CHAPTER 1: OLD ENGLISH (ANGL0-SAXON) LITERATURE

(450 A.D TO 1066)

1. Stages of English Literature:
- 43 – 420: Roman invasion and occupation of Britain
- 450: Anglo-Saxon Conquest
- 597: St. Augustine arrives; beginning of Anglo-Saxon conversion to
Christianity
- 871 – 899: Reign of King Alfred
- 1066: Norman Conquest
- 1154 – 1189: Reign of Henry II
- 1200: Beginning of Middle English Literature
- 1360 – 1400: Geoffrey Chaucer; Piers Plowman; Sir Gawain and
the Green Knight
- 1485: printed books appear
- The Renaissance (16th – 17th centuries): William Shakespeare –
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (1601)
- The Enlightenment (18th century): Daniel Defoe – The life and
Strange Surprising Adventure of Robinson Crusoe (1719)
- The Romanticism (early 19th century)
- The Realism (late 19th century)
- The Modernism and Post – modernism (20th century)
2. Old English Literature
a) Historical Background:
- After the Roman withdrawal (420), England was invaded and
occupied by the Anglo-Saxon, the Germanic tribes from Northern
Europe)
- The Old English was brought with them; it was the earliest form of
English and was spoken to 1100
b) Characteristics of Literature:
- Dominated by poetry over prose
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- Mainly orally made and is transferred mouth – to – mouth
- Anonymous
3. BEOWULF:
a. Plot overview:
(1)King Hrothgar of Denmark enjoys a prosperous and successful
reign, so he builds a great Mead-halls where his warriors can
gather to drink and receive gifts from him. However, the jubilant
noise from Heorot (the Meat-hall) angers Grendel, a horrible
demon who causes grief to the Danes every night). Eventually, a
young Geatish warrior named Beowulf hears of Hrothgar’s plight
(than khóc) and sails to Denmark to defeat the demon.
(2)Hrothgar, who had done a great favor for Beowulf’s gather,
accepts Beowulf’s offer to fight Grendel and holds a feast in his
honor. The feast lasts merrily into the night, and Grendel arrives.
Beowulf fights him unarmed, providing himself stronger than the
demon. Finally, Beowulf tears Grendel’s arm to hang high in the
Mead-hall.
(3)The next night, Grendel’s mother, a swamp – hag who lives in a
desolate lake, comes to Heorot for seeking for her son’s death.
She murders Aeschere, one of Hrothgar’s most trusted adviser,
before slinking away. To avenge his death, the company travels to
the swamp, Beowulf dives into the water and fights Grendel’s
mother. He kills her with a sword, then finding Grendel’s corpse,
decapitates it and bring the head as a prize to Hrothgar.
(4)After Hygelac’s son die, Beowulf ascends to the throne of the
Geats. When Beowulf is an old man, a slave steals a golden cup
from a dragon (Sua). After that, the dragon becomes angry and
burns every thing in sight. Beowulf and his warriors come to fight
the dragon. Beowulf kills the dragon with Wiglaf’s help, but he
dies from the wounds he has received. According to Beowulf’s

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 wishes, they burn their king’s body and bury him with a massive
treasure in a barrow overlooking the sea.
b. The position of the work:
- Archetypal Anglo-Saxon literacy work and a cornerstone of
modern literature.
- Belongs to Denmark and Sweden, but written in England (because
at this time Germanic tribes from Scandinavia were occupying
England)
- Called “England’s national epic”
c. Literary elements:
o Form: Poetry
o Genre: Alliterative verse and heroic epic
- Alliterative: to help remember the many thousands of lines to
pass down in oral language
Example: Lade ne letton. / Leoht eastan com.
- Heroic epic : this was the period of fighting against outsiders, so
the work would encourage bravery.
o Language: Anglo-Saxon closely related to Germanic
languages.
o Setting time: ~ 500 A.D earlier
o Setting place: Denmark and Geatland
o Theme: the importance of Establishing Identity
o Symbol: banquet
o Major conflict: close-knit warriors society >< the various
menaces
o Climax: Beowulf’s encounter with Grendel’s mother
o Significance:
- The world Beowulf depicts the heroic code of honor which is a
Germanic tradition.

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- The Relationship between the leader, or King, and his warriors -
was of paramount importance.
- This relationship was defined in terms of provision and service:
Mead-hall and protecting.
Q&A in textbook:
1. Should read the part of Old English Literature.
2. Trace Beowulf’s background:
Beowulf was composed by an unknown Anglo-Saxon poet
around 700 a.d. The Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian peoples
had invaded the island of Britain and settled there several
hundred years earlier, bringing with them several closely
related Germanic languages that would evolve into Old English.
3. Should read the plot overview.
4. Should read the plot overview.
5. The characteristics of the epic: Seven main characteristics
(1) The hero is outstanding. They might be important, and historically or legendarily
significant.
(2) The setting is large. It covers many nations, or the known world.
(3) The action is made of deeds of great valor or requiring superhuman courage.
(4) Supernatural forces—gods, angels, demons—insert themselves in the action.
(5) It is written in a very special style (verse as opposed to prose).
(6) The poet tries to remain objective.
(7) Epic poems are believed to be supernatural and real by the hero and the villain
The epic of Beowulf: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 7
6. Should read the part of Literary elements.

