美国文学-第2周课件

ClassdiscussionAmericanliteratureofearlyperiodissometimescommentedasneither“American”nor“literature”.Doyouagreeordisagree?Why?ApossibleanswerMostcolonialliteratureimitatestheformandtechniqueofthemothercountry.Diaries,histories,journals,letters,commonplacebooks,travelbooks,sermons,inshort,personalliteratureinitsvariousforms,occupiedamajorpositionintheliteratureoftheearlycolonialperiod.Likemostcolonialliterature,EnglishliterarytraditionswerefaithfullyimitatedandtransplantedbyearlyNewEnglandpoets,thoughthereligiouspassionandfrequentbiblicalreferences,aswellasthenewsetting,giveNewEnglandwritingaspecialidentity.IncontenttheseearlywritingsservedeitherGodorcolonialexpansionorboth.EarlypoetslikeAnneBradstreetandEdwardTaylorwereinfactsomanyservantsofGod.ThatiswhywecansayAmericanliteratureofearlyperiodcouldbecommentedasneither“American”nor“literature”TheLiteratureofColonialAmerica

&TheLiteratureofReasonandRevolutionThePeriodofColonialAmerica(1607-1775)HistoricalbackgroundChristopherColumbusfoundthenewworldinavoyageof1492.Theearly1600switnessedthebeginningofagreattideofemigrationfromEuropetoNorthAmerica.ThefirstpermanentEnglishsettlementinNorthAmericaatJamestown,Virginiain1607.InNovember9,1620,theMayflowershiplandsatCapeCod,Massachusetts,with101colonists:theestablishmentofthefirstAmericancolonyTheNativeAmericanspossessedatragichistoryofsubjugationandbloodshedbythosestrangersfromabroad.Puritanism~~~ThefirstsettlerswhobecamethefoundingfathersoftheAmericannationwerequitealotofthemPuritans~~~WhydidPuritanscometoAmerica?-toescapereligiouspersecution-toreformtheChurchofEngland-tohaveanentirelynewchurchPuritanismPuratanismwasareligiousreformmovementthatarosewiththeChurchofEnglandinthelate16thcentury.PuritansadheredtothefivepointsofCalvinismJohnCalvin:atheologian.Puritansbelievedmostdoctrinespreachedbyhim,sotheywerecalledCalvinist.Totalhereditary/depravityUnconditionalelectionLimitedatonement.Irresistiblegrace.PerseveranceoftheSaintsPuritanismFivepointsofCalvinismAmericanPuritanismacodeofvalues,aphilosophyoflife,andapointofview,carriedbyEnglishimmigrats,ispopularlyknownasAmericanPuritanismAmericanPuritansGod’schosenpeopleTopurifytheirreligiousbeliefsandpractices.TorestoresimplicitytochurchservicesandtheauthorityoftheBibletotheology.morepracticalandtougherbecauseoftheseverefrontierconditionsPuritanoppositiontopleasureandtheartssometimeshasbeenexaggerated.ReligiousteachingtendedtoemphasizetheimageofawrathfulGod.

InfluenceofPuritanism~~~AmericanPuritanismwasoneofthemostenduringshapinginfluencesinAmericanthoughtandAmericanliterature~~~Agroupofgoodqualities—hardwork,thrift,piety,sobriety(seriousandthoughtful)influencedAmerican.InfluenceofPuritanism~~~Itledtotheeverlastingmyth.Americanliteratureisbasedonamyth,thatis,themythofGardenofEden.~~~ThePuritanstyleofwritingwascharacterizedbysimplicity.~~~ComparewithConfuncianismCaptainJohnSmithWilliamBradfordJohnWinthropAnneBradstreetEdwardTaylorMajorwritersMajorWriters

CaptainJohnSmith（1580-1631）

thefirstAmericanwriterFamousworksAMapofVirginiawithaDescriptionofNewEngland《新英格兰叙事》(1612)TheGeneralHistoryofVirginia,NewEngland,andtheSummerIsles《弗吉尼亚通史》（1624）PocahontasWilliamBradford(1590-1657)FirstgovernorofPlymouthandoneofthegreatestofcolonialAmericanAsignatorytotheMayflowerCompactwhileaboardtheMayflowerin1620.WilliamBradford(1590-1657)HeservedasthePlymouthGovernorfivetimescoveringabout30yearsbetween1621-1657.Masterpiece:OfPlymouthPlantation《普利茅斯种植园史》OfPlymouthPlantation

isregardedasthemostauthoritativeaccountofthe

Pilgrims

andtheearlyyearsoftheColonytheyfounded.Twomajorpoetsincolonialperiod:AnneBradstreetEdwardTaylor

