GRE Subject Test: Literature in English

The GRE Subject Test in Literature in English assesses knowledge and understanding of literary texts, critical analysis, and interpretation skills.

Basic Concepts

Major Literary Periods

Understanding Literary History

Literary periods mark different eras in English literature, each with unique themes, styles, and social influences. From the Old English period to Postmodernism, recognizing these shifts helps you quickly identify the context of any text.

Key Periods

  • Old and Middle English (c. 450–1500): Includes Beowulf and Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales.
  • Renaissance (c. 1500–1660): Shakespeare, Spenser, and metaphysical poets.
  • Neoclassicism (c. 1660–1798): Dryden, Pope, and the Age of Reason.
  • Romanticism (c. 1798–1837): Wordsworth, Byron, Keats, and the celebration of emotion.
  • Victorian Era (c. 1837–1901): Dickens, Brontë sisters, and social critique.
  • Modernism (c. 1901–1945): Woolf, Joyce, T.S. Eliot, and experimentation.
  • Postmodernism (c. 1945–present): Playful forms, metafiction, and diversity.

Why It Matters

Knowing the period helps you interpret themes, language, and author intent. It also makes it easier to spot references and allusions.

Recognizing Shift in Style

Comparing a Victorian novel to a Modernist one reveals major changes in tone, structure, and worldview.

Examples

  • Spotting the difference between Shakespeare's poetic drama and Dickens's social commentary.

  • Connecting the Romantic love of nature in Wordsworth's poetry to the industrial anxieties in Victorian novels.

In a Nutshell

Literary periods organize English literature into eras, each with its own style and themes.

Key Terms

Literary Period
A span of time in literature marked by distinct characteristics and major authors.
Modernism
A literary movement emphasizing innovation, fragmentation, and new forms.