Anglo - American History and Literature
Summary
TLDRThis video script offers an insightful journey through the history and literature of Britain and America, highlighting six key periods from ancient times to the modern era. It emphasizes the evolution of literature as a reflection of societal changes, including the impact of colonization, political shifts, and technological advancements. The script explores various literary genres and notable writers, illustrating how literature has captured the identity, struggles, and aspirations of these two influential nations.
Takeaways
- 📚 Literature reflects the identity and struggles of a nation, with its development closely tied to historical, social, and cultural changes.
- 🌿 Anglo-Saxons brought the Germanic language to Britain, influencing the literature and replacing Latin with English as the common language.
- 🎭 The Middle Ages saw the emergence of vernacular literature, with secular texts and religious writings becoming prominent, exemplified by 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' and 'The Canterbury Tales'.
- 🏛 The Renaissance period in England was marked by a cultural rebirth and the flourishing of lyric poetry, such as Shakespeare's sonnets, and plays that explored social issues.
- 🤴 The establishment of the Church of England by King Henry VIII and the subsequent rejection of the Catholic Church's authority were significant religious and political shifts.
- 🗽 The colonization of America by the English and the founding of the Virginia Company marked the beginning of Anglo-American literature in North America.
- 🏛️ The Enlightenment era emphasized reason, skepticism, and a focus on societal issues, with works like John Milton's 'Paradise Lost' and Jonathan Swift's 'A Modest Proposal'.
- 🏙️ The Romantic to Realistic period highlighted the human spirit, love for nature, and societal problems, with genres like Gothic fiction and lyric poems gaining popularity.
- 🌟 The Modern to Contemporary period has seen a focus on social injustice, with works by Virginia Woolf and F. Scott Fitzgerald commenting on the selfishness of the upper class and the disillusionment after the World Wars.
- 🌍 The Anglo-American literature spans six historical periods, each with its unique features and genres, reflecting the evolution of these two powerful nations.
Q & A
What is the significance of studying British and American literature?
-Studying British and American literature is important because it reflects the identity, struggles, and progress of these two powerful nations, offering insights into their historical and cultural evolution.
Who are considered Anglo-Americans?
-Anglo-Americans are white inhabitants of the United States of European origin, primarily from the United States and Canada, with a cultural focus on English language and Northern European customs.
What are the key historical periods discussed in the script for the development of British and American literature?
-The key historical periods discussed are the Ancient Times, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Age of Enlightenment, the Romantic to Realistic period, and the Modern to Contemporary period.
How did the literature of the Ancient Times reflect the society and culture of that era?
-The literature of the Ancient Times was characterized by oral tradition, with genres like the epic, which recounts the adventures of a hero, and religious poems that were heavily influenced by biblical themes.
What is the significance of the Middle Ages in the development of English literature?
-The Middle Ages marked a shift from Latin to vernacular literature, with the emergence of heroic tales, romances, and the anthology of tales like 'The Canterbury Tales' by Geoffrey Chaucer.
What were the key features of literature during the Renaissance period in England?
-The Renaissance period in England was characterized by a rebirth of culture, the emergence of lyric poetry expressing personal sentiments, and sophisticated texts concerned with social issues and historical themes.
How did the Age of Enlightenment influence literature in both England and the United States?
-The Age of Enlightenment brought about the use of philosophy, reason, and skepticism in literature. It also saw the rise of genres like the comedy of manners, satire, and novels that depicted social issues and critiqued institutions.
What are the main characteristics of literature during the Romantic to Realistic period?
-The Romantic to Realistic period featured literature that focused on the true, good, and beautiful, as well as the expansion of imagination, societal problems, and the accurate portrayal of the common people's experiences.
How did the historical events of the Modern to Contemporary period shape the themes and styles of literature?
-The Modern to Contemporary period was marked by disillusionment, confusion, and the exploration of unconventional means of expression. Literature from this period often commented on social injustice, moral crisis, and the experiences of marginalized groups.
What are some examples of genres and writers that emerged during the different historical periods discussed in the script?
