather than society. The
individual’s relationship to nature was a primary concern of
Romantic writers
VI. The Nineteenth Century (Age of Reason)
 Early 19th Century Literature
 British Romantics:
- William Wordsworth
- Percy Byshe Shelley, Robert Browning
● Melodrama- a popular form since its purpose is to thrill the audience; have
sentimental and sensational action.

 Late 19th Century Literature

● Realism –an attempt to make writing true t o actual life.
● Letters

Some of the great letter writers:

- Charles Dickens, Charles Lamb, Thomas Gray and Robert
Stevenson
● Naturalistic Drama –it presents characters as victims of powerful forces within
themselves in the world.
VII. The Twentieth Century

 The themes of 20th Century fiction are influenced by the negative feelings
caused by two world wars. It has been a time of change for literature.
Loneliness, isolation, and attempts at communication were the frequent themes.

Some of these changes are:

1. Symbolism –a rebellion against realism . Poets began to eel that their work
should be personal, emotional, and of the moment. They used complex
symbols to reveal their own world.
Imagism, on the other hand, believed in precise and freer rhythms.

2. Free Verse, which has no regular meter or rhyme. Some poets tried to make
the language of poetry more informal. These poets felt like poetry should be l
like a conversation, speaking directly to the reader.
 3. Drama has been revived and renewed. The subject for plays have
become symbolic. Dramatists worked with a variety of forms. These
include the classic type of Drama, Comedy, and Tragedy. They also
include satire, musicals, and different experimental forms.

The technology also caused he changes in drama. It include radio

and television drama, as well as movies.
Twentieth Century Non-fiction
1. Biography and Autobiography
Biographies explore the motives, feelings, and important influences in a person’s life.
Autobiographies share the same emphasis on the inner workings of the subject.

2. Essay

3. Speeches –speeches in the 20th century can had a greater impact than was previously
possible because of television and radio through which the speaker delivers the speech
to a much wider audience.

4. Letters –continued to be used for sending important ideas and maintaining

relationships.
*Writers of this century have also popularized science fiction, detective fiction, and
fantasy.