英国文学之十四行诗第十八首 Sonnet

1、I TOPIC： Sonnet 18,II OBJECTIVES: A）Introduction to poetry B）Introduction to sonnet C）Study of Sonnet 18 D）Assignment,Definition of Poetry,* distinctive style and rhythm; a genre of literature. * a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience in language * a special emotional response through it

2、s meaning, sound, and rhythm.,Types of Poetry,Lyric poetry Narrative poetry Dramatic poetry,Lyric poetry Lyric is a brief subjective poem strongly marked by imagination, melody and emotion, and creating a single unified impression. Narrative poetry Narrative poetry is one that tells a story or prese

3、nts a narrative, whether simple or complex, long or short. Epics, ballads and metrical romances are among the many kinds of narrative poems.,Dramatic poetry A third kind of poetry is dramatic poetry which is written in the form of a speech of an individual character to an imaginary audience; it comp

4、resses into a single vivid scene a narrative sense of the speakers history and psychological insight into his character. This kind of poetry, as the term suggests, employs dramatic form or some element of dramatic technique.,The Language in Poetry,The Language in poetry may differ still further from

5、 that of prose. Since the function of poetry is to present IMAGES concretely, it is the responsibility of the poet to select language that succeeds in making those IMAGES concrete and the special words rich in connotative value and carrying implications of sound, color, and actionthese are the speci

6、al stock of the genuine POET.,Rhythm,Poetry is often considered as the rhythmic creation of beauty (Edgar Allen Poe). A poem is divided into stanza or strophe(诗节), which is subdivided into verse or line(行). Each line is divided into several feet(音步). Foot is arranged according to the stress, and thi

7、s forms the meter (格律). In a foot, “-” symbolizes stress, which is called “扬” in Chinese, and “”symbolizes non-stress, which is called “抑” in Chinese.,Rhythm comes from the regular pattern of the stress and non-stress. According to the rules of the arrangement of the stresses and non-stresses, the m

8、ost commonly used meter of English poetry is divided into: A. Iambic foot (Iamb) ( ) ( / ) 抑扬格 If winter comes, can spring be far behind? B. Trochaic foot (Trochee) ( ) (/ ) 扬抑格 Every little stream is bright,C. Anapestic foot (Anapest) ) ( ) ( / ) 抑抑扬格 For the moon never beams without bringing me dr

9、eams. D. Dactylic foot (Dacty1) ( ) (/ ) 扬抑抑格 Slowly the mist oer the meadow was creeping. E. Amphibrach foot (Amphibrach)：( ) ( / ) F. Spondee：（ ）（/ /） G. Pyrrhic：（ ）,Kinds of Verse:,A line consists of several feet. According to the number of foot, foot is divided into: A. Monometer(单音步)：I trust. B

10、. Dimeter (双音步)： The wild winds weep. C. Trimeter (三音步)： Theirs not to make reply. D. Tetrameter (四音步)：He lives to learn in lifes hard school.,E. Pentameter (五音步)：The poetry of earth is never dead. F. Hexameter. (六音步): G. Peptameter (七音步) H. Octametre(八音步),Kinds of Meters: Verse rhythm,A verse consi

11、sts of different kinds of feet. A. Iambic Monometer：And die B. Trochaic Dimeter: Rich the treasure. C. Iambic Trimeter：Theirs not to make reply. (Anapestic Trimeter：Down to the depths of the sea),D. Iambic Tetrameter：Row, brother, row , the stream is fast (Trochaic Tetrameter：Life is real! Life is e

12、arnest!) (Amphibrach Tetrameter：A farmer went trotting upon his grey mare) E. Iambic Pentameter：Farewell, the tranquil mind, farewell, content! And swims or sinks, or wades, or creeps, or flies. Pleas in the silent shade with empty praise .,3.4 Rhyme (Rime): a repetition of the same sound.,Alliterat

13、ion： The initial same sound, normally consonants, especially at the beginning of words , or stressed syllables, are repeated. The moan of doves in immemorial elms. And murmuring of innumerable bees. A. Tennyson, Princes.,Assonance： a repetition of the same or similar vowel sounds, usually close toge

14、ther quite in rhyme. e.g. 1) The waves came over the broken ship Till all her sides were torn,Consonance： harmony of consonant . The same consonants follow different vowel sounds of words close to each other. e.g. 1)a pale gold chord. End rhyme：Rhyme scheme. A. Park-dark, make-break, low-foe. (Norma

15、l rhyme) B. one-bone, stood-blood. (Eye rhyme),Some stanza forms,A. Couplet, usually iambic tetrameter and iambic pentameter (heroic couplet) B. Tercet (triplet). C. Quatrain . D. Five-verse stanza. E. Sextet F. Seven-verse stanza G. Octave(Triple) . H . Sonnet,Imagery,Imagery refers to the sensory

16、images produced by words. Imagery is the life of a good poem. Imagery is divided into visual image, auditory image, olfactory image(嗅觉), tactile image (触觉), gustatory image(味觉)，kinaesthetic image (动觉), abstract image, etc.,Topic 2Introduction to sonnet,2.1 Definition of sonnet fourteen lines usually

