美国文学史-殖民时期Rev1课件

AHistoryofAmericanLiterature

Lecturer:EnglishDepartmentBeijingInternationalStudiesUniversityCourseOrientationAgeneralinquiry:whatdoyouknowaboutAmericanlit.?Contentsoflectureshistoricalbackgroundmajorwritersandselectedreadings(mainconcern)TextbookAssessmentClassperformance(attendance,presentationsandtests)40%Afinalexam60%Note:Ifthestudentisfivetimesabsentfromclass,nogradewillbesubmittedtohim.

MajorstagesofAmericanLiterature1.TheColonialandRevolutionaryPeriod:1607---18002.TheRomanticPeriod:1800---18603.TheRealisticPeriod:1860---19104.TheModernPeriod:1914---19455.ThePeriodofPluralism:1945---thepresentProgressionofthecourseWeek1:OrientationandTheColonialPeriodWeek2:AmericanRomanticism:GeneralSurvey(Poe)Week3:AmericanRomanticism:Hawthorne&MelvilleWeek4:AmericanRomanticism:Whitman&EmilyDickinsonWeek5NationalDayWeek6:AmericanRealism:GeneralSurvey,Howells&HenryJamesWeek7:AmericanRealism:Localcolorism,MarkTwainWeek8:AmericanNaturalism:GeneralSurveyWeek9:AmericanNaturalism:TheodoreDreiser

Week10:GeneralSurvey,Modernismin20th

Century:Imagism,EzraPoundWeek11:Modernism:Poetry,T.S.EliotWeek12:Modernism:Novel—theLostGeneration:FrancisScottFitzgerald&EarnestHemingwayWeek13:Modernism:Novel—WilliamFaulknerWeek14:Modernism:Novel—thethirties:DosPassos&SteinbeckWeek15:AmericanDrama:EugeneO’NeillWeek16:MultiethnicLiterature:BlackLiterature—RalphEllisonWeek17:MultiethnicLiterature:JewishLiterature—SoulBellowWeek18:GeneralReviewQuestion

WhatistheoriginofWesterncultureandliterature?TheancientGreekcultureHebrewcultureGreekCulture:1.GreekandRomanMythology2.Epic:apoemthatcelebratesintheformofacontinuousnarrativetheachievementsofoneormoreheroicpersonagesofhistoryortradition.Homerepics:IliadOdyssey3.Drama(tragedyandcomedy),4.Oraltradition—story-tellingHebrewculture:TheHolyBibleInfluence:Themes:theGardenofEden,OriginalSinandsalvationAllusions:Judah’sKiss,Noah’sArk,thelastsupperStoryPatterns:theflood,theExodusImages:fire,waterStyle:Comparethefollowingparagraphs:AndAdamknewEvehiswife;andsheconceived,andbareCain,andsaid,IhavegottenamanfromtheLORD.AndsheagainbarehisbrotherAbel.AndAbelwasakeeperofsheep,butCainwasatilleroftheground.Andinprocessoftimeitcametopass,thatCainbroughtofthefruitofthegroundanofferinguntotheLORD.AndAbel,healsobroughtofthefirstlingsofhisflockandofthefatthereof.AndtheLORDhadrespectuntotoAbelandtohisoffering;ButuntoCainandtohisofferinghehadnotrespect.AndCainwasverywroth,andhiscountenancefell.`(Genesis)Andnowthegreatownerandthecompaniesinventedanewmethod.Agreatownerboughtacannery.Andwhenthepeachesandthepearwereripehecutthepriceofthefruitbelowthecostofraisingit.Andascanneryownerhepaidhimselfalowpriceforthefruitandkeptthepriceofcannedgoodsupandtookhisprofit.Andthelittlefarmerswhoownednocannerieslosttheirfarms,andtheyweretakenbythegreatowners,thebanks,andthecompanieswhoalsoownedcanneries.Astimeswenton,therewerefewerfarms.Thelittlefarmersmovedintotownforawhileandexhaustedtheircredit,exhaustedtheirfriends,theirrelatives.Andthentheytoowentonthehighways.Andtheroadswerecrowdedwithmenravenousforwork,murderousforwork.(TheGrapesofWrath)ThestyleDiction:simpleandconciseSyntax:simpleandshortsentenceParallelTheuseof“and”WhataretheClassicsofChinesecultureSiShu(四书)TheGreatLearning《大学》TheDoctrineoftheMean《中庸》TheAnalectsofConfucius《论语》Mencius《孟子》五经：TheFiveClassics:TheBookofSongs《诗经》TheBookofHistory《书经》TheBookofChanges《易经》TheBookofRites《礼记》TheSpringandAutumnAnnals《春秋》Thephilosophicalfoundation:ConfucianismBuddhismTaoismTheColonialandRevolutionaryPeriod:1608---18001.TheColonialPeriod:1608---17502.TheRevolutionaryPeriod:1750---1800HistoricalBackground:

TheColonizationofNorthAmericaIndiansofNorthAmerica1492,ChristopherColumbusMigrationfromEurope1607,morethan120BritishmenfoundedthefirstEnglishColony,JamestowninVirginia1620,“MayFlower”,Puritans,PlymouthcolonyinNewEngland1630,MassachusettsBaycolonyThirteenEnglishcolonies(1607-1733)

13EnglishColoniesMayflower(imitation),27meterslong102peopleaboard66daysatseaFeaturesofPuritanismPurificationofthechurchCalvinism(JohnCalvin,1509-1564,Frenchprotestantreformer)EmphasisofPredestination“预定论”Totaldepravity(OriginalSin)彻底的堕落(因原罪而起）UnconditionalelectionLimitedatonement有限的赎罪InfluenceofPuritanism

Intoleranceandbigotryinreligion,austerityandrigidityoftaste,asceticism,killjoywayoflife(Theword“Puritan”isusedtorefertodenoteastrictnessinmorality.)Hardwork,thrift,pietyandsobriety

highlycherishedPositiveinfluenceonnationalcharacter,onliteratureandonculture.(p.14-15)popularimageofPuritans:ateetotaler绝不沾酒,gaunt骨瘦如柴,lank-haired头发平直,wearingablacksteeplehat尖顶帽OverviewoftheLiteraryScene

Genre(personalliterature)—diaries,histories,journals,letters,travelbooks,autobiographies/biographies,sermonsTheme—

Idealism&pragmatism:

Godorcolonialexpansion,politics,ideasofEnlightenmentandrevolution,advocacyofindependenceanddemocracyForm—imitatedandtransplantedEnglishliterarytraditionsFeatures—

proudsenseofmission,emphasisondidacticrole,richinreligiouscolor,notprofessional,highlypolitical,largelyderivativeanddependentColonialLiterature

EarlyAmericanwriters:CaptainJohnSmith(Jamestown)WilliamBradford(Plymouth)JohnWinthrop(MassachusettsBay)Earlypoets:AnneBradstreetEdwardTaylorAnneBradstreet(1612—1672)

安妮·布雷兹特里特FirstfamouspoetinNorthAmerica,knownasthe“TenthMuse”Majorworks:

TheTenthMuseLatelySprungupinAmerica(1650)《最近在美洲出现的第十位缪斯》

thefirstcollectionofpoemsinNorthAmerica.

Contemplations

《沉思录》LiteratureintheAgeofReasonandRevolution

(1750—1810)HistoricalBackground1.WarofIndependence

2.Enlightenment(science,order,reason;deism自然神论;JeanJaques

Rouseau,SocialContract社会契约论,)OverviewoftheLiteraryScene1.Genre:prose,novel,poetry,drama

2.Content:justificationofWar;encouragepeople;civilandreligiousfreedom;Americanmaterial3.Form:imitation,begantoseekforliteraryindependence4.Features:1750–1780,distinctpoliticalnature；

1780–1800,seekforculturalindependenceMajorThinkersandWritersThomasJefferson:

“DeclarationofIndependence”ThomasPaine:“CommonSense”,“TheAmericanCrisis”BenjaminFranklin:“PoorRichard’sAlmanac”,“Autobiography”PhilipFreneau:“TheWildHoneysuckle”(p.23),“TheIndianBuryingGround”JonathanEdwards:religious,aministerMajorworksofJefferson1.DeclarationofIndependence,1776 ----“Weholdthesetruthstobeself-evident,thatallmenarecreatedequal,thattheyareendowedbytheirCreatorwithcertainunalienableRights,thatamongtheseareLife,LibertyandpursuitofHappiness.”2.

