英美文学选读-第四讲The-Neoclassical-Period课件.ppt

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1、1 1Selected readings in English and American正大光明正大光明 公正公正无无私私 帮帮助別人助別人 成就自己成就自己The Neoclassical Period1Chapter 2 The Neoclassical Period (17th18th Century,16601798)v1.Background knowledgev2.Features of the neoclassical literature 2v1.Background knowledgev1)Historical and cultural backgroundsv(1)The

2、English society of the neoclassical period was a turbulent one.There was constant strife between the monarch君主君主 and the parliament议会议会,between the Tories英国托英国托利派；王党保守党利派；王党保守党 and the Whigs英国历史英国历史】辉格辉格党党(今自由党前身今自由党前身)党员党员 over the control of the parliament and government,between opposing religious

3、 sects宗教派别宗教派别,between the ruling class and the laboring poor,etc.In short,it was an age full of conflicts and divergence分歧分歧 of values.3v(2)The eighteenth century saw the fast development of Britain as a nation.Toward the middle of the century,Britain had become the first powerful capitalist countr

4、y in the world.With the rapid economic growth,the population of the middle class also greatly expanded.vExpansion of British coloniesvEnclosure:free labor and free capitalvIndustrial Revolution4v(3)With the development of capitalism,the social and moral values of the middle-class people became domin

5、ant in the society.They believed in self-restraint,self-reliance and hard work.For them the whole meaning of life was to work,to economize and to accumulate wealth.5v(4)The Enlightenment Movement was in full swing in England during this period.The purpose of this movement was to enlighten the whole

6、world with the light of modern philosophical and artistic ideas.The enlighteners celebrated reason,equality and science,claiming that reason should be the only,and the final cause of any human thought and activities.6v(5)The enlighteners believed that when reason served as the yardstick for the meas

7、urement of all human activities and relations,every superstition,injustice and oppression was to yield place to eternal truth,eternal justice and natural equality.7v(6)The enlighteners advocated universal education.They believed that if the masses were well educated,there would be greater chance for

8、 a democratic human society.8v2.Features of the neoclassical literature v(1)The neoclassical literature took the ancient Greek and Roman classical works(these writers are Homer,Virgil,Horace and Ovid)and contemporary French ones as the literary model.They believed that the artistic ideals should be

9、order,logic,restrained emotion and accuracy,and that literature should be judged in terms of its service to humanity.9v(2)In style,the neoclassical literature was polite,urbane,witty,and intellectual as a result of the writers conscious efforts to seek proportion,unity,harmony and grace in literary

10、expressions.v(3)Literature at the time was heavily didactic and moralizing and became a very popular means of public education.v(4)Neoclassicists had some fixed laws and rules for almost every genrer of literature.10v(5)Poetry,including such popular forms as mock epic,romance,satire and epigram,was

11、elegant in structure and diction and was noted for its seriousness and earnestness in tone and constant didacticism.The novel,contrary to the traditional romance of aristocrats,gives a realistic presentation of life of the common English people.In the theatrical world,Richard Sheridan was the leadin

12、g figure among a host of playwrights.And of the witty and satiric prose,those written by Swift are especially worth studying.11v1.Historical and cultural backgrounds of the Neoclassical Periodv-an age of turbulence,conflicts and divergence of valuesv-an age of fast development in economy,v Industria

13、l Revolutionv-the age of Enlightenment(Reason)12v2.Features of the neoclassical literaturev-take ancient Greek and Roman classical works and contemporary French ones as the literary modelv-classical graces such as order,good form,unified structure,clarity,and conciseness of language13v3.styles of th

14、e neoclassical literature v-the flourish of English poetry in the classical stylev-the emerging of the modern English novelv-an apparent shift or interest from the classic literary tradition to originality and imaginationv-satire14vI.John Bunyan(班扬16281688)15v1.Points of viewvLike most working men a

15、t the time,Bunyan had a deep hatred for the corrupted,hypocritical rich who accumulated their wealth“by hook and by crook(陷阱与欺骗,指不择手段).”As a stout Puritan,he had made a conscientious study of the Bible and firmly believed in salvation through spiritual struggle.16v2.Artistic featuresvBunyans style w

16、as modeled after that of the English Bible.With his concrete and living language and carefully observed and vividly presented details,he made it possible for the reader of the least education to share the pleasure of reading his novel and to relive the experience of his characters.17v3.Selected read

17、ingsv“The Vanity Fair,”an excerpt from part 1 of The Pilgrims Progress(天路历程天路历程)18v自从天路历程引起学者们的注意后，人们就在探究，是什么让它具有如此大的魅力，直到今天仍然流行？学者们曾经找出很多班扬时期的书籍，猜测班扬可能受到它们的影响。因为在当时，很难想像一个没有受过多少教育的补锅匠能够写出天路历程这样的书。班扬自己也觉得需要为自己辩护，说明自己并非抄袭。事实上，班扬并没有多少经典文学的积累，他在天路历程中依靠的是自己对对上帝的热爱，对人生的感悟，以及后来的批评家所上帝的热爱，对人生的感悟，以及后来的批评家所承