-Examples include the epic genre with 'Beowulf', heroic tales like 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight', Renaissance lyric poetry by Shakespeare, comedies of manners by William Congreve, satires like Jonathan Swift's 'A Modest Proposal', Romantic gothic fiction by Edgar Allan Poe, and Modernist novels by Virginia Woolf and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Outlines
📚 Introduction to Anglo-American Literature
This paragraph introduces the importance of literature in the English subject, particularly focusing on British and American literature. It emphasizes the significance of understanding the historical and cultural roots of these two powerful nations to appreciate their literary works. The paragraph outlines the key features and genres of Anglo-American literature and provides a brief overview of the historical periods that have shaped the literature of England and the United States, including ancient times, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Age of Enlightenment, Romantic to Realistic period, and the Modern to Contemporary period. It also introduces the concept of 'Anglo-American,' defining it as a cultural entity in North America with English as the common spoken language and historical ties to Northern Europe.
🏰 Historical Overview and Literary Features of the Middle Ages and Renaissance
This paragraph delves into the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period, highlighting the transition from Latin to vernacular literature and the rise of secular texts alongside religious writings. It discusses the impact of the feudal system, the Hundred Years' War, and the Bubonic Plague on literature. The paragraph identifies key literary genres of the time, such as heroic tales, romances, and anthologies, with examples like 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' and 'The Canterbury Tales' by Geoffrey Chaucer. It also touches upon the rebirth of culture during the Renaissance, the establishment of the Church of England, and the triumph of England against Spain, leading to the emergence of new literary features, genres, and writers, including lyric poetry, pastoral poems, and sophisticated texts that address social issues and rivalries.
🏛 The Age of Enlightenment and the Rise of the United States
The paragraph explores the Age of Enlightenment, detailing the political and social changes in England and the United States, including the establishment of the Church of England, the English Civil War, and the transportation of African slaves to the Americas. It discusses the literary characteristics of the Enlightenment, such as the use of philosophy, reason, and skepticism, and the emergence of new genres like the comedy of manners and satire. Notable works and writers of the period are mentioned, including Francis Bacon, Benjamin Franklin, John Milton, and Jonathan Swift. The paragraph also covers the American Revolution, the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the rise of the United States as a world power, setting the stage for the development of uniquely American literary works.
🌟 The Romantic to Realistic Period and the Modern to Contemporary Era
This paragraph examines the Romantic to Realistic period and the Modern to Contemporary period in Anglo-American literature. It describes the focus on the true, good, and beautiful during the Romantic movement, with an emphasis on imagination, human spirit, and love for nature, exemplified by gothic fiction and lyric poems. The paragraph also discusses the rise of realism, which accurately portrayed societal problems and the lives of common people, and highlights important American historical documents and the unique contributions of American writers like Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, and Mark Twain. The Modern to Contemporary period is characterized by disillusionment, confusion, and paranoia following the World Wars, the rise of marginalized groups, and the experimentation with subject matter, form, and style by writers such as Virginia Woolf, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and the Lost Generation.
🎨 Conclusion: Summarizing Anglo-American Historical Periods and Literature
The final paragraph concludes the discussion on the historical periods and literature of Anglo-American history. It summarizes the six main periods: Ancient Times, Medieval Times, the Renaissance, the Age of Enlightenment, the Romantic to Realistic period, and the Modern to Contemporary period. The paragraph reiterates the importance of understanding these periods to identify the key features and genres of Anglo-American literature. It also mentions the Harlem Renaissance, postmodern literature, and the works of Langston Hughes, Eugene O'Neill, and T.S. Eliot as examples of the ongoing evolution of literature in this cultural context.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Anglo-American Literature
💡Cultural Identity
💡Colonization
💡Renaissance
💡Enlightenment
💡Romanticism
💡Realism
💡Modernism
💡Postmodernism
💡Historical Context
💡Oral Tradition
Highlights
Literature reflects the identity and struggles of a nation, including the preservation of civilization and the legacy to the world.
