English Language and Literature: The Stages of Parallel Progress

МИНИСТЕРСТВО НАУКИ И ВЫСШЕГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ 
РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ 
Федеральное государственное автономное образовательное 
учреждение высшего образования 
«ЮЖНЫЙ ФЕДЕРАЛЬНЫЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ» 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Е. В. Манжелеевская 
 
 
 
 
 
ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE: 
THE STAGES OF PARALLEL PROGRESS 
 

Учебное пособие для  студентов  2 курса,  
обучающихся по направлению «лингвистика» 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ростов-на-Дону – Таганрог 
Издательство Южного федерального университета 
2018 
 

УДК 811.11(07) 
ББК 81.2 Я 7 
     М23 
 

Печатается по решению редакционно-издательского совета  
Южного федерального университета  
(протокол № 6 от 06.02.2018 г.) 
 
Рецензенты: 
Е. А. Паламарчук, доктор исторических наук, доцент,  
зав. Кафедрой гуманитарных и социально-экономических 
дисциплин Ростовского института (филиала) ВГУЮ  
(РПА Минюста России); 
Е. Ю. Пишкова, канд. филол. наук, доцент кафедры перевода  
и информационных технологий в лингвистике  
ИФЖиМКК ЮФУ 
 

           Манжелеевская, Е. В. 
М23            English Language and Literature: the Stages of Parallel 
Progress : учебное пособие / Е. В. Манжелеевская ;  Южный 
федеральный университет. – Ростов-на-Дону ; Таганрог : 
Издательство Южного федерального университета, 2018. 
– 106 с.  
ISBN 978-5-9275-2883-7 
 
 Учебное 
пособие 
предназначено 
для 
студентов 
бакалавриата, 
обучающихся 
по 
направлению 
45.03.02 
Лингвистика, направленность "Перевод и переводоведение". 
Студентам 
предлагается 
материал 
в 
рамках 
междисциплинарного подхода для параллельного рассмотрения 
важнейших этапов развития английского языка и английской 
литературы в неразрывной взаимосвязи этих историкокультурных явлений. Пособие имеет модульную структуру и 
снабжено практическими заданиями.  
 
ISBN 978-5-9275-2883-7                                      УДК 811.11(07) 
ББК 81.2 Я 7 
 
© Южный федеральный университет, 2018  
© Манжелеевская Е. В., 2018 
© Оформление. Макет. Издательство     
   Южного федерального университета, 2018 

The Contents

Module 1. The Dawn of English Literature. The Roots of the
English Language...............................................................................4 

1.1. The Theoretical Aspects of the Subject....................................4 
1.2. Old English Period..................................................................6
1.3. Pre-Christian Oral Literature.............................................10
1.4. The Predominant Medieval Genres Introduced 
with Christianity..........................................................................19
1.5. Old English poetry.................................................................25
Список литературы к модулю 1...........................................34

Module 2. The Development of English Literature and
Language between the 11-th and 17-th Centuries.......................35

2.1. Anglo-Norman Period...........................................................35
2.2. The Beginning of English Drama.......................................42
2.3. Geoffrey Chaucer – the Father of the English Literary
Language................................................................................46
2.4. The Renaissance....................................................................52
2.5. The Period of Restoration......................................................74
Список литературы к модулю 2...............................................80

Module 3. The Development of English Literature
and Language in the 18-th century. The Beginning
of English Novel................................................................................81

3.1. The Period of Enlightenment...............................................81
3.2. The History of the Genre of Novel......................................85
3.3. The Birth of the Realistic Novel in England.........................88
Список литературы к модулю 3...........................................102

Литература......................................................................................103

Module 1. The Dawn of English Literature.

The Roots of the English Language

1.1. The Theoretical Aspects of the Subject

The realm of literature pertains to the humanities (subjects 

which investigate a human not as a physical but as a social creature 
possessing intellect and spirit). Intellectual and spiritual progress of 
people is best of all revealed in literature.

The notion “Literature” implies 1) the written form of art;

2) a bulk of written artistic works, especially those with a high and 
lasting artistic value. The general theory of literature is called poetics.

Literature itself and its particular manifestations are regard
ed as changeable phenomena which are historically conditioned. It 
means that in each historical period literature of a particular civilization group reflects the historical content of that epoch, its ideological 
concepts and requirements.

Basic Approaches to Literature in Historical Frame:
1. Typological approach. It aims to define literary forms (gen
res, types, deviсes) related to particular historical epochs.

2. Genetical approach. Its aim is to collect information about 

ori gin of genres, trends etc.: under what circumstances & where they 
first appeared, what historical situation happened to be the background for birth of new literary forms.