18、认的承认的在文学方面的创造力在文学方面的创造力。天路历程对寓言体这一古老文学体裁的运用，对梦境的形式的借用、生动的现实主义描写、和谐的结构安排、戏剧性的对话，以及简洁平易的语言风格，都使它不仅仅是一本宗教著作，而是一部文学经典。19v这部英国古典文学名著被誉为“英国文学中最著名的寓言”。是英国文学史上最具代表性的宗教寓言最具代表性的宗教寓言故事，在西方国家中通常被看作是仅次于圣经的基督教重要经典。十七世纪英国清教徒约翰班扬因不信奉国教，被关押在狱十二年之久。天路历程作为他狱中心血凝成的杰作，被译成多种文字，在世界各地不断再版，家喻户晓的程度仅次于圣经。本书讲述了一个坚韧的基督徒为寻求永生而本书

19、讲述了一个坚韧的基督徒为寻求永生而踏上荆棘遍布的漫漫长旅，充满危险，诱惑与灾难踏上荆棘遍布的漫漫长旅，充满危险，诱惑与灾难的尘世被他一步步抛弃，只为负罪的灵魂在高天之的尘世被他一步步抛弃，只为负罪的灵魂在高天之上得到迎接。上得到迎接。小说人物形象丰满，想像奇特，故事生活化，对人性弱点的观照尖锐而深刻，理想主义的热情震撼人心，因而超越了时间和宗教的局限，在成书三百多年后的今天依然光彩夺目。20v天路历程大致同旧约和新约的主要情节相对应。例如，从基督徒的朝圣之旅我们可以看到圣经中以色列入寻找救赎的艰辛历程。班扬所表现的正是当时很多牧师所宣扬的：人类迷失了自己，需要救赎，人类迷失了自己，需要救赎，而

20、只有通过对自己罪孽的忏悔和对耶稣的信而只有通过对自己罪孽的忏悔和对耶稣的信仰才能得到拯救。书中表现了上帝的仁慈。仰才能得到拯救。书中表现了上帝的仁慈。即使是在基督徒误入歧途，向完全相反的方即使是在基督徒误入歧途，向完全相反的方向前进时，上帝也会宽恕他，用自己的仁慈向前进时，上帝也会宽恕他，用自己的仁慈把他召唤回来，让他再次走上通往天堂的道把他召唤回来，让他再次走上通往天堂的道路。路。21v然而，天路历程不仅仅是一个宗教寓言，还具有深刻深刻的历史寓意，影射了当时社会的历史现实的历史寓意，影射了当时社会的历史现实，例如最明显的浮华集市。在浮华集市的描写中，班扬向我们展示了复辟时期伦敦的景象，以及当

21、时的封建资产阶级社会。在这里一切都是可以买卖的，包括国土、荣誉、头衔、欲望、快乐、甚至生命等等。欺骗、谋杀在这里都是正常的。“基督徒”和“忠诚”因为追求真理、蔑视名利而受到惩罚(这让我们联想到班扬自己因为布道而屡次被捕入狱)。班扬把班扬把当时的世俗社会浓缩到一个集市中。那是一个经济和物质利当时的世俗社会浓缩到一个集市中。那是一个经济和物质利益至上，所有的一切都可以用买卖的经济行为来衡量和操作益至上，所有的一切都可以用买卖的经济行为来衡量和操作的社会。的社会。天路历程展示了复辟时期复杂的英国社会，表现了班扬对当时的社会历史的看法，也反映了基督徒在当时社会中的窘境，一方面是对清教的虔诚，一方面是世

22、俗世界的自私和道德堕落。22v在天路历程中，梦境和寓言体的使用相辅相成，都引导读者从“基督徒”的旅程中获得更多的宗教、哲学和人生涵义，从多方面探索现实。从某种程度上说，梦比现实更加具有真实性，因为它具有转换的能力，能够引领人们从新的、更深的层次理解现实。在叙述的过程中，班扬不断提醒读者这是一个梦，希望读者能够和他一起来到这个将永恒和现实结合起来的世界。在梦境的框架内，叙述者不断地说“我在梦中看到了”。“看看”可以说也是书中一个重要的隐喻。可以说也是书中一个重要的隐喻。书中有两个层次的书中有两个层次的“看看”：一个是有形的世界，一个是无形：一个是有形的世界，一个是无形的世界。能不能通过这个有形的

