The earliest known English literature dates back to the Anglo-Saxon period. This literature was written in Old English, a language that is very different from modern English. Some of the most famous works of Old English literature include Beowulf, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and the Exeter Book.
Middle English literature (1150-1500 AD)
The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 led to a shift in the language of English literature from Old English to Middle English. Middle English was a language that was more closely related to modern English, and it allowed for a wider range of literary expression. Some of the most famous works of Middle English literature include the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Piers Plowman.
Renaissance literature (1500-1660 AD)
The Renaissance was a period of great cultural change in Europe, and this change was reflected in English literature. Renaissance literature was characterized by a renewed interest in classical learning, a focus on humanism, and a love of beauty. Some of the most famous works of Renaissance literature include the plays of William Shakespeare, the sonnets of Edmund Spenser, and the essays of Francis Bacon.
Restoration literature (1660-1700 AD)
The Restoration period in England was a time of political and social upheaval, and this upheaval was reflected in English literature. Restoration literature was characterized by a focus on wit, satire, and social criticism. Some of the most famous works of Restoration literature include the plays of William Wycherley, the satires of John Dryden, and the diaries of Samuel Pepys.
18th-century literature (1700-1789 AD)
The 18th century was a time of great intellectual and scientific progress in Europe, and this progress was reflected in English literature. 18th-century literature was characterized by a focus on reason, logic, and clarity. Some of the most famous works of 18th-century literature include the novels of Samuel Richardson, Henry Fielding, and Jane Austen, the poems of Alexander Pope and William Blake, and the essays of Joseph Addison and Richard Steele.
19th-century literature (1789-1901 AD)
The 19th century was a time of great social, political, and economic change in Europe, and this change was reflected in English literature. 19th-century literature was characterized by a focus on Romanticism, Realism, and Naturalism. Some of the most famous works of 19th-century literature include the novels of Charles Dickens, William Makepeace Thackeray, and George Eliot, the poems of William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and John Keats, and the plays of Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw.
20th-century literature (1901-2000 AD)
The 20th century was a time of great artistic experimentation in English literature. 20th-century literature was characterized by a focus on Modernism, Postmodernism, and feminism. Some of the most famous works of 20th-century literature include the novels of James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and D.H. Lawrence, the poems of T.S. Eliot, W.H. Auden, and Sylvia Plath, and the plays of Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard, and Caryl Churchill.
21st-century literature (2001-present)
The 21st century is still in its early stages, but it has already produced a number of important works of English literature. 21st-century literature is characterized by a focus on globalization, technology, and the environment. Some of the most famous works of 21st-century literature include the novels of Salman Rushdie, Zadie Smith, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the poems of Imtiaz Dharker, Warsan Shire