- Periods ( social, historical, and literary context )

- Schools ( trường phái ) → genre : poetry, drama, short story, journalism

- Novel outstanding authors and their works
- Extracts : art value + content

CHAPTER 1: EARLY AND MEDIEVAL ENGLISH LITERATURE

( Poetry, short story )

Question 1: What are the main contents of the first masterpiece of English
literature, the epic poem "The Song of Beowulf" and its historical background?

*Main contents of the epic “The Song of Beowulf”

- The first masterpiece of English literature, the epic poem The Song of Beowulf,
describes the historical past of the land from which the Angles, Saxons and
Jutes came. They brought the subject over from the Continent when they
invaded Britain, and it was made into a poem somewhere about the 7th century.
- The contents of "Beowulf" revolve around the heroic exploits of the legendary
Geatish warrior, Beowulf.
- The narrative is set in Scandinavia and begins with the Danish king, Hrothgar,
facing attacks from the monstrous creature Grendel, who terrorizes his
kingdom. The monster caught many soldiers while they were sleeping and ate
them. All the kingdom was afraid and unhappy.
- Beowulf, hearing of the king's plight, travels from his homeland of Geatland to
assist the Danes. He confronts Grendel in a fierce battle, defeating the creature
and bringing peace to the kingdom. Beowulf went back to his home country
with his men with rich presents from Hrothgar. He became a king when his
father died.
- The second part of the poem tells us of Beowulf’s deeds when he was king of
Norway. A fiery dragon was destroying his country. Beowulf found the
dragon’s cave and a lot of treasure in it.Beowulf saved his country- he killed
the dragon, but the monster wounded him with his fiery breath. Beowulf died
and his people buried him on a high cliff by the seashore. Over his grave raised
a mound and rode around it, singing a song of mourning.
- Thus, the epic The song of Beowulf, tells of some events from a people’s
history, sings the heroic deeds of a man, his courage and his desire of justice,
his love for his people and self- sacrifice for the sake of his country.

*Its historical background

The epic The Song of Beowulf, tells of some events from a people's history, sings the
heroic deeds of a man, his courage and his desire of justice, his love for his people and
self-sacrifice for the sake of his country.
The poem is a classic example of Anglo-Saxon poetry. It has no rhyme, but each line
has alliteration, which is a repetition, at close intervals, of the same consonant in
words or syllables. For example, the repetition of the sounds /b/ and /f/ in the
following lines makes them musical and gives them rhythm: Then the baleful fiend its
fire belched out,and bright home burned. The blaze stood high and land folk were
fighting.
Another interesting feature of the poem is the use of picture names that show the
subject in a new light. The unknown poet calls the sea a "sail-road", or "salt-streams",
the musical instruments "joy-wood", "glee-wood", etc. These descriptive words,
together with the subject, are called double metaphors

Question 2: What is the Canterbury Tales?

- is a long poem by Geoffrey Chaucer, begun in 1387.
- It consists of the stories told by people of different social standing. Chaucer had
planned 120 stories but wrote only 24, because death broke off his work.
- The Prologue tells about a group of pilgrims, who were on their way to pray at
the Cathedral of Canterbury. These twenty-eight pilgrims met at an Inn in
London and traveled with the innkeeper and Chaucer himself.
- The innkeeper proposed that each pilgrim should tell two stories on the way to
Canbertury and two more on the way home. They would decide whose story
was the best and a dinner would be given to the winner.
- Among these pilgrims, there was a lawyer, a sailor, a cook and they told their
story according to their rank or standing. Thus, the knight told a romance, the
miller - a fabliau, the pardoner- a moralizing tale.
- The Canterbury Tales was the first great work in verse in English literature.
Chaucer painted a vivid picture of English society, as it was in his day: each of
his characters was given as an individual , typical of his country and his time.

Question 3: What was Chaucer's contribution to English Literature?