3. Diachronical approach is intended to demonstrate histor
ical continuity of literary forms & categories, how they changed & 
developed in the course of time. 

4. Synchronical approach has in the focus of its attention the 

condition of literature in different countries at one and the same time.

The items which are relevant to characterize national

literature of a particular country

1. The stages of formation of the national literary language.
2. The periods of literature development (the periods are often 

called ages).

3. The historical background of each literary period in a particu
lar country.

4. Literary genres, literary schools, trends and tendencies typi
cal of each period.

1.1. The Theoretical Aspects of the Subject

5. The national authors each literary period is famous for.
The names of periods may be chosen on different principles:

a) naming a period for its greatest author (Age of Chaucer, Age of 
Shakespeare); b) naming a period according to the ruling dynasty of 
the ruler (Tudor Age, Victorian Age); c) numerals denoting the chronological numbers  of centuries may be used (Fifteenth-century Literature); d) descriptive titles may indicate dominant literary fashions or 
prevailing schools of literature (Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Realistic period); e) adopting historical terms that denote stages of European civilization in general and British nation in particular (Medieval 
Period, Renaissance period, The Period of Restoration).

There is no single universal division, because different scholars 

stick to different preferences in choosing descriptive titles for periods.  

Assignment 1

Work in Class
The Topic: Periods of English Literature
The comparison of two divisions of English Literature

into periods

Compare these two divisions. Say: It is more/less … … than … It 

contains …

What principles are these divisions based on?
What division do you find more appropriate and convenient? Ex
plain your opinion.

The First Division

The first period – from the 5th century A.D. (Anno Domini) – the 

14th c. – The Middle Ages.

The second period – the end of the 15 c. – 16 c. – Renaissance.
The third period – 17 c.
The Fourth period – 18 c. – Enlightment.
The fifth period – 19 c.
The sixth period – the boundary of the 19th & 20 c-s.
The seventh period – the 20th c.

The Second Division

Old English Period
1100-1350 Anglo-Norman Period
1350-1500 Middle English Period
1500-1660 Renaissance Period
1500-1557 Early Tudor Age

Module 1. The Dawn of English Literature. The Roots of the English Language

1558-1603 Elizabethan Age
1603-1625 Jacobean Age
1625-1642 Caroline Age
1649-1660 Сommonwealth Interregnum (Meждуцарствие)
1660-1798 Neoclassic Period
1660-1700 Restoration Age
1700-1750 Augustan Age
1750-1798 Age of Johnson
1798-1870 Romantic Period
1798-1832 Age of the Romantic Movement
1832-1870 Early Victorian Age
1870-1914 Realistic Period
1870-1901 Late Victorian Age
1901-1914 Edwardian Age
1914-1965 Modern or Modernist Period
1965-         Post-Modernist or Contemporary Period

Docslide. Multi Language. Literary Periods for Research. URL: 

https://documents.tips/documents/literary-periods-for-research.html

1.2. Old English Period

The Dawn of English Literature

It begins in pre-historical time & covers the time up to the 11 c. 

It would be logically convenient to divide Old English period into two:

a. pre-Anglo-Saxon Period (the 6th c. BC – 5Th c. AD);
b. Anglo-Saxon Period (the 5th c. AD – 11 c. AD). 

Pre-Anglo-Saxon Period 

Cultural and Linguistic Situation

Archeological research has proved that 50 thousand years before 

our era the British Isles were already inhabited. The uncovered layers 
of prehistoric population were rich in stone and bone artifacts, but no 
traces of written language were left by those people.

The first British inhabitants whose linguistic affiliation has been 

established were the Celts.  Migrating all over Europe they arrived 
to the British Isles from the mainland approximately in the 6-th c. 
BC. Economically and socially the Celts were a tribal society; kins 
and clans were its constituent elements. Their way of thinking & 
their understanding of nature were very primitive. They thought that 

1.2. Old English Period

some mysterious creatures lived in the darkest parts of the woods 
and influenced people’s lives. Some plants, for example – the mistletoe, were believed to be sacred. The Celts were governed by a class of 
priests called the Druids, who were very powerful at that time. The 
Druids were not as ignorant as the bulk of the Celts, and such ritual structures as the famous Stonehenge prove this opinion. But the 
Druids, who used just mysterious symbols, didn’t appear to be the 
bearers of the written Celtic language. Moreover they prohibited simple people to make any inscriptions. That’s why just few traces of the 
Celtic language can be found in the modern English. We meet them 
mostly in geographical names. For example: ‘dun/dum’ means ‘down’ 
(Dumbarton); ‘avon’ – ‘river’ (Stratford-upon-Avon); ‘kil’ – ‘wood’ 
Kilbrook). 

