Ancient Period

Egypt – the oldest extant literature are the literary remains of the Middle Kingdom of Egypt which are written
in ink on papyrus. There still exist fragments of stories such as the marvelous adventures of a shipwrecked
sailor or the tale of the eloquent peasant. There are collections of wise sayings, shrewd observations, and
good counsel.

Babylonia and Assyria have religious literature consisted mainly of the ritual of worship; magical incantations
to repel evil spirits in this life; predictions of the future, and epics dealing with such topics as creation and the
flood. These themes appear also in the Hebrew Book of Genesis.

In Greece, Homeric poems represented an age of epic poetry with the Odyssey as a shining example. The
earliest complete specimens of tragedy and comedy are those composed in Attic Greece for Athenian
festivals of Dionysus, the wine‐god. Thus, they were closely connected with religion and public
life, drawing their subjects and characters from the myths.

In China, Confucius edited the Book of History and composed the Spring and Autumn Annals. The oldest
extant Chinese literature are the Five Classics which became the component stones in China’s true Great Wall
against Barbarism.

Rome – Ennius an epic poet commonly called the Father of Literature, was admitted to Roman citizenship. To
a great extent, Rome derived not only its art and literature, but also its religious mythology and its historical
legends, from the Greeks.

India – religion and literature were prominent features in their civilization following the Rig ‐Veda. The two
great epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana date back to the Sutras of the first centuries of our era. The
golden age of Sanskrit literature was about 400 ‐800 A.D. of works of Arabic learning, the commentaries on
the Koran, collection of Muslim tradition, biographies of Mohammed, religious and historical literature,
science and medicine are noteworthy.

Enduring understanding/Possible explanation: The literature during the ancient

period focused on religion, creation, civilization, and heroism. It is because everyone is
starting to build their own community, identity, and organization. The search for the
reason of existence propelled the people to be a devotee of gods and goddesses. They
want to make sure that their creator who made them is pleased of how they live their
lives. For doing rituals and the like, it is a natural behavior of a person to decide
whether he/she will lead or follow. Someone must start something and others will do the
same thinking that such action is an exemplary act. Leadership and governance will rise
and this will be the start of an organization and civilization. The set of rituals and belief
they originated was passed through generations and now stand as the back bone of our
culture.

Medieval Period

In medieval France, 1130‐50, originated the literary genre called Romance. The characteristic feature of early
French literature is its inclination toward the wonderful, improbable, the exaggerated, and the wholly ideal.

The only type of medieval literary production exempt from these romanticizing tendencies was the family
and historical prose saga developed in Iceland at the end of the twelfth and early thirteenths century.

This period can boast of Britain’s Arthurian legends, France’s Chanson de Roland, Icelander’s Sagas,
Germany’s Dr. Schwanritter, and Spain’s Amadis de Gauia.

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At the beginning of the thirteenth century, sentimental romances with an adventurous or pseudo historical
contribution of this period is John Wycliffe’s translation of the Bible in English. The most gifted writer of the
medieval noon, however, was the poet Geoffrey Chaucer, who wrote, among other great works, The
Canterbury Tales.

King Arthur was a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to medieval
histories and romances, led the defense of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century.
(http://lextutor.ca/ra_read/graded/king_arthur/) King Arthur’s leadership manifested an ideal equality and
prowess. He gave a brand to act of chivalry that a person or a leader must possess. In our current state,
leaders still possess such qualities. Like the Knights of the Round Table they still sit down and talk about the
ways and means in helping each other. Best examples of which are the ASEAN Summit and G7 Summit. A
dream or goal must be anchored in our ideals. These ideals will lead us to where we really want to go or what
we really want to achieve. These ideals will motivate us to work and achieve success.