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 CHAPTER 2: MIDDLE ENGLISH LITERATURE (1066 TO 1485)
1. Social background:
- England was invaded and occupied by the Normans  feudalism
established
- Printed technique appears
- Society was divided into 3 classes: the Norman nobility, the
clergymen, and the Middle class.
2. Characteristics of English literature:
Were in 3 languages:
- French by the Norman nobility
- Lantin by the clergymen
- Anglo-Saxon by Middle English
3. Geoffrey Chaucer (1343 – 1400)
a. Biography:
- Born and lived in London
- Early became acquainted with the seamy as well as the brilliant
side of courtly life
- Died in 1400, buried in Westminster Abbey
- The influences on his poetry:
 By the rich French poetry
 By his arrival to Italy
b. Canterbury Tales:
- A collection of 24 stories in verse (short poetry) in the 14th century
- The tales are told by a group of characters who are pilgrims on a
pilgrimage to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Canterbury church
- Contrast with other literature of the period of the naturalism
4. Three young men, death and a bag of gold.
a. Plot overview:

5
(1)The story is about a group of Flemish young men spending their
time drinking, revealing and indulging.
(2)Suddenly, they see a funeral pass under the window. A person
relies that his old friend was killed by a mysterious figure, Death.
(3)The group are angry, in their drunkenness, they decide to find and
kill Death.
(4)Going along with the road, they meet a sorrowful old man who is
waiting Death to come and take him. Required to help the youth
to find Death, the old man directs them into a grove and the
Death will be under an oak tree.
(5)They rush to the tree, just see eight bushels of god coins without
owners and without Death.
(6)They think that if they bring gold come to town in daylight, they’ll
be taken for thieves. They decide to stay here and get a person to
buy food and wine.
(7)At that time, two of them left plan to have a trap to kill another;
however, the one buys poison to kill them.
(8)When he comes back, he is perished and two men left drink wine
for triumph, but they, finally, die from the poison.
b. Literary elements:
o Form: poetry
o Genre: verse written (short poetry)
o Language: Middle English
o Setting place: at an inn and the forest
o Theme: Greed for wealth is the root of all evils [because of a
desire to be rich, people can treat badly with others. Specially, in a
society ruled by the dogmatics of Christianity, living with spiritual
poverty was highly appreciated  regulated in the seven deadly
sins.]
o Significance:

6
 - Different characters with their different styles of tales give a vivid
picture of contemporary English society
- The greatest contribution made of Chaucer made English
literature popularize the literary use of English.
Q&A in textbook:
1. Should read the part of social background and characteristics of
Middle English above.
2. Should read about Geoffrey above
3. Should read Significance and Canterbury above
4. Should read the plot overview
5. The story refers to The Black Death (also known as the
Pestilence, the Great Mortality or the Plague) was a plague
pandemic occurring in Afro-Eurasia from 1346 to 1353.
6. Should read literary elements
7. Should read literary elements

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 CHAPTER 3: MODERN ENGLISH LITERATURE (1485 TO NOW)
A. The Renaissance:
Social background:
- This was the age of cultural movement occupying in Italy in 14th
century and spreading to the rest of Europe by 16th century
- “Renaissance” means rebirth of the values of the ancient Greek
and Roman civilizations
- The society of scholasticism, feudalism and chivalry turned into
the modern world
- The literature of 16th century was profoundly influenced by that
religious result of the Reformation.
1. William Shakespeare (1564 -1616)
- he is considered the greatest dramatist in human history and the
supreme poet of the English language
- he was born in 154 in the village of Stratford-on-Avon
- His career could be divided into 4 phases:
- Phase 1: 1580-1594, he experienced different kinds of comedy.
- Phase 2: 1594-1599, concentrated on comedies and histories, and
his composition included King John and Romeo and Juliet.
- Phase 3: 1599-1608, he abandoned Romantic Comedy working
instead on tragedies and dark comedies like Hamlet.
- Phase 4: 1608-1613, dominated by a new style of comedy on
themes of loss and reconciliation, after that retired in 1613, and
passed away after 3 years, in 1616.
2. Hamlet
a. Plot overview:
(1)Hamlet, profoundly upset by the death of his father (King Hamlet)
and his mother’s re-marriage to his uncle Claudius who is accused
of killing the king by the ghost. Hamlet swears to take revenge.

