英国文学史及选读复习资料

1、Lectureln . Recommended Novels for Reading (British)18th-ce nturyGulliver ' s Travels: Jonathan Swift; social satire/fantasy/; Part I, II, and IV in terest ing; Ian guage difficulty *.Robinson Crusoe: Daniel Defoe; an account of the process of the building of the British Empire in the 18th centu

2、ry; diary-like detaileddescriptionandnarration; Ianguage difficulty *.19th-ce nturyGreat Expectati onsCharles Dicke ns; about moral corruptio n and loss of innocenceand hon esty ingrow ing up; the Cin derella patter n in structure; Ian guage Dif *; a bit tooIon g.Jane Eyre:Charlotte Bronte; a poor,

3、plain governess struggling for self-dignity andpers onal happ in ess; Ian guage dif *.Wuthering Heights :Emily Bronte; one of the best novels in the world; a presentationof the mostprimitive, n atural, powerful, touch ing as well as the most destructive love huma n beings are capable of; Ian guage d

4、if *.Silas Marner:George Eliot; a religious fable aboutreligi on of huma ni ty; Ian guage dif *;small.Tess of D ' Urbervilles:Thomas Hardy; tragic fate of a“pure ” young peasant woman at the time ofcapitalist invasioninto the country in the 19th-centuryEngland; Ianguagedif *.20th-ce nturySons an

5、d Lovers: D.H. Lawrenee; Oedipus Complex; the study of man-woman relati ons; Ian guage dif *.Mrs Dalloway , Virginia Woolf; about the spiritual journey of Mrs Dalloway;typical stream of consciousness fiction; Ianguage dif *, not longThe Fifth Child:Doris Less ing; about distorti on or horror of huma

6、 n n ature/a human-borin monster; Language dif *, small.川.ContentsChapter One: Old En glish LiteratureChapter Two: Middle En glish LiteratureChapter Three: Geoffrey ChaucerChapter Four: The Ren aissa neeChapter Five: The Revoluti on and Restorati onChapter Six:Enlightenment in England Chapter Seven:

7、 The Romantic Period Chapter Eight: The Victorian AgeChapter Nine: Twentieth Century LiteratureIV. Development of LiteratureThree stages of English language development:i. Old English /Anglo-Saxon (OE. As the language up to 1066 is usu. called)ii. Middle English (about 1100-1500)iii. Modern English

8、(about 1500-present)Part One: Old and Medieval English LiteratureHistorical background3 conquests/invasions- Romans (4th to the 6th cen.):politics of self-government, transportation system, cities, Latin language and Christianity (little remained)- English/Anglo-Saxon Conquest ( Angles, Saxons, Jute

9、s)A. Germanic tribes from the Mediterranean coast: Scandinavia, Denmark and GermanyB. the Pagans/heathens 异教徒C. enslaved the Celts and drove others to Wales, Scotland and IrelandD. began feudalism ; new social strata: serfs 农奴 freemen 自由民 farmers 农民-thanes 乡士 -earls爵爷 kings 王爷E. a medley of differen

10、t races/ethnic groups; of multiple influences andcultural and political orders- Norman Conquest in 1066 by William,Duke of Normandy from Northern France:A. further established feudalism, and ended the slave system in 14th cen.B. powerful Popedom 教皇制 established(1/3 of land, political right, wide mor

11、al degeneration of the clericals; penances or pardons 赦罪令C. highly centralized royal power, but conceded in the 13th cen. with establishment of parliament (1215 the Magna Carta/King John)D. communication with the outside world: diplomatic relations, development of trade and increasing strength for t

12、radesmen and skilled professionalsE. influence from outside world in ideologyF. coexistence of 3 languages : Latin, the clerical and learned; French,noblemen and royal court; A-S native English/ Celtic dialect (vernacular) for the commonNot until the 13th century did English enter the world of offic

13、ial discourse 官方用语 . 1258 Henry III issued a proclamation 布告 in 3 languages, 14th cen., parliament and court allowed English.( The Dark Age : blind belief of Roman Catholicism and after-life and stagnant philosophical and artistic development)V. Literature (secular)-the Old English (until A-S period

