What is a Literary Period and Which are the Most Important?

A Literary age Refers to the different times or periods in which the literature has prospered. These stages have occurred throughout mankind, therefore they can be recognized and divided into several periods.

Each period has its own set of characteristics; Sometimes specifically within a region. It is important to note that these periods usually occurred together with a much broader cultural or historical context. Some literary eras may coincide with the historical periods of mankind.

Literary times books

Generally times can be divided into ancient or classical, middle and Renaissance. Many of the literary eras can also be studied in works of art, philosophy, history and politics. This is because literature, like the other disciplines, is a reflection of its historical epoch.

It is also important to note that literary epochs can be classified in different ways; Ranging from very specific and detailed classifications to slightly broader classifications.

The main literary epochs

Pre-classical time

Approximately this era covered from century XIX a. C. to century VIII a. C. The works of this time generally refer to the man trying to explain the conception of the universe and of man with supernatural details.

The themes of this era were based on the explanation of the phenomena of nature, the norms of human behavior, and the traditions and customs of individuals. It can be said that here originated the myths and legends.

This era was China , India , Egypt And Judea.

Classical time

Covered from the 8th century BC. C. to the III century d. C. Generally occurred during the growth of Greek culture and Latin culture. In the classical era we wanted to try to explain with rational thoughts to man, to his world, and to the universe in general.

Literature developed much during this period, more than anything in Greece. The Iliad Y The odyssey , Epic works that combine legends with real events, were written during these years.

Thanks to the classical period can be differentiated several literary genres, such as epic / narrative, dramatic / theatrical, and lyric / poetic.

Medieval times

It was carried out at the end of the third century until the fourteenth century; Specifically covering the period of a thousand years after the end of the fall of the Roman Empire. The literature of this time was composed of religious and secular works.

These literature works are often grouped by place of origin, language, and gender. Latin is a common language found in these works; However you can find works of old English, such as Beowulf ; In medium high German, as The Singing of the Nibelungs ; Or in ancient French, Song of Roldán.

Many of these works are based on the oral traditions of people. You can find Celtic traditions or even old Norse literature.

A great majority of the medieval literature is anonymous, due to the lack of documents of this period and to the interpretation of the paper that played the author in that period.

The invention of the biography can be attributed to this literary epoch. Religious and secular work abounded at this time. This literature makes use of many literary resources, especially allegory.

Renaissance period

It comprised of the XIV century to the XV century. It was influenced by the intellectual cultural movement of the Renaissance ; Originated in Italy but spread throughout the rest of Europe. There are works of Renaissance literature English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, etc.

The works of this period benefited from the amusement of the printing press. For the writers of this time, inspiration was shown both in the themes of their work and in the literary forms they used.

It is characterized by the adoption of a humanist philosophy and the recovery of classical antiquity. New literary genres emerged as the essay; The search for the pleasures of the senses and a rational and critical spirit complemented the Renaissance ideology.

Macchiavello and Ariosto are notable examples of Italian renaissance. The Divine Comedy Of Dante and the Decameron Of Bocaccio are also important examples of this period.

Baroque era

It happened during the 16th and 17th centuries. The works of this period make much use of literary figures, the language is quite ornate, and make use of twisted forms.

It developed quite a bit in Spain, with the Spanish Golden Age: The Quijote Of Cervantes, Lope de Vega and Calderón de la Barca are great examples of this period. Shakespeare, John Milton, Molirère and Perrault were also great exponents.

Neoclassical time

It occupied the end of the seventeenth century and a part of the eighteenth century. At this time classic models were imitated; But this period was dominated by reason. He wanted to teach through literature; The essays and the fables were developed.

The adventure novel, the classic French theater, originated, and the ideas of enlightenment and encyclopaedia were scattered.

Romantic time

It covered the end of the seventeenth century and the nineteenth century. Recurring themes were found in the evocation or critique of the past, the cult of sensitivity, the isolation of the artist, and respect for nature.

Some authors, such as Poe and Hawthorne based their work on the occult and human psychology. Goethe, the Grimm brothers, Lord Byron, Keats and Mary Shelley belonged to this period.

Modernist era

It happened from the end of the 19th century until the beginning of the 20th century. It is characterized by a break in traditional forms of writing, both in poetry and fiction. Modernists experimented with literary forms and expression.

This literary movement was driven by a conscious desire to change the traditional forms of representation and to express new sensibilities of the time.

James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, Whitman and Baudelaire were modernist authors.

A post modernist or avant-garde post

It occupies from the second decade of the XX century to the present time. It is characterized by relying on narrative techniques such as fragmentation, paradox, and unreliable narrator.

Postmodernism tends to resist a definition or classification as movement. Postmodern writers are perceived as reacting against the precepts of modernism, parodying forms and styles associated with modernism .

These works employ metafiction and question the distinctions between high and low culture through the use of pastiche.

References

  1. Medieval literature. Retrieved from wikipedia.org
  2. Literature in Baroque. Retrieved from wikipedia.org
  3. Romanticism. Retrieved from wikipedia.org
  4. Literary modernism. Retrieved from wikipedia.org
  5. Postmodern literature. Retrieved from wikipedia.org
  6. Renaissance literature. Retrieved from wikipedia.org
  7. Overview of literary periods and movements in English Literature. Recovered from study.com


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