The Celts are known to have had songs (nuptial, sepulchral, mar
tial), tales & legends. Their plots are known from rock drawings and 
carvings presenting primitive images of idolized (deified) objects (the 
Sun, the Moon), pagan gods, warriors, ships, animals. 

In the 1 c. BC the British Isles were conquered by the Romans. 

Julius Caesar attacked Britain for economic and strategic reasons. 
The Romans wanted to obtain British tin, pearls and corn and also 
to make the Isles a garrisoned province of the Roman Empire. The 
Roman invaders brought to Britain the traces of highly developed Roman civilization. Two enormous fortified walls ran across the country 
to keep the savages out. A network of paved Roman roads appeared to 
connect towns and military camps. By the way, the first towns (including London) appeared instead of village spots in the Roman period.

The Roman occupation of Britain lasted nearly 4 centuries. Dur
ing this period Celtic population (especially in towns) became to a considerable extent Romanized. It means that the Celts adopted in a way 
Roman custom & language. The Romans spoke Latin. So many things 
the Romans taught the Britons were given Latin names. For example: the word ‘wall’ comes from the Latin ‘vallum’; ‘street’ from ‘strata’ 
which means ‘road’. The word ‘castra’ – ‘camp’ – was later pronounced 
[keste] or [theste]. This Latin ending is still kept in names of many 
English towns (Lancaster, Manchester and so on).

The Roman period of British history came to an end in the ear
ly 5-th c. AD. In 410 the Roman troops were officially withdrawn to 
Rome. This temporary withdrawal turned to be final, because the fall 
of the Roman Empire followed soon after. The departure of the Romans is considered to be the end of pre-Anglo-Saxon-Period.

Module 1. The Dawn of English Literature. The Roots of the English Language

The intermediate conclusion: As we can see, this time is not very 

rich in literary events. But still it is important because a) Celtic oral 
legends turned out to be a rich source for Anglo-Saxon poetry; b) the 
Latin language was introduced to British population. Later on this 
language played a very important part in formation of the national 
English language.

Anglo-Saxon Period 

Anglo-Saxon period can be subdivided into a) pre-Christian pe
riod (5-7 c.); b) the beginning of Christianity in Britain (7-11 c.).

Anglo-Saxon period began in 449 A.D. when two German kings, 

Hengist and Horsa, and their people came to Britain. Actually the 
mainland inhabitants had been invited by one of the British local leaders, Vortigern, as assistants in a local war. But the newcomers soon 
dispossessed their hosts, and other German bands followed. When we 
say “German”, we mean, that the invaders came from the western 
subdivision of the Germanic tribes (they had settled westwards to the 
Rhine, in the lower valley of the Elbe, in Denmark and in the territory 
which is now known as Normandy). The bulk of newcomers consisted 
of the three strongest continental races who lived on the territory of 
Germany: the Saxons, the Angles and the Jutes. 

The invaders came in multitude, the leaders with the whole clans, 

each warrior with a family; they were eager to settle in the occupied 
territories. The Germans migrated as a people, this is the difference 
between the Germanic invasion and the Roman military conquest.

The German invaders were wild and fearless; they brought the 

terrible devastation to the country. They pulled down British villages &
ruined the Roman British towns. They killed and enslaved the Celts 
or drove them to the distant parts of the country. A few Celtic clans 
found refuge in the mountainous districts of Cornwall and Wales. 
Celtic tribes were safe only in Scotland and Ireland.

In the occupied territories the Germans founded seven kingdoms: 

Kent, Sussex, Essex, Wessex, Mercia, East Anglia and Northumbria.

As for the population, it turned out that after the cruel conquest 

the majority of the new population started from the Germanic invaders.

The linguistic situation  

The Germanic linguistic conquest was complete. West Germanic 

dialects began to prevail all over Britain instead of the Celtic lan

1.2. Old English Period

guage. Only Scotland & Ireland remained Celtic. There were three 
principal German dialects: the Wessex dialect, the Mercian & Northumbrian dialects. Soon the Wessex Dialect (which is also called the 
Saxon dialect) became predominant over the other dialects. In the 
course of time this Germanic dialect became the main language of 
a large united kingdom: England. The bulk of the modern English 
language consisting of short words (monosyllables) came down to us 
from the ancient Saxon Dialect. It was enriched by Celtic, Roman & 
other borrowings and, as a result, it became an independent branch, 
quite different from its parent language spoken on the mainland. As 
it was spoken in England it is generally called Anglo-Saxon dialect in 
linguistic sources, and in literary studies we speak about Anglo-Saxon 
period in the development of English literature.

The intermediate conclusion: The Germanic settlement of Britain 

is regarded to be the beginning of the independent English language.

