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Create A New AccountSocial,political,religious,economic conditions of the respective periods in Indian writing in English ,significant literary movement,trends,literary school
The period you’re referring to, is the Late Victorian age (1890-1901), Modern Age (1901- 50s) comprising the war years (1914-1918) and again at 1939-45. Firstly, Individualism- some of the great English novelists focused on an individual coming into collision with the society, for example, Tess of tRead more
The period you’re referring to, is the Late Victorian age (1890-1901), Modern Age (1901- 50s) comprising the war years (1914-1918) and again at 1939-45.
Firstly, Individualism- some of the great English novelists focused on an individual coming into collision with the society, for example, Tess of the D’urbervilles (Hardy), Middlemarch (Eliot). Novels started to showcase the force of sexual desires among the characters which were earlier considered as Taboo in English literature.
Secondly, Experimentation was another literary feature of that age where writers abandoned the old techniques and forms and started writing in free verses such as in the cases of W.B. Yeats, Auden, T.S. Eliot, who discarded the traditional rhyming techniques and started writing with images mixed from past with modern consciousness. Novelists such as James Joyce and Virginia Woolf developed the form of narration called stream of consciousness.
Thirdly, Absurdity- The brutal picture of the two world wars deeply affected the writers of the period. The overall carnage turned the consciousness of the writers into absurdity each day.
Fourthly, Symbolism- Although not a modern concept yet the modernists’ use of symbols in their work was an innovation. Their works left the readers’ imagination to wander farther than the earlier writers.
Lastly, Formalism- Writers of this period saw literature as not something as a plain flowering of creativity but as a craft.
See lessIt is a revival or of the of classical specially in literature, music, art, or architecture. Neoclassical Literature written between 1660 and 1798....writers of the neo classical period tried to imitate the style of the Roman ant Greeks. The neoclassical emphasize upon the classical values objectiviRead more
It is a revival or of the of classical specially in literature, music, art, or architecture. Neoclassical Literature written between 1660 and 1798….writers of the neo classical period tried to imitate the style of the Roman ant Greeks. The neoclassical emphasize upon the classical values objectivity, impersonality, rationality, decorum, balance, harmony, proportion And moderation.
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Romanticism emerged as an important movement in English Literature with the publication of Lyrical Ballads by William Wordsworth in 1798 AD. It was a direct attack on Neoclassical Age and particularly the Industrial Revolution which resulted in mass migration to urban areas. This mass migration ledRead more
Romanticism emerged as an important movement in English Literature with the publication of Lyrical Ballads by William Wordsworth in 1798 AD. It was a direct attack on Neoclassical Age and particularly the Industrial Revolution which resulted in mass migration to urban areas.
This mass migration led to a number of problems like poverty, unemployment, low wages, diseases, deaths etc. Romanticism’s main slogans were “Return back to nature” and “Art for the art’s sake”.
The Romantic literature helped the society to appreciate the beauty of nature and take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city-life.
Imagination was the primary source of literature of that time, The works like Kubla Khan by ST Coleridge, Happy Insensibility by John Keats etc are the products of pure imagination and revolve around nature and its beauty. The Romantics brought to light the suffering of the people to light through their works.
In addition the writers of the age also quested for God. Coleridge’s “willing suspension of disbelief” made to people to give up their rationality and live in the world of imaginations.
Lucifer
14th Century is also known as the Age of Chaucer. This period holds a great significance in the history of English Literature. It was the time of great turmoil, disturbance. First, there was the outbreak of the Black Plague and second there was political unrest due to the Hundred Years War. Thus, poRead more
14th Century is also known as the Age of Chaucer. This period holds a great significance in the history of English Literature. It was the time of great turmoil, disturbance. First, there was the outbreak of the Black Plague and second there was political unrest due to the Hundred Years War. Thus, political conditions, religious conditions and social conditions are interrelated and dependent on each other.
Religious Conditions
As we find in The Canterbury Tales, people used to go on pilgrimage e.g. in The Canterbury Tales, the people go to the shrine of Thomas Becket. They belonged to all classes and ranks. This shows that, people had strong belief in shrines and used to go there on foot. We also find that these routes were tough and long so, they would form groups for their mutual benefits (irrespective of classes and ranks).
The other aspect of religion which we find is the hollowness. The religious leaders and institutions seem to be corrupt. As the Church used to exercise maximum power over commoners, people were tired of it and hence they began to question the authority of Church.
Not only people, but the rulers were also fed up with unnecessary involvement of Church in state matters. They started to exert more power. Consequently, the power and domination of Church began to decline.
Political Conditions
As said before, there were wars and political instability. The rulers began to question the authority of Church and began to exercise power by themselves. As the war became more costly, the rulers started collecting the taxes directly. This way, the Noble Class also lost its power and feudalism started declining.
The peasants who earlier used to serve the feudal lords left them and migrated to cities to become craftsmen, merchants, and artisans. The Canterbury Tales depicts this. There are people from different professions in the poem.
Social Conditions
Social Conditions were directly influenced by political and religious turmoil. The Black Death took away one third of total population. The war also had devastating effect. And, Church and noble class left no stone unturned to money from the commoners.
This led the people to hate feudal lords, Church and even the rulers. People began to question the authority of Church, they started moving to the cities which made the feudalism decline. Not only this, there was also advancement of Science.
Thus the century was characterised by turmoil, rationality and quest for change.
- Read about the Age of Chaucer in detail.
- Play Quiz on Age of Chaucer
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