Dr. Vijayalayan's Literature Notes

  A critical approach may be defined as a specialized mode of analysis, which is based on a detailed body of ideas or assumptions that constitutes its conceptual basis. There are many critical approaches available for consideration, of which three may be regarded as quintessential in character. These are the sociological, the psychological and the textual approach respectively. The reason as to why the three mentioned are identified as quintessential is because each provide a distinct analytic take on the literary work of art under scrutiny, via focusing on diverse aspects concerning the text. The idea becomes clear when we appraise the approaches separately, as it has been attempted below.   SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH       Sociological approach refers to a method of literary analysis in which the work of art is examined in relation to the sociopolitical context in which it was written. According to this approach, the sensibilities of an author is invar...

  Old English /Anglo-Saxon Period (400-1066)       The first age in the history of English literature is the Old English period, which is roughly from 400 to 1066. The period derives its name from the prominent language that was spoken in England at the time, which is generally referred to as old English. The period can also be identified as the Anglo-Saxon period, referring to the prominent race of people who inhabited England during this era. England was still finding its feet as a nation during this period, so nothing much worth mentioning took place as far as literature is concerned. Perhaps the only literary achievement worth highlighting from the time is the anonymous epic Beowulf , which is supposed to have been written in the ninth century. The Old English period comes to an end in the year 1066 with the Battle of Hastings, in which the last of the Saxon king Harold was defeated by the Norman forces of William, who subsequently ascended the throne of...