It should be mentioned that up to the 7 century the old English 

language didn’t have its written form. 

Actually the German tribes, before they came to Britain, had used 

a kind of alphabet – the runic alphabet represented by the runes, &
they brought it to the British Isles. The word “runes” originally meant 
“secret”, “mystery”; they were used mostly by pagan priests to make 
inscriptions believed to be magic. Runic records were carved on hard 
materials: stone, bone, wood, iron or ceramics. The runes were used 
as separate letters and as words beginning with that letter. The runic 
alphabet is called “futhark” (this term originated from the first six 
letters of the runic alphabet). 

For literature studies it is important to mention that either on the 

mainland or in Britain the runes were never used for everyday writing 
or for putting down poetry or prose works. Runes were used by pagan 
priests in their ritual procedures to make short inscriptions on objects 
(weapons, rings, tombstones) to give them some special magic power.

So stories, poems and legends had to be memorized.
Songs were widely spread: nuptial, sepulchral, martial. In an
cient England each more or less sufficient populated area had its 
own special singer. The ones capable of composing songs were called 
scopes. The singers who just performed songs composed by others 
were called gleemen. Those singers were greatly respected by people 
and often competed with each other: who knew by heart a greater 
number of songs & who had a richer repertory. A singer of the highest 
rank was able to recite no less than 350 separate stories. The reperto

Module 1. The Dawn of English Literature. The Roots of the English Language

ry of such a skilled singer included numerous types of songs, such as 
feasts, battles, slaughters, cattle raids, wooings, elopements, exiles and 
other types dedicated to particular events of those days (mostly rude 
and cruel).

Assignment 2

Answer the questions:
1. What peculiarities of language development is pre-Anglo-Saxon 

period known for?

2. What is the special role of Roman conquest in the develop
ment of the English language?

3. What is the mother-language of the Anglo-Saxon Dialect?
4. Under what circumstances did the ancient Anglo-Saxon be
come a separate linguistic branch?

5. What do you know about runes? What is the origin of the word 

“rune”? What is the runic alphabet called like that? Why were runes 
hardly ever used to write down poetry?

6. What are the very first forms of folk verbal creative activity? 
7. What types of songs do you know?
8. What do you know about the old song-performers?
9. How can you characterize the general atmosphere which 

appeared to be the ground of the birth of ancient legends, tales and 
songs?

10. Why were the pre-Anglo-Saxon and the beginning of Anglo
Saxon period not so rich in literary events? Can we say that literature
already existed at that time?

1.3. Pre-Christian Oral Literature

The typical literary genres of Anglo-Saxon period are the epic &

the saga.

The Epic

The epic – is a long narrative poem in elevated style. 
The main features of the epic are the following:
1. The central figure is a legendary hero – sometimes semi-divine –

who had great national or even international importance, military 
& religious significance, imposing stature or high position (a leader, 
a king).

1.3. Pre-Christian Oral Literature

2. The geographical setting is very vast, extensive, perhaps, even 

cosmic. It covers great nations, the world or the Universe.

3. The action consists of deeds of great valor or requiring super
human courage. The necessary item is a heroic battle. 

4. Extending & often exotic journey is described.
5. Supernatural forces are involved in action (gods, angels, de
mons, spirits).

6. A style of sustained elevation is used.
7. A measure of objectivity is retained. It means that in most 

cases focal figures of epics really existed, but the historical elements 
in epics had passed into myth.

8. Catalogs of warriors, ships, armies are included.
The stylistic devises typical of the epic:
1. A peculiar composition. The port begins with a statement of 

the subject or, in other words, standing the theme. As ancient singers 
believed it helped to invoke a Muse. Then followed the beginning of 
the narrative. It began in the middle of things. For example the narrative could begin with the description of a battle; the previous circumstances, the reason of the battle & its participants were described in 
detail later.

2. Alliteration.  It is the repetition of initial identical consonant 

sounds or any vowel sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables. As a matter of fact old British poets didn’t know anything about 
the rhyme. Rhyme was introduced in British poetry only after the 
Christianity had appeared in Britain, with Latin religious hymns. 
Such devise as alliteration made the unrhymed narration sound more 
melodious.

The types of epics

Specialists in literature study distinguish 2 types of epics: folk 

epics & art epics.

1. Folk epics (primary, traditional or classical epics). They be
gan their existence in oral form. There are several scientific opinions 
concerning the origin of folk epics. Thus according to one theory the 
first epic was formed from the separate works of many poets who remained unknown; in the course of time these scattered parts through 
gradual accretion formed a logical sequence. Another origin theory 
says a particular epic is the product of a single genius who collected the episodes into a whole. In any case the authorship of folk epics remains uncertain. In Northern & Western Europe including the