Reading list: English Literature 
English literature is the study of texts written in the English language, spanning over 1,400 years from Old English works like Beowulf to modern global literature. It encompasses poetry, prose, and drama, focusing on influential figures like Shakespeare, Chaucer, and Dickens, as well as diverse voices from the US, Ireland, and beyond.
Wikipedia
Wikipedia
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Key Periods and Figures
Old English (c. 700–1150): Dominated by heroic poetry such as Beowulf.
Middle English (1150–1485): Geoffrey Chaucer (The Canterbury Tales), Sir Thomas Malory.
Renaissance (1485–1660): William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, John Milton.
Restoration (1660–1750): Daniel Defoe, Jonathan Swift.
Romantic (1750–1837): William Wordsworth, Mary Shelley.
Victorian (1837–1901): Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde.
Twentieth Century & Contemporary (1900–present): James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, Zadie Smith.
Shorelight
Shorelight
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Key Concepts
Scope: While rooted in the British Isles, it includes Anglophone literature worldwide.
Genres: Covers fiction (novels, short stories), poetry, and drama.
Themes: Explores universal themes, historical insights, and cultural identity.
Significance: Remains popular for analyzing the development of the English language and exploring enduring human experiences.