British Literature Quizzes

British Literature is a term used to describe the body of work produced by writers from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is an incredibly broad and influential field that has been around for centuries, and new works are still being created today. British Literature covers genres such as poetry, fiction, plays, essays and non-fiction. A few of the most iconic authors include William Shakespeare, J.R.R Tolkien and Jane Austen whose works have made a lasting impact on readers around the world.The earliest surviving texts of British literature come from Anglo Saxon era in the 5th century AD during which Old English was written in alliterative verse or prose form. This period saw the emergence of some of the most famous works including Beowulf and The Dream Of The Rood among others. During this time Christianity began to take hold in Britain with many religious writings being produced such as The Venerable Bede’s Ecclesiastical History Of the English People (731 AD). In subsequent centuries more complex literary styles emerged including Middle English which showcased Geoffrey Chaucer’s famous Canterbury Tales (1400-1450) as well as Thomas Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur (1485). These were followed by Early Modern English era when William Shakespeare wrote some of his most iconic works such as Romeo And Juliet (1594), Hamlet (1601) and Macbeth (1606). During this time literature became increasingly popular with many other renowned authors making their mark including John Milton who wrote Paradise Lost (1667) while Daniel Defoe explored science fiction with Robinson Crusoe (1719). The 18th century saw significant growth in British literature with novelists like Jonathan Swift producing Gulliver’s Travels in 1726 followed by Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones two decades later in 1749. Towards the end of this era romanticism flourished through poets like Wordsworth and Coleridge who wrote about emotion influenced by nature while authors like Jane Austen explored themes through her novels such as Sense And Sensibility In 1811. The 20th century saw a continuation of these themes but also introduced new topics that had been previously unexplored such as postmodernism which was displayed by writers like Virginia Woolf who wrote To The Lighthouse In 1927 or T S Eliot who wrote The Wasteland In 1922 among many others. Finally we come to present day where contemporary authors explore various genres ranging from science fiction to fantasy while continuing to expand upon classics through sequels or reimagined versions such as J K Rowling’s Harry Potter series which has become an international phenomenon since its release in 1997. Overall it is clear that British literature has played an important role throughout history not just for readers but also for culture itself having inspired films adaptations, musicals and more recently video games based on its stories . It remains today one of the world’s leading sources for creative ideas used both locally within Great Britain but also affecting people globally allowing everyone to experience its influence regardless location or language barrier .