英国文学史作品赏析.docx

英国文学史作品赏析.docx

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英国文学史作品赏析

1.SirGawainandtheGreenKnight

2.TheCanterburyTales

3.Dr.Faustus

4.Sonnet18

5.Hamlet

6.ParadiseLost

7.TheRapeoftheLock

8.ElegyWritteninaCountryChurchyard

9.TheSchoolforScandal

10.RobinsonCrusoe

11.AModestProposal

12.TomJones

13.London

14.Iwanderedlonelyasacloud

15.TheIslesofGreece

16.OdetotheWestWind

17.PrometheusUnbound

18.WalterScott

19.PrideandPrejudice

20.VanityFair

21.JaneEyre

22.WutheringHeights

23.TheMillontheFloss

24.TessofD’Urbervilles

25.Break,Break,Break

26.Mrs.Warren’sProfession

27.Pygmalion

1.MakecommentsontheromanceSirGawainandtheGreenKnight

Twomotifs:

Thestoryseemstoshowthetestingoffaith,courageandpurity.Atrueknightshouldnotonlydedicatehimselftothechurchbutalsoshouldpossessthevirtuesofgreatcourage,offidelitytohispromise,andofphysicalchastityandpurity.Andanotherthemeofthestoryisthetestofhumanweaknessforself-preservation

SirGawainandtheGreenKnightisthemostaccomplishedexampleofmedievalromanceandapoemofrichpsychologicalandmoralinterest.TheunknownauthorofSirGawainandtheGreenKnightwasChaucer’scontemporary,buthisalliterativeverseformwasoldfashionedeveninhisownday,andhisdialect,thatofNorthwestEngland,isalsoverydifficultforthemodernreaders.

However,superficiallythepoemisanaccountofatypicalchivalricadventure,anamalgamofanumberofthebest-knownmotifsofArthurianromance--achallengebyamysterioussuperhumanknight,abargain,whichturnsouttohaveunforeseenconsequences;alonequest;anattemptedseductionofaChristianknightbyabewitchingtemptress.Andthecourtlyromancesalsomarriedtoarchetypalfolkmythsandtoreligion.

Thebriefsummaryoftheactionofthepoemrevealsthatitisconcernedwiththerightsandwrongsofconduct.Itsthemeisaseriesoftestsonfaith,courage,purityandhumanweaknessforself-preservation.ThestorypresentsaprofoundlyChristianviewofman’scharacterandhisdestiny.Byplacingself-protectionbeforehonor,anddeceitbeforehistrustintheloveofGod,GawainhassinnedandfallenandbecomeanimageofAdam.

Humanexcellenceismarredbyoriginalsinandcourtlyvaluesalonearenoprotection.ThoughGawaincanhopetobeexcused,thegirdleitselfremainsaperpetualreminderofhisweakness.ThemotifoftheGreenKnight’shead-cuttingmightoriginateinancientvegetationmythinwhichthebeheadingwouldhavebeenaritualdeathtoensurearebirthinthefollowingspring.

Thereisaveryclearstructureinthepoemwithaprologue,anepilogueanditsmainbody.SirGawainandtheGreenKnightisundoubtedlyaromancetoldwiththepurposeofportrayingidealcharacterinaction.Withapreferenceforirony,suggestionandimplication,theunknownauthortriestomakehisromancethevehicleofawisemoralityinwhichthehumorouslygrotesquemergeswiththemorallyserious.

2.WhatisthefunctionoftheprologuetoTheCanterburyTales?

TheGeneralPrologueisthekeytoTheCanterburytalesthatnarratesaboutthegatheringofagroupofpeopleinaninnthatintendtogoonapilgrimagetoCanterbury（England）nextmorning.IntheGeneralPrologue,thenarratorofTheCanterburyTales,whoisoneoftheintendedpilgrims,providesmoreorlessaccuratedepictionsofthemembersofthegroupanddescribeswhyandhowTheCanterburyTalesistold.

IfwetrusttheGeneralPrologue,ChaucerdeterminedthateachpilgrimshouldtelltwotalesonthewaytoCanterburyandtwotalesonthewayback.Thehostoftheinnofferstobeandisappointedasjudgeofthetalesastheyaretoldandissupposedtodeterminethebesthencewinningtale.Asmentionedbefore,TheCanterburyTaleswasneverfinished.

TheGeneralPrologueisusuallyregardedasthegreatestportraitgalleryinEnglishliterature.Itislargelycomposedofaseriesofsketchesdifferingwidelyinlengthandmethod,andblendingtheindividualandthetypicalinvaryingdegrees.

ThepurposeoftheGeneralPrologueisnotonlytopresentavividcollectionofcharactersketches,butalsotriestorevealtheauthor‘sintentioninbringingtogetheragreatvarietyofpeopleandnarrativematerials（RanginginstatusfromaKnighttoahumblePlowman,thepilgrimsareamicrocosmof14th-centuryEnglishsociety）tounitethediversityofthetalesbyallottingthemtoadiversityoftellersengagedinacommonendeavor,tosetthetoneforthestory-telling--oneofjollitywhichaccordswiththetoneofthewholework:

thatofgratefulacceptanceoflifekillingthetimeinajoyfulway,secularpurposeofthepilgrim;tomakecleartheplanforthetales,tomotivatethetellingofseveraloftalesandtointroducethepilgrimsandthetimeandoccasionofthepilgrimage.

