文学6-Emerson教学讲解课件

Lecture6RalphWaldoEmerson(1803-1882)---AkeyfigureoftranscendentalismTeachingtargetandfocus:Emerson’scontributiontotheliteraryworld;Emerson’smajorthoughtsandhisrepresentativeworks.GroupworkListentothetapeandanswerthequestions:

1:WhatcontributionhadhemadetoAmericanliteraryhistory?2:Whatwashisidentitycanyouguess?

TheUnitedStateshadwonitsindependencefromBritainjusttwenty-twoyearsbeforeRalphWaldoEmersonwasborn.Butithadyettowinitsculturalindependence.Itstilltookitstraditionsfromothercountries,mostlyfromwesternEurope.WhattheAmericanRevolutiondidforthenation'spolitics,Emersondidforitsculture.

Whenhebeganwritingandspeakingintheeighteenthirties,conservativessawhimasradical--wildanddangerous.Buttotheyoung,hespokewordsofself-dependence--anewlanguageoffreedom.HewasthefirsttobringthematrulyAmericanspirit.HetoldAmericatodemanditsownlawsandchurchesandworks.ItisthroughhisownworksthatweshalllookatRalphWaldoEmerson.HewasresponsibleforbringingTranscendentalismtoNewEngland.HewasrecognizedthroughouthislifeastheleaderofthemovementamajorAmericanpoet?Statesman?Enlightener?Philosopher?Transcendentalist?Lecturer?Bigraphicalintroduction:p.161

