CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. BACKGROUND

England is a developed country in both economy and culture. England is also a

country that has a lot of influence on other countries. Before achieving glory in the
current period English is also experiencing hard times. In this paper the author wants to
write about the history of literary development in the United Kingdom.

As an English student we are obliged to learn and know the history, culture and
literature of English. This paper will also explain English periodization. Besides
discussing the periodization of this paper, it will also discuss literature in England.
English Literature is literature written in English including literature compiled in English
by non-English writers such as Robert Burns from Scotland, Joseph Conrad from
Poland, and Thomas Pynchon from America. But despite that all writers are considered
important in the history of English literature.

English literature is as varied as the British varieties and dialects used throughout the
world in countries which were originally colonized by the British. But even though there
are many English literary writers, William Shakespeare's works remain important
throughout the English-speaking world.

B. FORMULATION OF THE PROBLEM

1. What the History of English Literature ?

C. OUR PURPOSES
1. To understanding the History of English Literature.

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 CHAPTER II

DISCUSSION

A. Restoration Period (1600-1700)

When Charles Il became king in 1660, the change in English literature was almost
as great as the change in government. For one thing, the theatres opened again, and
new dramatists therefore appeared.
1. Drama
The tragic drama of this period was made up mainly of heroic plays. In these
the men are splendidly brave, and the women wonderfully beautiful. There is a lot
of shouting and a good deal of nonsense. The plays are written in heroic couplets,
a form of metre perfected by JOHN DRYDEN.
One of Dryden's best heroic plays is The Conquest of Granada (1670). In addition
to the usual loud language, the play contains some good lyrics. There are other
good things in it:
I am as free as nature first made man,
Ere the base laws of servitude began,
When wild in woods the noble savage ran.
Another of his better heroic plays is Aurenggebe (1676), which is based on a
struggle for empire in India. It is his last rhymed play and contains one of the
finest speeches that Dryden ever wrote:
When I consider life. tis all a cheat.
Yet fooled with hope, men tavour the deceit:
2. Poem
An early poem Annus Mirabilis (1667) by John Dryden. It describes the chief
events of 'Thei Wonderful Year. The poem describes the Great Fire of London,
which occurred on September 2, 1666.The poem contains over 1200 lines of verse
divided into 304 quatrains. Each line is ten syllables long, with an 'ABAB'
rhyming scheme, a pattern known as a decasyllabic quatrain.1

B. August period (1700-1750)

The eighteenth century is often called The Age of Reason. Order is important
in men's minds, and a comfortable city is usually preferred over wild mountains. The
term literary period of August comes from writers around the 18th century during the

1G.C Thornley and Gwyneth Roberts,An Outlet of Literature,New Edition.1984,(P.63)

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 reign of George I of England. Literary works at that time were a reflection of great
works during the reign of the August Emperor in Ancient Roman times.
The language of the 18th Century, which means using phrases that are unnatural and
fixed rather than ordinary and natural words.
The characteristics of literary works in the August period, style of language
that is clear, accurate, simple, and uniform and the impression of eliminating
Individuality is a demand that must be fulfilled by a literary work in order to be
accepted in the community. Literary works of this period also have a tendency to
intellectualize literary works due to the influence of the industrial revolution.
The works in this period are as follows:
1. Poetry
a) James Thomson: Winter (1726), Summer (1727), Spring (1728),
Autumn (1730), Indolence Castle (1748)
b) Robert Blaik: The Grave (1743)
c) Thomas Gray: H’ruen at Countty Churchyad (1750)
d) This poem is very popular depicting wood, lading, birds, deserts, and
so on.
2. Drama
a) The August period was an arid period in drama literary works and there
were only two writers.
b) John Gay: The Begger of Opera (1728)
c) George Lillo: The London Merchant of The History of Publish (1739)2
C. Transitional period into romanticism (1750-1800)
1. Poets
a. Thomas Gray was greather poets than these. His Elegy Written in a
Country Churchyard (1750), one of the most beautiful and famous of English
poems,describes his thoughts as he looks at the graves of country people buried
near the church at Stoke Poges. He wonders what they might have done in the
world if they had better opportunities, but they did not go out into the great
cities:
Far from the madding crowd’s ignobleᴬ strifeᴮ
Their soberᶜ wishes never learned to strayᴰ ;
Along the cool sequesteredᴱ valeᶠ of life
They kept the noiseless tenorᴳ of their way
ᴬ not noble ᴮ struggle ᶜ calm ᴰ wander ᴱ sheltered ᶠ valley ᴳ course
b. Gray’s ode, The Bard (1757), is intended as a sad song by a welsh
poets, addressed to King Edward I, who put all the Welsh poets to death.
Marlowe and Milton, could use proper names with skill; combined with vowel-
music this skill can produce lines like these:
Gold is Cadwallo’s tongue

