Module 5: The Literary Response to the Changing World

As the relative peace of the Renaissance Period ended, England and the rest of Britain plummeted into political turmoil. This turmoil included royal exiles and executions, parliamentary overthrow, and the return of the monarchy to England. In this module, you will explore the literature from the Restoration and Neoclassical Periods. In most cases, you will find that the literature reflects what was going on in the lives of the writers. These poets and authors used their craft to address what was happening in the world around them.

Toward the end of the module, you will continue your in-depth look at the writing process. You will examine how to take your paper from the outline step to your first draft; this is a very important transition. In the last topic, you will learn how to create and deliver an oral presentation. For this module assessment, you will have the opportunity to work with a team to deliver your own presentation.

Getting Started

Most of the literature that you will read in this module addresses issues that were important to writers during the Restoration and Neoclassical Periods. What do you think is the most important issue facing the world today? Why is it the most important? Do you see any evidence of this issue addressed in modern literature?

Post your responses to the questions in the discussions area. Then, return to the topic several times over the next few days to read your coursemates' posts. Reply to at least two of them, making sure to ask questions and encourage further conversation.

Key Vocabulary

To view the definitions for these key vocabulary terms, visit the course glossary.

carpe diem	plagiarism	satire
first draft	repetition	semantics
hyperbole	rhetoric	TPCASTT
parallelism	rhetorical question	transition