英国浪漫时期文学课件The-Romantic-Period

TheRomanticPeriodChapterFiveTheindustrialrevolutionbroughtwithitmodernmachineryandmodernindustry,industrialcapitalismandtheproletariat.EconomicexploitationandpoliticalstrugglebetweentheindustrialcapitalistsandtheproletariatforthefirsttimeinEnglishhistorybecamethemajorsocialconflictinthatcountry.1. TheHistoricalBackground:Economic,PoliticalandIdeologicalthelaboringpeople/somefeudalaristocrats/partofthebourgeoisie/sympathytowardtheFrenchRevolutionof/theradicalJacobins/therulingclassesinEngland/thereactionaryforces/wagewarwithFrance/thefallofNapoleonin1815twomajoreventstookplace:(1)theLuddites’destructionofmachineryin1810-1811(2)themassacreofapopulargatheringinSt.Peter’sFields(laterironicallyknownas“Peterloo”)nearManchesterin1819Thepost-Napoleonicwars/economicdepression/thefallofagriculturalproduction/theintroductionoftheCornLaws,/parliamentaryreformof1832/thepoorpeoplegotnothingthepoliticalideologyoftherulingclasses/EdmundBurke/advocaterevolutionarysocialchange/“ReflectionsontheFrenchRevolution”(1790)/radicalcamp/JosephPriestley(1733-1809)“LettertoBurke”(1791),ThomasPaine(1737-1809)“TheRightsofMan”(1791-92)/WilliamGodwin(1756-1836)“AnEnquiryConcerningthePrinciplesofPoliticalJustice”(1793).radicalwritersfortherightsofthepeopleTheRomanticMovementinEnglishLiteratureasPartoftheRomanticMovementinEuropeanLiterature.2.TheLiteraryTrendsItcameearliestinGermanyinthelate18thcentury,beganinEnglandalittlelater,withtheromanticprecursorsinlate18thcenturyandthenthegreatromanticpoetsinthelastyearsofthe18thcenturyandthefirsttwodecadesofthe19th,anditarrivedlastinFrance,floweringintheearly19thcentury,withVictorHugo,Chateaubriand(1768～1848),Beranger,LamartineandGeorgeSand(1804～1876).TheliteratureoftheRomanticMovementexpressedamoreorlessnegativeattitudeofthedifferentsocialstrataofthetimetowardtheexistingsocialandpoliticalconditionsthatcamewiththeindustrialrevolutionandthegrowingimportanceofthebourgeoisie.Differentstandsanddifferentaimsinview:

1.Someforthearistocracywholostoutintheirbattleforsupremacywiththebourgeoisie2.someonbehalfofthepatriarchalpeasantrythatsufferedfromtheagrarianrevolutionandtheindustrialrevolution,3.SomeforthenewindustrialproletariatsufferingfromincreasedtyrannyandexploitationaftertheindustrialrevolutionandtheNapoleonicwarsInEnglandtheliteraryoutputoftheRomanticMovementfounditsexpressionchieflyinthepoetryofthegreatScottishpeasantpoetRobertBurns(1759-1796)andofthepoorengraverpoetofWilliamBlake(1757-1827).theverylastyearsofthe18thcentury---thefirsttwodecadesofthe19thcentury,romanticisminEnglandreacheditsfullflowering,especiallyintherealmofpoetrywheretheworksofByronandShelleyandKeatsappearedsidebysidewiththeverseofthe“Lakepoets”WordsworthandColeridge.WalterScott,Theoutstanding“romantic”essayistsofthefirstdecadesofthe19thcenturyincludeWilliamHazlitt,ThomasdeQuincey,CharlesLambTheeraoftheRomanticMovementintheearly19thcenturyEnglishliteraturewasaperiodofgreatpoetryandgreatprose.WilliamWordsworth,therepresentativepoetoftheearlyromanticism3. WilliamWordsworthIn1797hemadefriendwithColeridge.In1798theyjointlypublishedthe“TheLyricalBallads”.“TheLyricalBallads”markedthebreakwiththeconventionalpoeticaltraditionofthe18thcentury,i.e.,withclassicism,andthebeginningoftheRomanticrevivalinEngland.Intheprefacetothe“LyricalBallads”,hebasedhisownpoeticalprincipleonthepremisethat“allgoodpoetryisthespontaneousoverflowofpowerfulfeeling.”Heappealeddirectlytoindividualsensations.Thefunctionofpoetryliesinitspowertogiveanunexpectedsplendortofamiliarandcommonplacethings,toincidentsandsituationsfromcommonlife.Astothelanguageusedinpoetry

