2012-2013 英美文学史及选读 Homework 1.doc

英美文学史及选读 Homework (1)Selected Readings of British Literature Name_ Student No _Mark _ .Fill in the blanks1. In 55 B. C., Britain was invaded by Julius Caesar , the Roman conqueror. Along with the invasion came the Roman mode of life into Britain.2. The Anglo-Saxon period witnessed a transition from tribal society to feudalism.3. Angles, Saxons and Jutes usually known as Anglo-Saxons are the first Englishmen. Language spoken by them is called the old English, which is the foundation of English language and literature.4. The literature of the Anglo-Saxon period falls naturally into two divisions, pagan and Christian.5. Among the early Anglo-Saxon poets there was one poet whose name is Caedmon. He wrote a poetic Paraphrase of the Bible.6. In the 8th century, Anglo-Saxon prose appeared. The famous prose writers of that period were Venerable Bede and Alfred the Great.7. The Song of Beowulfis the oldest poem in the English language, and also the oldest surviving epic in the English language.8. Caedmon is the first known religious poet of England. He is known as the father of English song. 9. The didactic poem The Christ was written by Cynewulf.10. The early inhabitants on the island now we call England were Britons, a tribe of Celts. From the Britons the island got its name of Britain, the land of Britons. The Britons were a primitive people.11. In the year 1066, the Normans defeated the Anglo-Saxons at the battle of Hastings.12. In the 14th century, the two most important writers are Geoffrey Chaucer and Langland (William (c.1330c.1400), English poet. He is best known for Piers Plowman (c.136770), a long allegorical poem which takes the form of a spiritual pilgrimage朗兰，威廉（约1330约1400，英国诗人，以刻画精神世界成长过程的长篇寓言诗耕者皮尔斯约13671370最为著名）).13. Today Chaucer is acclaimed not only as the father of English poetry but also as the father of English fiction. His masterpiece is The Canterbury Tales.14. The fifteenth century has been traditionally described as the barren age in English literature. But it is the spring tide of English ballads.15. In the 15th century, there is only one important prose writer whose name is Thomas Malory. He wrote an important work called Morte d Arthur.16. After the Norman Conquest, feudal system was established in English society.17. By the time when England entered into feudal society, the society was divided into two classes: landlords and peasants.18. The year of 1381 witnessed a famous peasant uprising led by Wat Tyler and John Ball.19. The romances were usually composed for the noble, of the noble, and had nothing to do with the common people.20. English peasants lived little better than slaves. To make things worse, a disease called Black Death swept over the country, and a third of the population perished of this terrible plague (the great epidemic of bubonic plague that killed a large proportion of the population of Europe in the mid 14th century. It originated in central Asia and China and spread rapidly through Europe, carried by the fleas of black rats, reaching England in 1348 and killing between one third and one half of the population in a matter of months 黑死病（14世纪流行于欧洲的腺鼠疫）). Multiple Choice1. Beowulf is a _ poem, describing an all-round picture of the tribal society.A. pagan B. ChristianC. romantic D. lyric2. Caedmons life story is vividly described in _s Historic Ecclesiastica. A. Grendel B. Bede C. Cynewulf D. Beowulf3. The most important work of Alfred the Great is _, which is regarded as the best monument of the Old English prose. A. The Song of Beowulf B. The Ecclesiastical History of the English People C. Apollonius of Type D. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles4. In the 14th century, the important writers are the following EXCEPT_. A. William Langland B. John Gower C. Thomas Malory D. Geoffrey Chaucer5. When we speak of the old English prose, the first name that comes into our minds is_, who is the first scholar in English literature and has been regarded as father of English learning.a. William Shakespeareb. Beowulfc. Julius Caesard. Venerable Bede6. The most important work of Alfred the Great is_, which is regarded as the best monument of the old English prose.a. The Song of Beowulf b. The Anglo-Saxon Chroniclesc. The Ecclesiastical History of the English People d. Brut7. _ is not only a prose writer but also a king of Wessex.a. Alfred the Great b. Venerable Bedec. Adam Bede d. King Arthur8. _is the first important religious poet in English literature.a. John Donne b. George Herbertc. Caedmond. Milton9. In Anglo-Saxon period, Beowulf represented the_poetry.a. paganb. religiousc. romanticd. sentimental10. Prose literature did not show its appearance until the _.a. 6thb. 7thc. 8thd. 10th11. The Anglo-Saxons were Christianized in the_ century.a. 5th b. 6th c. 7th d. 8th12. Beowulf describes the exploits of a_hero, Beowulf, in fighting against the monster Grendel, his revengeful mother, and a fire-breathing dragon.a. Danishb. Scandinavianc. Englishd. Norwegian13. The Roman occupation lasted for about 400 years in Britain, and in_, all the Roman troops went back to the continent and never returned.a. 55 B. C.b. 78 A. D.c. 400 A. D.d. 410 A. D.14. English literature began with thesettlement in England. Of old English literature, Beowulf, the national epic of the English people, is an example of the mingling of nature myths and heroic legends.a. Anglo-Saxon b. Roman c. Norman d. Britain15. Who wrote Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?