英语专业英国文学考研期末考试必备

EnglishliteratureHistoryBackgroundEarlyinhabitants---Celts---wereconquered3times:a.Romansb.Anglo-Saxons:Germaniclanguageandculturec.Normans:Mediterraneancivilization(Greekculture,Romanlaw,Christianreligion)OldEnglishLiteratureFrom450to1066(theperiodwitnessedatransitionfromtribalsocietytofeudalsociety;theyearoftheNormanconquestofEngland)TheGermanictribesfromtheNorthernEuropebroughtwiththem:Anglo-Saxonlanguage,thebasisofModernEnglishandpoetictraditionOldEnglishpoetryconsistsofthereligiousgroupandthesecularone.BeowulfAtypicalexampleofOldEnglishpoetry,regardedasthenationalepicoftheAnglo-Saxons.Oralformin6thc.=>Writtenin10thc.Itcontains3183linesofalliterationalverseItdescribestheexploitsofaScandinavianheroThreeconflicts:a.BeowulfvsGrendel(amonster)b.BeowulfvsGrendel’srevengefulmotherc.Beowulfvsfire-breathingdragonItisaminglingofnaturemythsandheroiclegends.AnalysisofthepoemAfolklegend---reflectingthefeaturesoftribalsocietyofancienttimesTheartisticfeaturesofBeowulf:a.theuseofalliterationb.theuseofmetaphorsandunderstatement“ring-giver”---king;“sea-wood”---ship;“swan’spath”or“whale’sroad”---sea;“nottroublesome”---verywelcomeOriginalText:Hwæt!WeGardenaingeardagum,þeodcyninga,þrymgefrunon,huðaæþelingasellenfremedon.OftScyldScefingsceaþenaþreatum,monegummægþum,meodosetlaofteah,egsodeeorlas.Translatedtext:PreludeoftheFounderoftheDanishHouseLO,praiseoftheprowessofpeople-kings

ofspear-armedDanes,indayslongsped,

wehaveheard,andwhathonortheathelings

won!

OftScyldtheScefingfromsquadronedfoes,

frommanyatribe,themead-benchtore,

awingtheearls.Sinceersthelay

friendless,afoundling,faterepaidhim:

forhewaxedunderwelkin,inwealthhethrove,

tillbeforehimthefolk,bothfarandnear,

whohousebythewhale-path,heardhismandate,

gavehimgifts:agoodkinghe!NormanConquest---changes:1.Politically:feudalistsystem2.Religiously:Rome-basedCatholicChurch3.Language:French---officiallanguageLatin---principletongueofchurchandunuversitiesOldEnglish---commonEnglishpeopleMedievalEnglishLiteratureOEFrom1066tomid-14thcenturyMiddleEnglishliteraturedealswithawiderrangeofsubjects,greaterdiversityofstyles,tonesandgenresRomanceusesnarrativeverseorprosetosingknightlyadventuresorotherheroicdeedsGeoffreyChaucerThegreatestwriterofthisperiodInfluencedbyRenaissanceTheCanterburyTalesTheseTalestellofanimaginarygroupofpilgrimstravellingfromLondontoCanterburytovisitthetombofSt.Thomas.Toentertainoneanotherduringthejourney,Thepilgrims,whocomefromalllayersofsociety,tellsastory,therebyprovidingawonderfulmirroroflifeinMedievalEngland.Theme:Chauceraffirmedman’srighttopursueearthlyhappinessandopposedasceticism;hepraisedman’senergy,intellect,quickwitandloveoflife;heexposedandsatirizedthesocialvices,includingreligiousabuses.Chaucerboremarksofhumanismandanticipatedaneweratocome.(whatera?)GENERALPROLOGUE:INTRODUCTIONTHEKNIGHT’STALETHEMILLER’STALEWIFEOFBATH’STALE1Prologue+THEPARDONER’STale24talesTHENUN’SPRIEST’STALEChaucer’sContributionsIntroducedfromFrancetherhymedstanzasofvarioustypestoEnglishpoetrytoreplacetheoldEnglishalliterativeverseHeroiccouplet:therhymedcoupletofiambicpentameterTheCanterburyTalesJohnDrydencalledChaucer:theFatherofEnglishpoetryHomework:iambicpentameterIambicPentameter&HeroicCoupletiambicpentameteriambic/iamb:anunitofrhythminpoetry(rhythm:theregularrepeatedpatternofsounds)thathasoneweakbeat/oneunstressedsyllabusfollowedbyonestrongbeat/onestressedsyllabuspentameter:alinewithfivemainbeatsacommonpatternofbeatsinpoetry,inwhicheachlinehasfiveiambs抑扬格五音步Heroiccouplet:2consecutiverhyminglinesinIPstressed,unstressedWhohasseenthewind?

NeitherInoryou;Whohasseenthewind?

NeitherInoryou;Note:itisnotiambicExceptfromTheCanterburyTalesWheninAprilthesweetshowersfallAndpiercethedroughtofMarchtotherootandallTheveinsarebathedinliquorofsuchpowerAsbringsabouttheengenderingof