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美国文学简史
美国文学简史
AConciseHistoryofAmericanLiterature
Whatisliterature?
Literatureislanguageartisticallyusedtoachieveidentifiableliteraryqualitiesandtoconveymeaningfulmessages.
Chapter1ColonialPeriod
I. Background:
Puritanism
1. featuresofPuritanism
(1) Predestination:
Goddecidedeverythingbeforethingsoccurred.
(2) Originalsin:
Humanbeingswereborntobeevil,andthisoriginalsincanbepasseddownfromgenerationtogeneration.
(3) Totaldepravity
(4) Limitedatonement:
Onlythe“elect”canbesaved.
2. Influence
(1) Agroupofgoodqualities–hardwork,thrift,piety,sobriety(seriousandthoughtful)influencedAmericanliterature.
(2) Itledtotheeverlastingmyth.Allliteratureisbasedonamyth–gardenofEden.
(3) Symbolism:
theAmericanpuritan’smetaphoricalmodeofperceptionwaschieflyinstrumentalincallingintobeingaliterarysymbolismwhichisdistinctlyAmerican.
(4) Withregardtotheirwriting,thestyleisfresh,simpleanddirect;therhetoricisplainandhonest,notwithoutatouchofnobilityoftentraceabletothedirectinfluenceoftheBible.
II. Overviewoftheliterature
1. typesofwriting
diaries,histories,journals,letters,travelbooks,autobiographies/biographies,sermons
2. writersofcolonialperiod
(1) AnneBradstreet
(2) EdwardTaylor
(3) RogerWilliams
(4) JohnWoolman
(5) ThomasPaine
(6) PhilipFreneau
III. JonathanEdwards
1. life
2. works
(1) TheFreedomoftheWill
(2) TheGreatDoctrineofOriginalSinDefended
(3) TheNatureofTrueVirtue
3. ideas–pioneeroftranscendentalism
(1) Thespiritofrevivalism
(2) Regenerationofman
(3) God’spresence
(4) Puritanidealism
IV. BenjaminFranklin
1. life
2. works
(1) PoorRichard’sAlmanac
(2) Autobiography
3. contribution
(1) HehelpedfoundthePennsylvaniaHospitalandtheAmericanPhilosophicalSociety.
(2) Hewascalled“thenewPrometheuswhohadstolenfire(electricityinthiscase)fromheaven”.
(3) Everythingseemstomeetinthisoneman–“Jackofalltrades”.HermanMelvillethusdescribedhim“masterofeachandmasteredbynone”.
Chapter2AmericanRomanticism
Section1EarlyRomanticPeriod
WhatisRomanticism?
● AnapproachfromancientGreek:
Plato
● Aliterarytrend:
18cinBritain(1798~1832)
● SchlegelBros.
I. Preview:
Characteristicsofromanticism
1. subjectivity
(1) feelingandemotions,findingtruth
(2) emphasisonimagination
(3) emphasisonindividualism–personalfreedom,noheroworship,naturalgoodnessofhumanbeings
2. backtomedieval,espmedievalfolkliterature
(1) unrestrainedbyclassicalrules
(2) fullofimagination
(3) colloquiallanguage
(4) freedomofimagination
(5) genuineinfeelings:
answertheircallforclassics
3. backtonature
natureis“breathinglivingthing”(Rousseau)
II. AmericanRomanticism
1. Background
(1) Politicalbackgroundandeconomicdevelopment
(2) RomanticmovementinEuropeancountries
Derivative–foreigninfluence
2. features
(1) Americanromanticismwasinessencetheexpressionof“arealnewexperienceandcontained“analienquality”forthesimplereasonthat“thespiritoftheplace”wasradicallynewandalien.
(2) ThereisAmericanPuritanismasaculturalheritagetoconsider.Americanromanticauthorstendedmoretomoralize.ManyAmericanromanticwritingsintendedtoedifymorethantheyentertained.
(3) The“newness”ofAmericansasanationisinconnectionwithAmericanRomanticism.
(4) Asalogicalresultoftheforeignandnativefactorsatwork,Americanromanticismwasbothimitativeandindependent.
III. WashingtonIrving
1. severalnamesattachedtoIrving
(1) firstAmericanwriter
(2) themessengersentfromthenewworldtotheoldworld
(3) fatherofAmericanliterature
2. life
3. works
(1) AHistoryofNewYorkfromtheBeginningoftheWorldtotheEndoftheDutchDynasty
(2) TheSketchBookofGeoffreyCrayon,Gent.(Hewonameasureofinternationalrecognitionwiththepublicationofthis.)
