The outline of British literature.doc

《The outline of British literature.doc》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《The outline of British literature.doc（11页珍藏版）》请在淘文阁 - 分享文档赚钱的网站上搜索。

1、I. The outline of British literature1. The old and medieval period(5thc.-16thc.)2. The English Renaissance (16thc.)3. The Period of Revolution and Restoration (17thc.)4. The Enlightenment (18thc.)5. Romanticism (1798-1832)6. Critical Realism (19thc.)7. Modernism (20thc.) Chapter I The Old And Mediev

2、al English Literature Section I The Anglo-Saxon Period (5th century 449-1066) 1. Historical Background 1) aboriginal inhabitants: the Celts 2) the Roman Conquest of Britain: 55 B.C - 5th c. Julius Caesar Christianity 3) the Anglo-Saxon period: 449A.D. the Teutonic tribes of Angles, Saxons and Jutes

3、exterminate the Celts Angle-land England, Anglo-Saxon English Old English 4) late 8th century, King Alfred the Great (849A.D.-901?) fighting back the Danes. 5) 1066. Norman Conquest: William, the Duke of NormandyThe Norman Conquest ended the Anglo-Saxon period in English history.Romans Angles, Saxon

4、s Danes (克努特王国) 11thc the French2. Literature 1) two divisions: Pagan literature and Christian literature597A.D., St. Augustine 7th century, all England was Christianized 2) Literary figures: scop / gleeman / minstrel, monks Latin has left its firm mark on the early English prose and poetry. The lea

5、rning center was the monasteries and abbeys.A. Caedmon凯德门: the first Anglo-Saxon poet Paraphrase: in which he turned the stories in the Bible into verse form“Sing me something Sing me the Creation”B. Cynewulf: 西涅武夫another representative figure in Anglo-Saxon literatureC. the Venerable Bede: the most

6、 prominent of the early prose writers in Anglo-Saxon period The Ecclesiastical History of the English People英国人民宗教史 “Father of English History”D. King Alfred the Great: translated some works from Latin: The Ecclesiastical History of the English People The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle created the more natur

7、al English prose style3) The earliest form of literature: poetry, or poems and songs3. Beowulf1) the most important literary composition in Old English time2) national epic3) describing events taking place on the Continent approximately at the beginning of the 6th c.4) plot: Beowulf the teutonic her

8、o Hrothgar King of the DanesHeorot a great hallGrendel a half-human monster Grendels mother: she-monsterFiredrakeking of Geats for 50 years5) characterization:the hero Beowulf is essentially a legendary figure6) Beowulf is a mixture of paganism and Christian elementsThe story of the poem is about th

9、e life of Anglo-Saxons before they came to England, but the poem itself was written down after the conversion of the English to Christianity. 7) Most striking features in its poetical formA. alliteration: (TBp.4) e.g. of men was the mildest and most beloved, to his kin the kindest, keenest for prais

10、eB. kenning or metaphor: A conventional, poetic phrase used for, or in addition to, the usual name of a person or object.e.g.helmet bearer，hearth-companionwarriorswan-road, whale-path，seal-paththe seathe world candlethe sun C. understatement: A form of humor or irony in which something is intentiona

11、lly represented less strongly or strikingly than facts would warrant. It is an antonym of overstatement, exaggeration and hyperbole. e.g.not troublesomevery welcomeneed not praisea right to condemn.Additional Informationepic: A lengthy narrative poem in which action, characters, and language are on

12、a heroic level and style is exalted and even majestic. Major characteristics of an epic are:1) a setting remote in time and place,2) an objective, lofty, dignified style,3) a simple plot,4) a central incident (or series of incidents) dealing with legendary or traditional material5) a theme involving

13、 universal human problems6) a towering hero of great stature7) superhuman strength of body, character, or mind 8) supernatural forces entering the action.Some of the noted epics are Iliad and Odyssey by Homer; Beowulf; Dantes The Divine Comedy; Miltons Paradise Lost.Section II The Anglo-Norman Perio

14、d (1066-1500)1. Historical background: 1) Norman Conquest1066, Duke William of Normandythe feudal system of hierarchy: kingbaronsknightsthe Hundred Years War with France 1337-1453the Black Death of 1349-1350, 死亡1/3人口the peasant uprisings: 1381, Wat Tyler and John Ball.3 effects of Norman Conquest:A.

