新编英国文学选读(上)chapter6.doc

CHAPTER SIX THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY (16031688)1.Historical background:The Stuart: James first (1603 1625) His son Charles I (16251649) Commonwealth led by Oliver Cromwell (16491660) Charles II, the son of Charles I (16601665) James II, the brother of Charles II (16651688) 1）Causes of revolutionLack of ruling skills Worsening relationship between the parliament and the monarchPuritanss dissatisfaction and fear of persecution 2）Processes of revolutionbreaking out of the bourgeois revolution in 1642: rejection of the Grand RemonstranceThe nature of the Lord Protectorrestoration of the monarchThe Glorious Revolution in 1688 3）Influences of revolution(1). supremacy of Parliament(2). beginning of modern England(3). final triumph of the principle of political liberty 4)The literary scene of the timea.Decline of the English Renaissance:b.Decline of drama in early 17th century to the closing of the theaters in London in 1642c.A new literary movement gathering way:a movement away from the ornamental (artificial) language, elaborate metaphors toward plainer language 2.The King James Bible of 1611Testament: covenant between God and HebrewsThe Old Testament: in HebrewThe New Testament: in GreekContributions:a. influenced the English prose by its “biblical language”b. granted ordinary people access to the bible. Thus it greatly promoted the protestant movement. *Genesisthe first book of the Old TestamentCentral theme: God creates the world and appoints man as his regent, but man proves disobedient and God destroys his world through the Flood. The new post-Flood world is equally corrupt, but God does not destroy it, instead calling one man, Abraham, to be the seed of its salvation. At Gods command Abraham descends from his home into the land of Canaan, given to him by God, where he dwells as a sojourner, as does his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob. Jacobs name is changed to Israel, and through the agency of his son Joseph, the children of Israel descend into Egypt, 70 people in all with their households, and God promises them a future of greatness. Genesis ends with Israel in Egypt, ready for the coming of Moses and the Exodus. The narrative is punctuated by a series of covenants with God, successively narrowing in scope from all mankind (the covenant with Noah) to a special relationship with one people alone.3.FRANCIS BACON (15611626)1)Question: Why did he, as Shakespeares contemporary belong to the next period? (1)Chief figure in English prose with his Essays(2)Aversion to medieval scholasticism (3)Progenitor of English materialism2)Characteristics of his works:(1) simple sentence structure(2) conciseness of expression(3) simplicity of diction4. Metaphysical Poets and Cavalier Poets1) Metaphysical poetry(1)Characteristics:bold and ingenious conceits, incongruous imagery, complexity of thought, frequent use of paradox, deliberate harshness or rigidity of expression(2)Main themes:Love, death and religion(3) Chief representative: John Donne2) Cavalier poets(1)Characteristics:Courtliness, urbanity, and polish(2)Main themes:Love, “carpe diem”(3) Chief representative: Ben Johnson【*Cavalier School】The characteristics: 1)The theme2)The style: (1)shared many elements with the metaphysical school such as easy-to-understand language (2) refined, elegant language, sweet rhythm5.John Donne (1572-1631)1) His life:Born in a Roman Catholic familyWent to Oxford, Cambridge and Lincolns InnAs a young man known as “a greatVisitor of ladies, a great frequenter ofPlays, a great writer of conceited verses”Eloped with Ann More Dean of St. Pauls Cathedral2) His WorksBefore 1600: Satires, Elegies, Songs and Sonnets: 55 love lyrics1621 to 1631: religious poems and sermons, other religious writings*SongThe characteristics exemplified by John Donnes Song: a. The themes:b. The style:(1)Why metaphysical? Emphasis on intellectual power and complexity of thoughts(2)Easy-to-understand language (plain language), yet not necessarily easy to understand the poem(3)Rigid and harsh expressions(4) Unnatural rhythm and strong lines (5) Bold and ingenious conceits and incongruous imagery;(6) analogy and paradox3) Two groups of his love lyrics(1). negative attitude towards love: cynical comments on the inconsistency of women in love(2). positive attitude towards love: fiery utterances of unruly passion mixed with coarse suggestions of sensual love and morbid thoughts of deathStyle: complicated reasoning through far-fetched comparisons or “conceits” and in strange imageries and obscure language e.g. The Flea6.George Herbert(1593 1633)a Welsh-born English poet, orator and Anglican priest1)his life:Born into an artistic and wealthy familyWent to Trinity College, Cambridge2) his worksIn 1633 published The Temple: Sacred poems and private ejaculations3)characteristics of his religious poems：Wrote religious poems characterized by a precision of language, a metrical versatility, and an ingenious use of imagery or conceits7. Ben Jonsonwas chiefly known as a dramatist. He was also a poet,the representative of Cavaliers.1) His works:(1) drama：He was famous for his Comedies of Humous (2) poem:Love lyric: Song to Celia 8.JOHN MILTON, The greatest puritan poet (16081674) 1) his life story2) Paradise Lost, a religious worka. its literary genre: epicb. (1)its main theme: the assertion of Gods Providence (2) his hatred for the returned monarch (3)his Renaissance ideal of man: the glorification of humans for their lovec. writing techniques: black verse of iambic pentameter run-on lines complicated sentences like Latin Allusions9.JOHN BUNYAN, The chief puritan writer of prose (16281688)1) his life story2)The Pilgrims Progress, a religious worka. its literary genre: prose in the form of allegory and dramab. Theme: its main theme: the assertion of hi