英美文学教程笔记.docx

1、英美文学教程笔记English LiteratureChapter One English Literature in the Middle Age (5th -15th )Main points:I. Background information of the Anglo-Saxon period.II. Literary characteristics of the Anglo-Saxon period.III. Background information of the Anglo-Norman period. IV. Literary characteristics of the An

2、glo-Norman period.V. Important literary works and men of letters of the Anglo-Norman period. VI. Geoffrey ChaucerI . Background information of the Anglo-Saxon periodThe period can be roughly divided into two stages: the Anglo-Saxon period and the Anglo-Norman period.1.The making of the nation.1.1 Th

3、e inhabitants of the nationThe native Celts凯尔特人(they inhabit in what is now Ireland, Wales and Scotland )- the Roman Conquest ( this conquest was led by Julius Caesar in 55B.C., which lasted 4 centuries, but it made little influence on the nations literature )- the Anglo-Saxon Conquest in about 449

4、by three Teutonic tribes 条顿部落- the Anglos, the Saxons, the Jutes.The Anglo-Saxons were Christianized in the 7th century, which influenced the literature in two aspects: one is the great number of Christian poetry which forms an important part of English literature of this period; the other is Christ

5、ian color in pagan works, for the monks recorded the oral literature with their Christian ideas. (The ideas usually do not go with the content of the whole being.)1.2 The languageIn the 7th, the three tribes mixed into a whole people called English and the language spoken by them is generally called

6、 Anglo-Saxon, that is the Old English.II. Literary characteristics of the Anglo-Saxon period.The main literary form of the period is poetry and there are two groups: pagan poetry and religious poetry, and often Christian one.The most important works left is Beowulf贝奥武甫or贝尔武夫The introduction to Beowu

7、lfIt is the earliest complete epic in English literature and it is regarded as the national epic of the English people.- Definition of epic or national epic 史诗: it is a poetic account of the deeds of one or more great heroes, or of a nations past history.- 3182 lines, two parts with an interpolation

8、 between the two.- The theme of the poem: Beowulf is one of the nations heroes of the English people. With the descriptions of his heroic deeds, the song reflects events taking place on the Scandinavian peninsula at the beginning of the 7th century.- The significance of the poem: The story represent

9、s 1) the fight of the ancient people against beasts and natural forces ( e.g. flood, volcano ); 2) it reflects the features of tribal society of ancient time; 3)Beowulfs deeds presents the ideal virtues of ancient Anglo-Saxons.( courage, prowess, devotion to his people )- Characteristics of the poem

10、: an alliterative verse头韵体诗歌; pagan in spirit and matter, yet with visible Christian marks.III. Background information of the Anglo-Norman period.3.1 The Norman ConquestThe beginning of the Anglo-Norman period is marked by the Norman Conquest in 1066. The influences of the conquest on the English so

11、ciety are: 1) the nation turned from the tribal society to the feudal society; 2) the conquest brought for the nation French civilization and the French language.3.2 The languageAt first, French was the language of the upper class or the oppressor and Old English was the language of the oppressed. T

12、hen Old English was combined with French to form a new language - Middle EnglishIV. Literary characteristics of the Anglo-Norman periodThe main literary forms of the period are poetry and prose.( romance in the form of prose ) Literary characteristics- 中古英诗呈现法国诗风与英格兰本土传统交融的情景。诗歌韵体上，一方面受法国诗歌的影响，出现以音韵

13、为特征的诗歌 e.g. Chaucers Canterbury tales，一方面保留古英语的头韵体诗歌 e.g. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight- poetic forms: A. romance传奇which was brought from France to England, was about the bright, romantic tales of love and adventures of the knights.(P18) B. Ballad民谣: ( definition ) Ballad is a kind of English folk

14、 literature. It is a story told in songs, usually in 4-line stanzas, with the 2nd and the 4th lines rhymed. It portrays the characters from the lower class and gives an outlook of the life of the common people in feudal England.(P51) e.g. the “Robin Hood” groupV. Important literary works and men of

15、letters of the Anglo-Norman period. - Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the most important among the King Arthurs circle.(P18) It is about the adventures and romantic love of a knight, Sir Gawain. And the knight represents the ideal virtues advocated in the feudal society - courage, devotion to his k

