英国文学简答题

1、TopicquestionsWhyisthe18thcenturycalledtheAgeofEnlightenment?The18thcenturyEnglandisknownastheAgeofEnlightenmentortheAgeofReason.TheEnlightenmentMovementwasaprogressiveintellectualmovementwhichflourishedinFranceandsweptthroughthewholeWesternEurope.ThemovementwasafurtheranceoftheRenaissanceinthe15th&

2、16thcenturies.Itspurposewastoenlightenthewholeworldwiththelightofmodemphilosophicalandartisticideas.Englishenlightenersbelievedinthepowerofreason.Theyconsideredthatsocialproblemscouldbesolvedbyhumanintelligence.TheEnlightenerscriticizeddifferentaspectsofcontemporaryEngland,discussedsociallifeaccordi

3、ngtoamorereasonableprinciple.TheEnlightenercelebratedreasonorration,equality,scienceandhumanbeingsabilitytoperfectthemselvesandtheirsociety.Theycalledforareferencetoorder,reasonandadvocateduniversaleducation.FamousamongthegreatenlightenersinEnglandwerethosegreatwriterslikeJohnDryden,Alexanderpopeand

4、soon.CommentonAlexanderPopeandhiscontributionstoEnglishpoetry.AlexanderPopeisthegreatestpoetoftheAugustanage,bestknownforhissatiricalverseandforhistranslationofHomer.HismajorworksareEssayonCriticism,EssayonMan,TheRapeoftheLock.Hewassoperfectinheroiccoupletsthatnoonecanapproachhim.Andinthefieldofsati

5、ricanddidacticverse,hewastheundisputedmaster.Hepopularizedtheneo-classicalliterarytradition.HewasoneoftheearlyrepresentativesoftheEnlightenmentwhointroducedintoEnglishculturethespiritofrationalismandgreaterinterestinthehumanworld.Herepresentedthehighestgloryandauthorityinmattersofliteraryartandmadeg

6、reatcontributionstothetheoryandpracticeofprosody.WhatdoyoufindadmirableinRobinsonCrusoe?Discussbrieflysomeofhistraits.RobinsonCrusoedevelopedfromanaiveandartlessyouthintoacleverandhardenedman,temperedbynumeroustrialsinthiseventfullife.Hesuccessfullystruggledaloneagainstthepitilessforcesofnatureonalo

7、nelyisland.Heisarealhero,andthebestqualitiesofhischaracterareshowntothefull:hismarvelouscapacityforwork,hisboundlessenergyandpersistenceinovercomingobstacles.AnalyzethecharacterofTomJonesinTheHistoryofTomJones,aFoundling.TomJonesisthepatternofthegood-naturedunheroicherooftheage.Heisaveryhandsomeyoun

8、gmanofmanlyvirtues:kind,frank,generous,high-spirited,loyalandcourageous,butimpulsive,wantingprudenceandfullofanimalspiritsandsensuality.Herepresentseveryman.(Heisofmanlyvirtuesandyetnotwithoutfault.)WhatisthesymbolicmeaningofthetigerinWilliamBlakesTheTyger?Thetigerinitiallyappearsasastrikinglysensuo

9、usimage.However,asthepoemprogresses,ittakesonasymboliccharacter,andcomestoembodythespiritualandmoralproblemsthepoemexplores:perfectlybeautifulandyetperfectlydestructive.Blakestigerbecomesthesymboliccenterforaninvestigationintothepresenceofevilintheworld.Sincethetigersremarkablenatureexistsbothinphys

10、icalandmoralterms,thespeakersquestionsaboutitsoriginalsoencompassbothphysicalandmoraldimensions.Thepoemsseriesofquestionsrepeatedlyaskwhatsortofphysicalcreativecapacitythefearfulsymmetryofthetigerbespeaks;assumedlyonlyaverystrongandpowerfulbeingcouldbecapableofsuchacreation.Makeacomparisonbetweenthe

11、twovolumesofWilliamBlake:TheSongsofInnocenceandTheSongsofExperience.Thetwobooksholdthesimilarsubjectmatter,butthetone,emphasisandconclusiondiffer.(1)SongsofInnocenceisalovelyvolumeofpoems,presentingahappyandinnocentworld,thoughnotwithoutitsevilsandsufferings.SongsofExperiencepaintsadifferentworld,aw

12、orldofmisery,poverty,disease,warandrepressionwithamelancholytone.Whoarethe“LakePoets”inEnglishliterature?Towhichliterarymovementdotheybelong?Wordsworth,ColeridgeandSoutheyhaveoftenbeenmentionedastheLakePoetsbecausetheylivedintheLakeDistrictinthenorthwesternpartofEngland.Thethreetraversedthesamepathi

13、npoliticsandinpoetry,beginningasradicalsandclosingasconservatives.TheyarepartofthePoeticRevolution,whichwasstartedasarebellionagainsttheNeoclassicalliterature.RomanticismisaveryimportantliterarytrendinthehistoryoftheEnglishliterature.GiveyourunderstandingtoRomanticisminEnglishliterature.Romanticismi

14、samovementthatflourishedinliterature,philosophy,music,andinWesterncultureduringmostofthenineteenthcentury,beginningasarevoltagainstclassicism.ManyoftheideasofEnglishRomanticismwerefirstexpressedbythepoetsWilliamWordsworthandSamuelTaylorColeridge.TheRomanticMovementexpressedamoreorlessnegativeattitud

15、etowardstheexistingsocialandpoliticalconditionsthatcamewithindustrializationandthegrowingimportanceofthebourgeoisie.Romanticismactuallyconstitutesachangeofdirectionfromattentiontotheouterworldofsocialcivilizationtotheinnerworldofthehumanspirit.Inessenceitdesignatesaliteraryandphilosophicaltheorywhic

16、htendstoseetheindividualastheverycenterofalllifeandallexperience.NamethreeRomanticpoetsandstatetheirchiefcharacteristics.Wordsworth:thegreatthemeremainstheworldofsimple,naturalthings,inthecountrysideoramongpeople.Coleridge:hisinterestistowardsthestrange,theexotic,andthemysteriousthings.Shelley:expre

17、ssestwomainideas-theexternaltyrannyisthemainenemy;theinherenthumangoodnesswilleliminateevilformtheworld.Byron:exampleofapersonalityintragicrevoltagainstsociety;prototypeofromantichero.Keats:hispoetryisaresponsetosensuousimpressions;caresaboutbeauty.InwhatwayistheWestWindbothadestroyerandapreserverin

18、ShelleysOdetotheWestWind?Thewestwindisbothadestroyerandapreserverbecauseitdestroysinautumn(blowingtheleavesoffthetreesandburythembeneaththeearth)inordertoreviveinthespring(theseedsgrowandbringnewlifetotheEarth).Itmarksthecycleoftheseasons.Itisaroundthisimagethepoemweavesvariouscyclesofdeathandregene

19、ration.Whatisthe“Byronichero”?Byronicheroisaproud,mysteriousrebelfigureofnobleorigin.Withimmensesuperiorityinhispassionsandpowers,thisByronicherowouldcarryonhisshoulderstheburdenofrightingallthewrongsinacorruptsociety,andwouldrisesingle-handedlyagainstanykindoftyrannicalruleswitheringovernment,inrel

20、igion,orinmoralprincipleswithunconquerablewillsandinexhaustibleenergies.Theconflictisusuallyoneofrebelliousindividualsagainstoutwornsocialsystemsandconventions.Suchaheroappearedinmanyofhisworks,forexample,DonJuan.ThefigureissomewhatmodeledonthelifeandpersonalityofByronhimself,andmakesByronfamousboth

21、athomeandabroad.HowisRomanticismdifferentfromNeoclassicism?Providebriefanalysiswithexamplesofliteraryworksyouknowbest.Neoclassicistsupheldthatartisticidealsshouldbeorder,logic,restrainedemotionandaccuracy,andthatliterature,shouldbejudgedintermsofitsservicetohumanity,andthusliteraryexpressionsshouldb

22、eofproportion,unity,harmonyandgrace.PopesEssayonCriticismadvocatesgrace,wit(usuallythoughsatire/humor),andsimplicityinlanguage(andthepoemitselfisademonstrationofthoseideals,too).Romanticiststendedtoseetheindividualastheverycenterofallexperience,includingart,andthusliteraryworkshouldbe“spontaneousove

23、rflowofstrongfeelings,”andnomatterhowfragmentarythoseexperienceswere(WordsworthsIWanderedLonelyasaCloud,orTheSolitaryReaper).WhatarethestrengthandweaknessofEnglishCriticalRealism?TheEnglishcriticalrealistsofthe19thcenturynotonlygaveasatiricalportrayalofthebourgeoisieandalltherulingclasses,butalsosho

24、wedprofoundsympathyforthecommonpeople.Intheirbestworks,thegreedandhypocrisyoftheupperclassesarecontrastedwiththehonestyandgood-heartednessoftheobscure“simplepeople”ofthelowerclasses.HencehumorandsatireaboundintheEnglishrealisticnovelsofthe19thcentury.Humorousscenessetofftheactionsofthepositivecharac

25、ters,andthehumorisoftentingedwithalyricismwhichservestostressthefinequalitiesofsuchcharacters.Atthesametime,bittersatireandgrotesqueisusedtoexposetheseamysideofthebourgeoissociety.Criticalrealismrevealsthecorruptinginfluenceoftheruleofcrashuponhumannature.Hereliestheessentiallydemocraticandhumanisti

26、ccharacterofcriticalrealism.Butthecriticalrealistsdidnotfindawaytoeradicatethesocialevilstheyknewsowell.Theydidnotrealizethenecessityofchangingthebourgeoissocietythroughconscioushumaneffort.Theywereunabletofindagoodsolutiontothesocialcontradictions.Theirworksdonotpointtowardrevolutionbutratherevolut

27、ionorreformism.Theyoftenstartwithapowerfulexposureoftheuglinessofthebourgeoisworldintheirworks,buttheirnovelsusuallyhavehappyendingsoranimpotentcompromiseattheend.Hereweseethestrengthandweaknessofcriticalrealism.HowdoyouunderstandPipssocalled“GreatExpectation”?Whenhewasyoung,hewantedtobecomeablacksm