14、) and Middle English (after 1066)-talespassed on orally by gleemen or minstrels 吟唱诗人 until Homer' s Iliadand OdysseyOld English Period : Beowulf, an EpicA. the most important existent work; the national epic of Anglo-SaxonsB. written in 7-8 cen.C. partly-historical and partly-legendaryD. not abo

15、ut England but their homeland in DenmarkE. epic form: a long verse narrative on the exploits of a national hero, BeowulfF. the primitive people 's heroic struggle against hostile forces of the natural world under a wise leaderG. pagan elements + Christian coloring : “fate ”, “God', “ Lord ”H

16、. alliteration and Germanic languageMiddle English LiteratureA. Romance 罗曼史-Roman, French matters for subjects: Trojan War, Charlemagne, Roland and the knights; chivalric;-English romance: King Arthur and his round-table knights;“Sir Gawain andthe Greenknight ” (1360 - 1370), “Le Morte d 'Arthur

17、 ” by Sir Thomas MaloryB. Religious writings and translations(from Hebrew to Latin):Langland 's “Piers the Plowman ”C. Poetic form:alliterative poetry 头韵诗metrical poetry 韵律诗Lecture 2 Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400)Father of English poetry /literature3 periods of creation:French Romaunt of the Rose

18、, translationItalian (after Dante Divine Comed,y Petrarch and Boccaccio, Decameron; The House of Fame, The Legend of Good Women, Troylus and Criseyde)British (1386-1400) The Canterbury TalesContributions :A. the first to present a comprehensive and realistic picture of the English society of his tim

19、e and created a whole gallery of vivid characters from all walks of life in his masterpiece The Canterbury TalesB. introduced from France the rhymed stanzas of various types to replace the Old English alliterative verseC. the first to use the rhymed couplet of iambic pentameter/heroic coupletCanterb

20、ury Tales:The story : 29 pilgrims, and the poet on the way to Canterbury, stopped at an inn.At the proposal of the host of theTabard Inn each was to tell 4stories on theway to and back from Cant. Host be the guide and judge, the best teller gets a free supper at the cost of all the rest upon their r

21、eturn to the inn. Should have been 120 stories, but only24 completed and preserved,2 incomplete, 2unfinished.Theme: influenced by the early Italian Renaissance , he affirms man' s right to pursue earthly happiness and opposes asceticism 禁欲说 ; praises man' s energy, intellect, and love of lif

22、e; exposes and satirizes the social evils, esp. the religious abusesstructure: General prologue (occasion, characters) followed by stories; a separate prologue between two storiescharacterization: vivid portrayal of individualized 个 性 化 characters of the society and of all professions and social str

23、ata except the highest and the lowest1. shows respect for the twolanded gentry, the plowman and the parson;2. satirizes all the religious people， except the parson ， who are guilty ofsins: Pride, Wrath, Envy, Lust, Gluttony, Avarice, and Sloth3. shows a growing sense of self-importance of the trades

24、/ towns people, reflecting the changing social status , esp. in towns and citiesMiddle-Age English, satire,humour, Heroic Couplet ; of unequal' s tale of an Arthurian knight' s of a patient young ladyStyle: lively, vivid meritsthe 3 famous talesA. the Wife of BathB. the Oxford clerkC. the Fr

25、anklin小地主' s about a wife ' s full submission to her husbandIV. Text study:Comment:This is a satirical picture of a vain, pretentious nun. Though supposedly in a religious capacity, she had many worldly weaknesses and was in no way a true Christian, let alone a devout clergy person.The portr

26、ait is pervaded by ironical depictions, and the tone is light-hearted and humorous. Readers can only smile in amusement.In heroic couplet.Text studyChaucer' s The Canterbury Tales / The PrioressPre-readingYou are go ing to read Chaucer ' s description of a prioress, a nun who is the head of

27、a religious order or a religious house (e.g. an abbey). Before reading Chaucer' s description, we could try to create a picture of a nun from our knowledge or imagination.1. Imagine the facial expression of a nun, what words would you use to describe it?2.3.A nun, especially a prioress, is usual