AnneBradstreet(安妮·布拉德斯特里特)(1612-1672)ShewasbornandeducatedinEnglandShecametoAmericanwithherfatherandhusbandin1630.Shehad8childreninherlifeAnneBradstreet(安妮·布拉德斯特里特)(1612-1672)

thefirstfemaleAmericanpoetaPuritanpoet,oncecalled“TenthMuse”Masterpiece:TheTenthMuseLatelySprungUpinAmericaThemostfamouspoems—“Contemplations”《沉思录》TheTenthMuseLatelySprungUpinAmerica

PublishedinEnglandin1650asherfirstbook.Bradstreet’sfinestpoemsarethoseclosesttoherpersonalexperienceasaPuritanwifeandmotherlivingintheedgeofthewildness.AnneBradstreetwasnotaninnovativepoet,butherdirectnessandhersincerityaremoving.EdwardTaylor(1642-1729)heemigratedin1668tothe

MassachusettsBayColony

inAmerica.

HewasthegreateastPuritanpoetinAmericanColonialPeriod.Majorworks:God’sDeterminations《上帝的决定》

PreparatoryMeditation《内省录》MainFeaturesofColonialPoetsMostofthemwerePuritanpoetsandservantsofGod.TheyfaithfullyimitatedandtransplantedEnglishliterarytraditions.MainFeaturesofColonialLiterature

humbleorigins.Personalliteratureinitsvariousforms,occupyamajorpositionintheliteratureoftheearlycolonialperiod.IncontenttheseearlywritingsservedeitherGodorcolonialexpansionorboth.Inform,iftherewasanyformatall,Englishliterarytraditionswerefaithfullyimitatedandtransplanted.RevolutionaryPeriod(1775-1783)TheLiteratureofReasonandRevolutionTheLiteratureofReasonandRevolution

HistoryBackgroundTheEnlightenmentMovementIndependenceWar1775,Lexington,beginningoftheIndependenceWarJune4th,1776,ThomasJefferson,DeclarationofIndependence1778,alliancewithFrance,turningpointforAmericanarmy1778,Englisharmysurrendered1783,formalrecognitionfromBritaingovernmentTheWarofIndependence(1775-1783)MajorwritersBenjaminFranklinThomasPaineThomasJeffersonPhilipFreneauJonathanEdwardsBenjaminFranklin(1706-1790)oneofthegreatestfoundingfathersoftheAmericanNationBenjaminFranklinwasaspokesmanfortheneworderofthe18thcenturyenlightenmentararegeniusinhumanhistoryJackofalltrades:essayist,printer,scientist,postmaster,almanacmaker,orator,statesman,autobiographicalwriterphilosopher,politicaleconomist,ambassador,almosteverythingBenjaminFranklin(1706-1790)LifeBenjaminFranklincamefromaCalvinistbackground.Hewasbornintoapoorcandle-maker’sfamily.Hehadverylittleeducation.Helearnedinschoolonlyfortwoyears.At12,hewasapprenticedtohiselderhalf-brother,aprinter.At16,hebegantopublishessaysunderthepenname“Mrs.SilenceDogood”.At17,heranawaytoPhiladelphiatomakehisownfortune.In1727hefoundedtheJuntoclub.Franklin’sContributionstoAmericanPennsylvaniaHospital.HefoundedanacademywhichledtotheUniversityofPennsylvania.Hewasalsorememberedforvolunteerfiredepartments,effectivestreetlighting,theFranklinstove,bifocalglassesandefficientheatingdevices.Andforhislightning-rod,hewascalled“thenewPrometheuswhohadstolenfirefromheaven.”HewastheonlyAmericantosignthefourdocumentsthatcreatedtheUnitedStates:

TheDeclarationofIndependence,TheTreatyofAlliancewithFrance,TheTreatyofPeacewithEngland,TheConstitutionBenjaminFranklin(1706-1790)Famousworks*TheAutobiography《自传》*PoorRichard’sAlmanac《穷理查德年鉴》The