15、 the bringing of Roman civilizationB. the growth of nationality, i.e. a strong centralized government.C. the new language and literature英法百年战争1337-1453第一阶段英法两国为争夺王位和土地,进行了百年的残酷战争.英王爱德华三世Edward 111 在位其间1327-1377 为了争夺法国王位引发百年战争.法国一直处于劣势,部分土地落入英人手中. 英法百年战争 第二阶段图.英国本来一直处于上风,法国就快无力还击,可是一场瘟疫把英国梦碎!这种黑死病导致大

16、量英军和国民死亡,英王再也无法顾及战争,只好于1360年跟法国签订和约,宣布放弃对法国王位的要求.英法百年战争 第三阶段1415-20.英王亨利五世Henry V 进攻法国,法军大败,被迫签下和约Treaty of Troyes,和约宣布法国沦为英法联合王国,英王亨利五世担任法国摄政王.英法百年战争第四阶段 1423-53年.英军占领法国北部,继续围攻南部重地奥尔良城.法国农家少女贞德,率领法军把奥尔良城解困,打败英军,奥尔良的胜利扭转了法国在整个战争中的危难局面.接着贞德又率军收复了许多北方领土!可惜这位女战士锋芒太露,使到宫廷贵族和法王的将军不满并加以谋害为女巫,贞德受尽酷刑之后更在城下被

17、活活烧死,当年少女贞德还未满二十岁!453年十月十九日,英军在波尔多投降,战争结束,英国占领法国的土地剩下加来一城Calais 直到1558年.从14世纪40年代至15世纪50年代，英法两国发生了旷日持久的战争，这场战争持续了一百多年(13371453年)，史称百年战争。百年战争的起因是由法国王位的继承问题引起的。1328年查理四世死后，卡佩王朝家族男嗣断绝，英王爱德华三世以法王菲力普四世外孙的资格要求继承法国王位，但是，法国以萨利克法典规定女子无王位继承权为由，拒绝了爱德华三世的要求，英王心有不甘，坚持要求继承法国王位，由此以法国王位继承问题为导火线，终于引发了英法百年战争。英法两国除了王位

18、继承纠纷外，还有使英法两国关系更加复杂的问题。首先是土地的纠纷，诺曼人于1066年征服英国后，法国封建主对英国的统治长达3个世纪，而英国王室在法国拥有大量领地。菲力普二世没收了英王在法国的大部分领地，英王对此大为不满，他总是伺机在法国扩张势力。另外，弗兰德尔也是引起英法两国纠纷的一个问题。弗兰德尔地区毛织业发达，主要原料来自英国，而弗兰德尔伯爵政治上依附于法国国王，于是英王爱德华三世在经济上对弗兰德尔加压力，下令禁止向该地区出口羊毛。这些矛盾交织在一起，1337年，英王、法王相互向对方宣战，拉开了百年战争的序幕。战争开始以后，法国军队连连失利，大片土地被英军占领，战争的失败使法国国内矛盾尖锐起

19、来。百年战争使法国北部的一些城市，尤其是巴黎，遭到严重损失，生产力大受破坏，人口减少、生产下降、贸易萎缩，被占领地区大片土地荒芜、粮食减产、民不聊生。1356午，在普瓦提埃战役中，法国骑兵被英王长子指挥的英国步兵击溃，法王约翰二世和大批贵族被俘。战败的消息使法国国内引起极大震动，人们对败退归来的骑士深感不满，大加责难，骑士制度从此开始衰落。 2) language: English (Middle English), French, Latinpig porkcattle beefchickens poultrycalf veal2. Literature:1) a combination o

20、f French and Anglo-Saxon elements 2) religious3) romantic tales of love and adventure, to replace the strength and somberness of the Anglo-Saxon Poetry: RomanceA. Romance（TBp.5）B. Three classes of romance:(TBp.5) “the Matter of Britain”, about the adventures of King Arthur and his Knights of the Rou

21、nd Table; “the Matter of France”，about stories concerning Emperor Charlemagne （768-814 in rule）and his peers; “the Matter of Rome”, about stories concerning Alexander the Great and so forth. C. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight（高文爵士和绿衣骑士）.four cantos King Arthur the Green Knight Sir Gawainthe host and

22、 hostessa magic green girdle Features: theme: dealing with mainly the motif of loyalty, faith, courage and purity a metrical romance 韵文传奇in alliterative verse3. folk literature: William Langland: Piers the Plowman （农夫皮尔斯）从影响来说，在它出现之后不久，皮尔斯的名字就成为1381年农民起义中的富有号召力的口号，在十六世纪又成为激励宗教改革运动的力量；经过四，五百年，这首诗至今还有

23、四十七种不同的抄本存在着，可见它的流传之广。总之，这是一首比历史记载还要真实而又有历史记载所没有的浓厚的情感色彩的好诗。Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?-1400)I. literary position 1. the most prominent literary figure in Middle English period 2. father of English poetry 3. one of the greatest narrative poets of England 4. founder of English realism 5. forerunner of hu

