文艺复兴文学摘要.doc

文艺复兴文学1. Introduction of the Renaissance 1) definition: European cultural movement, transition, Middle Ages, Modern Age, renewed interest in classical art, literature, and learning, ancient Roman and Greek culture 2) Humanism is the key-note.2. English Renaissance1) Historical background: the wars of Roses; Henry s Reformation, Enclosure Movement, commercial expansion2) Renaissance literatureProse: More, BaconPoetry: Skelton, Wyatt, Surrey, Sidney, SpenserProse-fiction: Lyly, Nashe, Deloney Drama: Marlowe, Shakespeare, JonsonRenaissance poetry Sir Thomas Wyatt: introduction into English poetry the Italian sonnet. Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey: first poet to use: English sonnet form and blank verse Sir Philip Sidney: “Areopagus”, noble, “Thy necessity is greater than mine” the earliest writer to write sonnet sequence, pastoral romance and critical essay “Astrophel and Stella” 108 love sonnets “Arcadia”: a pastoral romance: “Defence of Poesie (Poesy)” or “Apology for Poetry” (critical essay) Edmund Spenser the poets poet, “Areopagus”, Westminster Abbey beside Chaucer “The Shepherds Calendar”: pastoral poem of 12 eclogues “Amoretti”: sonnet sequence consisting of 88 love poems Spenserian sonnet: A sonnet form composed of three quatrains and a couplet in iambic pentameter with the rhyme scheme abab bcbc cdcd ee “The Faerie Queene” masterpiece: written in Spenserian Stanza: a 9-line stanza form with the rhyme scheme of ababbcbcc and with the first eight lines in iambic pentameter and the last line in iambic hexameter or alexandrine“Epithalamion”: wedding songs，to celebrate his love and marriage to his wife. Characteristics of Spensers poetry and contributionsRenaissance Drama 1. beginning period: Miracle Play, Morality Play, the Interlude, the Classical Play2. developing period: Christopher Marlowe (University Wits)1) “Tamburlaine the Great”, “The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus”, “The Jew of Malta” “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love”2). Marlowes literary achievementone-man tragedy first made blank verse the principal instrument of English drama. paved the way for the plays of Shakespeare Renaissance hero: created by Marlowe in his drama. 3. monument period: William Shakespeare 1) narrative poems: “ Venus and Adonis”, “The Rape of Lucrece” and 154 sonnets 2) historical plays: “Henry ”, “Richard ”, “Henry IV” 3) comedies: written in the first period, optimism, disguise “The Merchant of Venice”(1) introduction: Italian (2). Major characters: Portia, Shylock, Antonio, Bassanioa gentleman of Venice Shylock: a creation of circumstance Portia: a new woman of the Renaissance, frees herself from the feudal fetters (3) Theme: victory of love and friendship over greed and brutality, hatred for the oppressors and sympathy for the oppressed “As You Like It”(1). introduction: pastoral, France (2). major characters: Duke Senior, Frederick, Rosalind, Orlando, Celia, Oliver Touchstone the jester, accompany Rosalind to the “Forest of Arden”Rosalind: destroy limitations that society imposes on her as a woman “Twelfth Night or What you Will”(1). introduction: Italy(2). major characters: Viola, Orsino, Olivia, Sebastian “Much Ado about Nothing”(1). introduction: Italy(2).Major characters: Beatrice, Benedick, Claudio, Hero, Don John, Dogberry4) Tragedy: observe life with penetration, expose 4 tragedies based on ancient Roman history “Timon of Athens”: bitterest of Ss plays “Romeo and Juliet”: Italy, feudal family feud “Hamlet, prince of Denmark”(1). Introduction: Danish legend, most famous, “revenge play” (2): major characters: Claudius, Hamlet, Gertrude, Polonius, Ophelia, Laertes Hamleta humanist: melancholy unbound love for the world, reverence for man, a firm belief in mans power over destinydemocratic tendency, melancholy “Othello, the Moor of Venice”(1).introduction: Italy (2). Major characters: Othello, Desdemona, Iago Othello: noble-mindedDesdemona: defy social conventionsIago: hypocritical, evil in nature King Lear(1). introduction: old British legend (2). Major characters: King Lear Cordelia Goneril Regan King Lear: self-willedCordelia: kindness, sacrifice Macbeth (1). introduction: shortest and bloodiest tragedy, Scottish history(2). Major characters: Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Banquo, King Duncan, MacduffMacbeth and Lady Macbeth: strong ambition 5) Comments on Shakespeare 1) keen observation of the social realities, condemnation of the social evils, sympathy to people suffering from oppression and racial discrimination 2) unity and ruling under one sovereign.4. ending period: Ben Jonson: poet laureate, “Sons of Ben”: Cavalier poets 1) Poetry collections: “The Epigrams” “The Forest ” “The Underwood”2) Masques (假面音乐舞剧): courtly dramatic entertainment emphasizing scenery and costuming and music above other things, highest achievement. 3) comedy of humors: Each of the characters in the drama has some dominating passion or peculiar qualitywhich determines the characters behaviors, thoughts and manners of speech. 4) “Sejanus, His Fall”, “The Alchemist”, “Bartholomew Fair”, “Epicoene, or the Silent Woman” “Volpone, or the Fox” most important (greed)5). firm stand for the “three unities”, disapproved of the mixture of serious and humorous episodes in a play. George Chapman, Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, John Webster, Thomas Middleton, James ShirleyRenaissance prose1. Thomas More: “Utopia”masterpiece, nowhere1). Book One: a realistic r