 -The great poet contributed to the formation of the English literacy language.
His works were written in the London dialect which at the time was becoming
the spoken language of the majority of the people.
- Chaucer also worked out a new form of versification which replaced
alliteration. This was called metrical form. It was based on rhythmic
arrangement of the accents, of the length of verse, of stanzas.
- Geoffrey Chaucer showed life as it was, as a great artist and humanist he gave
an equally masterly description of Good and Evil. The great writer believed in
man and was optimistically full of hope for the future.
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE OF THE RENAISSANCE (End 15th- beginning
17th) (Drama : plays written by Shakespeare)

Question 4: What is Renaissance and what is the progressive ideology of

renaissance?
* Renaissance
- Time : End of 15th century - beginning of the 17th century
- Social background:
+ In the 15th-16th century, capitalist relation began to develop in Europe.
which led to the weakening of nobility (the decay of feudalism) and the
rising of bourgeoisie ( the development of capitalist relation)
+ The cultural life of Europe changed from limitations of the feudal
ideology of the Middle Ages to a powerful development of individuality.
This epoch was characterized by a thirst for knowledge and discoveries.
+ Great geographical and astronomical discoveries were made
+ The invention of the printing press contributed to the development of
culture in all European countries.
+ Universities stopped being citadels of religious learning and turned into
centers of humanist study
- The Renaissance was so-called because it was a "rebirth of the values of the
ancient Greek and Roman civilizations that had long been lost to Europe.
- The Renaissance was a fervent period of European cultural, artistic, political,
and economic “rebirth” following the Middle Ages.
* Progressive ideology of renaissance
- The progressive ideology of the Renaissance was Humanism.
- Human life, the happiness of people, and the belief in man's abilities became
the main subjects in fine arts and literature.
 - The works of humanists proclaimed the equality of people regardless of their
social origin, race, and religion. Humanism did away with the dark scholastic
teaching of the Middle Ages. The development of a new social order presented
great possibilities for man's creative power.
→ That is why the humanist outlook was marked with bright optimism, with belief in
man’s great abilities and his high mission.

Question 5: Briefly state Shakespeare's life and works

* Life
- The great English playwright and poet William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was
born in Stratford-upon-Avon, and the son of a tradesman.
- When a boy he went to Stratford Grammar Schowereere Latin and Greek were
almost the only subjects
- Stratford-upon-Avon was often visited by traveling groups of actors. It is quite
possible that Shakespeare saw some plays performed by such actors and was
impressed by them.
- Shakespeare lived in Stratford-upon-Avon until he was married and had three
children.
- At twenty-one, he left Stratford-upon-Avon for London working as an actor
and a playwright.
- In the late 90s, Shakespeare became one of The Globe’s owners where most of
Shakespeare’s plays were staged at that time.
- In 1613, Shakespeare retired from the theater and returned to
Stratford-upon-Avon.
- Three years later, on April 23, 1616, he died and was buried there.

* Works (chỉ nêu tác phẩm nổi bật của 3 giai đoạn)
Shakespeare is the author of 2 poems, 37 plays, and 154 sonnets. His creative work is
usually divided into three periods.
- The first period (1590-1600)
+ was marked by the optimism characteristics of all humanist literature.
+ The main works of this period are The Comedies of Errors (1592),
Love’s Labor’s Lost (1594),… and some historical chronicles such as
King Henry VI (part II) (1590), King Henry VI (part III) (1590), ….
- The second period (1601-1608)
 + approached reality more pessimistically. The tragedies reflect the deep,
unsolvable contradictions of life, injustice existing in society. They show
people who perish in the struggle against Evil .
+ The main works during the second period (1601-1608) are his four great
tragedies: Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (1601), Othello, the Moor of
Venice (1604), King Lear (1605), and Macbeth (1605).
- The third period(1609-1612)
+ The playwright still touches upon important social and moral problems,
but now he suggests utopian solutions. He introduces romantic and
fantastic elements, which have a decisive role in his plays.
+ The main works during the third period are Cymbeline (1609), The
Winter’s Tale (1610), and The Tempest (1612)

Question 6: What are the features of Shakespeare's works?

- In the first period, Shakespeare’s comedies reflected the optimism so characteristic
of all humanist literature.
+ The comedies describe the adventures of young men and women, their
friendship and love, and their search for happiness.
+ The comedies are usually based on some misunderstanding that creates a comic
situation. They are full of fun.
+ His comedies are filled with humanist love for people and the belief in the
nobleness and kindness of human nature.
+ The main works of this period are The Comedies of Errors (1592), Love’s
Labor’s Lost (1594),… and some historical chronicles such as King Henry VI
(part II) (1590), King Henry VI (part III) (1590), ….
- In the second period,The tragedies reflect the deep, unsolvable contradictions of life,
the falsehood, injustice, and tyranny existing in society. They show people who perish
in the struggle against Evil. Like the chronicles, they are also based on real events but
there is a considerable difference between the two genres. The playwright raised great
problems of Good and Evil in both. In the tragedies which are centered around the life
of one man, Shakespeare touched on the moral problems of universal significance -
honesty, cruelty, kindness, love, vanity, and others.
+ The main works during the second period (1601-1608) are his four great
tragedies: Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (1601), Othello, the Moor of Venice
(1604), King Lear (1605), and Macbeth (1605).
- In the third period, the playwright still touches upon important social and moral
problems. But now he suggests a utopian solution to them. He introduces romantic
and fantastic elements, which have a decisive role in his plays.
+ The main works during the third period are Cymbeline (1609), The Winter’s
Tale (1610), and The Tempest (1612)

