Introduction to English Literature 1

This module provides an overview of English literary style and history prior to 1789, and will introduce you to the works of some of the great exponents of literature. You’ll gain knowledge of and familiarity with the styles of various eras, and apply this knowledge as you learn to think critically and form your own understanding of the periods and genres involved.

What does the module cover?

In this module, you’ll examine the history of English literature from the Anglo-Saxon period to the end of the eighteenth century. Using a selection of texts taken from volume 1 of The Norton Anthology of English Literature, supplemented by additional readings, you’ll gain knowledge of different literary forms belonging to every period of English literary history prior to the Romantic movement. The juxtaposition of pieces by well known authors such as Chaucer, Marlowe, Milton and Swift with less familiar texts will encourage reflection upon what constitutes the ‘canon’. You’ll learn to recognise characteristics of various eras in English literary history, such as Medieval, Tudor, Renaissance, Reformation, Early Modern, Restoration, Augustan, NeoClassical, Enlightenment and Sensibility, developing your critical thinking skills along the way.

Key Topics

English literary history from the Middle Ages to the French Revolution
Sample texts by major authors (Chaucer, Marlowe, Milton, Swift) as well as less well known ones
Consideration of how the ‘canon’ of English literature is formed
Knowledge of different ways of periodising English literature such as Renaissance, Early modern, NeoClassical, Enlightenment
Understanding of individual texts in relation to a historical and cultural context