2G.C Thornley and Gwyneth Roberts,An Outlet of Literature,New Edition.1984,(P.72-75)

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 That hushedᴬ the stormy mainᴮ
Brave Urien sleeps upon his craggyᶜ bed.
Mountains, ye mournᴰ in vain
Modred, whose magic song
Made hugeᴱ Plynlimmon bow his cloud-topped head.
ᴬ made quiet ᴮ sea ᶜ rocky ᴰ be sad at a time of death ᴱ immense
c. William Blake, a poets and an artist, illustrated the works of Young,
Blair, Gray and others. Much of his poetry has hidden meaning that are hard to
understand. He did not believe in the reality of matter, or in the power of
earthly rules, or in punishment after dealth. His best known works include
Songs of Innocence (1787) and Song of Experience (1794). The second is
darker and heavier than the first, but it does contain some good poems. Here is
a verse from The Tiger:
Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forest of the night,
What immortalᴬ hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetryᴮ ?
ᴬ undying ᴮ perfect shape
d. One more eighteenth –century poets is worth our special notice:
William Cowper’s verse shows the beginning of the swing away from the
formal classical style of Pope towards the simpler, more nature expression
which we shall see in Wordsworth and Coleridge. These lines are from
Cowper’s long poem, The Task (1784):
Now stir the fire, and close the shuttersᴬ fast,
Let fall the curtains, wheel the sofaᴮ round,
And, while the bubblingᶜ and loud –hissingᴰ urnᴱ
Throws up a steamy column,ᶠ and the cups,
That cheer but not inebriate,ᴳ wait on each,
So let us welcome peaceful evening in.
ᴬ window covers ᴮ comfortable seat ᶜ boiling ᴰ making a boiling sound
ᴱ large tea vesel ᶠ narrow cloud of steam ᴳ act like strong drink
2. Novel
a. Richardson’s next novel, Clarissa Harlowe (1747-8)
Clarissa is the beautiful daughter of a severe father who wants her to marry
against her will. She is driven to a state of despair, and dies an early death.
The novel is the modern novel , but it was read in England and abroad in
Richardson’s day.
b. Henry Fielding, a man of gay character, began a novel, Joseph
Andrews (1742).
A kind of satire on Pamela. Joseph is supposed to be her brother. Pamela was
a serving-girl whose master paid her too much attention; Joseph is also a
servant and is in difficulties of the same sort. Fielding soon became interested

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 in his own novel, and lt Joseph fall into the background. The later part of the
novel is chiefly about Parson Adams, a simple, funny and good-hearted priest.
The novel as a straight story, without the trick of latters.
c. Novel by Smollett, Humphrey Clinker (1771)
The form of latters, and is less violent and in better taste than the other two. It
describes the travels through England and Scotland of the Bramble family.
Smollett’s books often give us interisting information about life and society in
his time.
D. Romanticism Period (1800-1850)

During this period (1800-1850) it was dominated by the French Revolution.

With his ideas in words: freedom, togetherness, and brotherhood ,. The starting point
of this period is the belief in the dignity of an individual and his rights. Humans are
basically good, the inherent evil is nothing but the result of the destruction of natural
virtues by existing social institutions. Therefore, humans must be freed and given the
possibility to build a better world in accordance with their good nature. There are
several works that exist in the romantic period, namely:

1. Poetry
There are some of the greatest romantic poets are as follows: a. Wordsworth
(1770-1843) As for some poetry works made by Wordsworth, among others,
Tintern Abbey, The Rainbow, Ode The Duty. All this rich contains about
Wordsworth's beliefs about nature and children. b. Samuel Taylor Coleridge There
are several works made by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, among others, ode on the
Destruction of the Bastille, this poem is about the joy of freedom. Next is Ode to
Prance which contains an atmosphere of wonder, silence and other impossible
events. c. Robert Southey There are a number of poems by Robert Southey
including: the Battle of Blenheim, The Scholar, The Inchcape Rock, and the well
of St.Keyne.
2. Prose
During this period many non-fiction prose included historical works,
biographies, critiques of literary advice, essays and so on. These include Essay of
Elijah (by Charles Lamb, an autobiography), the Shakespeare's plays and
Lectures on the Enlish Poets (by William Hazlitt.) But there is a very well-known
prose, Robert Southey's Life of Nelson.
3. Drama

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 During this period there were dramas but the drama was unsuccessful. Some
romantic poets try to write drama, but as drama the works have never been
successful, one of the causes is the middle class who at that time climbed their
dominance. In British society, they did not really appreciate drama as art.3

E. Victorian Period (1850-1900)

1. The Victorian Period (1850-1870)

was the beginning of the term Haute-Coute which was introduced by Charles
Frederick Worth. This British man moved to paris to work as a salesman in a
figure who sold fabrics and shwal. Then he had the idea to make clothes and wear
them on a mIn 1858 he opened the first fashion house to design the aristocratic
client's clothes such as Empress Eugene, queen of Victoria.odel as a display
mannequin for shown to the client.