3.SummarizethestoryandthethemeofDr.Faustusandanalyzeitsmaincharacter.

Accordingtotheconventionalview,DoctorFaustusisapredominantlyChristianplay,carryingtheessentialelementsofthemedievalMorality.Itvindicateshumility,faithandobediencetothelawofGod.Byexhibitingthepunishmentofmanfortryingthroughtheproudexerciseofforbiddenknowledgetotranscendtheboundsofhisnature,theFaust-mythisactuallyawarningagainstthesinofprideandpresumption.ThestruggleinDoctorFaustusisthesamestrugglebetweenHeavenandHell,betweenGodandLucifer;Faustus’sfalliscausedbythesameprideandambitionthatcausedthefalloftheangelsinHeaven.

Inaradicalview,theplay’sdominantmoralishumanratherthanreligious.Itcelebratesthehumanpassionforknowledge,powerandhappiness.Italsorevealsman’sfrustrationinrealizingthehighaspirationsinahostilemoralorder.Andtheconfinementtotimeisthecruelestfactofman’scondition.（ArebellionagainstChristianity）itreflectstheconflictbetweenMedievalandRenaissancevalue.ThemedievalworldplacedGodatthecenterofexistenceandshuntedasidemanandthenaturalworld.TheRenaissancecarriedwithitanewemphasisontheindividual,onclassicallearning,andonscientificinquiryintothenatureoftheworld.

4.Whatisthethemeofthepoem（Sonnet18）?

ItwaswritteninthepopularEnglishformofthreequatrainsandacoupletwitharhymeschemeofABABCDCDEFEFGG.

Sonnet18isoneofthemostbeautifulsonnetswrittenbyShakespeare,inwhichhehasaprofoundmeditationonthedestructivepoweroftimeandtheeternalbeautybroughtforthbypoetrytotheoneheloves.Anicesummer’sdayisusuallytransient,butthebeautyinpoetrycanlastforever.ThusShakespearehasafaithinthepermanenceofpoetry.

5.“Tobe,ornottobe”

ThestoryofHamlet:

KingHamletismurderedbyhisbrotherClaudius.ClaudiusmarriestheQueenGertrudetobecomeking.PrinceHamletisforcedbyhisfather’sghosttotakerevengeonhisuncleClaudius.InthemeantimeFortinbrastriestoconquerDenmark,whichhisfatherhadlosttoKingHamlet.Hamletusesatheatregrouptoperformaplaytoshowtheguiltofhisuncle.NowClaudiusrealizesthatHamletknowsthetruthandtriestokillhim.Accidentallyhismother,thequeenGertrudedrinksthepoisoneddrinkintendedtokillHamlet.

ItdiscussestheattitudeofaRenaissancehumanisttowardlifeanddeath.Isitworthitdyinginthefightwithevil?

Orisitbettertoignoreevilandendurethepainandliveon?

Deathmaybethewayoutofallthesufferingoflife,butisdeaththeendofall?

Isn’tthermoreanguishandsorrowinthenextworld?

Thoughthoughtguidesaction,excessivethinkingmakespeoplecowardlyandjeopardizesthechancesofsuccessofgreatundertakings.

Hamlet’sattitudetowardsrevenge:

therevengemayservenousefulpurposeasitcannotbringhisdeadfatherbacktolifenorsavehismother’shonor.

ThesubstanceofthesoliloquyservestoindicatewithinthelimitedspaceofitsfewlinesthewholeprocessofgrowthofHamlet’scharacter,whichisinawayanindicationofthehistoryofhumanthinkingfromtheRenaissancethroughmodernexistentialism.

ThereasonsforHamlet’shesitationinaction:

Hamlethasdoubtsabouttheghostandhis“truth”.

Thesocialandreligiouseducationthathehasreceivedmakeshimhatetokillamaninhismomentsofrepentance.

6.MakeacommentontheimageofSataninParadiseLost.

（1）Hehasstrength,thecourage,andthecapacityforleadership

（2）Satan'sdefianceofGod

（3）Hisegoisticpride,hisfalseconceptionoffreedom,andhisalienationfromallgood;

（4）Hisunconquerablewill

7.TheRapeoftheLock

ItisthefinestmockheroicpoeminEnglish,basedonanactualepisode.Itconcernsaneventinwhichayoungman,LordPetre,cutsalockof“sacredhair”fromayoungladyconsideredformarriage,ArabellaFermor.  ThespontaneoushaircutcausesariftbetweentwofriendlyfamilieswhoPopeiscloseto,andheintendsthepoemtomendwoundedfeelings. Thepurposeistopacifytheladybyfinallymakingholythelockofhairandtoridiculethetrivialincident,andtoemphasizethepettinessofthequarrel,thefoolish,meaninglesslifeofthelordsandladiesinthearistocraticbourgeoissocietyoftheeighteenthcenturyEngland.

8.ElegyWritteninaCountryChurchyard

Itconsistsof32four-linestanzasiniambicpentameter.Ineachstanza,thefirstlinerhymeswiththethirdandthesecondlinerhymeswiththefourth（abab）.Lifeisshort,transitory,asLine36makesclear:

Thepathsofgloryleadbuttothegrave.Becauseofpovertyorotherhandicaps,manytalentedpeopleneverreceivetheopportunitiestheydeserve.Thepoetmeditatesinavillagecemeteryonthegravesofthehumblearoundhim,showinghisgreatsympathyforthepoorandexpressinghiscensure