8
 (2)Hamlet feigns madness. Polonius, the king’s lord Chamberlain,
thinks the princess is lovesick for his daughter and sets a meeting
for them. However, Hamlet rejects her.
(3)After that, Hamlet and Polonius plot a meeting between Hamlet
and his mother. At this time, he sets up a play named “the murder
of Gonzago”, depicting the murder of King Hamlet. While
watching this play, Claudius goes mad and stops watching.
(4)Claudius feels guilty and repents, but Hamlet thinks he is praying
and decides not to kill him because of being afraid of Claudius
goes to Heaven.
(5)In an argument with his mother, Hamlet kills Polonius. Then,
Claudius becomes paranoid and sends Hamlet to England with an
order to execute him.
(6)Meantime, Ophelia goes insane and commits suicide. Hamlet
comes back to England and sees Ophelia funeral. Claudius and
Laertes (the son of Polonius) plan fencing match between Hamlet
and Laertes. The princess accepts the challenge.
(7)At the fencing match, Claudius pours poison into Hamlet’s cup,
but Gertrude drinks it instead and dies. Laertes tells Hamlet that
both of them have also been poisoned. Enraged Hamlet kills
Claudius by stabbing him and forcing him to drink the poison.
Later, Laertes and Hamlet are reconciled, then die.
(8)After all, young Fortinbras returns from Poland, Horatio tells him
what has happened and Fortinbras says Hamlet should have a
soldier’s funeral
b. A brief summary of Hamlet’s Soliloquy 1 (Act 1, Scene 5)
Hamlet's Soliloquy 1 in Act1, Scene 5 is about what Hamlet talks to
himself when the ghost who is believed to be his father visits him and
tells him about who has killed his dad. Because of being shocked, he
himself moans that he pities the soul of his father, and it is sure that he

9
will remember all of the things that have just occurred to take revenge
for his dead father.
c. Literary elements:
o Full title: The tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
o Genre: Drama
o Time and place written: London, between 1600 – 1602
o Major conflict: External conflict: Hamlet >< Claudius ; Internal
conflict: Hamlet >< his doubt
o Climax: Deaths of the royal family
o Setting place: Denmark
o Setting time: Late medieval period
o Theme: moral corruption and moral integrity
o Message: Indecision leads to personal tragedy
o Symbol: Yorick’s skull
Q&A in textbook:
Why did Shakespeare choose Denmark as the setting for Hamlet?
The story happened in Elsinore castle, a town on the eastern coast of
Denmark, which was an important military and historic location
He likely knew where the town was and what its castle was like, which
contributed to Hamlet’s mood of anxious uncertainly.
Symbol of Yorick’s skull
A symbol of death, the ultimate destination of life.
Hamlet holding the skull represents the duality of life and death
Hamlet symbolizing life, the skull in his hand portraying death, It’s just a
hand’s distance between them

10
1. This is the period of cultural movement occurring in Italy in the 14th
century and appearing to the rest of Europe by the 16th century
"Renaissance" means the rebirth of the values of the ancient Greek and
Roman civilizations. The literary of this century could be profoundly
influenced by religious result of the Reformation.
2. Shakespeare's compassionate understanding of the human lot.
3.
- tragedies: Hamlet, Romeo and Juliette,
- Comedies: A midsummer night's dream, Twelfth night..
4. he sets a mood of quiet and ultimate reconciliation that was fitting
close for his literary career.
5. he is a procrastinator so he can't make decision on his own. Because
of indecision, he faces up to a lot of problems.
6.
- Hamlet, Gurtrude and Claudius die from poison which is caused by
Claudius
- Ophelia goes insane and commits suicide.
- Polonius is stabbed by Hamlet
- Laertes dies when he is poisoned with his own sword
7. because his approach to life is fundamentally different to that of the
Medieval characters of the play. If in the previous period, people took
religion as a center, then Shakespeare with Hamlet focused on moral
corruption and moral integrity which are the simple values of a human.

11
 B. The age of Enlightenment:
1. Social background:
- The Age of Enlightenment was the European intellectual
movement of the 17th-18th century. The term Enlightenment is
the state of having knowledge of something. The very first step
began when Isaac Newton made up a flat clock having many
planets on it. It was rumored that his friend, a thinker, asked him
about who created the world and made it work. Then, Newton
brought into his flat clock and spun to make it move respectively,
and he said thanks to God, we had a beautiful and orderly world
to live in. After this event, there were many thinkers' and
philosophers' ideas concerning God, reason, nature, and man
were blended into a worldview inspiring revolutionary
developments in art, philosophy, and politics.
- At this time, people were concerned about how the world
worked, and whether God created the world.
- In this century, there was also the dominance of Craft
(Freemason), Voltaire, Dito (maker of encyclopedia), many
reformations, and the creation of "New kinds of organizations of
Christianity" such as "Good News" from Calvin...
- Also, in this period, it could be witnessed many "new" definitions
of the physical phenomena from Copernicus and Galilee.
2. Daniel Defoe (166 – 1731)
- Was an English writer, born in London
- Was also a trader, journalist, and a spy
- Considered one of the earliest proponents of the English novel,
and helped to popularize the from in Britain.
3. Robison Crusoe:
a. Plot overview:

12
(1)Robinson Crusoe himself is a man with a thirst for adventure. He
leaves home against his parents’ advice to be a merchandise.
(2)He’s going on a number of sea adventures. At one point, he begs
for repentance hoping to make it home, but pretty quickly, he’s
back to sea going on more adventures.
(3)Moroccan pirates take Crusoe into slavery. With a little help from
some other slaves, he escapes and travels to Brazil where he
becomes a plantation owner and is pretty successful.
(4)However, a shipwreck strands him on an Island of the coast of
Trinidad, killing all the other crew. He lives alone on this island for
23 years.
(5)During that time, he raises livestock, grows crops, builds
fortification and documents his experiences embracing
Christianity.
(6)Crusoe rescues a captive whom he names Friday. After the day of
the week, he saves him from cannibal tribe.
(7)Crusoe and Friday help an English captain who’s been the victim
of a muting. They fight off the mutineers and take the ships back
and let some of the prisoners on the island.
(8)Crusoe finally is ready to return to England and he does.
(9)He learns he’s made a fortunate from his plantation in Brazil.
(10) During resolution, he embarks with a small crew on a new
adventure in the mountains between Spain and France where he
fights wolves and bears. He’s married, has children and his wife
sadly passes away.
(11) He is even able to return to his beloved island to see that a
new colony grows up there. Ending with promising more
adventures.
b. Literary elements:
o Form: fiction

13
 o Genre: adventure story, novel of isolation
o Time and place written: 1719, London
o Setting place: England, Brazil; then a deserted island off
Trinidad
o Major conflict: Crusoe and the deserted island. Crusoe ><
hardships in his attempt to survive on the island.
o Climax: Crusoe becomes shipwrecked on an island near
Trinidad, forcing him to fend for himself.
o Theme: The importance of self Awareness
o Significance: first novel in English; embody the spirit of
Enlightenment through the character of Robinson.
o Symbols: the foot print and the Cross.
Q&A in textbook:
1. Tell briefly of Enlightenment and Daniel Defoe.
- The Age of Enlightenment:
The Age of Enlightenment was the European intellectual
movement of the 17th-18th century. The term Enlightenment
is the state of having knowledge of something. The very first
step began when Isaac Newton made up a flat clock having
many planets on it. It was rumored that his friend, a thinker,
asked him about who created the world and made it work.
Then, Newton brought into his flat clock and spun to make it
move respectively, and he said thanks to God, we had a
beautiful and orderly world to live in. After this event, there
were many thinkers' and philosophers' ideas concerning God,
reason, nature, and man were blended into a worldview
inspiring revolutionary development in art, philosophy, and
politics.
At this time, people were concerned about how the world
worked, and whether God created the world.

14
 In this century, there was also the dominance of Craft
(Freemason), Voltaire, Dito (maker of encyclopedia), many
reformations, and the creation of "New kinds of organizations
of Christianity" such as "Good News" from Calvin...
Also, in this period, it could be witnessed many "new"
definitions of the physical phenomena from Copernicus and
Galilee.
- Daniel Defoe (1660 – 1731)
He was an English writer, born in London.
He was also a trader, journalist and spy
He is considered one of the earliest proponents of the English
novel, and helped to popularize the form in Britain.
2. Trace Robinson’s background.
He is an Englishman who is the youngest son of a merchant from
the town of York in the 17th century. Despite being galvanized by
his father to study law, he shows his expectation to go to sea.
3. How does Robinson get stranded and manage to survive on the
desert island?
After escaping from being the slave of Moroccan pirates, his
shipwreck strands him on an Island of the coast of Trinidad, killing
all other crew. He lives alone on this island for 23 years. During
that time, he raises livestock, grows crops, builds fortification and
documents his experiences embracing Christianity.
4. How can he at last return to his homeland?
On a certain Friday, Crusoe rescues a captive whom he also names
Friday. After the day of the week, he saves him from Cannibal
tribe.
Then, Crusoe and Friday help and English captive who’s been the
victim of a muting. They fight off the mutineers and take the ships

15
 back and let some of the prisoners on the island. Crusoe finally is
ready to return to England and he does.
5. How is Robinson a typical man of Enlightenment?
He regarded as a person of Enlightenment from the most basic
perceptions of his surroundings. In other words, in this age,
people were aware of the power of physics and how the world
works, so as people in this age did, Robinson applied all his
knowledge about nature and science to survive. Also, he placed a
heavy emphasis on the value of human life; therefore, he
managed to be, and try to rescue others.
Finally, the highest of people’s recognition was about their
religion as Robinson did with his Christianity.
6. What is the setting of excerpt?
- Time: one early morning of his 24th year on the desert island.
- Place: on the desert island, near Robinson’s habitation.
7. How did Robinson get his first human companion?
On a certain Friday, Crusoe rescues a captive whom he also names
Friday. After the day of the week, he saves him from Cannibal
tribe.
8. Analyze the theme and some other literary elements of the
novel.
a. Theme: the importance of self-awareness
- The hero must rely upon his own wits and courage to survive.
- He himself builds his plantation in Brazil, and most of all
surviving on the island.
- He has few materials, but he manages to use what he has in
creative ways
b. Symbols:
- The footprint:
+ one of the most famous movements in the novel

16
 + it symbolizes hero’s conflicted feeling about human
companionship
- The cross:
+ the large size and capital letters show us how important this
cross is to Crusoe as a timekeeping device, and this is the way
he relates himself to social world.
This also symbolizes his religion
c. Setting:
- Mainly on a desert island
- Underline all the problem which there are in 18th century for
formation of modern world
- The desert island represents all the contradictions and
obstacles of new world.
9. Identify and analyze the literary techniques used in the excerpt.
- Firstly, I think it is symbolism.
I will set “at length he came close to me … my slave forever”
for an example to imply that Friday is one of many victims of
savior honor-ism.
- Secondly, I would contend that they are six kinds of imagery,
which were visual imagery, auditory imagery, kinetic imagery,
olfactory imagery, gustatory imagery and tactile imagery, in
order to make the narration livelier.
- Thirdly, the usage of metaphors and hyperboles will help
readers get a better understanding of the events occurring in
the real-life.