Question 7: What are the factors that make Hamlet a Shakespeare's

masterpiece?
- The tragedy Hamlet is one of Shakespeare's greatest masterpieces. It is the most
profound expression of his humanism and his criticism of the epoch. The tragedy tells
of the struggle between Hamlet, the bearer of the ideals of the Renaissance, on the one
hand, and the evil, false world of kings and courtiers, on the other.
- The tragedy Hamlet is an outstanding play because unlike other "bloody tragedies"
written before and in Shakespeare's time, it is "a tragedy of thought " and Hamlet is
the first thinker that has ever appeared on the stage.
- The tragedy of Hamlet has always excited the minds of people. It stirs people's
consciences and makes them fight against Evil for the triumph of justice and Good.

CHAPTER 3: LITERATURE OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT (18th century)

(Short stories: Realism)
Question 8: What are some historical and literary features of the period of the
Enlightenment?
*Historical features
- The 17th century was one of the stormiest periods of English history. The
growing contradictions between the new class, the bourgeoisie, and the old
forces of feudalism brought about the English Bourgeois Revolution in the
1640s. As a result of the revolution England has been proclaimed a republic.
- The 18th century saw Great Britain rapidly growing into a capitalist country.
New mills and manufacturers appeared one after another. Small towns grew
into large cities. The industrial revolution began new machinery was invented
that turned Britain into the first capitalist power in the world
- In the epoch of Enlightenment, the poetic forms of the Renaissance were
replaced by prose.
- The moralizing novel was born and became the leading genre of the period.
- Ordinary people became the main characters of these novels. The
Enlightenment epoch in
*Literary features
The Enlightenment epoch in English literature may be divided into three periods:
1. Early Enlightenment (1688-1740)
This period saw the flourishing of journalism, which played an important part in the
country's public life. Numerous journals and newspapers which came into being at the
beginning of the 18th century not only acquainted their readers with the situation at
home and abroad but also helped to shape people's views.
2. Mature Enlightenment (1740-1750)
- The social moralizing novel was born in this period. It was represented by the
works of such writers as Samuel Richardson (Pamela), Henry Fielding (The
History of Torn Jones), and Tobias Smollett (The Expedition of Humphry
Clinker and other novels).
- Henry Fielding's works were the summit of the English Enlightenment prose.
3. Late Enlightenment (Sentimentalism) (1750-1780).
- The writers of this period expressed the democratic bourgeois tendencies of
their time.They also tried to find a way out of the difficulties of the existing
order. However, they considered feelings (or sentiments) most important.
- The principal representatives of sentimentalism in the genre of the novel were
Oliver Goldsmith (The Vicar of Wakefield) and Lawrence Sterne (Tristram
Shandy, The Sentimental Journey) and in drama-Richard Sheridan (School for
Scandal and other plays).

Question 9: What are peculiarities of Enlightenment in England?

In England the period of Enlightenment followed the bourgeois
revolution. While in other countries it came before the revolution (the French
Bourgeois Revolution took place at the end of the 18th century); therefore, the aims of
the English Enlighteners were not so revolutionary as those of French Enlightenment.
The English Enlighteners were not unanimous in their views. Some of
them spoke in defense of existing order, considering that a few reforms were enough
to improve it. They were the moderates, represented in literature by Daniel Defoe,
Joseph Addison, Richard Steele, and Samuel Richardson. Others, the radicals, wanted
more democracy in the ruling of the country. They defended the interests of the
exploited masses. The most outstanding representatives of the radicals were Johnathan
Swift, Henry Fielding, Oliver Goldsmith, Richard B. Sheridan.