Lifeandeducation:borninBoston,Massachusetts.Mostofhisancestorswereclergymenashisfather.HewaseducatedinBostonandHarvard,likehisfather,andgraduatedin1821.WhileatHarvard,hebegankeepingajournal,whichbecameasourceofhislaterlectures,essays,andbooks.In1825hebegantostudyattheHarvardDivinitySchoolandnextyearhewaslicensedtopreachbytheMiddlesexAssociationofMinisters.In1829Emersonmarriedtheseventeen-year-oldEllenLouisaTucker,whodiedin1831fromtuberculosis.Workingandtravelingexperience:workedfirstasanUnitarianpriest.Inhishometown,Concord,EmersonfoundedaliterarycirclecalledNewEnglandTranscendentalism,ahodgepodge[mixture]offashionablethoughts,inwhichparticipatedamongothersNathanielHawthorneandHenryThoreau.DuringhistravelsinEnglandhemetWordsworth,Coleridge,andThomasCarlyle,withwhomhemaintainedalifelongcorrespondencefromthe1830sandwhoseopinionsoftheimportanceofgreathistoricalfiguresinfluencedhisownwritings.AfterreturningtotheUnitedStates,helecturedonnaturalhistory,biology,andhistory.LaterEmersonbecameinvolvedintheantislaverymovementandworkedforwomen'srights.ThechangeofbeliefHebecamesolepastorintheSecondUnitarianChurchin1830.Threeyearslaterhehadacrisisoffaith,findingthathe"wasnotinterested"intheriteofCommunion.Heonceremarked,thatifhisteachershadbeenawareofhistruethoughts,theywouldnothaveallowedhimtobecomeaminister.EventuallyEmerson'scontroversialviewscausedhisresignation.However,heneverceasedtobebothteacherandpreacher,althoughwithoutthesupportofanyconcreteideaofGod.HislecturesTheAmericanScholar(1837)andTheDivinitySchoolAddress(1838)challengedtheHarvardintelligentsiaandwarnedaboutalifelessChristiantradition.HewasostracizedbyHarvardformanyyears,buthismessageattractedyoungdisciplessuchasHenryDavidThoreau.Emerson'saimwasnotmerelytocharmhisreaders,butencouragethemtocultivate'self-trust',tobecomewhattheyoughttobe,andtobeopentotheintuitiveworldofexperience.EmersonencouragedAmericanscholarstobreakfreeofEuropeaninfluencesandcreateanewAmericanculture.Hehadformulatedthisideainthemid-1830sin“AmericanScholar”,whichOliverWendellHolmes(Sr.)hailedas"ourintellectualDeclarationofIndependence."(P.163.)Scholars’obligationsforages:p.163Actioniswiththescholarsubordinate,butitisessential.Withoutitheisnotyetman.Withoutitthoughtcancanripenintotruth….Inactioniscowardice,buttherecanbenoscholarwithouttheheroicmind….Thetruescholargrudgeseveryopportunityofactionpassedbyasalossofpower.Heistheworld’seye.Heistheworld’sheart….Thesebeinghisfunctions,itbecomeshimtofeelallconfidenceinhimself,andtodefernevertothepopularcry….ReadingNature:p.164Para1:Naturehasarestorative,comforting,purifyinginfluenceonMen.Para2:Natureissublime,respectable,kind,profoundandinspiring.Para3:ThedefinitionofNature.Para4/5:MenalwaysfeeldelightfulandyounginNature.Para6:Thepowerofdelightresidesinmenorinaharmonyofboth.Emerson'sfirstbook,NATURE,acollectionofessays,appearedwhenhewas33andsummoneduphisideas.Emersonemphasizedindividualismandrejectedtraditionalauthority.Heinvitedusto"enjoyanoriginalrelationtotheuniverse,"andemphasized"theinfinitudeoftheprivateman."Allcreationisone,hebelieved-peopleshouldtrytoliveasimplelifeinharmonywithnatureandwithothers.Reading:“Self-Reliance”P.167Readtheessayandunderlinesomefamousquotationsorimportancesentences.Trytoexplaintheminyourownwords.论自助.docQuotesfromthisessayThereisatimeineveryman'seducationwhenhearrivesattheconvictionthatenvyisignorance;thatimitationissuicide;thathemusttakehimselfforbetter,forworse,ashisportion;thatthoughthewideuniverseisfullofgood,nokernelofnourishingcorncancometohimbutthroughhistoilbestowedonthatplotofgroundwhichisgiventohimtotill.Thepowerwhichresidesinhimisnewinnature,andnonebutheknowswhatthatiswhichhecando,nordoesheknowuntilhehastried.每个人在受教育过程中，总有一天会认识到：妒忌是无知，模仿是自杀。不论好歹，每个人都必须接受属于他的那一份，广阔的世界里虽然充满了珍馐美味，但是只有从给予他去耕耘的那一片土地里，通过辛勤劳动收获的谷物才富有营养。富于他体内的力量，实质上是新生的力量。只有他自己才知道他能干什麽，而且他也只有在尝试之后才能知晓。Webuthalfexpressourselves,andareashamedofthatdivineideawhicheachofusrepresents.Itmaybesafelytrustedasproportionateandofgoodissues,soitbefaithfullyimparted,butGodwillnothavehisworkmademanifestbycowards.Amanisrelievedandgaywhenhehasputhisheartintohisworkanddonehisbest;butwhathehassaidordoneotherwise,shallgivehimnopeace.Itisadeliverancewhichdoesnotdeliver.Intheattempthisgeniusdesertshim;nomusebefriends;noinvention,nohope.我们对自己总是遮遮掩掩，对我们每个人所代表的神圣意念感到羞愧。我们完全可以视这意念爲与我们相称、而又有益的意念，所以，应当忠实地宣扬它。不过，上帝是不会向懦夫揭示他的杰作的，只有神圣的人，才能展示神圣的事物。当一个人将身心倾注到工作中，并且竭尽了全力的时候，他就得到了解脱和欢乐。否则，他将爲自己的言行忐忑不安，得到的是没有解脱的解脱。在其问，他爲自己的天赋所抛弃，没有灵感与他爲友，没有发明，也没有希望。Trustthyself:everyheartvibratestothatironstring.相信你自己吧：每颗心都随着那弦跳动。

Societyeverywhereisinconspiracyagainstthemanhoodofeveryoneofitsmembers.社会到处都是防患各社会成员成熟起来的阴谋。WhatImustdoisallthatconcernsme,notwhatthepeoplethink.我必须做的是一切与我有关的事，而不是别人想要我做的事。Afoolishconsistencyisthehobgoblinoflittleminds,adoredbylittlestatesmenandphilosophe