28、ly remarkable for the following characteristics (tick the words/expressions of your choice): asolemnity, charm, kindnessbserious/ pleasant/ easy-going/ sombre mannerscfull of sense / sensibilityIf she carries a motto, which do you think is more likely to be her choice? aAll that glisters is not gold

29、.bGlory belongs to the King.cGod helps those who help themselves.dLove conquers all.Discussion1. What is image of the nun?2. Is she favorably and admirably or satirically portrayed? How?3. What figures of speech are used?Language and Style1. Select a detail which contains humour or irony. What makes

30、 it comic or ironic?2. What do you notice about the rhyme at the end of the linesKey information for Memory:3 conquestsBeowulf (A-S national epic/Old English literature/native subject/alliteration) “Sir Gawain and the Greenknight ” , anonymousWilliam Langland ' s Piers the Plowman, religiousChau

31、cer' s Canterbury Talesromance; heroic couplet; alliteration; epic; metric poemAssignment:Reference questions for Renaissance:1. What is Renaissance? How and why did it come about?2. What is the development of drama? What were the original forms and content and practice of drama?3. Whydid drama

32、flourish in Elizabethan age? Whoare the major playwrights of thetime?4. Who is Marlowe? What contributions did he make to English drama?5. Whois Shakespeare? What famous and great plays (history, comedy, tragedy)? What features?6. What did Jonson write about? Representative work?7. Prepare the excer

33、pt from Hamlet (p.31-32). What is it mainly about? What humanist idea can you find in the soliloquy?8. What was the most important translation of the time?Lecture 3-4 Renaissance English LiteratureHistorical backgroundHundred Years ' War with France from 1337 to 1453War of Roses from 1455 to 148

34、5 between the House of Lancaster and the House of YorkHenry VII founded the Tudor dynastythe enclosure movement, the commercial expansion and the war with Spain16th century - a period of the breaking up of feudal relations and the establishing of the foundations of capitalismEngland- an absolute mon

35、archyReligious Reformation- end the rule of the Catholic Church- king as both the head of Church andthe head of stateProtestantism -the official national religionHenry 8 ( a Tudor Monarch )In religion, the far-reaching movement of Reformation began in England during Henry VIII 's reign. He decla

36、red the break with the RomanCatholic Church and confiscated the property of the Church. Protestantism began to gain ground among the English people.King James BibleIn 1611, appeared in England. It was the work of many learned scholars headed byBishop Lancelot Andrews, an eloquent orator with an exqu

37、isite ear for the cadences of language. King James Bible became the monumentof English language and literature Genesis, or the CreationGod made Adam and Eve and let them live in Garden of Eden.God warned Adam and Eve not to eat the forbidden fruit on the Tree ofKnowledge.Adam and Eve were all naked.

38、 They lived a happy life. They had no feelingsof shame.Satan, in the disguise of a serpent, sneaked into Garden of Eden. He succeeded in inducing Eve to eat the Forbidden Fruit.Eve gave Adam some fruit, and Adam accepted it gladly.They realized that they were nude, so they put on fig leaves to cover

39、 their body.God got very angry. They had violated God's will, so they were punished.Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden. They had to gain their bread by the sweat of their brow.Adam and Eve 's descendents must work hard for redemption, otherwise they would never be allowed to

40、go back to heaven.RevelationsORIGINAL SINs why we must work hardWith Adam and Eve 's fall, we sin all. That to make a living.God's will is everything.Those who violate God's will must be punished, no matter what theunderlying reason is.The Tower of BabelLong, long ago, all the world spok

41、e the same language and used the same words. Tired of hard work, people decided to build a city and a high tower with its top in the heavens.God feared that the people would challenge his authority.He said to his followers,Let us go down there and confuse their speech,so that they will not understan

42、d what they say to one another. ” God made people speak different languages. People had to give up the plan of building the tower because they could not understand each other. They were dispersed all over the world.Queen Elizabeth- the summit of absolute monarchyElizabethan age:- progress of bourgeo