He“endeavouredtobring(his)languageneartothereallanguageofmen”,“byfittingtometricalarrangementaselectionofthereallanguageofmen”toastateofvividsensation.Theprefacetothe“LyricalBallads”servedasthemanifestooftheEnglishRomanticMovementinpoetry.Wordsworth,ColeridgeandSoutheyhaveoftenbeenmentionedasthe“LakePoets”.Asagreatpoetofnature,hewasthefirsttofindwordsforthemostelementarysensationsofmanfacetofacewithnaturalphenomena.Hisdeeplovefornaturerunsthroughsuchshortlyricsas

“LinesWritteninEarlySpring”《写于早春》,“TotheCuckoo”《致布谷鸟》“IWonderedLonelyasaCloud”《我好似一朵孤独的流云》“MyHeartLeapsUp”《每当我看见天上的虹》“IntimationsofImmortality”《不朽的暗示》“TinternAbbey”《丁登寺旁》.Hewasalsoamasterhandinsearchingandrevealingthefeelingsofthecommonpeople.Thepatheticpicturesofthelaboringpeoplein“TheSolitaryReaper”Thenaivetyofsimplepeasantchildrenin“WeAreSeven”Hisdeepsympathytowardthesufferingsofthepoor,humblepeasantsin“Michael”,“TheRuinedCottage”,“SimonLee”and“TheOldCumberlandBeggar”.His“Lucy”poemsareaseriesofshortpatheticlyricsonthethemeofharmonybetweenhumanityandnature“SheDweltamongtheUntroddenWays”.Wordsworth’spoetryisdistinguishedbythesimplicityandpurityofhislanguage.languagespokenbythepeasantswasthebestofall.Histheoryandpracticeinpoeticalcreationstartedfromadissatisfactionwiththesocialrealityundercapitalism,andhintedatthethoughtof“backtonature”and“backtothepatriarchalsystemoftheoldtime”.“ThePrelude”ishisautobiographicalpoem,whichwaswrittenin1799-1805.Itisthespiritualrecordofthepoet’smind,honestlyrecordinghisownintimatementalexperiences.SamuelTaylorColeridge(1772-1834),poetandcritic,from1795beganthefamousfriendshipwithWordsworthandhissisterDorothy.4. ColeridgeHispoems“TheRimeoftheAncientMariner”<古水手之歌>（1798）

