Arrange chronologically the following texts in terms of their years of first publication:

A. Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene
B. Coleridge and Wordsworth’s Lyrical Ballads
C. Pablo Neruda’s Canto General
D. Charles Baudelaire’s The Flowers of Evil

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct option is B

Explanation:
A. Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene (1590): Published during the Elizabethan era, this epic poem is an allegory celebrating Queen Elizabeth I and the virtues of chivalry and Protestantism.
B. Coleridge and Wordsworth’s Lyrical Ballads (1798): This collection marked the beginning of the Romantic movement in English literature, emphasizing nature, emotion, and ordinary life.
D. Charles Baudelaire’s The Flowers of Evil (1857): A seminal work in French literature, this poetry collection explores themes of decadence, modernity, and existential despair.
C. Pablo Neruda’s Canto General (1950): A monumental work of Latin American literature, it is a poetic chronicle of the continent's history, culture, and political struggles.

Information Booster:
Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene: A highly stylized allegory blending myth, history, and morality, it represents the height of Renaissance literature.
Wordsworth and Coleridge’s Lyrical Ballads: The preface to the second edition is a manifesto of Romanticism, emphasizing the value of simple language and themes rooted in nature and humanity.
Baudelaire’s The Flowers of Evil: This controversial collection faced censorship for its bold themes, including eroticism and the darker side of human nature. It influenced the Symbolist movement.
Pablo Neruda’s Canto General: Written during his exile, this epic collection reflects Neruda’s political activism, celebrating Latin American identity while critiquing colonialism and oppression.

Additional Knowledge:
Key Features of These Works:
Allegory in Spenser: The Faerie Queene is both a celebration of Elizabethan ideals and a critique of moral corruption.
Romantic Experimentation: Lyrical Ballads revolutionized poetry by focusing on ordinary people and emotions, moving away from classical forms.
Modernity in Baudelaire: The Flowers of Evil bridges Romanticism and modernism, capturing the alienation of urban life.
Political Epic by Neruda: Canto General combines history and politics, making poetry a tool for resistance and cultural preservation.