English Literature from the 19th Century Through Today
The history of English literature is itself like a wellwritten
novel or drama. Events build on one another,
as each new wave of writers impacts both the overall body
of work and the subsequent efforts of other writers. There
are unexpected twists and turns, as the styles and subject
matter of English literature have sometimes rebelled
against existing conventions or simply moved in unprecedented
directions. Finally, as with any good story, the pace
of action in English literature has seemed to accelerate
over time, with the most recent two centuries representing
an era of prolifi c productivity and creativity.