To accurately list out the various historical periods in literature is a highly academic task, but it is possible to simplify the process. Literature has been around for centuries, and there have been millions of writers that have come and gone. It is easy to see that the prevalent culture and condition of society also affects the nature of work of prominent authors of each time, and it is also easy to see a common theme between the various works of similar periods.
Over the years, American literature has progressed by leaps and bounds, and every year there are new ideas and even new words created by contemporary authors. But for someone who is truly interested in the history of literature, there is so much more to learn. There are many historians and academicians who have dedicated their entire life to studying the ebbs and flows of the progression of literature and American history over time.
Historical Periods in Literature
No one knows the exact answer to when and where literature was born. But it is possible to pinpoint the changes in themes and writing moods over the years. Here are some of the major historical periods in literature, presented in a very brief manner.
Puritanism Literature: 1620 - 1730 A.D.
This was a highly religious time, and the main focus of literature here was theism, and the proclamation of faith and belief in God. Everyone lived pious lives at this time, and were considered sacred to the Gospel, and this showed in the manner of writing as well. A majority of literary works were concerned with the preaching of God's message of love and brotherly affection, and some also dealt with the handling of witchcraft and other 'Anti-God' rituals. Some famous authors of this time were Jonathan Edwards, William Bradford, Anne Dutton and Samuel Rutherford.
Colonialism and Enlightenment Literature: 1740 - 1820 A.D.
In this era, traditional thoughts were discarded and scientific and empirical proof was demanded for various happenings. The rise in scientific knowledge of the time played a huge role in this development, and natural laws of the world were viewed under a new light. Rather than focusing on an individual's religious thoughts, society now started concerning itself with democracy and other forms of social development instead. Notable authors were Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, Phillis Wheatley, Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine.
Romantic Literature: 1820 - 1860 A.D.
This is perhaps the most important of all the historical periods in literature. Romanticism here does not refer to the mushy perspective that we possess today, it talks about the focus on individualism and the liberation of the soul instead. In this time, God was viewed as an entity fused with nature, and this changed people's viewpoints drastically. Rather than focusing on the outside world, the focus here shifted to one's inner self, and the process of self actualization began. Philosophy and transcendentalism also saw a massive upsurge in this time. Notable authors of this time were Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville and Edgar Allan Poe.
This period further saw the transformation of literature into various critiques of slavery, a lot of regionalism and south-western humor (Mark Twain), realism, finally followed by naturalism (in the form of a personal favorite, Jack London).
Modernism Literature: Since the 20th century
Here is where the various historical periods in literature start confusingly overlapping each other. Industrialism and other factors led to a rapid rise in the intellect and awareness of people, and hundreds of new genres started appearing all over the place. Existentialism and scientific thought also started taking precedence, and this showed in the works of these notable authors of the time - Charles Darwin, Ernest Hemingway, Sigmund Freud, Thomas Fitzgerald and even Karl Marx. As society grew, so did some people's sense of belonging, and more and more people started feeling alienated and aloof, also leading to a loss of faith in God and other religious works.
Soon after this post-modernism took over, and that is the period that we find ourselves in today. Admittedly, there are a slew of literature genres surrounding us today, simply due to the universal nature of information. It would be impossible for the literature from any one particular region today to not be influenced by the writing of another region. These borders have now been eradicated, and this changed the face of literature completely.
Please note that there are many more smaller historical periods in literature and many lesser known authors than are mentioned here. This passage focuses on American literature, without taking into consideration the literature from other parts of the world.
Over the years, American literature has progressed by leaps and bounds, and every year there are new ideas and even new words created by contemporary authors. But for someone who is truly interested in the history of literature, there is so much more to learn. There are many historians and academicians who have dedicated their entire life to studying the ebbs and flows of the progression of literature and American history over time.
Historical Periods in Literature
No one knows the exact answer to when and where literature was born. But it is possible to pinpoint the changes in themes and writing moods over the years. Here are some of the major historical periods in literature, presented in a very brief manner.
Puritanism Literature: 1620 - 1730 A.D.
This was a highly religious time, and the main focus of literature here was theism, and the proclamation of faith and belief in God. Everyone lived pious lives at this time, and were considered sacred to the Gospel, and this showed in the manner of writing as well. A majority of literary works were concerned with the preaching of God's message of love and brotherly affection, and some also dealt with the handling of witchcraft and other 'Anti-God' rituals. Some famous authors of this time were Jonathan Edwards, William Bradford, Anne Dutton and Samuel Rutherford.
Colonialism and Enlightenment Literature: 1740 - 1820 A.D.
In this era, traditional thoughts were discarded and scientific and empirical proof was demanded for various happenings. The rise in scientific knowledge of the time played a huge role in this development, and natural laws of the world were viewed under a new light. Rather than focusing on an individual's religious thoughts, society now started concerning itself with democracy and other forms of social development instead. Notable authors were Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, Phillis Wheatley, Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine.
Romantic Literature: 1820 - 1860 A.D.
This is perhaps the most important of all the historical periods in literature. Romanticism here does not refer to the mushy perspective that we possess today, it talks about the focus on individualism and the liberation of the soul instead. In this time, God was viewed as an entity fused with nature, and this changed people's viewpoints drastically. Rather than focusing on the outside world, the focus here shifted to one's inner self, and the process of self actualization began. Philosophy and transcendentalism also saw a massive upsurge in this time. Notable authors of this time were Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville and Edgar Allan Poe.
This period further saw the transformation of literature into various critiques of slavery, a lot of regionalism and south-western humor (Mark Twain), realism, finally followed by naturalism (in the form of a personal favorite, Jack London).
Modernism Literature: Since the 20th century
Here is where the various historical periods in literature start confusingly overlapping each other. Industrialism and other factors led to a rapid rise in the intellect and awareness of people, and hundreds of new genres started appearing all over the place. Existentialism and scientific thought also started taking precedence, and this showed in the works of these notable authors of the time - Charles Darwin, Ernest Hemingway, Sigmund Freud, Thomas Fitzgerald and even Karl Marx. As society grew, so did some people's sense of belonging, and more and more people started feeling alienated and aloof, also leading to a loss of faith in God and other religious works.
Soon after this post-modernism took over, and that is the period that we find ourselves in today. Admittedly, there are a slew of literature genres surrounding us today, simply due to the universal nature of information. It would be impossible for the literature from any one particular region today to not be influenced by the writing of another region. These borders have now been eradicated, and this changed the face of literature completely.
Please note that there are many more smaller historical periods in literature and many lesser known authors than are mentioned here. This passage focuses on American literature, without taking into consideration the literature from other parts of the world.
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