Modern

The First Wave of Modernity covers what is often referred to as Renaissance or Early Modern literature and philosophy (Shakespeare, Bacon) as well as 18th century literature and philosophy, often referred to as the Age of Reason or Enlightenment (Pope, Voltaire).  

In the Second Wave of Modernity, Nature as a standard for human endeavour is abandoned in favour of History. This period of literature and philosophy covers what is often referred to as Romanticism (Rousseau, Blake) as well as the Nineteenth century -- in English literature, the Victorian Era (Tennyson, Darwin).

The Third Wave of Modernity sees the abandonment of a historical telos to human striving, leaving a relativistic equality of standards between all human value-positings (radical historicism). This period covers the literature and philosophy of early Twentieth century modernism (Eliot, Freud) as well as late Twentieth century post-modernism (Kundera, Derrida).