16、ing and also his beloved lady; this romance also gives a vivid account of the court life at that time; - Piers, the Plowman by William Langland朗格兰 It is a religious allegory. - Geoffrey Chaucer乔叟VI. Geoffrey ChaucerHe is regarded as “father of English poetry”, and one of the greatest narrative poets

17、 in England.(P41) As a writer living in the transitional period when England turned from feudal society to capitalism, his works reveals faithfully the life and the thoughts of his time.(he eulogizes the ideals of chivalrous England on the one hand, and on the other hand, he sang highly of the Renai

18、ssance spirits)6.1 About the authorA. Chaucer was born in about 1340 in a family of a rich merchant and served as page to a countess, which provided with him a chance of getting in close ties with the court and nobility.B. In 1359 he accompanied the English army to France and in 1367 he was sent on

19、several embassies to France. This experience helped him get in acquaintances with French renaissance. (imitate mew forms of poetry writing, translate French works)C. In 1367 he was sent on several embassies to Flanders, France and Italy, he then got in acquaintances with Italian renaissance. (Dante但

20、丁, Boccaccio卜伽丘, Petrarch彼得拉克)D. The poet died in 1400 and was buried in Westminster Abbey, thus founding the “Poets Corner”.6.2 Chaucers main works (P42) masterpiece: The Canterbury Tales6.3 The Canterbury Tales- It is one of the most famous works in all literatures. In arranging the poem, he imita

21、tes the framework of Boccaccios Decamenon十日谈：a general prologue + 24 tales with interlogues.(P43)- Significance of The Canterbury TalesA. Chaucer created a brilliant and picturesque panorama of his time and his country. In this book, he portrayed characters from all walks of life and made them tell

22、stories that revealed the life, manners and thoughts of people from different social classes.B. As a humanist, he eulogized humanist ideas. He believed in the rights of man to earthly happiness. He was keen to praise mans energy, intellect, quick wit and the love for life.C. Chaucer introduced from

23、France the rhymed stanza of various types to replace the Old English alliterative verse. He was the first to employ skillfully heroic couplets in English poetic writing.D. He covered all the major types of medieval literature in his masterpiece, such as romances, folk tales, animal stories.E. Chauce

24、r also contributed greatly to the founding of English literary language, the basis of which was formed by the London dialect, so profoundly used by the poet.- Appreciation pf the “general Prologue”(P43)Chapter TwoEnglish Literature in the RenaissanceMain points:I. Historical background of the period

25、II. Features of English RenaissanceIII. Important literary men and literary worksIV. Christopher Marlowe and William ShakespeareI. Historical background of the period The 16th century in England was a period of the breaking up of feudal relations and the establishing of the foundations of capitalism

26、.A. Economically, the period witnessed the progress of bourgeois economy which was stimulated by the Enclosure movement.(圈地运动)B. Scientifically, it was a time of new discoveries in geography and astrology. (哥伦布发现新大陆，哥白尼的“太阳中心说”)The discovery of new land led to the development of overseas trade. The

27、new ideas about the centre of the world aroused suspicion on medieval religion.C The religious and political reform in England or the consolidation of secular and ecclesiastical power under one King greatly furthered the strengthening of English monarchy.D. In literature and arts, there was a keen i

28、nterest in the rediscovered ancient Greek and Roman culture with a reassertion of mans position as the centre of the universe. Also the introduction of printing in the turning of the century made reading popular, which helped the spread of new ideas among the populace. II. Features of English Renais

29、sance- The definition or the term Renaissance: The term Renaissance originally indicates a revival or rebirth of ancient Greek and Roman arts and sciences after the dark ages of medieval obscurantism. Indeed, a great number of the works of classical authors were translated into English during the 16

30、th century. The study and propagation of classical learning and art was carried on by the progressive thinkers of the humanists. They held their chief interest not in ecclesiastical knowledge, but in man, his environment and doings and bravely fought for the emancipation of man from the tyranny of t

31、he church and religious dogmas.- Two key features of RenaissanceA. The humanists showed a thirsting curiosity for classical literature. There aroused a general of the study of Greek and Latin authors.( e.g. translating their works, modeling their literary forms, borrowing their subjects )B. They had

32、 a keen interest in life and human activities. For the first time, man is considered as the centre of the universe. The interest in God and in the life after death is transformed into the exaltation of man and an absorption in earthly life.III. Important literary men and literary works3.1 Literary forms of the period A. poetry, lyrical poetry and narrative/epic poetry B. prose, literary critic works and essays C