CHAPTER 4: ROMANTICISM OF ENGLAND ( beginning 19th)

(Poetry, short stories)
Question 10: What are some historical and literary features of the period?
- The period of Romanticism covers approximately 30 years, beginning
from the last decade of the 18th century and continuing up to the 1830s. In 1868, Karl
Marx stated that Romanticism literature was a reaction of different strata of the French
Bourgeois Revolution and to the Enlightenment connected with it. The people were
disappointed with the outcome of the Revolution. The common people did not obtain
the liberty, fraternity, and equality which they had hoped for, the bourgeoisie found
that the reality was not what the Enlighteners had promised it to be, although the
revolution had paved the way for capitalist development.
- The progressive minds of Europe expressed this general discontent
because the influence of the French Bourgeois Revolution was felt all over the world.
The new trend in literature (Romanticism) reflected it. The Revolution brought new
problems for the progressive-minded writers, who were faced with the necessity of
finding an answer to such questions as their attitude to the feudal state, to the
revolution, to the national liberation movements, to relations between the individual
and society, to the common people, to historical development.
Question 11: Briefly state the main features of Romanticism in England
Question 12: State in brief Robert Burn's life and works
● Life:
Robert Burns (1759-1796) is considered one of the greatest poets in English literature.
He was born on January 25th, 1759, in a clay-built cottage in Alloway, Ayrshire
(Scotland). His father William Burns was a gardener on a small estate. The life of the
family was full of privations. When Robert was seven, John Murdoch, an
eighteen-year-old scholar, taught Robert, who was his favorite, many subjects, French,
and literature among them. Robert’s mother, Agnes Brown, was fond of old popular
songs and ballads. She knew many and often sang them. From her, Robert inherited a
love for folklore. Later he remembered and used in his works the songs and stories he
had heard at home. In 1785, he met a girl named Jean, who became the inspirer of his
numerous lyrical verses. His songs and poems are known and loved far beyond the
limits of his country. The years of Burns’ creative work belong to the period known in
English literature as Pre-Romanticism. And his love of nature, his singing of liberty,
his rebellious spirit have much in common with such revolutionary romanticists as
George Byron and Percy Shelley. The hard daily work on the farm, the constant
starvation and privations finally undermined Burn’s health. On July 21, 1796, at the
age of 37, Burns died.
● Work:
Burns wrote his first verses when he was fifteen. Very soon his poems, verses and,
especially, his witty epigrams became popular among his friends and acquaintances.
In 1786 he published his first book under the title of Poems Chiefly in the Scottish
Dialect which contained his early lyrical, humorous and satirical verses.
Robert Burns’ poetry was inspired by his deep love for his mother-land, for its history
and folklore. His beautiful poem My heart’s in the highlands full of vivid colorful
descriptions, is a hymn to the beauty of Scotland’s nature and to its glorious past.
Among his greatest works is the poem The Jolly Beggars which is composed of
several songs sung by a group of vagabonds that spend their evenings at a tavern, poor
but jolly, laughing at the rich.
Question 13:State in brief William Wordsworth's life and works
● Life:
William Wordsworth (1770-1850), a worshiper of nature, was born in the Lake
District in Northwestern England. The first influence upon William Wordsworth’s life
as a poet came not from his parents but from Nature. At Cambridge, another dominant
interest came into his life. The world was seething with democratic ideas.
Wordsworth’s greatest friendship was with Coleridge, the author of The Rime of the
Ancient Mariner. Wordsworth met Coleridge when he was living temporarily in
Southern England. Both approaches were romantic in spirit and the publication of this
book marked the beginning of the romantic age.
● Work:

Question 14: What are the main features of "The Daffodils"?

Question 15: Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice"

CHAPTER 5: THE VICTORIAN AGE - CRITICAL REALISM IN ENGLAND

(Novel)
Question 16: What are some historical and literary features of the period?
Question 17: Briefly state the new literary trend- Critical Realism and the
contribution of English Critical Realists
Question 18: C. Dicken's life and works
Question 19: What are the main features of "Oliver Twist"?

CHAPTER 6: THE 20TH CENTURY LITERATURE - THE DECADENCE

Question 20. What are some historical and literary features of the period?
Question 21.What is the Decadence and what are the two trends
in 20" Century English literature?
Question 22. Briefly state Oscar Wide's life and works
Question 23. What is O. Wide's main writing style?
Question 24. What matters are reflected in the "The Picture of Dorian Gray"?

CHAPTER 7: AMERICAN LITERATURE (19th century)