24、manism II. life: 1. born of a prosperous wine-merchants family in London 2. educated in Oxford and Cambridge 3. a page to Elizabeth, Countess of Ulster (daughter-in-law of Edward III)4. In 1366, he got married and his wife was the maid of the Queen and sister of Prince Gaunts third wife.5. In 1367,

25、he entered the service of King Edward III (贴身随从). From December, 1372 to May, 1373 he was the ambassador to意大利的热那亚和佛罗伦萨，这是他接触了意大利文艺复兴的新思想和创作方法。It is said that this time in Italy he met Petrarch彼特拉克（1304-1374, 意大利诗人, 学者、欧洲人文主义运动的主要代表）。6. In 1386, he became a member of Parliament and in 1389, he was a

26、ppointed the clerk of Kings work.7. the new king Henry IV granted him a pension 8. He died in 1400 and was buried in Westminster Abbey, the place where all the kings of England had been crowned. That started the history of “the poets corner” in Westminster Abbey.III. literary career: 3 periods1. 136

27、0s 1372: chiefly translated from the French works, such as The Romaunt of the Rose 玫瑰传奇 2. 1372 1386: adapted works from Italian, such as Troilus and Cryseyde 特罗伊洛斯和克丽西达and The Parliament of Fouls (under the influence of Boccaccio) (3、4)Trojan War the War of Troy3. 1386 1400: the last fifteen years

28、of the poets life, wrote purely English works, such as The Canterbury Tales 坎特伯雷故事集IV. Most Important WorksThe Canterbury TalesThe Parliament of Fouls百鸟议会The Legend of Good WomenThe House of Fame声誉之宫V. The Canterbury Tales 1. Chaucers masterpiece 2. general prologue: the best part of the whole work

29、楔子，总引夏雨给大地带来了喜悦，送走了土壤干裂的三月。沐浴着草木的丝丝茎络，顿时万花盛开，生机勃勃。西风轻吹留下清香缕缕，田野复苏，吹出芳草绿绿；碧兰的天空腾起一轮红日，青春的太阳洒下万道金辉。小鸟的歌喉多么清脆优美，迷人的夏夜怎好安然入睡美丽的自然撩拨万物心弦，多情的鸟儿歌唱爱情的欣欢。香客盼望拜谒圣徒的灵台，僧侣立愿云游陌生的滨海。大家来自全国东西南北，结绊奔向坎特伯雷，去朝谢医病救世的恩主，以缅怀大恩大德的圣徒。*那是个初夏方临的日子，我到泰巴旅店投宿歇息；怀着一颗虔诚的赤子心，我准备翌日出去朝圣黄昏前后华灯初上时分，旅店院里拥入许多客人；二十九人来自各行各业，不期而遇都到旅店过夜。这些

30、香客人人都虔心诚意，次日要骑马去坎特伯雷，客房和马厩宽敞又洁净，店主的招待周到而殷勤。夕阳刚从地平线上消失，众人同我已经相互结识；大家约好不等鸡鸣就起床，迎着稀微的晨光赶早把路上。*3. features: 1) major literary genres: chivalric romance, folk tales, legends, legendary epic sagas, beast fables, mythology, moral allegories and sermons布道, 2) Prologue: a splendid masterpiece of realistic po

31、rtrayalAll kinds of people except the highest (the King and the top nobility) and the lowest (the very poor laboring people) are represented by these thirty pilgrims: the knight, the squire, the monk, the prioress, the Oxford Scholar, the Franklin; tradesman, the haberdasher, the carpenter, the land

32、ed proprietor, the weaver, the tapestry-maker, the Wife of Bath, the lawyer and the physician.the forerunner of English realism.A. the nun, the Prioress (TBp.12)*还有个修女是院长嬷嬷，满面笑容诚挚又温和。她效法圣罗伊从不发誓。起了个芳名叫玫瑰女士。礼式上的唱颂歌动听优美，浑圆的鼻音平添一分韵味，她的法语雅而流畅，但是带有很浓重的伦敦腔-她是在斯特拉弗学的法语，地道的巴黎法语不会半句。餐桌规矩她可懂得很不少，从她口中一颗饭粒也不掉；手指