17、 in iambic pentameter sum up in last lines of the poem.,Topic 2Introduction to sonnet,2.2 Types of Sonnet There are three dominant types of sonnet: Petrarchan sonnet ( the Italian sonnet): abba, abba, cde, cde Definition of Petrarchan sonnet The first 8 lines form an octave, which rhymes abba, abba

18、and the remaining 6 lines form a sestet which rhymes cde, cde. Spenserian sonnet: abab, bcbc, cdcd, ee Shakespearean sonnet (the English sonnet or Elizabethan sonnet ): abab, cdcd, efef, gg.,2.3 Shakespearean sonnet,2.3.1 Definition of Shakespearean sonnet Shakespearean sonnet consists of three quat

19、rains with a rhyming scheme abab cdcd efef and ends with a couplet rhyming gg. In the three quatrains the theme is put forward and developed, and in the couplet the sonnet ends with a surprise conclusion or shift of ideas. The quatrains produce a sweeping movement while the concluding couplet often

20、comes to be an effective epigram and also makes the theme of the poem clearer.,Topic 2Introduction to sonnet,2.3.2 Contents: Shakespeares sonnets are the only direct expression of the poets own feelings. His sonnets numbered 1-126 are addressed to a handsome young nobleman, Shakespeares beloved frie

21、nd and a rival poet. The poems expresses the writers selfless but not entirely uncritical devotion to the young man. The sonnets numbered 127-152 involve a mistress of Shakespeare, a mysterious “Dark Lady”. The sonnets numbered 153-154 are allegorical and addressed to Cupid, the God of love in Greek

22、 mythology.,Topic 2Introduction to sonnet,2.3.3 Characteristics of Shakespeares sonnets Shakespeares sonnets is characterized by the expression of strong feelings with an exquisitely controlled artistic form. The theme of love and infidelity is dominant in both sets of poems. The theme is interwoven

23、 with motifs of beauty, immorality, and the ravages of time and with lyrical speculation about poetrys power to maintain bonds of love and to immortalize the beloved.,2.3.4 Themes, destructive effects of time the quickness of physical decay the loss of beauty, vigor, and love celebration of life,2.3

24、.5 Shakespeares contribution,Shakespeares contribution to English literature not only lies in the creation of many immortal works, but also in the improvement of the dramatic techniques and the creation of Shakespearian sonnet by revising the Italian sonnet.,Topic 3Study of Sonnet 18,3.1 The main id

25、ea The sonnet starts with a question that might lead to a very ordinary conceit；instead it introduces a profound meditation on time, change and beauty. Normally, to compare the beloved to the days of early summer or to the dazzling beauty of the glorious sun would be considered high praise. However,

26、 the poet considers the comparison inadequate, for just like the shortness of summer, mans youth and beauty will fade away. Then the poet expresses a very bold idea: that beautiful things can rely on the force of literature to their eternity; and literature is created by man, thus it declares mans e

27、ternity.,3.2 Themes,Key words: Praising the beauty of the young man; Transience of beauty in nature; Immortality of art in general (poetry in particular) In the poem Shakespeare has a profound meditation on the destructive power of time and the eternal beauty brought forth by poetry to the one he lo

28、ves. A nice summers day is usually transient, but the beauty in poetry can last for ever. Thus Shakespeare has a faith in the permanence of poetry. The poet eulogizes the power of artistic creation. Literature will become part of time. The emphatic tone of the poem shows the mighty self-confidence o

29、f the newly-arisen commercial bourgeoisie. And the vivid, variable and rich images reflect the lively and adventurous spirits of those who were opening new space and creating new world.,3.3 The four steps in the composition of the poem,Introduction (Opening), Elucidation of the theme (Developing) Tr

30、ansition to another viewpoint (Changing) Summing up (Concluding ),For example: Shall I compare thee to a summers day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate： Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And Summers lease hath all too short a date. Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And oft

31、en is his gold complexion dimmed; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance, or natures changing course untrimmed; But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou owst, Nor shall Death brag thou wandrest in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou growst

32、, So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long live this, and this gives life to thee.,Introduction (起),Elucidation (承),Transition (转),Conclusion (合),3.4 Stylistic features of the sonnet,3.4.1 Structure: The poem consists of three quatrains and a concluding couplet of iambic pentameter, with

33、the rhyme scheme abab cdcd efef gg. Meter (with respect to tonal pattern) : Iambus (抑扬格) / Iambic Foot(抑扬音步) 5-foot Iambus / Iambic Pentameter （五步抑扬格） Shall Icompare thee to a summers day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And Summers lease hath al

34、l too short a date.,3.4 Stylistic features of the sonnet,Rhyme scheme : abab cdcd efef gg. Shall I compare thee to a summers day? a Thou art more lovely and more temperate： b Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, a And Summers lease hath all too short a date: b Sometime too hot the eye of he