17
 1. Jonathan Swift (1667-1745):
One of the greatest master of English prose.
One of the most impassioned satirists of human folly and pretension.
Settled in Ireland after the Stuart Restoration and became steward of
King’s Inns, Dublin.
2.Gulliver’s travels
a.Plot overview
 “Gulliver’s travels” is divided into four parts
 In each part, a man called Lemuel Gulliver creates travels to
across the seas and reaches various lands
 The first of them was the island of Lilliput where tiny people
pygmies live. These people fight against the giant, Gulliver.
However, in this land, he shows us how petty people can be, but
they keep him captive. There are wars between nations on the
island itself and Gulliver’s helps one against another.
 In the second island, he goes back to England by being picked up
by an English ship, and after that he sets out again. The second
island that he wishes to visit is called Brobdingnag, and here
everybody is huge and he is the one who is tiny. The giant people
here are extremely civil and civilized, so they keep him like a pet,
but they really take care of him. When he offers them the use of
gunpowder, their civilization has reached a point that no warfare
is inimical to the life of man; therefore, they refused his gift of
gunpowder which against their point à Jonathan swift is satirizing
a world where wars are so common and everybody is so willing to
kill everybody else.
 He leaves and returns home to England, and visits an island called
Laputa which is floating over his head, whose inhabitants are
extremely intelligent and they consider mathematics and music
18
 being worthwhile. But, their intellectual pursuits blind them to the
ordinary everyday details of life, so they are unfitted to live life in
an everyday fashion, even they have servants whose job is to alert
them somebody approaches à do not notice what is happening
around them. After that he visits three other islands. And finally,
he goes back to England
 When he visits the fourth island where talking horses called
Houyhnhnm. The inhabitants are horses but more civilized than
any human beings could ever be. Interestingly, the horses have
their slaves’ called yahoos, who are actually humans. When he
meets them, he is impressed by their civilization. He is banned
from the island because he looks like Yahoos
 He comes back to England, and he realizes that he doesn’t like the
life of humans.
b. Literary elements
o Form: fiction
o Full title: Gulliver’s travels, or, Travels into several Remote Nations
of the world
o Genre: Satire
o Time and place written: Around 1712 – 1726, London & Dublin
o Setting place: Primarily English, and the imaginary countries
o Major conflict: Gulliver and his native England
o Climax: Gulliver rejects human society in the fourth voyage,
especially when he shuns the generous Don Pedro as a vulgar
Yahoo.
o Theme: Human nature is so corrupt and malevolent that there is
no possibility of reformation
o Significance:
o Gulliver’s travels is the greatest satire

19
Two books in one: a fanciful children’s tale and a trenchant satire of the
fallacies of human nature.
Q&A in textbook:
1. Read Jonathan Swift above
2. Gulliver’s background:
- His full name’s Lemuel Gulliver
- A practical-minded trained as a surgeon
- He takes to the seas when his business fails
Robinson’s background:
He is an Englishman who is the youngest son of a merchant from
the town of York in the 17th century. Despite being galvanized by
his father to study law, he shows his expectation to go to sea.
 Similarities:
- Both are trained to work in professional jobs such as surgeon
or lawyer
- Finally, they choose to put to seas for exploring.
 Differences:
- Robinson has a strong belief >< Gulliver is a practical minded
person
- Robin comes from a merchant family so he can gain
comprehension of travelling by voyage better than Gulliver.
3.
- Gulliver’s travels take him to Lilliput, an island on a miniature
scale where he appears as huge as a giant. (He swims to Lilliput
due to a shipwreck)
- Brobdingnag, where everything and everyone is enormous, and
Gulliver is comparatively minuscule. (On his second voyage)
- The flying island of Laputa, inhabited by philosophers (On his
third voyage)
20
 - The kingdom of Balnibarbi, full of obsessive scientists. (On his
fourth voyage)
4. Read plot overview to find out the special things on each
country
5. Setting of the excerpt: The diversions of the court of Lilliput
described.
6.
- This diversion is only practised by those persons who are
candidates for great employments, and high favour at court.
- These diversions are often attended with fatal accidents,
whereof great numbers are on record.
- There is likewise another diversion, which is only shown
before the emperor and empress, and first minister, upon
particular occasions.
- They are bred up in the principles of honour, justice,
courage, modesty, clemency, religion, and love of their
country; they are always employed in some business, except
in the times of eating and sleeping, which are very short,
and two hours for diversions consisting of bodily exercises.
7. What is the satire of the games?
Swift alerts the reader that any situation that affects a
society, regardless of its indecorous nature, must be discussed
and dealt with accordingly. According to Frank Brady, Swift’s
targets in these types of satiric ridicule are “human
ostentatiousness and lack of perception” . By caricaturing the
physical disparities between Gulliver and the natives of the lands
he visits, Swift is able to confront pretentious aspects of European
society that he views as unacceptable.
8+9: Gulliver’s Travels - Study Guide and Literary Analysis (literarydevices.net)