“KublaKhan”<忽必烈汗>（1797）

“Christabel”<克里斯特贝尔>（1797-1800）“TheRimeoftheAncientMariner”wasfirstincludedinthe“LyricalBallads”.Thecombinationofthenaturalandthesupernatural,theordinaryandextraordinarymakesthepoemoneofthemasterpiecesoftheRomanticpoetry.“KublaKhan”isadream-poem.“Christabel”isanotherofColeridge’sunfinishedpoems.Ittellsofasorcererwhocastsaspelloverapureyounggirl.Coleridgewasahighlygiftedmanbutagreatdreamer.Helovedtobuildcastlesintheair,saying:“Myeyesmakepictureswhentheyshut.”Hemadebigplansbuthadnowilltocarrythemout.Whatisworse,hebecameanopium-eaterowingtosomeneuroticpain.Asyearswenton,hebecamemoreandmoreconservative.InhisoldagehewrotetheologicalarticlestorefutetheconvictionsofhisyouthanddefendtheChurchofEngland.5. Southey(1774-1843)RobertSouthey,oneofthe“LakePoets”,wasthesonofalinen-draper.Hewasahardworker,writingpoetry,drama,criticism,history,biographyandjournalism,makingtranslation,andcompilingeditionsofearlierwriters.HewasborninanimpoverishednoblefamilyinLondonin1788.Hisearlyyearshadbeenfarfromhappy.6. GeorgeGordonByron(1788-1824)Byronwasastaunchchampionofthepeople’scause.Heraisedhisvoiceindefenceoftheoppressedworkersinhiswork----“SongfortheLuddites”(1816).“ChildeHarold’sPilgrimage”<恰尔德•哈罗尔德游记>OnApril15,1816,hesetsailforEurope,nevertoreturn.HisleavingEnglandforgoodmarkedhissplitwiththereactionaryBritishgovernmentandthehypocriticalEnglishhighsociety.“ChildeHarold’sPilgrimage”tellsofChildeHarold’s,ayouthofnoblebirth,travelsinEurope.Haroldisayoungaristocratwhoseworld-wearinessbespeakshisloathingforEnglishhighsociety.Heleaveshiscountrytoescapefromthesocietyhefearsandhates.Beingsolitaryandmelancholy,heseeksthecompanionshipofmountainsandseas.Butbeneaththismelancholiaisasad,earnest,sufferingyoungmanofardentfeelings,withakeenunderstandingandastrongloveoffreedom.Ideasonthesoul’sescape“DonJuan”isByron’smasterpiece.Thevicissitudesofhislifeandhisadventuresinmanycountriesaredescribedagainstvariedsocialbackgrounds,andheisseentotakepartindifferenthistoricalevents,thusgivingabroadpanoramaofcontemporarylife.Hisaiminwritingitwastoremovethecloakwhichthemannersandmaximsofhighsocietythrowingovertheirsecretsins,andshowthemtotheworldastheyreallyare.InthepoemByrondisplayedhisgeniusasaromanticistandarealistsimultaneously.HisaiminwritingitPercyshowedhisinclinationforindependentthinkingandastrongloveofliteratureearly,gloryingfreedom,exposingtyrannyandexpressinghissympathyfortheoppressed.7. PercyByssheShelly(1792--1822)In1811,hewroteandpublishedananti-religiouspamphlet“TheNecessityofAtheism”,believingthatreligionwasaninstrumentofoppression.HewascompelledtoleaveEnglandin1818andspentalltherestofhislifeinItaly.“Shelly,thewriterofsomeinfidelpoetry,hasbeendrowned;nowheknowswhetherthereisaGodorno.”“QueenMab”,Shelly’sfirstlongpoemofimportance,writtenin1813,containsalmostallhismajorsocialandpoliticalideas.“TheRevoltofIslam”(1818)ismeanttoshow“impatienceatalltheoppressionsthataredoneunderthesun,”“theawakeningofanimmensenationfromtheirslaveryanddegradationtoatruesenseofmoraldignityandfreedom,thebloodlessdethronementoftheiroppressorsandtheunveilingofthereligiousfraudsbywhichtheyhadbeendeludedintosubmission.”“TheRevoltofIslam”“PrometheusUnbound”isShelly’smasterpiece,alyricaldramain4acts.“PrometheusUnbound”Greekmyth“PrometheusBound”,aplayoftheGreektragedianAeschylusToShelly,theimageofPrometheusunitesfournoblequalities:man’sshapingintellect,hisheroicendurance,thedefianceagainsttyrannyandtheloveofmankind.PrometheusboundbecomesPrometheusunbound,whichsymbolizesthevictoryforman’sstruggleagainsttyrannyandoppression.SignificanceInhislyrics,natureisendowedwithlife,andthepoetmergeshimselfwithit.Hisgivesanexquisitebeautytotheselyricsonnature.LyricsonNatureandLoveInthepoemthepoeteulogizesthewestwindasapowerfulphenomenonofnaturethatisbothdestroyerandpreserver,thatenjoysboundlessfreedomandthathasthepowertospreadmessagesfarandwide.Thepoemshowsthepoet’swishforhimselfandhisfellowmentosharethefreedomofthewestwind,andatthesametimerememberinghisownandcommonhumanmiseries.OdetotheWestWindThisnoteofoptimismfollowinghiswordsbewailinghumansufferingsshowsatoncethepoet’scriticalattitudetowardtheuglysocialrealityofhisdayandhisfaithinabrightfutureforhumanity.AndtheforcefullanguagecouchedinhauntingverserhythmaddstotheartisticfinishofthepoemandenablesittoberankedthegreatlyricsintheEnglishlanguage.Hislovelyricsvoicethepoet’snobleidealsofloveagainstthevulgar,venalfeudal-bourgeoisrealityandcouchedinsimpleyetenchantinglanguageandinimitablemetricalcharm.HislovelyricsLovenotonlyshouldbeelevatedhighabovethevulgar,practicalattitudetowardit,butshouldbeconsideredassomethingofextremepurityandafeelingofdevotionandworshipworthytobeofferedtoheaven.8. JohnKeats(1795-1821)Hewasbornin1795inLondon.Hisfatherwasastablekeeper.When“Endymion”appearedin1818,hegaveupmedicineforpoetry.Inthesummerof1818,hestartedonawalkingtourthroughEnglandandScotland.