(A) Geoffrey Chaucer (B) An anonymous writer known as the Gawain-poet (C) An anonymous writer known as the Unknown Poet (D) J. R. R. Tolkien 16. What classical city is mentioned at the beginning and end of the poem? (A) Troy (B) Athens (C) Jerusalem (D) Sparta17. During whose reign does the poem take place? (A) King Richard II (B) King Alfred (C) Queen Elizabeth (D) King Arthur18. Next to whom does Gawain sit at the New Years feast? (A) Sir Bedivere (B) Dame Ragnell (C) Queen Guinevere (D) Morgan le Faye19. Where is Gawain supposed to find the Green Knight? (A) The Green Castle (B) Hautdesert (C) Morgan le Fayes house (D) The Green Chapel20. What happens to the Green Knights first axe? (A) Gawain throws it into the lake (B) He takes it with him, brandishing it as he leaves the hall (C) Gawain and Arthur mount it on the wall as a souvenir (D) The host uses it to kill the boar 21. How many kisses does Gawain receive from the lady on the second day? (A) 3 (B) 1 (C) 2 (D) 5 22. What is Gawains relationship to King Arthur? (A) He is Arthurs son (B) He is Arthurs brother (C) He is Arthurs tarot card reader (D) He is Arthurs nephew23. Why does Gawain take the ladys green girdle? (A) Because he doesnt want to die (B) Because he wants to give it to the Green Knight as a gift (C) Because he is overcome with desire (D) Because she threatens to kill him24. In 1066, _, with his Norman army, succeeded in invading and defeating England.a. Alexander the Great (William the Conqueror) b. Julius Caesarc. Alfred the Greatd. Claudius25. In the 14th century, the most important writer (poet) is _.a. Langlandb. Wyclifc. Gowerd. Chaucer26. The prevailing form of Medieval English literature is the _.a. novelb. dramac. romanced. essay27. The story of _is the culmination of the Arthurian romances阿瑟王的传奇故事.a. Sir Gawain and the Green Knightb. The story of Beowulfc. Piers the plowmand. The Canterbury Tales28. William Langland s _is written in the form of a dream vision. a. Kubla Khan b. Piers the Plowmanc. The Dream of John Bull d. Morte d Arthur29. After the Norman Conquest, three languages existed in England at that time. The Normans spoke _.a. French b. Englishc. Latin d. Swedish30. _ was the greatest of English religious reformers and the first translator of the Bible.a. Langlandb. Gowerc. Wycliffed. Chaucer31 Piers the Plowman describes a series of wonderful dreams the author dreamed, through which, we can see a picture of the life in theEngland.a. primitiveb. feudalc. bourgeoisd. modem32. The theme of _to king and lord was repeatedly emphasized in romances.a. loyaltyb. revoltc. obedienced. mockery33. The most famous cycle of English ballads centers on the stories about a legendary outlaw called _.a. Morte d Arthur b. Robin Hoodc. The Canterbury Tales d. Piers the Plowman. Find the relevant match from column B for each item in column A. A B1. ( ) Alfred the Great a. The Christ2. ( ) Venerable Bede b. Paraphrase3. ( ) Cynewulf c. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle4. ( ) an unknown scribe d. The Ecclesiastical History of the English People 5. ( ) Caedmon e. The Song of Beowulf1.c 2.d 3.a 4.e 5.bAB1. () William Langlanda. Morte dArthur2. () Geoffrey Chaucerb. The Canterbury Tales3. () Thomas Maloryc. Piers the Plowman4. () Layamond. The History of the King of Britain5. () Geoffrey of Monmouthe. Brut6. () unknown authorf. Chanson de Roland7. () the matters of Britaing. Alexander the Great8. () the matters of Franceh. The Geste of Robin Hood9. () the matters of Romei. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight1.c 2.b 3.a 4.e 5.d 6.h 7.i 8.f 9.g. Answer the following questions1. What are the three parts told in the story of Beowulf? How is heroic ideal reflected in Beowulf? - Structurally speaking, Beowulf is built around three fights. The first part deals with the fight between Beowulf and the monster Grendel that has been attacking the great hall of Heorot, built by Hrothgar, the Danish King. The second part involves a battle between Beowulf and Grendels mother, a water-monster, who takes revenge by carrying off one of the kings noblemen. The last part is about the fight between Beowulf and a firedrake that ravages Beowulfs kingdom.Beowulf is a pagan poem concerned with the heroic ideal of kings and kingship君主政体 in North Europe. Battle is a way of life at that time. Strength and courage are basic virtues for both kings and his warriors. The king should protect his people and show gentleness and generosity to his warriors. And in return, his warriors should show absolute obedience and loyalty to the king. By praising Beowulfs wisdom, strength and courage, and by glorifying his death for his people, the poem presents the heroic ideal of a king and his good relations to his warriors and people.2. State the social significance of William Langlands Piers the Plowman and comment on the poems writing features. - Piers the Plowman remains a classic in popular literature. It was very popular throughout the fourteenth and the fifteenth centuries. It praises the poor peasants, and condemns and exposes the sins of the oppressors. It played an important part in arousing the revolutionary sentiment on the eve of the Rising of 1381 headed by Wat Tyler and John Ball. It is a realistic picture of medieval England. But Piers is not a representative of the poor peasants. He is one of the well-to-do peasants. He has no intention of upsetting the feudal order of society, and he accepts the existing social relations. This is the limitation of the poem.Writing features:(1) Piers the Plowman is written in the form of a dream vision. The author tells his story under the guise of having dreamed it.(2) The poem is an allegory which relates truth through symbolism.