Historical Period Definitions Flashcards
American Colonial Period
American authors written works as America was forming.
Old English Period
Anglo-Saxon written works
Middle English Period
Religious Works
Renaissance Period
An “awakening” in literature from the Dark Ages.
Rebirth
Enlightenment or Neoclassical Period
Emphasizing reason and individualism in literature rather than tradition.
Romantic Period
An expression of emotion. Artistic, literary, and intellectual.
Victorian Period
Occurred during the reign of Queen Victoria. Brought England to its highest point of development as a world power. Class systems and how everyone has a place.
Transcendentalism Movement
A religious and philosophical movement. A protest against the general state of spirituality.
Realism Period
Depicts life and society as it was, or is.
Naturalism Period
Suggests that social conditions, heredity, and environment had inescapable force in shaping human character.
Existentialism Period
Emphasizes individual existence, freedom, and choice.
The Beat Generation Period
A protest against the conventions of the society.
Modernism Period
Literature spoke of inner self and consciousness. Pessimistic
Post Modernism Period
A lot of satire. Unrealistic plot lines. Basically anything goes.
The Harlem Renaissance Period
A voice for the African Americans through literature, art, and music.