43、is economy- victory in the Spanish War- commercial expansion abroad- development of art and literature- an unsettled time: peasants ' uprisingsRenaissance: The DefinitionThe rise of the bourgeoisie showed its influence in cultural life. The result is an intellectual movement known as the Renaiss

44、ance, or the rebirth of literature. Renaissance sprang in Italy and spread to France, Germany, the Low Countries, and lastly to England. Two features are striking of this movement. One is the thirst for classical literature, the other is the rise of Humanism.HumanismHumanism was the keynote of the R

45、enaissance. People ceased to look upon themselves as living only for God and a future world. They began to admire human beauty and human achievement. Man is no longer the slave of the external world. He can mould the world according to his desires, and attain happiness by removing all external check

46、s.Drama: Origin and Development (1)English drama1.Origin: religious ceremony, church plays2. Development Religious periodmystery plays and miracle plays biblical stories and the stories of the saints; they were played at churches at first; Then with the increasing numbers of actors and plays, the pl

47、ayers went to the market places. Miracle plays are the further development of mystery plays.The Second Shepherd 's PlayMoral periodmorality plays: focused on the conflict between good and evil through allegorical characters. They were too abstract. So Vice, a lively figure approximated the moder

48、n clown, was introduced. (such as Everyman, Good Deeds, Death, Knowledge);Everyman Interludes - a short performance during the the intervals to enliven the audience after a solemn scene-end of the 15th century-a transition to Elizabethan dramaClassical-style comedy and tragedy was in the making in E

49、ngland. Three unities (unity of time, place and action by Aristotle)3. Renaissance drama- comedy and tragedy were established as types of drama-development of theaters-growth of acting culture4. University wits-John Lyly, Robert Greene, George peele, Christopher Marlow, Thomas Kyd, Thomas Nashe, Tho

50、mas Lodge-technical innovationsFree Renaissance tragedy from classical restraints Develop a comedy tradition more close to lifeJohn Lyly: write for a refined, aristocratic audience Thomas Kyd: start the tradition of revenge tragedy5. Christopher Marlow(1564-1593) - most gifted “ university wit ” - T

51、he Tragic History of Doctor FaustusCause of the tragedy: blind faithin human intellectTheme: praise of individuality; conviction of the possibility of human efforts in conquering the universe- make blank verse the principal instrument of English drama6. William Shakespeare All the world's a stag

52、e, and all the men and women merely players.1) Dramatic career:-the first period: apprenticeship-the second period: full of sunshine and laughter-the third period: full of storm and clouds-the fourth period: principal tragicomedies2) Great comedies:-sing of love, youth, and ideal of happinessA Midsu

53、mmer Night ' s DreamThe Merchant of VeniceAs You Like It , Twelfth Night-two groups of characters:Young men and womenSimple and shrewd clowns and other common people-respect women3) Great tragedies:social contradictions and social evilsHamlet, Othello , King Lear , Macbeth4) Historical playspoli

54、tical plays:the necessity for national unity under one sovereign Henry 5, the only ideal king, a symbol of English glory5) Features of his dramatic works:Shakespeare is a realist.-authentic panorama of his age-characters are representatives of the people of his timeShakespeare is a master of English

55、 language.-language reveals the peculiarities of his character-use about 16,000 words in his writings-create a lot of new words and expressionsShakespeare is good at many poetic forms.blank verse6) Literary TermsComedyComedyis a light form of drama, which aims primarily to amuse and which ends happi

56、ly. Since it strives to provoke smiles and laughter, both wit and humor are utilized. In general, the comic effect arises from recognition of some incongruity of speech, action, or character revelation, with intricate plot. Viewed in another sense, comedy may be considered to deal with people in the

57、ir human state, restrained and often made ridiculous by their limitations, faults, bodily functions, and animal nature. The general spirit of these comedies is optimism.Tragedya serious play or novel representing the disastrous downfall of a centralcharacter, the protagonist. According to Aristotle,

58、 the purpose is to achieve a catharsis through incidents arousing pity and terror. The tragic effect usually depends on our awareness of admirable qualities in the protagonist,which are wasted terribly in the fated disaster. Blank Verseunrhymed lines of iambic pentameter. It is a very flexible English verse form which can attain rhetorical