Anglo-Saxons introduced the Germanic language to Britain, which replaced Latin and influenced the development of literature.
Oral tradition was a key feature of ancient literature, exemplified by epics like 'Beowulf'.
Religious themes were prevalent in ancient literature, as seen in the works of Cynewulf and Caedmon.
The Middle Ages saw the emergence of vernacular literature and secular texts, as well as religious writings.
Heroic tales and romances, such as 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight', flourished during the Middle Ages.
Geoffrey Chaucer's 'The Canterbury Tales' is a notable example of an anthology from the Middle Ages.
The Renaissance period marked a rebirth of culture and the rise of lyric poetry, such as Shakespeare's sonnets.
The Age of Enlightenment was characterized by the use of reason and skepticism towards institutions and authorities.
Literary works of the Enlightenment period, like John Milton's 'Paradise Lost', showed refinement and balance of judgment.
The Romantic to Realistic period highlighted the human spirit and love for nature, with genres like Gothic fiction and lyric poems.
Realist writers of the Romantic to Realistic period portrayed societal problems, leading to important documents like Thomas Paine's 'Common Sense'.
The Modern to Contemporary period began in the 1900s and is marked by events like World War I and II, causing disillusionment and confusion.
Postmodern literature is characterized by the juxtaposition of genres and styles, with movements like the Harlem Renaissance.
The discussion covered six periods in Anglo-American history and literature, providing a comprehensive overview of their literary evolution.
Transcripts
good day everyone
literature is one of the most
fascinating aspects of the english
subject
and in studying british american
literature it's very important to go
back to the basics the anglo-american
history and literature at the end of
this video you should be able to
identify the key features and genre of
angry american literature the united
kingdom and the united states of america
have been considered two of the most
powerful states in the world for
centuries already however just like any
other nation they have had their humble
beginnings and their evolution brought
about by colonization political social
and cultural changes as well as
technological advancements along with
their progress the development of their
literature has reflected their identity
as a nation struggles towards preserving
their civilization the freedom of their
ancestors and their legacy to the world
the route back to history and literature
of these two countries let's first
discuss anglo-american history and
literature
but who are anglo-americans
anglo is a white inhabitant of the
united states of european origin they
are descended from the angels england
english culture english people or the
english language
on the other hand an american is a
native or citizen of the united states
therefore an anglo-american is a
cultural entity of a north america whose
common spoken language is english and
its focus and customs historically have
been those of northern europe they are
mostly from the united states and canada
with the french speaking canada a
notable exemption
the following are the important periods
in history and literature of england and
the united states of america
the ancient times dated before the 5th
century 80s
the middle ages or medieval times dated
5th to 15th century the renaissance
period from 1300s to 1500s
the age of enlightenment from 1685 to
1815 the romantic to realistic peer
youth from 770 to 1850 and
modern to contemporary period from 1900s
up until the present let's discuss them
one by one during the ancient times
before fifth century ad or ana domini
meaning in the year of the lord
the romans found the land inhabited by
the britons or celts a collection of
tribes with origins in central europe
that shared a similar language religious
beliefs traditions and culture
they were conquered by the anglo-saxons
who brought the germanic language to the
land this language eventually replaced
latin
the literature of the country is usually
a product of its sociological cultural
and historical developments
thus when we analyze a literary text we
distinguish not only the forms and
conventions applied but also its genre
during the ancient times stories are
passed down from one generation to
another through oral tradition
a genre that holds this feature is the
epic a long narrative poem that recounts
the adventures and the triumph of a hero
a famous example of this is the epic of
bee wolf
another feature of literature in the
ancient times is that poems written are
laden with biblical and religious themes
religious poems written by kinawolf and
kedman are examples of these
the second historical period is the
middle ages or also called as the
medieval times
christianity remained a powerful
influence but some church leaders have
become abusive and corrupt
the feudal system was established
wherein the vassals or tenants show
obedience and loyalty to their lord for
providing them security and protection
the chivalry code became the basis of
morals and manners for the nobility
class
the hundred years war between england
and france started in 1337.