23、现实世界看到那个无形的真的世界。能不能通过这个有形的现实世界看到那个无形的真理世界，是关系到书中人物能不能得到拯救的重大问题。理世界，是关系到书中人物能不能得到拯救的重大问题。“基督徒”看到了其他人没有看到的东西，因而矢志远行，寻找天国的拯救。正是这种能够看到无形的真理世界的能力使基督徒能够经受住各种艰难险阻，并最终达到目标。在天路历程中，班扬依靠这一视觉的隐喻，将那些只能看到眼前事物的人，同那些通过信仰能够看到真理的人区分开来。而班扬也在暗示读者，不能囿于书中的字面意义，要从中读出深层次的寓意。23v天路历程的特色还在于它简约而清新的语言风简约而清新的语言风格格。读者很容易理解书中一些复杂的

24、暗喻。在天路历程之前有很多宗教故事描写基督徒朝向天堂的灵魂之旅，但班扬超过他们的地方在于，他简单、平易的文风使故事中抽象的东西具有了生命。班扬对圣经的熟稔，对乡村和外省生活的了解，使天路历程中不仅频繁地出现圣经的语言，还经常出现一些乡村的通俗口语。班扬所写的正是他所听到的语言，很多现在仍然在口语和非正规语中使用，也没有什么让现代入感到不熟悉。有些用法在英国已经不存在了，而在美国的一些地方却仍然继续使用。用词的朴素是班扬语言的最大魅力之一。24v天路历程成功运用了寓言体，并将它巧妙地同梦境式的叙述框架相结合，配以现实主义的生动描写、和谐的结构，以及简约的语言风格。班扬使用的一些文学技巧，被称作英

25、国小说奠基入的笛福和斯威夫特直到10年后才开始使用。因此，天路历程绝不仅仅是一个宗教宣传册，而是一部出色的文学作品，一些批评家甚至把它看作第一部英国小说。而约翰班扬也不仅是英国17世纪一个著名的牧师，而且是一位在英国文学史占有重要地位的文学家。25v(1)Main ideav It tells the experience of a devout Christian in a world full of vice and wickedness.The story starts with a dream in which the author sees Christian the Pilgrim

26、,with a heavy burden on his back,reading the Bible.When he learns from the book that the city in which he and his family live shall be burnt down in a fire,Christian tries to convince his family and his neighbors of the oncoming disaster and asks them to go with him in search of salvation,but most o

27、f them simply ignore him.So he starts off with a friend,Pliable.Pliable turns back after they stumble into a pit,the Slough of Despond(绝望深渊).26vChristian struggles on by himself.Then he is misled by Mr.Worldly Wiseman(万事通先生)and is brought back onto the right road by Mr.Evangelist(福音传道先生).There he jo

28、ins Faithful,a neighbor who has set out later but has made better progress.The two go on together through many adventures,including the great struggle with Apollyon(恶魔亚玻伦),who claims them to be his subjects and refuses to accept their allegiance to God.After many other adventures they come to the Va

29、nity Fair where both are arrested as alien agitators.27vThey are tried and Faithful is condemned to death.Christian,however,manages to escape and goes on his way,assisted by a new friend,Hopeful.Tired of the hard journey,they are tempted to take a pleasant path and are then captured by Giant Despair

30、(绝望恶魔).Finally they get away and reach the Celestial City,where they enjoy eternal life in the fellowship of the blessed.28v(2)AnalysisvThe Pilgrims Progress is the most successful religious allegory in the English language.Its purpose is to urge people to abide by Christian doctrines and seek salva

31、tion through constant struggles with their own weakness and all kinds of social evils.It is not only about something spiritual but also bears much relevance to the time.Its predominant metaphorlife as a journeyis simple and familiar.29vThe objects that Christian meets are homely and commonplace,and

32、the scenes presented are typical English ones,but throughout the allegory a spiritual significance is added to the commonplace details.Here the strange is combined with the familiar and the trivial joined to the divine,and,at the same time,everything is based on universal experiences.Besides,a rich

33、imagination and a natural talent for storytelling also contribute to the success of the work which is at once entertaining and morally instructive.30v(3)Text explanationv节选第一段就说:我是在梦境中看到了“浮华集市(Vanity Fair)”。文中的they指的是Christian 和Faithful,最后一句指出该市的性质以及作者描写该市的主旨,即“所要来的都是虚空(All that cometh is vanity)”。接

34、下来四段是讲述“浮华集市”的来源或形成的原因及市场面貌的描写。第六段突出说明到天国(the Celestial City)去必须经过这个繁华集市(lusty fair)所在的城镇,耶稣基督(the Prince of Princes)就曾从这里走过。因此,作者说这个集市的存在由来已久。下来四段描写集市中的人对Christian和 Faithful两人到来的反应。31v他们的到来引起了一阵骚动,人们议论纷纷。作者认为主要原因如下:首先,他们俩的服装与市场上卖的不同;第二,他们说的话是迦南的语言(the Promised Land希望之乡);第三,他们俩对市场上的商品不屑一顾,面孔朝天,暗示他们的事业是在天上而不是人间。最后一段描写他们俩因独特的穿戴打扮和举止而被逮捕的经过。v天路历程采用梦境寓意的写法，批判地描写了当时英国的现实生活，也反映了广大人民对复辟王朝的不满。32