Nineteenth Century Western Literature in a Nutshell

photo credit: JenWaller via photopin cc

Everyone should read the classics but historical fiction writers should really read the classics that are in their time period. But lets face it ... whose got the time? Not to mention, who couldn't understand a word of Wuthering Heights until they red the CliffsNotes? (I'm raising my hand.) And that is a classic I cite as inspiring my dark and disturbing ideas and yes, I didn't get it until I read the summary and explanation.

You know what. If you took a Nineteenth Century Western Literature Class where they assign you an anthology like The Norton Anthology of Western Literature those things are full of explanations, analysis, and summaries. Actually the entire point of some anthologies is to provide abbreviated sections of longer works so you can just read the important stuff.

So my point is there's nothing wrong with a little help with the classics. I'm going to take the one step further and give you a quick course in Nineteenth Century Western Literature with quizzes and everything! And guess what, our assigned reading is The North Anthology of Western Literature  . . . website:

The Norton website is a really cool resource for people who want to be informed about literature but don't have the time or ability to take a class or read all the classics. The site has summaries of each period's cultural and societal changes and summarizes how history impacted literature, plus a whose who of notable authors.

photo credit: Burns Library, Boston College via photopin cc

Use the links I've included below to get your quick course in Nineteenth  Century Literature or after you visit the website, click on the period you are interested in and then click any tab at the top to be taken to the section relevant to the time period you are on. So if you click on the Romanticism period, you'll see the summaries but then you go to the top and click on quizzes, you will get quizzes specifically for the Romantic period. So cool!

... I'm nerd aren't I?


Welcome to Your Nineteenth Century Western Literature Course . . . in a nutshell.



The Romanticism Period (Late Eighteenth to Late Nineteenth Centuries).

Society and Literature

The Romanticism Timeline

Take the Quiz on Romanticism!

Realism and Symbolism (Late Nineteenth Century).

Society and Literature

Late Nineteenth Century Timeline of Realism and Symbolism 

Take the Realism and Symbolism Quiz!



Modernisms and Modernity (Turn of the Century and the Rest of the Twentieth Century).

Society and Literature

Modernity Timeline

Take the Modernity Quiz!

Images and Maps

Images and Maps for each time period listed above plus more!



Well Class . . . Any Questions, Comments?