MTTC 002 - Literary Periods and Movements Flashcards
(7 cards)
1
Q
Old English
A
- The English Language developed over a long period of time through interactions between different groups in Europe, including the Romans, Germans, and the Celtics
- The Anglo-Saxons, a group that left what is now Germany and settled in England, further established the English language by using what is now called Old English
- Relied on inflections to create meaning, placing little importance on the order of words in a sentence
- Used Kennings, or compound words that functioned as figurative language
- Most of the literature from the time is categorized according to the set of beliefs it reflects
- Most of the literature of the time includes riddles, poems, or translations of religious texts
- Surviving Old English poetry mainly discusses real heroes and battles, or provides a narrative about a fictional hero
- Many of these fictional poems are considered lays, or lais, which are narrative poems that are structured using couplets of lines containing eight syllables each
- Persisted until the 12th century
2
Q
Middle English
A
- Used from the 12th century to the 16th century
- Old English was not governed by a consistent set of grammatical rules until the Norse people, their language, and its structure influenced the integration of grammar into English, leading to Middle English
- Relied less on inflections than Old English, instead creating variations by using affixes and synonyms
- The development of grammar was further facilitated by the printing press, which made it easier for writers to comply with grammar rules since the printing of identical copies reduced variation between texts
- Narrowed down to three stages: Early, Central, and Late Middle English
- Early Middle English mostly maintained the writing style of Old English
- Central Middle English is characterized by the development of dialect within written communication
3
Q
The Renaissance
A
- Did not begin until the late 15th century
- Saw innumerable developments in the English language and literature
- Drama was possibly the most popular form of literature, as the popularity of plays and theatrical performances greatly increased
- Poetry was also popular, and the period saw the development of new forms of poetry, such as the sonnet
- Lyrical poetry, which discusses emotions and is often written using the first-person point of view, was also popular during the Renaissance
4
Q
Gothic
A
- Began in the 18th century and persisted through the 19th century
- Took inspiration from the architecture and cultures of the Late Middle Ages in Europe
- A great deal of Gothic literature takes place in an impressive location, such as a castle or an ornate mansion
- Eerie, dark, suspenseful tone
- Settings often take place in secluded and strange locations and incorporate supernatural events and scenarios in the plot
- Tone is often created through the theme of death or mortality
5
Q
Naturalism
A
- An active literary movement in the late 19th century, taking place alongside movements such as realism and modernism
- Rejected the emotional focus and sentimentality of Romanticism and provided a type of social commentary
- Promoted literature that authentically depicts the life of the common man and criticized the influence of morality on such literature
6
Q
Modernism
A
- Was largely influenced by industrialization in the 19th century
- Characterized by an attempt to turn away from the norms and traditions of literature and use new techniques and methods
- Often written in first-person and uses literary devices and techniques to reveal problems within society
7
Q
Postmodernism
A
- Began around the 1960s
- Included a variety of new genres and techniques, reflecting the postmodernist idea that things like art cannot be truly defined or simplified
- Emphasized the individual’s subjective perception of reality
- Asserts that since each person creates their own version of reality, fully and accurately defining reality is futile and impossible
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