21
The Romantic Age:
- Romanticism occurred in both Europe and America in the first half of
the 19th Century. Actually, this development took place at the end of
the 18th century and peaked between 1800 and 1850.
- Romanticism was focused on emotion and individualism. Along with
Realism, they became dominant types of literature in this century.
- the nature of Romanticism which is one of the most important aspects
may be approached from the primary importance of the free
expression of the feelings of the artist.
William Wordsworth (1770 - 1850)
- was an English romantic poet
- was born in the Lake District which is known as the land of Poets.
- grew up in a rustic society and spent most of his childhood playing
outdoors, and was taught by his mother.
- was famous for his first work, "Lyrical Ballads"
- was also a natural lover
- his compositions were almost written in ordinary language and simple
form, as can be seen in "The Solitary Reaper".
The Solitary Reaper (1805)
Summary:
The poem begins with the speaker asking readers to
behold a young girl ‘reaping and singing by herself’ in a
field. The song the girl sings is a sad song, and anyone
passing by, the speaker says, should either stop and listen or

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'gently pass' so as not to disturb her. He is so struck by
the sad beauty of her song that the whole valley seems to
overflow with its sound.
In the second stanza, the speaker compares the girl's
singing to that of a nightingale and a cuckoo bird. He
says that the song she sings is more welcome than any
nightingale might sing to weary travelers in the desert,
and the sound of the her voice is more thrilling to hear
than the cuckoo-bird in spring. He is utterly enchanted,
although as we see in the next stanza, he cannot
understand the language of the song and so cannot
say what the song is about.
In the third stanza, the speaker tries
to imagine what the song might be about. Given its sad
tune, he speculates that her song might be about some
past sorrow, pain or loss of old, unhappy things' orbattles fought long
ago. Or perhaps, he says, it is a
humbler, simpler song about some present sorrow,
pain, or loss, a, matter of to-day.”
The poem ends as the speaker understands that
whatever the girl sings about does not matter. It is the
beauty of the song and her singing that touches his

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heart and lingers in his mind, giving him joy as he
travels up the hill and carries her song with him long
after he can no longer hear it.
Literary techniques
Rhyme scheme
The poem’s 32 lines are equally distributed among the four stanzas.
Each stanza follows the rhyme scheme: ABABCCDD. Use of end rhymes,
such as “profound/sound”, “still/hill”, “lay/day” and “grain/strain”
makes the poem melodious.
Apostrophe
The poem “The Solitary Reaper” begins with an Apostrophe “Behold”
where the poet addresses the unknown passersby. He uses it again in
the seventh line “O Listen” telling them how the valley is filled with the
sound of her.
Symbolism/ Metaphor
The poet makes a symbolic comparison of the young woman’s song
with Nightingale and Cuckoo bird for the melodious nature of her song.
But it turns out to be hyperbole for he exaggerates that her song is
better than theirs. The poet very much captivated by her song that the
valley is “overflowing with the sound”. Again, he says that the song
looked like a never-ending as her sorrows.
Rhetorical questions
The rhetorical question helps to make the point clear. For example,
Wordsworth used “Will no one tell me what she sings?”, “That has
been, and may be again?” and “Familiar matter of to-day?” it to express
his curiosity over the theme and meaning of the song, the girl sang.

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Imagery
The imagery used in a literary work enables the readers to perceive
things involving their five senses. For example, “Reaping and singing by
herself”, “I saw her singing at her work” and “More welcome notes to
weary bands” gives a pictorial description of the young woman at work.
He makes the readers visualize what he has seen and how he felt.
Characteristics of English Romanticism:
Glorification of Nature
Awareness and Acceptance of Emotions
Celebration of Artistic Creativity and Imagination
Emphasis on Aesthetic Beauty
Themes of Solitude
Focus on Exoticism and History
Spiritual and Supernatural Elements
Vivid Sensory Descriptions
Use of Personification
Focus on the Self and Autobiography

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The Realism
- This is the period of a cultural movement in Literature, which occurred
in both Europe and America in the second half of the 19th century.
- The genres of English literature at this time mainly focused on the
depiction of subjects as they appeared in everyday life.
- The inspirations for authors originated from what they witnessed
every day instead of imagination.
Charles Dickens (1812-1870):
- He was born in Landport, in the south of England
- He was an English writer and social critic.
- He was well-known as one of the most popular English novelists of the
Victorian era.
- After passing away, he was buried in Westminster Abby.
Oliver Twist
a. Plot overview:
(1)The novel follows the journey of Oliver Twist. Oliver, an orphan
since birth, spends much of his childhood at a “child farm” with
too many children and too little food. The farm is located
roughly 75 miles outside London.
(2)One night, after being served his portion of gruel, Oliver asks
for a second helping. This is unacceptable, and Oliver is sent to
work as an apprentice to an undertaker.
(3)Eventually, after suffering repeated mistreatment, Oliver runs
away and heads for London. He soon finds himself in the
presence of the Artful Dodger, who tells him to stay at the
house of an “old gentleman” (named Fagin) with a number of