28、ithlikeJoe,hisbrotherinlaw.HismeetingwithHavishamchangedhisattitudetowardslife,andheadmiredhisdecentwayoflivinglikeagentleman.HemetEstellaandfelllovewithher,buthecannotmarryherbecauseofhisinferiorstatusandhisexpectationschanged.Hewantedtoraisehissocialstatusandtobecomeagentleman,getabettereducationa

29、ndthenmarryEstella.WhenPipdiscoversthathisbenefactorisinfactaconvict,his“greatexpectation”turnsouttobebubble,beautifulbuttransient.Pipfinallyrealizedthemoneyandsocialstatusisnotthemostimportantthingsinlife.Whatisimportantisloveandloyalty.Manstruevaluehasnothingtodowithhismoneyandstatus.CharlesDicken

30、sisoneofthegreatestVictorianwritersinhisownuniqueway.DiscussDickenssartofnovels:thesetting,thelanguage,andthecharacters,etc.basedonhisnovelOliverTwi.stHeusesamixtureofthecontemporaryandrecollectedpastashisfictionalsettings.Withhisfirstsentence,heengagesthereaderisattentionandholdsittotheend.Hisbest-

31、depictscharactersarethoseinnocent,virtuous,persecuted,helplesschildcharacterssuchasOliverTwist.Thefiguresthathedepicted,markedoutbysomepeculiarityinphysical,speechormanner,arebothtypesandindividuals.(5)Dickenssworksarealsocharacterizedbyaminglingofhumorandpathos.(6)Adeptwiththevernacularandlargevoca

32、bulary,hebringsoutmanyawonderfulverbalpictureofmanandscene.WhatarethemajorthemesofPrideandPrejudice?Listatleasttwoandelaboratetheminafewsentences.Themajorthemescanincludemarriageandwomensfate,self-acknowledge,manners,virtueandsenseofresponsibilityDiscussbrieflythecharacterofElizabeth,theheroineinJan

33、eAustensPrideandPrejudice.ElizabethisabeautifulyoungladyintheBennets.Sheisintelligent,contrastingherempty-headed,snobbishandvulgarmother.Sheisawomanofdistinctcharacter.Sheisnotpassive,butpursueshertruelovebravely.SheturnsdownthemarriageproposaloftheservileMr.CollinssandseeksherhappinesswithDarcy,the

34、oneshepossessestrueaffectionfor.Sheisalsocourageous.WhenDarcysauntladydeBourghcomestoforceherintoapromiseofneverconsentingtomarryDarcy,sheboldlychallengesherauthority,contemptandarrogance.Onthewhole,Elizabethisatypicalimageofthegood,attractiveladyinthe19thcentury.CommentbrieflyonthethemeofJaneEyre.P

35、leaseshowyourunderstandingonthelovebetweenJaneEyreandMr.Rochester.JaneEyreisnotonlyalovestory.ItisalsoapleafortherecognitionoftheindividualsworthandsexequalitythatWomenattempttoasserttheirownidentitywithinthemale-dominatedsociety.Thoughpoorandplain,JaneEyre,whohadastrongwilloflife,triedhardtogetherr

36、ightsofequality.Shelovedthemanwhowasabout20yearsolderthansheandricher.Shejustwantedhimtotreatherequally.ShewasgreatbecauseherlovemadedisillusionedRochesterhappyagain.Mr.Rochesterwasamanfulloflifesmisery,yethelovedJanetrulyandrespectedherverymuch.Thatswhyhegotherlove.(1)WhatdoyouthinkcausesTessstrage

37、dy?PleasecommentbrieflyonthefateofTessinTessoftheDUrbervilles.Tesswasaninnocent,puregirl.Shewashonestandsweet-naturedandfullofloveforherfamilyandsympathyforothers.Hertragedycanbeattributedtothepovertyofherfamily,thesocialenvironmentandthecollapseoftheAgriculturaleconomy.ForagirlasTess,herlifewassome

38、thingthatshecouldntcontrol.Chanceofsomeunknownforcesdeterminedeverything.Tessisactuallyavictimofhersociety.HardycreatedtheheroineTessjusttocriticizethesocietyinhistime.Tessisatragicpersonsimplybecausesheisnotacceptedbythesocietyinwhichagricultureismenacedbytheforcesofinvadingcapitalism.Soinaway,Tess

39、fateisdecidedbyhersociety.Thesub-titleofTessoftheDUrbervillesis“APureWomanFaithfullyPresented”.Whatisyouropinionabouttheheroine?Tessisapurewoman,althoughsocietyandotherpeoplebelievedotherwise.Shehasdonenothingwrong.Sheisseduced,butdoesnothavesexofherownaccordwithAlec.Sheissacrificedtosociety,yetshehasnoevilintensionswhenshegoesacrossthethresholdofherparentsandenterstheworld.Sheisavictim.MakeacommentonModernism,includingthehistoricalbackgroundandthecharacteristicsAroundthetwoworldwars,manywr