NotesontheStateofVirginia

《

弗吉尼亚笔记》

back托马斯·潘恩

（1737—1809）mostinfluentialthinkerandwriterintheWarofIndependenceMajorworksCommonSense《常识》TheAmericanCrisis《美洲危机》（“TheTimesthatTryMen’sSouls”《考验人的灵魂的时代》)TheRightsofMan(1791—1792)《人的权利》TheAgeofReason《理性的时代》backBenjaminFranklin(1706-1790)Statesman,essayist,orator,philosopher,ambassador,scientist,inventor,publisher“masterofeachandmasteredbynone”—HermanMelvilleOneoftheFoundingFathersofAmericaSymbolofAmericaintheAgeofEnlightenment

TheonlyAmericantosignthefourdocumentsthatcreatedtheUnitedStates:

theDeclarationofIndependencethetreatyofalliancewithFrancethetreatyofpeacewithEnglandtheconstitutionThesymbolofAmericanDream,aself-mademanHisMajorWorks(1)

PoorRichard’sAlmanac(1732)《格言历书》

poemsandessaysagoodmanyadagesandcommonsensewitticismsHisMajorWorks(2)Autobiography(1868)—thesimpleyetimmenselyfascinatingrecordofamanrisingtowealthandfamefromastateofpovertyandobscurity—thefaithfulaccountofthecolorfulcareerofAmerican’sfirstself-mademan.—aPuritandocument(self-examinationandself-improvement;illustrationofPuritanethics)—astoryofthefulfillmentofAmericandream.GeneralCharacteristics:Asanauthor,Franklinisbestknownforhisphilosophyofthepracticalandtheuseful.Franklin’senergieswerebenttowardimprovingtheconditionsofthismundaneexistence.Style:Simple,easy,naturalwayofrelatingeventsSimplicity,practicality,suggestiveness,commonsense,werehisleadingattributes.SupplementaryreadingColonizationofAmericaTwoimportantNewEnglandSettlementsThePlymouthColony

FlagshipMayflowerarrives-1620

Leader-WilliamBradford

SettlersknownasPilgrims

TheMayflowerCompactprovidesfor

social,religious,andeconomicfreedom,

whilestillmaintainingtiestoGreatBritain.

TheMassachusettsBayColony

FlagshipArbellaarrives-1630

Leader-JohnWinthrop

SettlersaremostlyPuritans

TheArbellaCovenantclearlyestablishes

areligioussettlement,

freeoftiestoGreatBritain.ColonialProseWritersJohnSmith(1580-1631)约翰·史密斯,thefirstAmericanwriter

AtrueRelationofVirginia(1608)《关于弗吉尼亚的真实叙述》ADescriptionofNewEngland

（1616)《新英格兰概述》WilliamBradford(1590-1657),威廉·布拉福德，“FatherofAmericanHistory”.

OfPlymouthPlantation《普利茅斯种植园史》

JohnWinthrop(1588-1649),约翰·温斯罗普

TheHistoryofNewEngland

《新英格兰史》ThirteenvirtuesfromTheAutobiography(1)1.

Temperance节制.Eatnottodullness;drinknottoelevation.2.Silence沉默.Speaknotbutwhatmaybenefitothersoryourself;avoidtriflingconversation.3.

Order秩序.Letallyourthingshavetheirplaces;leteachpartofyourbusinesshaveitstime.4.

Resolution决心.Resolvetoperformwhatyouought;performwithoutfailwhatyouresolve.ThirteenvirtuesfromTheAutobiography(2)5.Frugality节俭.Makenoexpensebuttodogoodtoothersoryourself,i.e.,wastenothing.6.

Industry勤奋.Losenotime;bealwaysemployedinsomethinguseful;cutoffallunnecessaryactions.7.

Sincerity诚实.Usenoharmfuldeceit;thinkinnocentlyandjustly,and,ifyouspeak,speakaccordingly.8.

Justice公正.Wrongnonebydoinginjuries,oromittingthebenefitsthatareyourduty.ThirteenvirtuesfromTheAutobiography(3)9.Moderation适度.Avoidextremes;forbea