26
 other boys. Oliver learns that these boys are trained
pickpockets. On an outing, Oliver witnesses the boys take a
handkerchief from Mr. Brownlow, an elderly man, which
prompts Oliver to run away in fear and confusion. The elderly
man mistakes Oliver’s behavior for guilt and has him arrested.
However, after learning more about Oliver, Mr. Brownlow
realizes his mistake and offers to take care of him at his home.
(4)Oliver assumes that he is now rid of Fagin and the pickpockets,
but his knowledge of their crimes causes them to seek Oliver
out. Nancy, a prostitute and mistress of one of Fagin’s men, Bill
Sikes, is sent to take Oliver from Mr. Brownlow back to Fagin.
She does so successfully, and Oliver is sent on a burglary
mission to the countryside around London.
(5)At this time, Oliver is shot in the arm and then is taken in by the
family (the Maylies) that he attempted to rob. While he is
there, Fagin and a man named Monks plot to get him back.
Rose Maylie, while on a trip to London with her family, meets
with Mr. Brownlow to talk with Nancy, who has slipped away
from Sikes to explain the plans made by Monks and Fagin to
get Oliver back. She describes Monks and tells them when he
might most easily be apprehended.
(6)Unfortunately for Nancy, news of her betrayal reaches Sikes,
and he beats her to death. Sikes accidentally hangs himself
soon after. The Maylies reunite Oliver with Mr. Brownlow, who
forces Monks to explain himself. The reader and Oliver are
then informed that Monks is Oliver’s half-brother and that
Oliver is entitled to a large fortune. He receives his share of the
money, Fagin is hung, and the Maylies, Oliver, and Mr.
Brownlow move to the countryside where they spend the rest
of their days together.

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b. Literary elements:
o Full tittle: Oliver twist: The Parish Boy’s Progress
o Literary form: Fiction
o Genre: Children’s story; novel of social protest
o Time and Place written: 1837-1838, London
o Setting time: 1830s
o Setting place: London and environs, an unnamed smaller
English city; the English countryside
o Major conflict: Oliver’s righteousness >< the social
environment encouraging thievery and prostitution
o Climax: +Nancy is murdered for disclosing Monks’s plans to
Oliver’s guardians
o + Mr. Brownlow gets the full story of Oliver’s origins
from Monks.
o Theme: + The failure of Charity
o + Purity in a Corrupt Environment
o Significance: Oliver Twist is a realistic portrayal of criminals
and their sordid (dishonest) lives and calls the public’s
attention to various contemporary social evils: corruption in
workhouses, child labour and the recruitment of children as
criminals.
o Symbol: London Bridge
Q&A in textbook:
1. Tell briefly of Realism as a cultural movement and of
Charles Dickens
- Realism as a cultural movement:
The Realist movement began in the mid-19th century as a
reaction to Romanticism and History painting. In favour of
depictions of 'real' life, the Realist painters used common

28
 laborers, and ordinary people in ordinary surroundings
engaged in real activities as subjects for their works.
- Charles Dickens: see above
2. Trace Oliver Twist’s background:
Dickens began writing Oliver Twist after the adoption of the
Poor Law of 1834, which halted government payments to
the able-bodied poor unless they entered workhouses. Thus,
Oliver Twist became a vehicle for social criticism aimed
directly at the problem of poverty in 19th-century London.
3. How does he become an orphan?
- His mother died in childbirth and his father was absent
with no further explanation.
4. How is he brought up?
- He spends much of his childhood at a “child farm” with
too many children and too little food in the care of a
woman named Mrs. Mann.
5. How does Oliver fall into Fagin’s lair?
During his journey to London, Oliver encounters Jack
Dawkins, who provides Oliver with a free meal and tells him
of a gentleman in London who will give him accommodation
and never ask for change  Oliver follows Dawkins to the
gentleman’s residence  He falls in with an infamous
criminal known as Fagin, who trains orphan boys to
pickpocket for him.
6. What is the setting of the excerpt?
The lair of their elderly criminal trainer Fagin
7. How are Fagin and Bill’s personalities characterized?
- Fagin takes in homeless children and trains them to pick
pockets for him. He is also a buyer of other people’s
stolen goods. He rarely commits crimes himself,

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 preferring to employ others to commit them—and often
suffer legal retribution—in his place. Dickens’s portrait of
Fagin displays the influence of anti-Semitic stereotypes.
- A brutal professional burglar brought up in Fagin’s gang.
Sikes is Nancy's pimp and lover, and he treats both her
and his dog Bull’s-eye with an odd combination of cruelty
and grudging affection. His murder of Nancy is the most
heinous of the many crimes that occur in the novel.
8. Describe the general atmosphere of the place. Why is it the
main point of the excerpt?
9. Identify and analyse the literary techniques used in the
excerpt
(Lọc ra sau)
10. The novel is both a children’s story and a social
protest. How? (Should read Significance)
11. The story has a happy end. How?
Should read 100-105 in textbook.
12. Analyse the theme and some other literary elements
of the novel.
 Theme:
- The Failure of Charity
+ In this story, we can see children are brought up by
nursing houses; however, they are sold as goods.
+ Moreover, they are also brought up by criminals in
order to act as young thieves.
- Purity in a Corrupt Environment:
Oliver Twist’s characteristic is prominent as a good child.
In the end of the story, we can see bad people turn over a
new leaf.

