LIT201

LIT201 (A Survey of the English Literature from Anglo-Saxon to the Elizabethan Period) takes you back to the early beginnings of English literature and the historical world that shaped it. The course explores how the literature of England developed alongside the changing cultures, beliefs, conflicts, and experiences of its people.

You will encounter the early Germanic traditions associated with the Angles and Saxons, explore the heroic world of Old English literature, and examine important works such as Beowulf. From there, the course follows the development of English literature through the Medieval period, where religion, chivalry, social change, and new literary traditions began to reshape English writing.

The journey continues into the Renaissance, a period of renewed interest in classical learning, humanism, art, and intellectual discovery. You will see how these changes transformed English literature and created new ways of thinking about humanity, society, language, and creativity.

LIT201 is a journey through the origins and transformation of English literature. It helps you understand the historical and cultural forces that made those works possible.