The Renaissance takes place at different times in different countries. The English Renaissance (also called the
Early Modern period) dates from the beginning of the Protestant Reformation and from the height of the
Quattrocento (1400's) in Italy. Renaissance is a French term meaning "rebirth." The period is characterized by
a rebirth among English elite of classical learning, a rediscovery of ancient Greek and Roman authors, and a
recovery of the ancient Greek spirit of scientific inquiry. (Compare the Renaissance of the Twelfth Century
and the rediscovery then of Aristotle.) The period is also characterized by widespread religious wars,
geographical discovery and colonization, and major reforms of state. In terms of culture, it is important to
remember that not everyone was similarly affected by the Renaissance: illiterate, beer ‐swilling shepherds did
not suddenly take up a study of Aristotelian metaphysics. Nevertheless, the period marks the high-water
mark of English literary accomplishment. It is the age of William Shakespeare, John Milton, John Donne, and
Katherine Philips. Queen Elizabeth I was fluent in classical Greek, wrote poems in Latin hexameter, and
produced beautifully polished English prose.

In the heights of rediscovery of old knowledge and rebirth for the passion for arts and literature, the
misconception or disorientation also transpired during the renaissance period particularly in the matter of
religion. Let the students realize how these literary writers focus on the sexual attraction with the body of the
woman rather than following the teachings of the church. In some account, writers like John Donne who
shared fame in the light of literature during that period believed that religious enlightenment is sexual
ecstasy. With his own perception of religion and its origin, John Donne had his search for one true religion.
The search has undergone debates and confrontations with so many churches. In 1517, an Augustinian monk
in Germany named Martin Luther set off a number of debates that eventually led to the founding of
Protestantism, which, at the time, was considered to be a reformed version of Catholicism. You may consider
the lecture on this link for further studies.

Restoration Period

The name 'restoration' comes from the crowning of Charles II, which marks the restoring of the traditional
English monarchical form of government following a short period of rule by a handful of republican
governments.

The start of the Restoration period roughly coincides with the beginning of what is known as the
Enlightenment, which lasted until the end of the 18th century. The Enlightenment was defined by an
emphasis on reason and logic; the thinkers of the period, moreover, helped develop the modern science that
treats the natural world as a knowable and testable subject.

Although the influence of the Enlightenment on the Restoration period is tremendous, it's important to note
the humility towards human reason that is common to much Restoration literature. Many Restoration writers
viewed the changes to their government, and the violence that these changes brought with them, as the
direct result of those who dogmatically held to their ideology. In this sense, the political events that occurred
in England provide insight into the skepticism that is at the heart of Restoration literature.

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At the heart of this literature is the attempt to come to terms with the political events that had occurred in
previous decades. The writings of this time are both innovative and varied; the style and subject matter of the
literature produced during the Restoration period spanned the spectrum from definitively religious to
satirical and risqué. In 1688, James II, Charles II's brother, was removed from the throne, which many
scholars use to mark the end of Restoration literature.

The three leading Spanish writers of the seventeenth century was Cervantes, Lope de Vega and Calderon.
Cervantes’ Don Quixote is a satire on the old romances of chivalry and marks disappearance of the knightly
and religious spirit of the past.

French literature of the seventeenth century is marked by good après of the French court and culture.

During the restoration, the English Puritan and nonconformist writers turned their thoughts to the other
world. Milton wrote Paradise Lost and Bunyan Pilgrim’s Progress.

The spirit of the eighteenth century, called the Age of Reasons, was greatly influenced by the good taste of
French literature, the empirical and practical philosophy of Locke, and the mathematically simplified science
Newton.

Period of Classicism

What makes a literary work a classic? - classic is something which is judged over a long period
of time as outstanding of its kind. It means it is recognized and established with high
value.

Major changes in the arts, including literature of course, are usually related to some social upheaval, or to
change in the philosophical concept of man. Thus, historians often identify the rise of Romanticism with the
Industrial Revolution, or the American War of Independence.

During these years’ Spanish colonies, except Cuba and Puerto Rico, won their independence from Spain and
started life as free nations. Because of this, much of the literature was political in nature. At about this time,
in the Philippines, literary works on love of country flourished.

Most European writers wrote in a way that is called classicism. When writers, or artists of any sort, follows a
popular style, we say they belong to that school or movement. The classic style was very popular at this time.
Classicism is a type of writing that shows restraint, careful planning, and a deep respect for the past. The
classic writers imitated the styles of the great writers of Greece, Rome, and Spain.