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Lord of the flies
a. Plot Overview:
"Lord of the Flies" tells the story of a group of young boys who
find themselves alone on a deserted island. They develop rules
and a system of organization, but without any adults to serve as a
civilizing impulse, the children eventually become violent and
brutal.
A plane that carries a group of British children to keep them safe
from the nuclear war effects, crashes in a deserted island. Ralph is
a good and smart boy. When he thinks about living on their own
without the pressure from the adults, he gets happy. The boy,
called Piggy who is fat and has glasses is instead scared. Piggy is
the only kid who is thinking straight in this island. He is thinking
about how to escape from the island and tries to count how many
of them are there in the island and he believes that they have to
share the workload between them. To count them, he says that
Ralph should blow on the horn that he got from the sea and
gather everyone who survived from the plane. Ralph does not
listen to him in the beginning but then he does what Piggy says
and all the survivors from the crash comes to the shore of the
island. They do a meeting and they talk in order when they have
the seashell they are allowed to talk. With this, they have a
democratic way to have these meetings. Ralph who gathered all
of them with the seashell, is chosen to be the sheriff of the island
because of it. Jack does not like this decision. Jack is the president
of the church choir and he is leading his own group. Jack and his
group argue that they have to hunt in order to survive, but Ralph
and Piggy argue that they have to have a fire all the time for the
smoke to be a sign to someone to save them. Because of this split,
the leadership in the island divides. Jack and his team are

31
responsible from anything hunting related and Ralph is
responsible with the order of the island.

The children who decides that fire should be on the highest place
of the island, gives this mission to Jack and his team. They think
that they can control the fire while they are hunting. Jack accepts
this mission not very voluntarily. Shelter and fruit picking are
sought out by Ralph and others. But no one wants to help Ralph
and Piggy. Ralph has to do everything by himself. The other kids
on the island are too busy with swimming and having fun, they do
not help with anything. They do not think they have to be saved,
the thought of being without adults and rules is very fun for them.

A day when Jack and his team are on charge of hunting, a ship
passes by the shore. But because the fire burned out, they do not
realize the islanders. After this Ralph and Piggy go to top of the
mountain and confront with Jack. Ralph argues that the fire is the
most important thing on the island, but Jack does not bother
himself with it and tells them to eat the pig that they hunted.
However, the tension between them is already started.

Meantime, the little kids talks about a monster that looks like a
snake. Although Jack and Ralph don’t believe them, they secretly
are afraid of this monster too. One night, a dead parachutist falls
to the top of the island and with the wind the parachute swells
and moves. The kids are sure that this is the monster they are so
afraid of. Jack and Ralph are afraid too, but they agree to go check
it out. The both of them do not admit that they are afraid,
wanting to be the strongest one. Jack and Ralph reach the peak of
the mountain, they could not ignore the monster now and they

32
start running towards to the shore. After that, no kid goes to the
mountain and they cannot build a fire. Ralph and Piggy think that
the fire should be on the shore, but they cannot follow through
with this idea.

With the monster being real, the tension between Jack and Ralph
intensifies. Jack says that Ralph cannot protect the island and
accuses him of being a coward. He says that he can protect
everyone with his hunting skills, and he wants to create his own
group. At first, he does not have any votes but still leaves the
island and goes to the woods. All of the older kids and some of
the younger kids joins Jack’s painted face wild tribe and with this
democratic order is gone. Piggy and Simon don’t leave Ralph and
want him to continue with being sheriff. Ralph realizes Piggy’s
intelligence and with his help he can do this job.

Only Piggy and Simon believe that there is not a monster in the
island. In order to prove this, Simon goes to top of the mountain,
and he realizes that the monster is just a dead parachutist. He
immediately runs to the woods to let everyone know. Meanwhile,
Jack and his team hunted a pig and they are doing some kind of
ritual. Simon suddenly finds himself in the circle that the tribe
created. Jack and his team think that Simon is the monster and
they brutally murder him. Now, there is no good and bad in the
island. Jack and his team steal Piggy’s glasses and that’s it. Ralph
and Piggy go there to stand up for themselves, but they are not
being taken seriously and Piggy is killed by the worst person of the
island, Roger. Now, Ralph has to start running and whole island is
burning. Ralph is sure that if he gets caught, he would be killed by
Jack and others. When Ralph thinks that everything is over, and

33
he is going to die, a military ship that see the smoke coming from
the island lands on the shore, and they save kids from the island
and Ralph from being killed.

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