Thedemocraticviewsinhispoetryhadoffendedthearistocratic-bourgeoisliterarycirclesandhewasalwaysjeeredat.Onthebrinkofdeath,ShellyinvitedhimtoItalyformedicaltreatment.Hediedtherein1821.“Endymion”“Isabella”“TheEveofSt.Agnes”

“Lamia”“Hyperion”LongPoemsThroughthestorythepoetseemstosaythatLamia,serpent-maidenthoughsheis,isgenuinelyinloveandintendsnoharm,whileApollonius,withhis“sophist’seye”,isinhumaneindestroyingallcharmandbeautywithhiscoldphilosophy.“Lamia”“OdeonaGrecianUrn”“OdetoaNightingale”“OdetoAutumn”“OdeonMelancholy”Ode

Theworldofnatureisbeautiful,thattherealmsofartandpoetryandimaginationarewonderful,butthattheexistinghumansocietycontainsinescapableandirremediablemisery.Evenitisthepoet’sintensehatredforthehumansocietyofhistimethatmadehimlovesomuchthebeautyintherealmsofnatureandofart.CommonFeaturesTheweariness,thefever,andthefretHere,wheremensitandheareachothergroan;Wherepalsyshakesafew,sad,lastgrayhairs,Whereyouthgrowspale,andspectre-thin,anddies;WherebuttothinkistobefullofsorrowAndleaden-eyeddespairs,WhereBeautycannotkeepherlustrouseyes,OrnewLovepineatthembeyondto-morrow.“OdetoaNightingale”

Generallyknown,Ithasbeenwrittenafterthepoethadanactualexperienceoflisteningtothenightingalesingingonenight,ispossibleoneofthemostpoignantexpressionsofKeats’intensepersonalyearningforfreedomfromhumanMiseriesashefellunderthemagicofthenightingale’ssong.Thefirstimpressionhegetfromthesingingofthebirdinvolveshisheartacheandthedrowsynumbnessofhissensecomingasifundertheeffectofhemlockordullopiate.Thenhesuddenlyshiftsintoafeelingofenvyforthebird’shappylot,andwishestoflyawaywiththejoyfulnightingale,andleavebehindhimthesordidworld.

Elginmarbles“OdeonaGrecianUrn”ThepoetseemstobesodeeplyabsorbedinthebeautifulimageriescalledforthbytheGrecianurnthathewasalmostcompletelycarriedawaytothetimelessworldofart,withtheresultthathisindulgenceintheillusionofeternalblissmadehimonlyoccasionallyawareoftheunpleasantthingsintheworkaday

world,forcertainlyinthisodethepoetdidnotspeaksobitterlyorextensivelyofhumanwoesashedidinthe“OdetoaNightingale”.AppreciationoftheOdeHowever,thepoet’simmenseadmirationforlastingbeautyintheworldofartwasincontrastademonstrationofhisinsuperabledespairovertheuglysocietyinwhichhehimselflivedandsuffered,justashisenvyofthehappylotofthenightingaleasitfadesawayinto“theforestdim”hadactuallythesameeffectindicatinghisbitternesstowardhisownmiserableexistence.Thelasttwolinescanconveythepoet’sextremelyhighevaluationofbeautybyequatingitwithtruthandbyconsideringitasthesumtotalofknowledgeessentialtohumanbeings.Thisisregardedeitherasthepoet’sescapistattitudetowardtheuglysocialrealityorashisunequivocalprotestagainstit.Itseemstobeanodesimplycelebratingtheworldofnatureintheautumnseason,with“Autumn”personifiedandwithallhumanbeingsnotonlyplacedinthebackgroundbutkeptawayasifoutofsight.“OdetoAutumn”Hiscompleteomissionofhumanpresencecanonlysuggesthisunwillingnesstorefertoanythingthatmightcalltohismindwhateverunpleasantnesshemighthaveencounteredinhispersonalexperienceinthecountryside.Itiscertainlythesaddestofthefourgreatodes.“OdeonMelancholy”Hetriesashardaspossibletokeepawayfrommelancholywheneverpossible.Yetmelancholystillcomestohimandinordertoalleviatethepainaccompanyingmelancholythepoetattemptstofindhisrefugesomehowinthingsthatmyproducepleasure.