The study of English Literature covers a time span from the Middle Ages to contemporary writing. Influential writings include "Beowulf," which was written in Anglo-Saxon and dates to the seventh century, "The Canterbury Tales" by Geoffrey Chaucer and John Milton's "Paradise Lost." Here are a few ways you can study English Literature.

Major in English. Most colleges offer a bachelor's degree in English that focuses on English Literature. In order to earn your degree, you must complete the required classes specific to English Literature. The classes focus on reading influential pieces, looking at the historical events occurring during each era, the life of the authors and writing papers based on English Literature.

Read the "Norton Anthology of English Literature." Continually updated, the anthology provides a collection of writing and essays pertinent to English Literature. The annotated texts and contexts group writing by topic and time frame. The anthology introduces each text with a brief description of where the piece was found, the author (if known) and other information pertaining to the piece. You can buy a variety of volumes and editions from Amazon.

Study each specific area of English Literature. Each era has specific pieces that influence writers. Social events and cultural events inspired authors to write essays, criticism and poems. English Literature from the Middle Ages is written in Anglo-Saxon or Old English and often appears as poetry. During the Restoration and 18th century, writing focused on city life, new scientific ideas and embraced the British Empire.

Use the web companion to "Norton Anthology of English Literature." The Norton website offers an overview based on era, an author index with a list of each author's writings and additional resources to help you study English Literature. The website cross references the anthology, hosts a search engine and provides multiple choice quizzes to help you learn.

Visit Luminarium's website. This website devotes its pages to English Literature. The links for authors provide information on the life of the author, the works of the author and additional sources. You can also delve into the eras which include Medieval and Renaissance times.