(3) The poem uses indignant satire in his description of social abuses caused by the corruption prevailing among the ruling classes, ecclesiastical and secular.(4) The poem is written in alliteration.3. Compare Chaucers The Canterbury Tales with old English poetry and the works of other Middle English poets to illustrate that Chaucer is the first realistic writer in English literature. - The vast bulk of Old English poetry is specifically Christian, devoted to religious subjects. More importantly, it is almost all in the heroic mode due to the great influence of the heroic ideal, i.e. Beowulf is the ideal of kingly behavior. The idealized hero figures predominantly in Old English literature. Middle English romance generally concerns the knight. It makes liberal use of the improbable, ofte4n of the supernatural. Religious writing reflects the unchanging principles of medieval Christian doctrine, which looked to the world to come for the only answer to mens troubles. William Langlands Piers the Plowman reflects the great religious and social issues of his day, yet it is written in the form of a dream vision. It is Chaucer alone who, for the first time in English literature, presented to us a comprehensive realistic picture of the English society of his time and created a whole gallery of vivid characters from all walks of life in his masterpiece The Canterbury Tales.4. What is the function of the General Prologue to The Canterbury Tales? - The General Prologue is usually regarded as the great portrait gallery in English literature. It is largely composed of a series of sketches differing widely i8n length and method, and blending the individual and the typical in varying degrees. The purpose of the General Prologue is not only to present a vivid collection of character sketches, but also to reveal the authors intention in bringing together a great variety of people and narrative materials to unite the diversity of the tales by allotting them to a diversity of tellers engaged in a common endeavour, to set the tone for the story-telling-one of jollity which accords with the tone of the whole work: that of grateful acceptance of life, to make clear the plan for the tales, to motivate the telling of tales and introduce the pilgrims and the time and occasion of the pilgrimage. The pilgrims are people from various parts of England. They serve as the representatives of various sides of life and social groups. Each of the pilgrims or narrators is presented vividly in the Prologue. Ranging in status from a knight a humble plowman, the pilgrims are a microcosm of 14th-century English society. On the other hand, there is also an intimate connection between the tales and the Prologue, both complementing each other. The Prologue provides a framework for the tales.Define the following terms.1. Old English period (the Anglo-Saxon period): The Old English Period, extended from the invasion of Celtic England by Germanic tribes (the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes) in the first half of the fifth century to the conquest of England in 1066 by the Norman French under the leadership of the seventh century did the Anglo-Saxons, whose earlier literature had been oral, begin to develop a written literature.2. Alliteration: alliteration is the repetition of a speech sound in a sequence of nearby words. The term is usually applied only to consonants, and only when the recurrent sound begins a word or a stressed syllable within a word.3. Prose: Prose is an inclusive term for all discourse, spoken or written, which is not patterned into the li8nes either of metric verse or free verse.4. Courtly love: It is a doctrine of love, together with an elaborate code governing the relations betwe4en aristocratic lovers, which was widely represented in the lyric poems and chivalric romances of western Europe during the Middle Ages.5. Morality play: Morality plays are medieval allegorical plays in which personified human qualities acted and disputed, mostly coming from the 15th century. They developed into the interludes, from which it is not always possible to distinguish them, and hence had a considerable influence on the development of Elizabethan drama.6. Couplet: A couplet is a pair of rhymed lines that are equal in length.7. Meter: Meter is the recurrence, in regular units, of a prominent feature in the sequence of speech-sounds of a language.8. Foot: A foot is the combination of a strong stress and the associated weak stress or stresses which make up the recurrent metric unit of a line. The relatively stronger-stressed syllable is called, for short, “stressed”; the relatively weaker-stressed syllables are called “light,” or most commonly, “unstressed”. The four standard feet distinguished in English are: (1) Iambic (the noun is “iamb”): an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. (2) Anapestic (the noun is “anapest”): two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable. (3)Trochaic (the noun is “trochee”): a stressed syllable. (4) Dactylic (the noun is “dactyl”): a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables.A metric line is named according to the number of feet composing it:Monometer: one footDimeter: two feetTrimester: three feet Tetrameter: four feet Pentameter: five feetHexameter: six feetHeptameter: seven feet Octameter: eight feet9. Scottish Chaucerians: The name is traditionally given to a very diverse group of 15th-and 16th- century Scottish writers who show some influence from Chaucer, although the debt is now regarded as negligible or indirect in most cases.10. Ballad (popular ballad): Ballad is als