LITERATURE TIMELINE

02

The Colonial and Early National period

17th century to 1830

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03

The Romantic period

1830 to 1870

Pre-colonization

01

American Literary HIstory TIMELINE

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04

Realism and Naturalism

1870 to 1910

06

The Contemporary period

1945 to present day

07

References

05

The Modernist period

1910 to 1945

American Literary HIstory TIMELINE

Colonial American literature started when the British first arrived in the territory of what is now the United States. During this period, literature was largely influenced by the English-speaking colonizers, as basically all writers were British or had British influence. Literature in this period was mostly about the colonists’ experiences in America, and focused on the future.

Writers:

• John Smith: Wrote about his experience as an explorer

• Nathaniel Ward, John Winthrop: Wrote about religion.

• William Hill Brown: Wrote “The Power of Sympathy”, supposedly the first American novel

The Romantic period

“The romantic period of American literature took place from 1830 to 1870 and emphasized nature, symbolism, transcendentalism, and individualism. Key authors of this period include Emily Dickinson, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Edgar Allan Poe, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Walt Whitman” (Research Guides: American Literature: The Romantic Period: Home, n.d.)

“Robert Burns is considered the pioneer of the Romantic Movement. Although his death in 1796 precedes what many consider the start of Romanticism, his lyricism and sincerity mark him as an early Romantic writer. His most notable works are “Auld Lang Syne” (1788) and “Tam o' Shanter” (1791).” (The Romantic Period, n.d.)

Pre-colonization

Literature in this period consists of the many oral traditions that the indigenous people of North America had. Some of the myths that the native Americans thought to be true include the following:

• Kachinas: Ancestral spirits that act as intermediaries between humans and the gods

• Many creation myths
• The raven cycle tales

The Modernist period

and political landscape. Authors explored themes of isolation, loss, and the breakdown of traditional values.

Advances in science and technology in Western countries rapidly intensified at the start of the 20th century and brought about a sense of unprecedented progress to American literature. It focus on experimentation with language, narrative structure, and themes.)Modernist writers often rejected conventional storytelling techniques and experimented with narrative structure, point of view, and chronology. Many Modernist works reflected a sense of disillusionment and alienation in the wake of World War I and the changing social

Writers:

• F. Scott Fitzgerald - Known for his novel "The Great Gatsby"
• T.S. Eliot - his poetry, such as "The Waste Land" and "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," had a significant influence on American modernist literature.

The Contemporary Period

• Toni Morrison: Known for her powerful and lyrical novels, such as "Beloved" and "Song of Solomon
• Don DeLillo: White Noise" and "Underworld"

• Jennifer Egan: "A Visit from the Goon Squad"

• Louise Erdrich: "The Plague of Doves" and "The Round House"

This period is said to begin after the end of World War II in 1945 and it is still occurring til this day. It was influenced by World War II, the Cold War, Civil rights movement and the women's rights movement. Creating an inclusive literary style. Authors frequently address issues related to diversity, multiculturalism, and the complexities of individual and group identities. However many authors also explore topics such as social media, online relationships, privacy, and the changing nature of communication during this period.

References

• Definition of kachina. (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster Dictionary. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kachina
• Giles, J. R., Blair, W., & Dickstein, M. (1999, August 9). American literature | Timeline, History, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/art/American-literature
• History of English Literature. (2021, August 2). Scientific Editing. https://www.scientific-editing.info/blog/history-of-english-literature/#:~:text=The%20history%20of%20English%20literature%20is%20divided%20into%205%20periods,English%20literature%20(Since%201901).
• Luebering, J. (n.d.). Periods of American Literature. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/list/periods-of-american-literature
• Research guides: American Literature: the Colonial and Early National Period: Home. (n.d.). https://southern.libguides.com/colonialamericanlit#:~:text=The%20Colonial%20and%20Early%20National%20period%20of%20American%20Literature%20took,Phillis%20Wheatley%20and%20Washington%20Irving
• Research guides: American Literature: The Romantic Period: Home. (n.d.). https://southern.libguides.com/romanticamericanlit#:~:text=The%20romantic%20period%20of%20American%20literature%20took%20place%20from%201830,Beecher%20Stowe%2C%20and%20Walt%20Whitman.
• The romantic period. (n.d.). Eastern Connecticut State University. https://www.easternct.edu/speichera/understanding-literary-history-all/the-romantic-period.html#:~:text=Robert%20Burns%20is%20considered%20the,'%20Shanter%E2%80%9D%20(1791).

Characteristics:

• Both were reaction of the romantic movement.
• The life was no more romanticized.
• Has an element of moral dilemma.
• Naturalism tends to focus just on poor working classes, while realism predicts middle class and their point of view.
• Uses Darwinian scientific theories.
• The characters are controlled by their biological, economical and environmental characteristics.
• Pessimistic view of society

Realism and Naturalism

Realism represents all settings and characters as they would actually have existed. Naturalism represent the biological, economical, and social aspect, both of them represent real life. When did the realism movement start? Began in 19th century in France, this was a period of intense social and political change. The Industrial Revolution change several things in Europe, this movement was the response of this change, because the people liked to see their problems reflected in literary, and writers to comment the issues.

Examples of writers: Charlotte Bronte, Mark Twain

“The English language has evolved over the period of time. As time has progressed a number of changes can be seen through the language. The English that was used 1500 years ago is almost incomprehensible for a person of today’s age. Hence, it can be stated that there are radical differences between the Old English and English used after Post Modernism. The history of English literature is divided into 5 periods; Old literature (858-1100), Middle Ages (1100-1500), Renaissance (1500-1660), Neo-Classical Age (1660-1798), 19th Century Literature and Modern English literature (Since 1901).