Light and wide structure provides space for women wearers.The invention of
a sewing machine by Issac Singer in 1851.The discovery of organic dyes from tea
leaves, flowers and seaweed.

2. The Period of Victoria II (1870-1890)

3Abrams,M.H.(1953).The mirror and the lamp:Romantic theory and the critical tradition.Oxford,England:Oxford
UP.(pg.1-22).
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 It is a fashion reform era marked by changes in clothing silhouettes from the
previous period. A sleeker silhouette now makes the length of the dress more
varied. Birth costume Now, silhouettes and clothing materials are becoming more

diverse. And to support the overall appearance, designers began designing

lightweight accessories such as hats, fans, boots and bags. Criticism of fashion is
sharper. In this period, journalists not only reported the news but began to express
opinions about the work and style.

Especially the clothes worn by theater actresses. Until couturier named their
design clothes in accordance with the name of the actress who wore them, for
marketing purposes. Growth style for men's clothing. Thus encouraging the birth
of sporty clothing.Production of ready-made clothing in large quantities or mass
production began to penetrate in the late Victorian period. Initially, they created
everyday clothing for men. Then it developed into a production for men and
women, especially for the middle to lower classes. Haute-couture is intended for
capitalists and is ready for ordinary people.

3. Late Victorian and Edwardian Period (1890-1900)

late in the victorian era, petticoad is no longer supported by a bustle frame.
equipped with large hat accessories, a long A-line silhouette with a slender waist,
volume legan accents and high collar became the highlight of most women's
clothing. Nouveau.

Entered the edwardian era in england along with the beginning of the era of
La Belle Epoquate in france. women's fashion design is identical to the silhouette
"S" namely the emphasis on the slender waistline, convex chest, and hips
swooping backward.during the day the clothes are closed from the neck to the toe,
then at night the clothing pieces get lower by exposing the chest and shoulders or

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 called the term decollete. and women begin to apply thick makeup complete with
eyline, mascara, and perfume.4

F. The Early 20th Century (1900-1940)

1. Novels
a. Five Towns (Clayhanger,1910)
b. Hilda lessway (1911)
c. These Twain (1916)
Bennet follows the live of the same group of character, with the industrial
background of the area playing an important part, he also wrote Riceyman
Steps(1923), about the life and dead of the London bookseller whose main
concern in life is to save money.
2. Drama
In the dramatic works of English in the 20th century that might not only see
the product of the ideas and experiences of each writer, but also some general
trends. They have enough trust and care at work so they have some things in
common.5

Some drama works in this period are:

a. Drama john galsworthy, for example well-made traditional forms of

social and political crime with great sympathy for the public.
b. Pygnalion (1912) is very famous because it became the basis for
musical drama and the film my hair lady. In the story of a professor who takes
a florist from the streets of London and makes him a woman, it is behavior and
not way of speaking that shows the difference between characters
c. In the work of strife ( 1909) he shows the progress of the strike which
was caused by the refusal of both parties to change their demands.
3. Poetry
The history of English poetry in the 20th century supports the assertion that
poetry is essentially a personal art form and the story of English poetry is very
much the story of individual figures.
a. One of Rupert Brooke’s most famous poems, which sees the death of a
soldier as a sacrifice that must be glady given to his country:
If I should die,
Think only this of me,
That there’s some corner of a foreign field,
That is for ever England

4 G.C Thornley and Gwyneth Roberts,An Outlet of Literature,New Edition.1984 pg.

5G.C Thornley and Gwyneth Roberts,An Outlet of Literature,New Edition.1984,(P.143-181)

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 CHAPTER III
CONCLUSION

A. Conclusion

I English and world literature, socio-political conditions are known to greatly

influence literary works in each period. The diversty of the types of works of each
writer makes literary works in the next period increasingly develop according to the
conditions of the times.
In addition, periodization also show that literary works place themselves at the
center of the peoples hegemony, especially in Indonesia. By studying literary
periodization, it can be examined the development of literature and its influence in
accordance with the era.

In England there are many great writers who greatly influenced the
development of literary works in England. One of them is William Shakespeare who
is very well known by the world through his works, and his most famous work to date
is Romeo and Juliet. The literary work was also filmed because of its interesting story
and high literary value.