The Renaissance to Romanticism - English Literature 1485 - 1789

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Eden

A complete, self-contained study volume tracing three centuries of English literature from Caxton’s press to the eve of the French Revolution. Organized into Part I (The Renaissance, 1485–1660) and Part II (Restoration to Romanticism, 1660–1789), it moves through major authors and movements, including Renaissance poetry, Shakespearean plays and sonnets, the Metaphysical and Cavalier poets, Restoration drama, verse satire, the rise of the novel, and the Gothic and the sublime. Includes reference sections with a glossary, chronology, and revision tools.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages73

Reading Time1 h 52 min

AccessFree to download

How to Use This Volume

Part I · The Renaissance, 1485–1660

Contexts and Conditions

Renaissance Poetry: Wyatt to Sidney

Spenser

Drama before Shakespeare

The Elizabethan Theatre

Renaissance Prose

The English Bible

Shakespeare: the Plays

Shakespeare: the Sonnets and the Language

The Metaphysical Poets

The Cavalier Poets

Jonson, the Masque and the Court

Jacobean and Caroline Drama

Part II · Restoration to Romanticism, 1660–1789

Contexts and Conditions

Milton

Bunyan and Dissenting Prose

Restoration Drama

Dryden and the Verse Satirists

Pope

Journalism and the Periodical Essay

Enlightenment, Diarists and Historians

Swift

The Rise of the Novel

Johnson, Boswell and the Dictionary

Sterne, Smollett and Scottish Voices

Drama after 1737

Poetry after Pope

Melancholy, Madness and Nature

The Gothic and the Sublime

Reference

A Glossary of Terms

A Chronology, 1476 – 1789

Rapid Revision

The One-Page Sheet

RENAISSANCE · METAPHYSICAL · RESTORATION The Renaissance to Romanticism English Literature 1485 – 1789 A complete, self-contained study volume covering three centuries of English writing, from Caxton’s press to the eve of the French Revolution. Every major author, every minor author worth a mark, every movement, date and term, arranged for reading straight through or for revision the night before. · Part I · The Renaissance, 1485–1660 · Poetry: Wyatt to Spenser · Shakespeare, the plays and the sonnets · The Metaphysical and Cavalier poets · Jonson, the masque, Jacobean drama INSIDE THIS VOLUME · Part II · Restoration to Romanticism · Milton, Bunyan, Dryden, Pope, Swift · The rise of the novel · Johnson, Boswell and the Dictionary · The Gothic, the sublime, the new poetry AN ORIGINAL STUDY VOLUME THE LITERARY ODYSSEY 92116 42413 · [theliteraryodyssey.com](theliteraryodyssey.com) CONTENTS The Renaissance to Romanticism 1485 – 1789 How to Use This Volume 3 PART I · THE RENAISSANCE, 1485–1660 4 1 · Contexts and Conditions ............................................................................................. 5 2 · Renaissance Poetry: Wyatt to Sidney ................................................................................. 8 3 · Spenser .............................................................................................................. 11 4 · Drama before Shakespeare .......................................................................................... 13 5 · The Elizabethan Theatre ............................................................................................ 15 6 · Renaissance Prose ................................................................................................... 17 7 · The English Bible ................................................................................................... 19 8 · Shakespeare: the Plays .............................................................................................. 21 9 · Shakespeare: the Sonnets and the Language ........................................................................ 23 10 · The Metaphysical Poets ............................................................................................ 25 11 · The Cavalier Poets ................................................................................................. 28 12 · Jonson, the Masque and the Court ................................................................................. 30 13 · Jacobean and Caroline Drama ..................................................................................... 32 PART II · RESTORATION TO ROMANTICISM, 1660–1789 34 14 · Contexts and Conditions ........................................................................................... 35 15 · Milton ............................................................................................................. 37 16 · Bunyan and Dissenting Prose ...................................................................................... 39 17 · Restoration Drama ................................................................................................. 41 18 · Dryden and the Verse Satirists ..................................................................................... 43 19 · Pope ............................................................................................................... 45 20 · Journalism and the Periodical Essay ............................................................................... 47 21 · Enlightenment, Diarists and Historians ............................................................................ 49 22 · Swift ............................................................................................................... 51 23 · The Rise of the Novel .........................................................................................

FAQs

What time span does the volume cover?

It covers English literature from 1485 to 1789, presented as a continuous argument across three centuries.

How is the study volume structured?

It is organized into two parts: Part I (The Renaissance, 1485–1660) and Part II (Restoration to Romanticism, 1660–1789), each progressing through poetry, drama, and prose.

What reference materials are included?

The volume includes a glossary of terms, a chronology from 1476 to 1789, and revision aids such as Rapid Revision and a One-Page Sheet.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Eden