The foremost Latin literary figure of the revolutionary period was Andreas Bellow who did great deal for
education and literature. In the Philippines, notable were Jose Rizal. Emilio Jacinto, Graciano Lopez Jaena,
and Marcelo del Pilar.

Romantic Period

By the late 18th century in France and Germany, literary taste began to turn from classical and neoclassical
conventions. The generation of revolution and wars, of stress and upheaval had produced doubts on the
security of the age of reason. Doubts and pessimism now challenged the hope and optimism of the 18th
century. Men felt a deepened concern for the metaphysical problems of existence, death, and
eternity. It was in this setting that Romanticism was born.

The term romantic first appeared in 18th‐century English and originally meant "romance like" ‐ that is,
resembling the fanciful character of medieval romances. But a mood or movement whose central

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characteristic is revolt, and whose stress is on self ‐expression and individual uniqueness, does not lend itself
to precise definition.

Romanticism is a turning away from classicism. It may be considered a reaction against neo classicism (Not
necessarily the classicism of Greece and Rome), or against what is called the Age of Reason, the Augustan
Age, the Enlightenment, and the eighteenth-century materialism.

The romantic writer expresses his feelings. He is imaginative, adventurous, and sentimental. Romantic writing
is different from orderly, logical, restrained writing of the classicist.

Writers in many places of the world were looking to Europe for their models. Works of Victor Hugo, the giant
of the Romantic Movement, Lord Byron, Chateaubriand, Charles Dickens, and Spanish models were being
imitated.

Period of Realism

While romanticism was still the fashion in writing, realism, a new literary movement began to be popular. In
literature, the term realism may be loosely applied to any writing that seeks to portray life exactly as it is,
without embellishment or idealization.

In a more restricted sense it is applied to the style of such novelists as Gustave Flaubert, in opposition both to
romanticism and naturalism.

Other writer of note in this movement are Bjornson, Anderson, and Chekhov.

Realism coincided with Victorianism, yet was a distinct collection of aesthetic principles in its own right. The
realist novel was heavily informed by journalistic techniques, such as objectivity and fidelity to the facts of
the matter. It is not a coincidence that many of the better-known novelists of the time had concurrent
occupations in the publishing industry. The idea of novel ‐writing as a “report” grew out of this marriage
between literature and journalism. Another fair comparison would be to think of the realist novel as an early
form of docudrama, in which fictional persons and events are intended to seamlessly reproduce the real
world. The Victorian Period saw growing concern with the plight of the less fortunate in society, and the
realistic novel likewise turned its attention on subjects that beforehand would not have warranted notice.
The balancing act that the upwardly mobile middle class had to perform in order to retain their position in
the world was a typical subject for realistic novels. There arose a subgenre of Realism called Social Realism,
which in hindsight can be interpreted as Marxist and socialist ideas set forth in literature.

Contemporary Period

The twentieth century has brought many new writers and new ideas. Because of the fantastic progress and
giant strides done in all aspects of life, it is difficult to keep track of the dimension’s literature and the various
branches of knowledge have gained.

Something should be said about the literature of Asia at this point. In the past 2,500 years, it has been
influenced by the interaction between Chinese, Indian, Islamic and European, including Russian, factors.

China molded the civilization of eastern Asia, including Japan, Korea, and Annam, and was primary influence
on Mongolia, Tibet, Thailand, Cambodia, and Burma.

Indian influence has mainly expressed itself through Hinduism and Buddhism. These are not merely religious
in nature but have carried with them Indian art and literature, and often an Indian alphabet, as in Tibet, Java
and Cambodia.

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Philippine literature, like that of other countries, started with incantations, myths and folktales developed
through the years. With the introduction of Christianity, our literature underwent periods of orientation and
growth and now has a place among the great works of the world.

Through the ages, practically all parts of the world, writers of literature have not only given much pleasure,
knowledge, and interest to readers, they have also reflected their respective developments and aspirations,
and in