35、aven shines, c And often is his gold complexion dimmed; d And every fair from fair sometime declines, c By chance, or natures changing course untrimmed; d But thy eternal summer shall not fade, e Nor lose possession of that fair thou owst, f Nor shall Death brag thou wandrest in his shade, e When in

36、 eternal lines to time thou growst, f So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, g So long live this, and this gives life to thee. g,3.4.2 Figures of speech,Rhetorical question: Shall I compare thee to a summers day? Simile: thee to a summers day Metaphor: the eye of heaven: referring to the sun; e

37、ternal summer: immortal (ever-lasting) youthfulness Personification: Rough winds; Death: (personification) the destroyer of life Repetition: eternal; so long; can; this,3.4.2 Figures of speech,Alliteration: fair from fair; chance or natures changing course Contrast: natural summer thy summer; short

38、eternal; leased owst; hot temperate; Rough lovely; dimmed not fade Imagery: Rough winds; darling buds; Hot eye; Gold complexion (The poet uses images not only to create physical experiences but also to establish moods, and make the theme more concrete and concentrated.),3.5 Textual appreciation,Line

39、s 1-2 Shall I compare thee to a summers day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate： Paraphrase: How can I compare you to a summers day since you are lovelier and gentler than it? / If I compared you to a summers day, Id have to say you are more beautiful and serene.,Detailed study, “Shall I compar

40、e thee to a summers day?” ：It is a rhetorical question without answer. And here hyperbole is employed. Normally, to compare the beloved to the days of early summer would be considered high praise, because in the rainy and foggy England, summer is a mild and flowering season. Thus it introduces a pro

41、found meditation on time, change and beauty., “Thou art more lovely and more temperate”：However, the poet considers the comparison of a summers day is inadequate, for just like the shortness of summer, mans youth and beauty will fade away. The word “more” suggests infinite tenderness. The “lovely” i

42、mplies the beautiful complexion of the beloved. And the “temperate” implies the nature of the beloved. Note that the second line actually serves as the adverbial cause to the first line. (Implication: You are much better, much more beautiful than summer.), The first two lines introduce a subject of

43、the poem. Archaism: thee: you ( the object form of thou); thou: you (the subject form of you); art: are (The singularof the second person in old English: -est, -st,-t, e.g. art = are, owst = owe, wandrest = wander, growst = grow.) a summers day: In England, summer is not hot but comfortably warm. It

44、 is the most pleasant season of the year. “day”: the period or season of a summer. temperate: gentle, soft, mild, tender.,Lines 3-4,Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And Summers lease hath all too short a date. Paraphrase: In fact, the violent winds do destroy the lovely buds of May, and

45、 summer lasts for only a very short period of time.,Detailed study, rough: violent; terrible. Here personification is employed. do shake: The word “do” is used here for emphasis. darling: lovely; dear; charming. lease: period; (a term used in law) the length of time during which a legal agreement is

46、 to last. Here it is figuratively used, meaning “lifetime”. Archaism: hath: “has”. date: period of time.,The main idea of the first quatrain:,The poet makes an introduction by explaining that though summer of the natural world is very beautiful, it is no better than his friend. It may exist for only

47、 a limited period of time since it has a lot of shortcomings.,Lines 5-6,Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimmed; Paraphrase: Sometimes the sun shines too hot, and its golden brightness is often covered or darkened by clouds.,Detailed study, sometime: someti

48、mes; occasionally; now and then; from time to time the eye of heaven: (metaphor) referring to the sun gold complexion: the golden brightness of the sun complexion: natural color and appearance of the skin of the face dimmed: not bright,Lines 7-8,And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance,

49、 or natures changing course untrimmed; Paraphrase: Everything beautiful may lose its beauty. The beauty may be destroyed unexpectedly or by the law of change (the normal order of change) in the natural world.,Detailed study, every fair: every beautiful object, or every beautiful person (everything b

50、eautiful) fair: beauty. Note that the first “fair” refers to the individual, while the second “fair” refers to whole, the concept of beauty. decline: fade away; move from a better to a worse condition chance: some unexpected natural disaster, such as earthquake, flood, etc. natures changing course:

51、the law of change in the natural world untrimmed: destroyed (be stripped of beauty). Also note the inverted order here,The main idea of the second quatrain:,Shakespeare supports his view by citing more examples of the shortcomings of summer and pointing out the fact that everything beautiful may fin

52、ally lose its beauty and may finally disappear completely from the world.,Lines 9-12,But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou owst, Nor shall Death brag thou wandrest in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou growst, Paraphrase: If you are written in an ete

53、rnal poem, you will become part of time, you will always be young or your youthfulness will be everlasting (will never disappear), and you will never lose your beauty, and even Death shall not boast that you are under his control.,Detailed study, eternal summer: (metaphor) immortal (ever-lasting) yo

54、uthfulness fade: disappear gradually possession: ownership thou owst: you own; you have Death: (personification) the destroyer of life brag: boast about wandrest in his shade: walk about in his darkness; be under his control eternal lines: immortal lines of poetry such as the lines in this poem to time thou growst: youll become a part of time;