33、不会伸进菜汤给沾湿，如何捏着面包她都很在意，不让一星半点渣子落胸前，她最讲究斯斯文文地用餐。两片朱唇擦得干干净净，在口杯上不留一丝油痕；饮料喝完后再去拿食物，一举一动都文雅而不俗。她的性格开朗，乐乐呵呵，谈吐有风趣，待人很温和。学习宫廷礼节用心良苦，举止端庄稳重颇有风度。她的行为值得大家仰慕，一幅善良心肠人人佩服。仁慈宽厚还有恻隐之心，即使见到鼠儿落入陷井，也会抽抽泣泣伤心落泪；她养了几只小狗亲自喂，每天都给面包牛奶烤肉；倘若有人用棍猛击小狗，或是爱犬死了她就要哭，真是个心软肠柔的妇女。头巾迭了几褶大方得体，鼻子俊俏，眼珠似灰玻璃，樱桃般的小口殷红柔软，额头漂亮，一道皱纹不见她的上额足足有一掌

34、宽；确实她那并不矮的身段，穿上长袍看去十分雅致，一串珊瑚念珠套在左臂，绿色的大珠子夹在其间，一枚金质饰针挂在上面，镂雕着一个王冕装饰的A，下方镌刻着Amor Vincit OmniaB. the Wife of BathChaucer is a forerunner of humanism: He highly praises mans energy, quick wit and love of life. Through the stories of the Wife of Bath, Chaucer affirms men and womens right to pursue their

35、happiness on earth and opposes the dogma of asceticism preached by the church. “Wifes tale illustrates the view that what women most desire is mastery over their husbands and that only the wifes domination can lead to peace and happiness in a household.” 巴斯的婆子不只是能言善道，理直气壮地为自己嫁过五次作辩护，而且她所讲的故事也是替妇女张目，

36、点题的一句话总是：女人所爱不是别的，只是“独立自主之权”。她居然有了女权主义思想的萌芽。feminismThe Franklins tale recounts the ultimate happy ending of a married couple who overcome their danger in life with mutual trust and understanding.3) Coherent structure: Boccaccios Decameron4) heroic couplet(tonic-syllabic verse) adopted from French p

37、oetry. e.g.:(TBp.12) She used to wipe her upper lip so clean, No print of grease inside her cup was seen,5) Chaucer did much in making the London dialect the standard for the Modern English speech. VI. Contribution of Chaucer:the most prominent literary figure in Middle English period father of Engl

38、ish poetry one of the greatest narrative poets of England founder of English realism forerunner of humanism heroic couplet Chaucer did much in making the London dialect the standard for the Modern English speech.Additional Informationheroic couplet: It is a term closely connected with the other two

39、poetic terms: foot and meter. Foot is a group of syllables constituting a metrical unit of verse, a set pattern of stressed and unstressed sounds. In English, a foot most often consists of accented and unaccented syllables in one of five principal groupings:1.The iambic foot (or iamb) consists of an

40、 unstressed syllable followed by a stressed (long) syllable: today, about, repeat. Most English verse falls into an iambic pattern. 抑扬格2. The trochaic foot (trochee) consists of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed (short) syllable: meter, pleasant, daily.3. The anapestic foot (anapest) con

41、sists of two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable: intercede, for the nonce.4.the dactylic foot (dactyl) consists of a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables: silvery, national, penitent.5. The spondaic foot (spondee) consists of two stressed syllables: thirteen, dead

42、beat.Meter refers to the pattern of foot in a line, or verse, of a poem and the number of feet in a line of poetry determines its name. A verse of one foot is called monometer, two feetdiameter, three feettrimeter, four feettetrameter, five feetpentameter, six feethexameter, seven feetheptameter. He

43、roic couplet is two rhyming lines of verse in iambic pentameter. This simplest form of English stanza is so called because it was frequently used for epic poetry and poetic dramas.A girl is crying in thereIn Section III Popular Ballad1. features of Popular ballad: (参TBp.16)1)flourishing in British l

44、iterature in the 15th century. 2)a kind of folk literature. 3)anonymous narrative poems designed for singing or oral recitation and composed in usually 4-line stanzas, the first and third line having four feet each, the second and fourth line having three feet each and rhymes falling on the second a

45、nd fourth lines. 4)usually dealing with a single episode (dramatic element) and the beginning is often abrupt, without any introduction of the characters and background information. 5)types of ballads: historical, legendary, lyrical and humorous. 6)The story is often told through dialogue and action

46、. 7)The themes of ballads are various in kind, from war and bloodshed and superstition to domestic affairs and outlawry. 8)The best known of the earliest collections was given by Bishop Thomas Percy 帕西(1729-1811), named Reliques of Ancient English Poetry.英诗辑古9)Robin Hood ballads are of special significance.2. Two devices commonly employed in these struggles against oppression:The use of collective force through the blowing of a horn to summon a large number of other armed outlaws;The playing of some ingenious trick upon the oppressors by means of disguise.3. A