美国文学课件 8new

AmericanLiterature:Lecture8Modernism(1914-1945)退出AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008ObjectivesToenabletheSstogetageneralideaaboutAmericanModernism;ToenabletheSstogetintouchwithsomeimportantmodernpoetssuchasRobertFrostandEzraPound;AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008TeachingMaterialsRobertLeeFrost“ThePasture”“TheRoadNotTaken”“StoppingbytheWoodsonaSnowyEvening”EzraPound“InaStationoftheMetro”“APact”“Salutation”“TheGarden”AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008PartIAnIntroductiontoAmericanModernismAmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008I.ReasonsforthecomingofAmericanmodernismI.CharlesDarwin’sTheOriginofSpecies(1859)radicallyalteredthenineteenthcenturyromanticviewthatnature,especiallyhumannature,wasbenign.HerbertSpencerandthe"GospelofWealth"orSocialDarwinism:reconciledindividualismwithcapitalismbysuggestingthattheinterestsofeachcitizenaswellastheinterestsofthestateareservedbyfreeeconomicexpansion.TheworkofMarx,andFreud,aswellasothergreatintellectualexplorersandrebelshadmountedanassaultagainstorthodoxreligiousfaiththatlastedintothetwentiethcentury.WorldWarIinparticulardeepeneddoubtandreauthorizeddisillusionment.AnothersourceofdisillusionmentwastherapidtransformationofAmericansocietythatacceleratedwithWorldWarI.

AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008IIMajorFeatures

ofModernismModernismisaculturalmovementthatgenerallyincludestheprogressiveartandarchitecture,design,literature,music,dance,paintingandothervisualartswhichemergedinthebeginningofthe20thcentury,particularlyintheyearsfollowingWorldWarI.Itwasamovementofartistsanddesignerswhorebelledagainstlate19thcenturyacademicandhistoricisttradition,andembracedtheneweconomic,socialandpoliticalaspectsoftheemergingmodernworld.Theavant-gardemovementsthatfollowed-includingImpressionism,Post-Impressionism,Cubism,Futurism,Expressionism,ConstructivismandAbstractExpressionism-aregenerallydefinedasModernist.AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008IIMajorFeatures

ofModernismModernisminliteratureisnoteasilysummarized,butthekeyelementsareexperimentation,anti-realism,individualismandastressonthecerebralratherthanemotiveaspects.TheworkofModernistwritersischaracterizedbyshowingthedisenchantment,dislocation,andalienationofmenintheworld,andbytheemphasisonexperimentationandformalismandobjectivismwhichare,inmostcases,areactiontothecataclysmknownastheModernAge.AmongAmericanwriters,thebest-knownModernistsareT.S.Eliot,EzraPound,F.ScottFitzgerald,ErnestHemingway,WilliamFaulknerandsoon.AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008III.TheSchoolsofAmericanModernismModernpoetry:experimentsinform(Imagism)ProseWriting:modernrealism(theLostGeneration)NovelsofSocialAwareness(SinclairLewisandJohnSteinbeck)TheHarlemRenaissance(LangstonHughes)TheFugitivesandNewCriticismThe20thCenturyAmericanDrama(EugeneO’Neill)AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008PartTwo:Modernpoetry:experimentsinform(Imagism)AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008I.Imagism:ItisaMovementinU.S.andEnglishpoetrycharacterizedbytheuseofconcretelanguageandfiguresofspeech,modernsubjectmatter,metricalfreedom,andavoidanceofromanticormysticalthemes,aimingatclarityofexpressionthroughtheuseofprecisevisualimages.ItgrewoutoftheSymbolistMovementin1912andwasinitiallyledbyEzraPound,AmyLowell,andothers.TheImagistmanifestocameoutin1912showedthreeImagistpoeticprinciples:directtreatmentofthe“thing”（nofuss,frill,orornament）,exclusionofsuperfluouswords（precisionandeconomyofexpression）,therhythmofthemusicalphraseratherthanthesequenceofametronome（freeverseformandmusic）.

AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008Pounddefinedanimageasthatwhichpresentsanintellectualandemotionalcomplexinaninstantoftime,andlaterheextendedthisdefinitionwhenhestatedthatanimagewas“avortexorclusteroffusedideas,endowedwithenergy.”

ThereexistedgreatinfluenceofChinesepoetryontheImagistmovement.ImagistsfoundvalueinChinesepoetrywasbecauseChinesepoetryis,byvirtueoftheideographicandpictographicnatureoftheChineselanguage,essentiallyimagisticpoetry.AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008II.TheMajorRepresentativesoftheModernPoetry:EzraPound(1885-1972)T.S.Eliot(1888-1965)WallaceStevens(1879-1955)WilliamCarlosWilliams(1883-1963)RobertFrost(1874-1963)e.e.cummings(1894-1963)AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008

T.S.Eliot(1888-1965)AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008I.Abouttheauthor:ThomasStearnsEliot,American-Britishpoetandcritic,wasbornfromamiddle-classfamilyinSt.Louisin1888.DuringhisstudiesatHarvardinAmerica,theSorbonneinParis,andOxfordinEngland,EliotmasteredFrench,Italian,Englishliterature,aswellasSanskrit.In1914EliotacceptedajobinLondonasabankclerkestablishinghisresidenceinLondon.SoontheeruditeyoungmanjoinedtheliterarycircleofPoundandYeatsandstartedtowritepoetry.In1917hisfirstpoemwaspublishedandcausedagreatdealofcommentonbothsideoftheAtlantic.Afterthebankclerk,EliotworkedasanassistanteditoroftheEgoist(1917–19)andeditedhisownquarterly,theCriterion(1922–39).WiththehelpofPoundhepublishedhisbest-knownwork,TheWasteLand,in1922.AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008Hisfirstmarriagein1915wastroubledandendedwiththeirseparationin1933.Hissubsequentmarriagein1957wasfarmoresuccessful.In1925hewasemployedbythepublishinghouseofFaberandFaber,eventuallybecomingoneofitsdirectors,apositionwhichhehelduntilhisdeath.In1927hebecameaBritishsubjectremaininginEnglandwherehisentirelifewasdevotedtoliterature.Hewroteseveralplays,buthisbestworkisagroupoffourlongpoemsentitledFourQuartets,writtenbetween1935and1941,whichledtohisreceiptoftheNobelPrizein1948andmadehimoneofthemostdistinguishedliteraryfiguresofthe20thcentury.AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008II.Hisworks:PoetryEliot’searlypoeticalworks—PrufrockandOtherObservations(1917),Poems(1920),andTheWasteLand(1922)—employingmyths,religioussymbolism,andliteraryallusion,signifiedabreakwith19th-centurypoetictraditions,expresstheanguishandbarrennessofmodernlifeandtheisolationoftheindividual,particularlyasreflectedinthefailureoflove.Theirmodelswerethemetaphysicalpoets,Dante,andFrenchSymbolists.Theirmeterrangedfromthelyricaltotheconversational.hislaterpoetry,notablyAshWednesday(1930)andtheFourQuartets(1935–42),Eliotturnedfromspiritualdesolationtohopeforhumansalvation.AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008Eliotwasanextraordinarilyinfluentialcritic,rejectingRomanticnotionsofunfetteredoriginalityandarguingfortheimpersonalityofgreatart.HislatercriticismattemptstosupportChristiancultureagainstwhathesawastheemptyandfragmentedvaluesofsecularism.Hisoutstandingcriticalworksarecontainedin:TheUseofPoetryandtheUseofCriticism(1933)EssaysAncientandModern(1936)NotestowardsaDefinitionofCulture(1948).Hisplaysattempttorevitalizeversedramaandusuallytreatthesamethemesasinhispoetry.Themostimportantis:MurderintheCathedral(1935),dealingwiththefinalhoursofThomasBecket.AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008III.HisStyleofPoetry:Eliotattemptedtoproduce“pureimagery”withnoaddedmeaningorsymbolism.Hebeganaddingoneimagetoanotherinsuchawaythathisattitudeandmoodbecameclear.Inhisbestworks,theimage,hisownphilosophyandthemusicofwordsareallharmoniouslyblendedalthoughhemingledgrandimageswithcommonplaceonesandcombinedtrivialandtawdryimageswithtraditionalpoeticsubjects.Eliotrarelymadehismeaningexplicit.Theinternallogicofhispoemsiscarriedoutbyswiftlyaccumulatingimages,suggestionsandechoes,dependingfortheirinterpretationupontheimaginationofthereader.AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn20083.RobertFrostAmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008I.Hislife:RobertFrostwasagreatpoetwhowasbornonMarch26,1874inSanFrancisco,California.WhenFrostwastwoyearsold,hismotherfledtoLawrence,Massachusetts,togetawayfromherhusband,whowasadrunkard.Shestayedthereuntilhersecondbabywasborn,Jeannie,Robert'ssister.ThentheywentbacktoSanFranciscoonatrain.Afewyearslater,Robert'sfatherdied,sotheytookthebodytoLawrencetobeburiedinthefamilycemetery.Bythetimehewas11,RobertFrosthadcrossedtheU.S.threetimes.Afterthisroughbeginning,Robertwentontobecomeagreatpoet.HemarriedElinorWhiteandhad2kids.Robertneverintruthhadanyjobs,exceptbeingapoet,buthepublishedmanypoemsinhislifetime.RobertwonfourPultizerawardsandreadTheGiftOutrightattheinaugurationofJohn.F.Kennedy.HediedonJanuary29,1963ofaheartattack.Hewas88yearsold.AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008II.Hisworks:Collectionofpoems:ABoy’sWill（1913）NorthofBoston（1914）NewHamphshire（1923）CollectedPoems（1930）AFurtherRange（1936）AWitnessTree（1942）Poems:Birches

