ENGLISH LITERATURE UPTO 1590 – EPIC

ENGLISH LITERATURE UPTO 1590 – EPIC

English literature before 1590 was deeply influenced by the epic tradition, which celebrated heroic deeds, grand narratives, and cultural values. The earliest surviving epic in Old English is Beowulf (c. 8th–11th century), a tale of a Scandinavian hero who battles monsters, embodying ideals of bravery, loyalty, and fate. Written in alliterative verse, Beowulf reflects Germanic warrior culture and Christian influences.

In the Middle English period, Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales (late 14th century) shifted focus from classical epics to a more human-centered narrative, though it retained epic elements in structure and scope. Meanwhile, Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur (1485) compiled Arthurian legends, blending chivalric romance with epic grandeur.

The Renaissance saw a revival of classical epics, influencing English writers. Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene (1590) became England’s first great national epic, blending allegory, romance, and Arthurian myth to glorify Queen Elizabeth I. Written in Spenserian stanza, it embodied Renaissance humanism and Protestant ideals.

Before 1590, English epic poetry evolved from oral traditions (Beowulf) to written masterpieces (The Faerie Queene), reflecting societal changes—pagan heroism, medieval chivalry, and Renaissance nationalism. These works laid the foundation for later epics like Milton’s Paradise Lost, ensuring the genre’s enduring legacy.