ppt3-- Washington Irving.ppt

1、American Literature,Part Three The Literature of Romanticism I Early romanticism (1780-1860),3.1. Historical Background,English Romanticism : Publication of Lyrical Ballads in1798 - Death of Walter Scott in 1832 Characteristics: Imagination Idealization of Nature Individualism Glorification of the c

2、ommonplace The lure of the exotic (gothic romanticism),American Romanticism,The Romantic period stretches from the end of the 18th century through the outbreak of the Civil War. (1800-1860) A nation bursting into new life cried for literary expression. rapid economic, political and cultural developm

3、ent, swift expansion, great immigration, burgeoning industrialization European influences of Romanticism counter- Enlightenment: emphasis on intuition, imagination, and feeling. Nature: a place free from societys judgement and restrictions. strive made by Americans-cultural independence,Features of

4、American Romanticism,Puritan influence: tending to moralize, to edify rather than to entertain A feeling of newness : unique subject of The New World The diversity of American romanticism: conventional yet popular poetry of The Fireside Poets ( Longfellow 朗费罗， with the themes of “home, family and ch

5、ildren, nature and idealized love”) comic fables of Washington Irving; gothic tales of Edgar Allen Poe, the frontier adventures of James Fenimore Cooper; the psychological romances of Nathanial Hawthorne,3.2 Washington Irving 欧文 (1783-1859),Father of American literature first professional American w

6、riter first American Romantic writer first American short story writer first native American author to win worldwide fame.,Life,Born into a wealthy New York merchant family Read widely from very early age -studied law Cared for his family business in England Went bankrupt wrote to support himself,Li

7、terary Works,A History of New York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty 纽约外史(1809) The Sketch Book / The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. 见闻札记(18191820) “Rip Wan Winkle”瑞普.凡.温克尔 “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”睡谷的传说 The History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Colu

8、mbus 哥仑布传(1828) The Life of George Washington 华盛顿传(18551859 ) Irvings career can be roughly divided into two important phases, the English period which span from his first book up to 1832 through this character Cooper tried to create a national myth of his own.,Writing Features,A. intriguing plot co

9、nstruction B. majestic landscape description, suggestive of sir Walter Scott, the legendary spirit of whose border tales might have been a source of inspiration for him. C. A rich imagination: He had never been to the frontier and among the Indians and yet could write five huge epic books about them

10、 with his rich imagination. D. Clumsy style: his style is dreadful; his characterization seems wooden and lacking in probability.,Coopers Defects,Mark Twain in the essay entitled “Fenimore Coopers Literary Offences”: a. improbabilities, b. Dialogue is often awkward, c. Characters lack depth. d. little sensuous immediacy; e. scene and characters are imagined rather than visualized.,Coopers contribution,introducing the West and the frontier as a usable past into American literature, creating the first legendary frontier hero Natty