it ended in 1453 with england using many
of its lands to fans
this period was interrupted by the
bubonic plague that killed half of
england's population this tragic period
was called the dark ages
with this event witnessed by the writers
in the middle ages the key features are
works were written in what was called as
modern english and not in latin anymore
and vernacular literature religious
writings and secular texts emerge
genres and representative writers that
flourished are heroic tales and romances
that tackle chivalry an adventure of
knights the pearl poet's sir gawain and
the green knight is an example of this
and another famous genre under this
period is the anthology or compilation
of different tales there is no better
example of this than the canterbury
tales of jeffrey chaucer
in 1492 it is believed that christopher
columbus set foot in what is now known
as the united states of america
thus in the next historical period
significant events for both the united
states and england will be compared and
presented
during the renaissance period in england
the culture that was destroyed by the
plague was reborn many scholars strove
to bring back the glory of their country
and their culture
they also desired to change the old
feudalistic beliefs and practices and
the face of the church previously
tainted by corruption
then king henry viii established the
church of england but people still
rejected the authority of the catholic
church
lastly in 1588 england triumphed against
spain under the reign of elizabeth the
first
on the other hand in the united states
of america 1606 the virginia company was
chartered by king james the first of
england to establish a colony in america
it was distinguished from the climate
company which was chartered at the same
time and composed largely of men from
climate
this was established by the pilgrims
with the aim of promoting christianity
and separating from england
the puritans or english protestants in
the 16th century had the same intention
as the pilgrims but with no desire to
separate from england
with these events happening on the two
countries the following features genres
and writers emerged
texts show more optimism despite staying
true to the medieval tradition this is
in line with the rebirth of culture in
england hence lyric poetry or poetry
that expresses personal sentiments was
born
examples of these are william
shakespeare's sonnets and pastoral poems
that depict their rural life by
christopher merlot and sir walter
raleigh
another feature of literature in the
renaissance period is texts becoming
sophisticated seer used and concerned
with social abuse and rivalry among
groups in addition texts are also
centered on religious practical or
historical themes
these features are evident in the pros
or essays written by francis bacon and
benjamin franklin
lastly theaters were closed due to moral
and religious reasons affected by these
are the production of tragedies and
comedies of william shakespeare and
christopher merlot
moving on to the next historical period
the age of enlightenment or reason or
the restoration period dated from 1685
to 1815.
queen elizabeth was followed to the
throne by james vi of scotland who
became james the first of england he
believed in the absolute power of the
monarchy and so he clashed with the
parliament which was the forum for the
interests of the nobility and the
merchant classes
when the parliament made increasing
demands which the king refused to meet
and neither side was willing to budge
the civil war broke out in 1642 the
king's army were known as the cavaliers
from the french word for knight or
horsemen while the parliamentary drew
most of its support from middle classes
in 1649 the puritans won over the
cavaliers and charles the first was
executed
but the puritan's rule ended in 1616
when charles ii rose to the throne but
the monarch had to share power with the
parliament this time
on the other side of the world in the
united states
african slaves were transported to the
americas to work on plantations
moreover the french and the english
fought over some areas of north america
the english colonizers won in the seven
years war and imposed heavy taxes on the
american colonists due to the huge
amount of money spent during the wars
this instigated the americans to protest
against the english rule
as a result of these events in both
countries literary works under the age
of enlightenment are known for the use
of philosophy reason skepticism towards
institutions or authorities with and
refinement
the comedy of manners genre a type of
comedy that satirizes a specific group
in society usually the upper class
depicts this feature known writers are
william mitchelly and william congrege
moreover writers wrote with clarity and
balance of judgment these are evident in
the epic of john milton entitled
paradise laws in paradise regained or
paradise found plays written by john
dryden and the essays by john locke
a satire is also a key genre in this era
it is a text that uses humor to attack a
social issue jonathan swift's a modest
proposal is a good manifestation of this
lastly novels like danielle defoe's
robinson prison are key genres in this
era
the next historical period is the
romantic to realistic period
this era saw queen victoria's longest
reign as a monarch the victorian age was
the period of stability and prosperity
as the british empire colonized many
nations and owed one-fourth of the
world's land
the british society became more
conscious of their class morals and
proper decorum but the sad reality until
now started in this era when more people
rose to a middle-class tattoos many
people sank in poverty as well
in the united states of america please
let me use some references from the
ever-famous musical hamilton
the american revolution broke out in
1775.
