British literature

The British literature has very long and rich history full of excellent authors. The literature reflects important events happening in the British society. The history of British history can be divided into several periods:

The first period goes back to the EIGTH CENTURY which was an Anglo-Saxon period.
In this time come into being BEOWULF. It is the oldest poem from unknown writer. It describes the conflict between the good and the evil. The main hero is Beowulf represents good so he fights the monster.

The second period is made by the literature after the Battle at Hastings. The authors were the French and the main hero of legends and romances was King Arthur.

The third period is the literature of FOURTEENTH CENTURY. It is a period of Renaissance and Humanism which was a time of big development of literature in Britain. The literature was written at Royal court, in aristocrat’s houses, monasteries, churches and in the cities.
The best known representatives of this period was JOHN  WICLIFE and GEOFFREY CHAUCER who is supposed as the real father of English poetry. His most famous piece CANTERBURY TALES tells about thirty pilgrims who tell the stories on their journey from London to Canterbury (they travelled to grave of Thomas Becket). The book isn’t completed.

The biggest personality of British Renaissance is WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. He is considered to be the greatest dramatist. He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in England. He had one sister and one brother – he was the youngest from them. He attended local grammar school. Later he married and had two daughters. In 1592 he came to London and joined a group of actors called Lord Chamberlain’s Men. Later he bought the Globe Theatre. At first he helped adapt or re-write older plays but later he started to write his own plays and he was very successful. William Shakespeare is buried in Trinity Church in Stratford.
He is the author of poems, sonnets and plays (history plays, comedies and tragedies). His plays are very popular till now. His plays are especially about questions of human life.
His best known tragedies are: ROMEO AND JULIET. It is about unhappy love. HAMLET is about hesitation. OTHELLO is about jealousy, MACKBETH,
KING LEAR is about loyalist.
The best known comedies are named: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, AS YOU LIKE IT, TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA.
In his historical plays he wrote about English kings: HENRY IV, HENRY V, HENRY VI, RICHARD III, RICHARD II, JULIUS CAESAR.
I have read several pieces from William Shakespeare and I would like to retell one of them, for example King Lear.
    King Lear had three daughters. He decided to divide his kingdom among this daughters so he
    asked them to tell him which of them loved him best. The two eldery ones (already married) said
    that they loved him above all, but it wasn’t the truth. Cordelia, the youngest daughter who
    really loved her father tell him the truth. She said that she would divide her love among her
    father and her future husband. The king became very angry so Cordelia had to leave her home.
    All to late king Lear recognized that his two daughters told him lie and later he went mad.
    The youngest daughter Cordelia who had married the king of France came back to England to
    help her old father. But unfortunately both she and her father were made prisoners by the eldery
    girls. Cordelia was put to the death. It broke heart of King Lear  and he died too.

The other period is in the SEVENTH CENTURY. It is a period of Civil war in England. There were fighting King’s army and Oliver Cromwell’s people. In this time wrote JOHN MILTON his poem PARADISE LOST.

The fifth period is in the EIGHTEETH CENTURY which is characterised by development of novel. The famous writer of this period is JONATHAN SWIFT the author of GULLIVER’S TRAVELS. This work is a satire on British society it tells about people who never existed or about animals who behave like human beings.
The other famous author of eighteenth century is DANIEL DEFOE who is well known for his book called ROBINSON CRUSIOE.

PERIOD OF ROMANTISM is the sixth period. Romantic literature is literature of the end of eighteenth century. There are many important writers like GEORGE GORDON BYRON, WILLIAM BLAKE and SIR WALTER SCOTT who is the author of historical novel IVANHOE. William Blake is famous poet. He was influenced by French revolution. He is admired for his two collections of sonnets: SONGS OF INNOCENCE and SONGS OF EXPERIENCE.

The other period is PERIOD OF AESTHETICISM which is especially represented by OSCAR WILDE. Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin in Ireland. He came from quite rich family – his father was a famous surgeon and his mother was a successful writer. Young Oscar decided to study classical literature at Trinity College in Dublin. Later he studied at Oxford University in England. His writing career began when he win the Newdigate Prise for his poem RAVENNA. AFTER COLLEGE HE MOVED TO London and published his first book called POEM.
In 1882 Wilde went to America to New York where he married and had two sons. During the time he wrote many stories for them, for example THE HAPPY PRINCE and THE CANTERVILLE GHOST.
He is the author of four comedies; I would like to mention two from them: AN IDEAL HUSBAND,
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST.
Oscar Wilde wrote only one novel, its name is THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY. It tells the story about man who loves himself so much that he doesn’t grow old and instead of him his portrait grows old.
He also wrote a play called SALOMÉ.

VICTORIAN AGE. It means a period of the rule of Queen Victoria. In this time the writers described English society. The most famous writer is CHARLES DICKENS who is considered to be one of the greatest British novelists and story-teller. He came from poor family. When he was nine his family moved to London where his father got into debt so they had to go to prison. Later his father inherited some money so they could leave the prison and Charles could return to school to become a newspaper reporter. In his twenty-five he became famous and he married and had seven sons and two daughters.
He enjoyed life but he hated the social system. In his novels he describes bad schools, government, bad prisons, dirty houses and so on. He usually write about poor and hungry children as he was, thieves, men in debt and so on. His most famous novels are: DAVID COPPERFIELD, OLIVER TWIST.
Charles Dickens love Christmas so he wrote a story about Christmas time called CHRISTMAS CAROL.