Literature, in its broader sense, is a kind of writing, which deems to have an artistic skill, intellectual value and aesthetic features. In works of literature; an author represents a detailed preview of his contemporary age to expose injustice, vices, ills and virtues of his society with intention to improve such type of immoral and harmful practices prevailing in society of that age. Literature is thought provoking, it allows us to raise questions and gives us a deeper understanding of issues and situations. In such a way, literature has had immense impact on the development of society, it has shaped civilization, constitution, laws, political system, and norms of society.
If we take a glance at English literature, we see that the world’s eminent and intellectual writers have produced remarkable works which influenced not only the English society at large but other parts of the world directly or indirectly. From Anglo-Saxon to Chaucer, from Shakespeare to Bacon, from Alexander Pope to Fielding, from Dickens to T.S. Eliot all had represented astonishing works to construct societies of their age.
The early period of English literature witnessed great writers such as Aelfric of Eynsham, Caedmon, Cynewulf and William Langland, who represented works to provoke the people of that time to be on the right path and abolish wrong practices. Later on, the remarkable work of Geoffrey Chaucer the Canterbury Tales, which is considered the Portrait Gallery of the 14th Century of English society, depicted all the manners and behaviour of 14th Century of England. Chaucer portrait the characters as they were in the England, whether night, the prioress, the monk the friar, the squire and wife of bath all are truly the representatives of their types in the contemporary society as they actually were. Then, Spencer’s masterpiece work “The Faerie Queene” was represented to favour Queen Elizabeth and praised Aristocracy and Monarchy of his age.
In the 16th Century (The Renaissance), a large number of great writers emerged, such as Christopher Marlowe, Francis Bacon and world’s prominent playwright William Shakespeare and many more, but they are above from the rest. The Renaissance witnessed to replace traditional dramas of Middle Ages with diversity of themes such as love, power, conflict, morality and tragedy etc all were remarkable production of 16th Century. Marlow’s play “Doctor Faustus” has lust of powers and greed of knowledge, Bacon’s aphoristic style of essays developed new genre in English literature in the time of Renaissance, Shakespeare’s tragedy dramas with Ancient Greek touch became world famous dramas, besides, his concept of ghost, witch, tragic hero, elements of Shakespearean tragedy, these all were the influence and demand of that time, hence the society reflects literature and the literature reflects society.
The early period of English literature witnessed great writers such as Aelfric of Eynsham, Caedmon, Cynewulf and William Langland, who represented works to influence the people of that time to be on the right path and abolish wrong practices. Later on, the remarkable work of Geoffrey Chaucer the Canterbury Tales, which is considered the Portrait Gallery of the 14th Century of English society, depicted all the manners and behaviour of 14th Century of England
Herein, the 18th Century gave paragon and intellectual writers, who depicted complete panorama of society in their works. Alexander Pope, in the social document, ‘The Rape of the Lock” satirized false standard of his contemporary society, he clearly depicted the absurdities and the frivolities of the fashionable circle of the 18th century of English society. Jonathan Swift, in “Gulliver’s Travels”, satirized the conflicts of political parties of his age. Henry Fielding, in the novel “Tom Jones”, exposed the faults and flaws of English society of 18th century by using humour and irony in his work.
Moreover, in the 19th Century, Charles Dickens wrote in A Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way.”
Charles Dickens, splendidly depict the conditions of his society as warfare, poverty, suffering, class, injustice and politics. The list of great English writers goes on, it’s not possible to discuss them all here, like Lord Tennyson, Mathew Arnold and TS Eliot had produced phenomenal works spotting light upon their contemporary societies. Likewise, literature mirrors the ills of a society with a view to making the society realise its mistakes and make amends.
The writer works at Sindh High Court. He can be reached at [email protected]