the americans victory over the english
led to the establishment of the american
government
the declaration of independence was
signed in 1776
one of the writers is thomas jefferson
later on the u.s constitution was
adopted in 1789 and george washington
became the first president of the
republic
seventy plus years later the american
civil war or also called as the war
between the states broke out in 1861
it was a four-year war between the
confederates or southerners and the
unionists or northerners the unionists
who were anti-slavery won the war
afterwards in 1865 through the 13th
amendment slavery was abolished
lastly in 1898 america won over the
spanish ruling and america rose to world
power
here are the key features of this period
first writers from the romantic movement
focus on the true the good and the
beautiful as well as the expansion of
imagination that gave way to the clear
forms of expression it also valued the
human spirit and love for nature
genres that have this feature are gothic
fiction and lyric poems
gothic fiction features grotesque gloomy
and mysterious settings characters and
situations the short stories of edgar
allen poe are thrilling examples of this
another genre is lyric poems
known writers in this period are william
wordsworth alfred lloyd tennyson
elizabeth barrett browning and her
husband robert barrett browning and many
more
the second key feature of literature
under the romantic realistic period
focuses on the realist writers they
portray societal problems accurately
particularly the flight of the common
people these eras also produce the most
important documents of american history
such as political documents like thomas
paine's common sense and the declaration
of independence by thomas jefferson
lastly during this period american
writers produced original and high
quality pieces that make them unique
from english writers
novels by charles dickens and thomas
hardy and satirical novels by mark twain
are prominent writings during this time
the last period in anglo-american
history is the modern to contemporary
period that started in 1900s and is
still ongoing until now
this period in england saw world war one
in world war ii which caused the death
of millions of people and brought
economic losses to many nations
england was part of the allied forces
together with the united states of
america
the wars brought disillusionment
confusion and paranoia among the people
after the war the country regained its
political and financial stability
the uk was a founding member of the
north atlantic treaty organization or
nato and in 1973 it became a member of
the european union
and ever since 1952 queen elizabeth ii
had been reigning
on the other hand the united states also
participated in world war 1.
more and more rights were granted to
marginalized peoples like women the
african-americans and many others
the roaring 20s or the 1920s was a
period of prosperity and extravagance
but also a period that saw moral
degradation
in 1929 the great depression hit the
country and many americans were
unemployed
during world war ii u.s was part of the
allied forces together with england u.s
bombed hiroshima and nagasaki which
eventually forced japan to surrender
modernism as an international movement
drove many intellectuals to seek for
freer unconventional means of expression
some dealt with important social or
economic issues
u.s economy prospered for the gap
between the rich and the poor widened
moreover the marginalized peoples
demanded polar rights like black civil
rights movement which aimed to end
segregation
in the modern to contemporary times
writers make commentaries on the social
injustice and the selfishness of the
upper class society
this is depicted in the novels of
virginia woolf and f scott fitzgerald
moreover naturalist works portrayed a
darker yet more realistic view of life
like informs of william butler yeats and
robert frost
writers experimented with subject matter
form and style the lost generation
writers applied to europe and wrote
about their moral crisis and
disillusionment after the world wars
lastly juxtaposing genres and styles
characterize postmodern literature
genres and writers under these are the
harlem renaissance poems by lang song
yoons and dramas by eugene o'neill and
tamul becker
that is the end of our discussion on the
periods of anglo-american history and
literature to summarize we have six
periods in total the ancient times the
medieval times
the renaissance period the age of
enlightenment
the romantic to realistic period and the
modern to contemporary period i hope
that you can now identify the key
features and genre of anglo-american
literature thank you for watching
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