Autobiographyisarecordofself-examinationandself-improvement.Throughtellingasuccessstoryofself-reliance,thebookcelebrates,infact,thefulfillmentoftheAmericandream.TheAutobiographyisinthepatternofPuritansimplicity,directness,andconcision.Tone:Optimism

TheAutobiographyofBenjaminFranklinPoorRichard'sAlmanac1.Time:almostaquarterofcentury2.Content:Literarypiecessuchaspoemsandessays,agoodmanyadages,commonsensewitticisms3.Sources:heborrowedthemfromsuchfamouswriterssuchasRabelais,Defoe,SwiftandPopeandtriedtosimplifythesequotations4.Examples:Famoussayingssuchas“Losttimeisneverfoundagain”,“Godhelpthemthathelpthemselves”,etc..5.Function:practical,instructive,andamusingSayingsfromPoorRichard'sAlmanacApennysavedisapennyearnedAnounceofpreventionisworthapoundofcure.Creditorshavebettermemoriesthandebtors.Awordtothewiseissufficient.Hethatgoesa-borrowinggoesa-sorrowing.Godhelpsthemwhohelpthemselves.Earlytobed,andearlytorise,makesaManhealthy,wealthy,andwise.DiligenceistheMotherofGoodLuck.Onetodayisworthtwotomorrow.Asmallleakwillsinkagreatship.ThomasPaine(1737-1809)borninEnglandin1774,attheageof37,recognizedbyFranklinbecauseofhispeculiartalents,andmadehiswaytoPhiladelphia,whereheeditedthePennsylvaniaMagazineownedandpublishedbyFranklinin1776,hisfamouspamphletCommonSensecameoutthemostarticulatespokesmanoftheAmericanRevolution,hischiefcontributionwasaseriesofsixteenpamphletsentitledTheAmericanCrisisFamousWorksofThomasPaineCommonSense(1776)urgedanimmediatedeclarationofindependenceTheAmericanCrisis(Dec.1776-April1783),aseriesof16pamphletsinsupportoftheRevolutionaryWarTheRightsofMan(1791-2),adefenseoftheFrenchRevolutionagainsttheattacksofEdmundBurkeTheAphoristicStyle

(格言风格)AlthoughPaine’slanguageissimpleandblunt,hecomposessomesentenceswithextracare,achievingwhatiscalledanaphoristicstyle.Thesearememorablestatementsinthemselves:Whatweobtaintoocheap,weesteemtoolightly”;“Tyranny,likehell,isnoteasilyconquered.”IneachcasePainecutsandpolishedthesentencetomakeitstandout.PhilipFreneau(1752-1832)HewasborninNewYork.At16,heenteredtheCollegeofNewJersey(nowPrincetonUniversity).In1771hedecideddoapostgraduatestudyintheology.Buttwoyearslaterhegaveitup.LaterheattendedtheWarofIndependence,andhewascapturedbyBritisharmyin1780.Afterbeingreleased,hepublished“TheBritishPrisonShip”in1781.Inthesameyear,hepublished“TotheMemoryoftheBraveAmericans”.Afterwar,hesupportedJefferson,andcontributedgreatlytoAmericangovernment.Butafter50yearsold,helivedinpoverty.Andatlasthediedinablizzard.PhilipFreneau(1752-1832)“fatherofAmericanpoetry.”

poetoftheAmericanRevolution,themostaccomplishedpatriotpoet,thefirstAmerican-bornpoet,“Agiftedandversatilelyricpoet”Hisvoiceisoneofdemocracyandindependence.MuchofhispoetryfocusedonAmerica’sfuturegreatness,andonothersubjectslikethebeautiesofthenaturalworld.Hehasbeenregardedasapioneerofromanticspirit.FamousWorks“TheRisingGloryofAmerica”(1772)《美洲光辉的兴起》“TheBritishPrisonShip”(1781)《英国囚船》“TotheMemoryoftheBraveAmericans”(1781)《纪念美国勇士》“TheWildHoneySuckle”(1786)《野金银花》“TheIndianBuryingGround”(1788)《印第安人墓地》Itisconsideredoneoftheauthor’sfinestnaturepoems.ThepoemwaspublishedinhisPoems(1786)andwasvirtuallyunreadint