Literary periods can be described as time spans in which literature reflects particular intellectual, religious, and artistic influences on the population. Following literature’s evolution over time, scholars often group pieces of literature from a specific time frame together and then label them as a period, as discussed in this paper.
Oral Tradition and the Pre-Settlement Period
The pre-settlement period was interesting because most stories were not written down due to a lack of paper and printing presses. During this period, stories were passed from one generation to another mainly by word of mouth, that is, oral tradition (Reuben). The quality of the performance was emphasized. The types of oral narratives that were performed included trickster tales and hero stories. Oral literature has existed for a very long time. Before writing systems were introduced, stories were transmitted orally from one generation to another. The term oral literature originated from here; during the early stages of human history, oral tradition preserved literary works. When writing systems were later invented and orality was replaced by literacy, such literature was eventually written down in fixed text form (Carpenter). This later ushered in the settlement period, which saw the introduction of writing materials, and most literary works in oral form were converted to written forms and stored.
Puritanism and the Age of Enlightenment
The years between 1625 and 1675 are known as the Puritan period because Puritan standards existed for a period in England. The other reason is that the greatest literary figure at that time was a Puritan called John Milton (Bremer). The age produced several writers, including one of the greatest literary leaders in the world, and a few immortal books were also written during this time. The literature of this time was very diverse in character. The Age of Enlightenment followed thereafter. During this age, works of literature reflected the importance of enlightenment, and they started to emphasize instinct instead of judgment and restraint.
Romanticism and Transcendentalism
The Romantic Period began towards the end of the 18th century and came to an end in the year 1832 (Reuben). Generally, Romantic literature can be described by its personal use of feelings, its excessive use of symbolism as a style, and the general feeling of exploration of nature and the supernatural. By the beginning of 1836, Transcendentalism was introduced. The Transcendentalists were radical thinkers (Shields). They rejected many common ideas and practices, especially organized religion. They believed that literature was a platform to liberate the world. They also placed serious emphasis on imagination. As an author or book lover imagines, he transcends himself.
Realism and the Representation of Ordinary Life
After the Civil War, American literature moved into the Realism Period. Here, the common literature produced in this period was realistic fiction. Most realistic writers uncovered political corruption, championed human rights, and talked about economic equity, highlighting the difference between the wealthy few and the poor majority (Reuben). Realistic fiction puts emphasis on ordinary people as characters living in common places.
Modernism and the Emergence of Postmodernism
The modern period mainly refers to British literature written since the beginning of World War I in 1914. The pioneers during and after World War II, between 1939 and 1945, created Postmodernism, which blends styles and literary genres. Postmodernism also balances literary genres and various styles in an effort to break from modernist forms (Reuben). Following World War II, between 1939 and 1945, the Postmodern Period of literature developed. Postmodernism sought to bring together literary genres and styles while trying to break free of modernist forms.
The Harlem Renaissance and Black Literary Production
The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement of African Americans in the 1920s and 1930s that was situated in Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City (Carpenter). The Renaissance involved writers and intellectuals mostly associated with Harlem. It was during this time that, for the first time, talented Black writers managed to produce an extensive body of literature, mostly essays, art, and poetry. On the other hand, Postmodern literature developed after World War II (Reuben). In a number of ways, postmodern literary styles and ideas function to reject, argue with, mock, and reverse the principles of modernist literature.
A Varied Contemporary Literary Landscape
In conclusion, the present-day American literary scene is packed and varied with various pieces of literary work. These literary periods employed techniques that denoted specific kinds of subject matter being widely experienced the world over, either rebuking or supporting the very subject.
Works Cited
Bremer, Francis J., and Tom Webster. Puritans and Puritanism in Europe and America: a comprehensive encyclopedia. Vol. 2. Abc-Clio, 2006.
Carpenter, Frederic I. “American literature and the dream.” (1955).
Jong, L. de. Depression in Non-fiction Literature: An Exploration of The Effects on The Depressed Person and Significant Others Incorporating an Original Memoir. BS thesis. 2015.
Lucas, Stephen E. “The Enlightenment in America.” (1978): 59-63.
Reuben, Paul P. “Chapter 10: Late 20th C. and Postmodernism – An Introduction.” PAL: Perspectives in American Literature-A Research and Reference Guide. URL: https://www.paulreuben.website/pal/chap10/10intro.html 22 October 2016.
Reuben, Paul P. “Chapter 3: Early Nineteenth Century and Romanticism – A Brief Introduction ” PAL: Perspectives in American Literature-A Research and Reference Guide. WWW URL: https://www.paulreuben.website/pal/chap3/3intro.html 23 October 2016.
Reuben, Paul P. “Chapter 4: American Transcendentalism: A Brief Introduction.” PAL: Perspectives in American Literature- A Research and Reference Guide. URL: https://www.paulreuben.website/pal/chap4/4intro.html 25 October 2016.
Reuben, Paul P. “Chapter 5: Late Nineteenth Century – American Realism – A Brief Introduction.” PAL: Perspectives in American Literature-A Research and Reference Guide. URL: https://www.paulreuben.website/pal/chap5/5intro.html 26 October 2016.
Reuben, Paul P. “Chapter 6: American Naturalism – A Brief Introduction.” PAL: Perspectives in American Literature-A Research and Reference Guide. URL: https://www.paulreuben.website/pal/chap6/6intro.html 26 October 2016.
Reuben, Paul P. “Chapter 7: Early Twentieth Century: American Modernism – An Introduction.” PAL: Perspectives in American Literature-A Research and Reference Guide. URL: https://www.paulreuben.website/pal/chap7/7intro.html 27 October 2016.
Shields Jr, E. Thomson. “The Literature of Exploration.” The Oxford Handbook of Early American Literature. 2008.
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