AfterApple-Picking

StoppingbyWoodsonaSnowyEveningTheRoadNotTakenAmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008III.StoppingByWoodsOnASnowyEveningWhosewoodstheseareIthinkIknow.Hishouseisinthevillagethough;HewillnotseemestoppinghereTowatchhiswoodsfillupwithsnow.MylittlehorsemustthinkitqueerTostopwithoutafarmhousenearBetweenthewoodsandfrozenlakeThedarkesteveningoftheyear.AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008HegiveshisharnessbellsashakeToaskifthereissomemistake.Theonlyothersound'sthesweepOfeasywindanddownyflake.Thewoodsarelovely,darkanddeep.ButIhavepromisestokeep,AndmilestogobeforeIsleep,AndmilestogobeforeIsleep.AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008雪夜伫立林边有感

林主曾相识，

村中有其舍，

未悉我在此，

凝视林中雪。

小马颇多疑，

荒野何伫立？

林边冻湖间，

岁末黑夜里。

小马摇缰铃，

似问有否误，

唯闻飒飒声，

寒风共雪舞。

密林景色美，

信誓不可移，

安眠不可得，

尚须行数里。AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008Itisapeacefulpoemandmakesmanfeelrelaxedwhenwereadthelines:"Theonlyothersoundsthesweepofeasywindanddownyflake."Frostalsousesalliterationandrepetitioninhispoems.Therhymeschemeheusesisa-a-b-a.ItisoneofthemostquietlymovingofFrost’slyrics.Onthesurface,itseemstobesimple,descriptiveverses,recordsofcloseobservation,graphicandhomelypictures.Itusesthesimplesttermsandcommonestwords.Butitisdeeplymeditative,addingfar-reachingmeaningstothehomelymusic.Itusesitssuperbcraftsmanshiptocometoaclimaxofresponsibility:thepromisestobekept,theobligationtobefulfilled.Fewpoemshavesaidsomuchinsolittle.AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008一.EzraPound(1885-1972)AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn20081.HisLife:BorninIdahoin1885andraisedinPennsylvania,EzraPoundspentmostofhislifeinEuropeandbecameoneofthe20thcentury'smostinfluential--andcontroversial--poetsintheEnglishlanguage.Poundwasundoubtedlyagenius.Beforehegraduatedfromuniversity,hehadmastered9languagesaswellasEnglishgrammarandliterature.AftercollegeinPennsylvaniaandabriefstintasateacher,in1908PoundtravelledtoVeniceandthentoLondon,whereherefinedhisaestheticsensibilitiesandeditedtheanthologyDesImagistes(1914).PoundchampionedthelikesofT.S.Eliot,WilliamCarlosWilliamsandJamesJoyceand,influencedbyChineseandJapanesepoetry,advocatedfreemeterandamoreeconomicaluseofwordsandimagesinpoeticexpression,leadingtheImagistMovementofpoetry.AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008HemovedtoParisin1920andgotacquaintedwithGertrudeSteinandhercircleoffriends(whichincludedErnestHemingwayandPabloPicasso),thensettledinItalyin1924.EnamoredwithBenitoMussolini,Poundmadeanti-AmericanradiobroadcastsduringWorldWarII.Hewasarrestedasatraitorin1945andinitiallyconfinedinPisa.HewasthensenttotheU.S.,wherehewasdeemedmentallyunfittostandtrialfortreason.Poundwasconfinedfor12yearsinahospital(actuallyprison)forthecriminallyinsaneinWashington.DuringthistimehetranslatedworksofancientGreekandancientChineseliterature.Whileinprison,hewasawardedaprestigiouspoetryprizein1949forhislastCantos.In1958hereturnedtoItaly,wherehecontinuedtowriteandmaketranslationsuntilhediedin1972.AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn20082.Hisworks:Poundwrote70booksandover1500articlesinhislife.HismajorworkofpoetryisTheCantos,alongpoemwhichhewroteinsectionsbetween1915and1945.3.Hismasterpiece:TheCantosInthispoem,hetracestheriseandfallofeasternandwesternempires,thedestructioncausedbygreedandmaterialism.HedeploresthecorruptionofAmericaaftertheheroictimeofJefferson,Thelastpart,producedfromhisownsuffering,isthemostmoving.AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn20084.Hispoeticfeatures:EzraPoundisoftenconsideredasthepoetwhoismostresponsiblefordefiningandpromotingamodernistaestheticinpoetry.HiscriticaltheorieshavegreatinfluenceonmanyimportantAmericanandBritishpoets.Throughoutthe1920s,hewasmuchinvolvedinmostofthemajorartisticmovements.HewastheleaderoftheImagistschoolinpoetry.Hebelievedthatgoodpoetrywasbasedonimagesratherthanideas.Asanimagisthimself,headvocatedandfollowedtheimagistcredo,writingsuccinctverseofdryclarityandhardoutlineinwhichanexactvisualimagemadeatotalpoeticstatement.HistechniquecamefromclassicalChineseandJapanesepoetry.Ononehandthestressedclarity,precision,andeconomyoflanguage.Ontheotherhand,Poundmusedthetraditionalrhymeandmeterinorderto,asPoundputit,“composeinthesequenceofthemusicalphrase,notinthesequenceofmetronome”.AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008AChineseimagisticpoetry:

AutumnEveningcrowsperchonoldtreeswreathedwithwitheredvine,Waterofastreamflowsbyafamilycottagenearatinybridge.Aleanhorsewalksonanancientroadinwesternbreeze,Thesunissettinginthewest,Theheart-brokenoneisattheendoftheEarth.《天净沙·秋思》马致远枯藤、老树、昏鸦，小桥、流水、人家，古道、西风、瘦马，夕阳西下，断肠人在天涯。AmericanLiterature(I)Autumn2008Thereareninenounsornominalphrasesplacedinthefirstthreelinesinisolationfromeachother.Toappreciatethepoemyoushouldlinkthescenesproducedthroughthesewordsupinyourimaginationbywaylikemontageinmovieart.So,avividpicturelikeastorywillbedisplayedinyourmind:Insightofthebeautifulscenerywithwitheredvine,oldtree,crowreturninghomeatdusk,smallbridge,riverandhouseholds,aman,accompaniedbywestwindandathinhorseontheancientroad,issufferingfromhomesicknessAmericanLiterature(I)Autumn20085.InaStationoftheMetro

Theapparitionofthesefacesinthecrowd;Petalsonawet,blackbough.人群中幽然浮现的一张张脸庞，黝黑的湿树枝上的一片片花瓣。AmericanLiteratu