Literature came to its prime times during 17th to 20th century . Taking Shakespeare as the beginning , we can see the changes he brought into the world of Theatres , Dramas and Plays. The miracle, mystrey and morality plays all replaced by street plays later in theatres gaining a very large number of audience from all walks of life. Even though there were other play wrights , Shakespeare rules the kingdom of theatres even now , with all his tragedies and comedies. (Macbeth, Kinglear, The Tempest, Mid summer nights dreams, Julius Caesar, etc...) .
Through the sleep walking scene of Lady Macbeth in Macbeth play , Shakespeare brought people to light and made them aware about a new psychological disorder when psychology was not much in progress.
Then came a new dawn of 'Novels' . 18th century was a new era in literature. Richard Samuelson wrote the very first novel 'Pamela ' in the epistolary form (in verse). This made the readers want more of this kind of books.
Well I think this must have been the beginning of classics and fictions..!! 😉
Ofcourse you all would have heard or read of novels like 'Robinson Crusoe' and 'Gulliver's Travels' . It was on this same century Daniel Defoe and Jonathan Swift wrote these books purely out of imagination. The story about the non- existing islands and magical world the protagonists end up alone on and also on the lap of nature , along struggling to get back home prompting readers to think and cherish non-existing things.
Then came the 'Gothic Novels' which was all full of mysteries and dark magic introducing to people that was merely a superstition and a faint belief that had exsisted. This kept the people on top of the needles . It was a total different concept introduced in literature . Not to mention , these genre got followers like how our present generation are attracted and addicted to the 'Harry Potter' series.
Then came the glorious era of the 19th century. The era of our very favorite writers. The era were the female writers gained wide acceptance and fame.
Jane Austen, Bronte sisters , Charles Dickens, Leo Tolstoy, Sir Walter Scott, Thomas Hardy etc..
Austen's stories were all around the country sides , protagonist and number of her sisters, lords, clergy men, love and marriages kind of concept. So domestic.
(Pride and Prejudice - Elizabeth Bennet and Darcy , Persuasion - Annie and Captain Wentworth etc... )
Bronte sisters trying to keep up equally with men , Emily Bronte wrote ' Wuthering Heights' , one of the out complicated love stories you'll ever come across ( Catherine , Heathcliff, Linton)
Women !! Emotions, who wouldn't like it specially back in the 19th century.
In short we can say that these stories were all very female oriented. Mainly concentrated on women to catch them emotionally. ( even the novel 'Annie of the Green Gables') .
Coming to Thomas Hardy , known as the author of ' Tess of D'Ubervilles ' . Here we can see in the novel that the author has written in such a way that the feelings and emotions of characters are reflected to nature associating with climates.
Dickens and Tolstoy wrote classic novels which all had the theme of social issues , wars and revolutions . ( to take 'Les Miserables' and 'The Tale of Two Cities' contains same issue regarding French Revolution by both authors)
It was during this century the world warmly welcomed the new form of writing 'Science Fictions' . The interest of the readers were turned to science science novels along with the inventions that was going around the globe.
H.G Wells was the author who introduced this kind of writing through his books 'The Time Machine' (an all time mesmerising and mysterious topic) then ' The Invisible Man' etc..
With the birth of 20th century came new literature and authors. D.H.Lawrence was one of them . A very controversial writer who wrote on this period with complex ideas and thoughts bringing Oedipus complex here and there and gay kind of love etc.. to his writings. (Sun's and lovers, lady charolett's lover etc...)
Then came 'Stream of Consciousness' one concept that was experimented and became a success yet a path rarely touched by the writers. (Might be boring and confusing for some readers ) James Joyce and Viriginia Wolfe were the famous and successful writers in this category.
Theatres had keen effect in 20th century. "The Lost Generation" writers, the Post-War period , The loss of faith of people in god, The meaninglessness and hopelessness in life all had been reflected to and fro in the world of literature and society. The coming of Absurd Theatre, the Angry, Cruelty, Epic, Feminine theatres . The coming of new authors and play wrights were all a remarkable change. Henrik Ibsen among them must say was a revolutionary writers who caused large number or social events through his problem plays ( eg: A doll's house) .
Fashion had significance in middle of all these too. The entry of modern dressing from frocks and gowns to jeans and skirts and low cut blouses and it's own head spinning effect in the society. To point an example from literature the novel ' Gone With The Wind' by Mitchell Margaret is one, were the character Rhett Butler who frequently voyages to Europe bring gifts from Paris and places to protagonist Scarlett O' Hara which are all new trends in Europe spread from Paris.
There were some others authors during this perios who wrote as protesters through their works. Raising their voice against issues relating to blacks - Slavery against racism etc.. authors like Maya Angelou (I know why the caged bird sings) Wole Soyinka (Telephone Conversation) Chinua Achebe , then James Baldwin , Langston Hughes etc. Were the important ones. Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mocking bird ' is one example.
To talk about the Poetry , the foundation of literature had it's own significance. The romanticism and everything which made the readers read widely all kind of poetries. From Shakespeare's Sonnets to John Keats's Odes and Epic to Robert Browning's Dramatic Monologue to Andrew Marvell to Tennyson to John Milton to Byron to Shelly all had important roles in marking history and literature.
Elegy, odes, ballad, lyrical poems, sonnets, love poems etc are various varieties.
Taking Keats all his romantic natured poems talking about nature and love. Many of his poems are the experiences of his on love life. Taking the poem 'Man with the Hoe' it talks about the issue of farmers how much they suffer and coming to Hira Basonde s ( Indian Author) poem 'Bosom Friend' talks about the untouchability (Dalits) in the society . Taking Pablo Neruda's 'Tonight I can write the saddest lines' and Byron's 'when we two parted' talks about the lost love and the pain of it. 'Telephone Conversation 'by Wole Soyinka is about Racism undergone by blacks in the world. Like wide even poems has greater significance in society making people realise of the issues and problems .
This is how literature has it impact on the society ...!!
Then from here changed the world of classics and serious readings to fictions and fiction only with the coming of the 21th century and authors. A modern era in the literature like Danielle Steel, J.K.Rowling, Sidney Sheldon , Dan Brown, Agatha Christie, Jeffery Archer, Mary Higgins Clark, Sandra Brown, Stephen King, Stephanie Mayor, Suzanne Collins, James Dushner, Veronica Ruth etc..