(3) TheHistoryoftheLifeandVoyagesofChristopherColumbus
(4) AChronicleoftheConquestofGranada
(5) TheAlhambra
4. Literarycareer:
twoparts
(1) 1809~1832
a. SubjectsareeitherEnglishorEuropean
b. Conservativelovefortheantique
(2) 1832~1859:
backtoUS
5. style–beautiful
(1) gentility,urbanity,pleasantness
(2) avoidingmoralizing–amusingandentertaining
(3) envelopingstoriesinanatmosphere
(4) vividandtruecharacters
(5) humour–smilingwhilereading
(6) musicallanguage
IV. JamesFenimoreCooper
1. life
2. works
(1) Precaution(1820,hisfirstnovel,imitatingAusten’sPrideandPrejudice)
(2) TheSpy(hissecondnovelandgreatsuccess)
(3) LeatherstockingTales(hismasterpiece,aseriesoffivenovels)
TheDeerslayer,TheLastoftheMohicans,ThePathfinder,ThePioneer,ThePrairie
3. pointofview
thethemeofwildernessvs.civilization,freedomvs.law,ordervs.change,aristocratvs.democrat,naturalrightsvs.legalrights
4. style
(1) highlyimaginative
(2) goodatinventingtales
(3) goodatlandscapedescription
(4) conservative
(5) characterizationwoodenandlackinginprobability
(6) languageanduseofdialectnotauthentic
5. literaryachievements
HecreatedamythabouttheformativeperiodoftheAmericannation.IfthehistoryoftheUnitedStatesis,inasense,theprocessoftheAmericansettlersexploringandpushingtheAmericanfrontierforeverwestward,thenCooper’sLeatherstockingTaleseffectivelyapproximatestheAmericannationalexperienceofadventureintotheWest.HeturnedthewestandfrontierasauseablepastandhehelpedtointroducewesterntraditiontoAmericanliterature.
Section2SummitofRomanticism–AmericanTranscendentalism
I. Background:
foursources
1. Unitarianism
(1) FatherhoodofGod
(2) Brotherhoodofmen
(3) LeadershipofJesus
(4) Salvationbycharacter(perfectionofone’scharacter)
(5) Continuedprogressofmankind
(6) Divinityofmankind
(7) Depravityofmankind
2. RomanticIdealism
Centeroftheworldisspirit,absolutespirit(Kant)
3. Orientalmysticism
Centeroftheworldis“oversoul”
4. Puritanism
Eloquentexpressionintranscendentalism
II. Appearance
1836,“Nature”byEmerson
III. Features
1. spirit/oversoul
2. importanceofindividualism
3. nature–symbolofspirit/God
garmentoftheoversoul
4. focusinintuition(irrationalismandsubconsciousness)
IV. Influence
1. Itservedasanethicalguidetolifeforayoungnationandbroughtabouttheideathathumancanbeperfectedbynature.Itstressedreligioustolerance,calledtothrowoffshacklesofcustomsandtraditionsandgoforwardtothedevelopmentofanewanddistinctlyAmericanculture.
2. Itadvocatedidealismthatwasgreatneededinarapidlyexpandedeconomywhereopportunityoftenbecameopportunism,andthedesireto“geton”obscuredthemoralnecessityforrisingtospiritualheight.
3. IthelpedtocreatethefirstAmericanrenaissance–oneofthemostprolificperiodinAmericanliterature.
V. RalphWaldoEmerson
1. life
2. works
(1) Nature
(2) Twoessays:
TheAmericanScholar,ThePoet
3. pointofview
(1) Onemajorelementofhisphilosophyishisfirmbeliefinthetranscendenceofthe“oversoul”.
(2) Heregardsnatureasthepurest,andthemostsanctifyingmoralinfluenceonman,andadvocatedadirectintuitionofaspiritualandimmanentGodinnature.
(3) Ifmandependsuponhimself,cultivateshimselfandbringsoutthedivineinhimself,hecanhopetobecomebetterandevenperfect.ThisiswhatEmersonmeansby“theinfinitudeofman”.
(4) Everyoneshouldunderstandthathemakeshimselfbymakinghisworld,andthathemakestheworldbymakinghimself.
4. aestheticideas
(1) Heisacompleteman,aneternalman.
(2) Truepoetryandtrueartshouldennoble.
(3) Thepoetshouldexpresshisthoughtinsymbols.
(4) Astotheme,EmersoncalleduponAmericanauthorstocelebrateAmericawhichwastohimalonepoeminitself.
5. hisinfluence
VI. HenryDavidThoreau
1. life
2. works
(1) AWeekontheConcordandMerrimackRiver
(2) Walden
(3) APleaforJohnBrown(anessay)
3. pointofview
(1) HedidnotlikethewayamaterialisticAmericawasdevelopingandwasvehementlyoutspokenonthepoint.
(2) Hehatedthehumaninjusticeasrepresentedbytheslaverysystem.
(3) LikeEmerson,butmorethanhim,Thoreausawnatureasagenuinerestorative,healthyinfluenceonman’sspiritualwell-being.
(4) Hehasfaithintheinnervirtueandinward,spiritualgraceofman.
(5) Hewasverycriticalofmoderncivilization.
(6) “Simplicity…simplify!
”
(7) Hewassorelydisgustedwith“theinundationsofthedirtyinstitutionsofmen’sodd-fellowsociety”.
(8) Hehascalmtrustinthefutureandhis