1、Part I Early English LiteraturePart I Early English Literature(The Anglo-Saxon Period)(449-1066)1.The Historical Background 2.The Old English Literature 3.The Song of Beowulf1. The Historical Background: the formation of the nation-Britons, a tribes of Celts the earliest inhabitants of the British I
2、sles-Romans Conquests: 55B.C410 A.D Julius Caesar Consequences: a network of highways, scores of towns, Roman lifestyle-The English Conquest: Anglos, Saxons, and Jutes.1.By the 7th century Old English Emerged.2.Anglo-Saxon period witnessed a transition from tribal society to feudalism.3.Old northern
3、 European mythologiesChristianity. The Christianization of Anglo-Saxons influenced the record of old English literature. 4.Old EnglishII. The Old English LiteratureA general view 1. The old English Literature is almost a verse literature in oral form. 2. There are two groups of poetry: pagan and Chr
4、istian. 3. Prose appeared in the 8th century. Religious/Christian poetry Caedmon:凯德蒙- The first Anglo-Saxon poet, the first known religious poet of England, known as the father of English song lived in the 7th century - works: Paraphrase 演释曲 Cynewulf:琴湼武甫 -Another representative figure in the Anglo-
5、Saxon literature lived in the 9th Century - works: The Christ 基督2. Pagan poetry Beowulf: 贝奥武甫The representative of the Anglo-Saxon literature, the national epic of the English people, a folk legend brought to England from Northern Europe, written down in the10th C, the most important work of the Old
6、 English literatureEpic: A long verse narrative on a serious subject, told in a formal and elevated style, and centered on a heroic or quasi-divine figure on whose actions depends the fate of a tribe, a nation, or the human race. Eg. “Iliad”, “Odyssey”, “Paradise Lost”. The Song of BeowulfCharacters
7、: Beowulf: nephew of Hygelac Hygelac: king of Geats in Jutland Hrothgar: king of the Danes Grendel: a monster Plot:Beowulfs fight with the monster Grendel in Hrothgars hallBeowulfs slaying of Grendels mother in her lairBeowulfs return in glory to his uncle, and his succession to the throneBeowulfs v
8、ictory in death, fifty years later, over the fire dragonArtistic features 1.The use of alliteration 2The use of metaphors and understatements3. The mixture of pagan and Christian elementsAlliteration: a rhetorical device, meaning some words in a sentence begin with the same consonant sound.Metaphor:
9、 a way of describing sth. by saying that it is like sth. Understatements: 轻描淡写/有节制的描述expressing something in a controlled way. It is a typical way for Englishmen to express their ideas. Giving an impression of reserve and a tinge of ironic humorPart II The Anglo-Norman Period(1066-1350)(The Middle E
10、nglish Period/ Medieval Age)1. General Background 2.The Middle English Literature 3. Some Knowledge of English PoetryGeneral Background 1. The Norman Conquest 1066, the Battle of Hasting, William the ConquerorMarks the establishment of feudalism in England Normansmasters Saxonsservants2. Its Influen
11、ce on English language。By the end of 14th century, English and French intermingled, English was once more the dominant speech, but greatly changed.。The structure remained, common words retained, French words entered3.Influence on English literature。There were different literary forms: romance, popul
12、ar literature. 。The literature was a combination of French and AngloSaxon elementsII The Middle English LiteratureRomance Geoffrey Chaucer Popular literatureRomance: the most prevalent kind of literature in feudal England. The literature for the upper class. A long composition, sometimes in verse, s
13、ometimes in prose, describing the life and adventures of a noble heroknight.Knight: a special group of people existed in the Middle Age in Europe. Nearly all nobles were knights. However, nobody was born a knight. One nobleman who wants to be a knight must experience hard training and then king will
14、 give him knighthood.The Romance Cycles Matter of France: Emperor Charlemagne and his peers Matter of Rome: Alexander the Great, the Fall of Troy and so forth Matter of Britain: King Arthur and his knights of the round tableKing Arthur A legendary British leader who, according to medieval histories
15、and romances, led the defense of Britain against the Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthurs story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and his historical existence is debated and disputed by modern historians. He gathered a company of knights in his castle
16、 at Camelot. Conflicts between his knights led to his creating of the famous “round table” at which all would have equal precedence. English wished to see their monarch as something other than a remote dictator and it has gradually bind the monarch into a more democratic system.Sir Gawain and the Gr
17、een Knight The best Arthurian romance, anonymous, in alliterative verse Its characters : King Arthur, Sir Gawain, the Green KnightSome Knowledge of English Poetry1. Types of poetry:Narrative poetry: 叙事诗( Epic 史诗Dramatic poem 戏剧诗 Metrical tale 故事诗Ballad 民谣)Lyric:抒情诗(Ode 颂诗 Elegy 挽歌 Idyll 田园诗 Love poe
18、m 爱情诗)Didactic poetry 说理诗 Burlesque 滑稽讽刺诗 Parody 模仿讽刺诗2.versification 韵律Stanza:诗的一段 a unit of lines related Line:诗行Foot 音步: a unit of poetic meter of stressed or unstressed syllable 一个轻重音节的组合。每行中音步数大致相同,也有不同的情况。Monometer Diameter Trimeter Tetrameter pentameterMeter韵律/节拍/格: formal rhythm in lines of
19、verse. the verse line is divided into feet which contain different rhythms and stresses. Meter is the regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables.Iambic 抑扬格 - /, / I saw the sky descending black and whitetrochaic扬抑格 / -, / Let her live to earn her dinner.Anapest抑抑扬 - - /, / There are many w
20、ho say a dog has his day.Dactyl扬扬抑 / / -, / / Take her up tenderlyMeter + foot= metrical rhythm/versificationE.g.: As soon as April pieces into the root Iambic pentameter 五步抑扬格 - / - / - / - / -/ / / / / /Foot is not to be confused with meter, though the names of feet end with “-meter”. Meter is bas
21、ed on syllables, indicating how stressed and unstressed syllables are arranged. Foot is applied with a single line, indicating how many meters are employed in that line1.Rhyme 韵脚: two or more words with the same sound, e.g. love and dove2.押韵的条件:3.重读音节的元音应相同:there, share, where4.它前面的辅音应不同:5.它后面如有辅音应相
22、同:right, knight, flight6.它后面如有轻读音节应相同:wonder, blunderGeoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400)Life Literary career The Canterbury Tales ContributionsChaucers position in English literature1. He was born into a wine merchant family in London.2. At 17, he became a page in a noblemans household3. At 19, he went to
23、France with the English army and was imprisoned.4. He was married to a maid of honor to the queen at 26.5. At 27 he entered the service of the king. 6. From 1372-1373 he went to Italy on diplomatic missions7. In 1374, he was made controller of customs in London8. He was even made MP for Kent in 1386
24、.9. He died in 1400 10. He was buried in Westminster Abbeythe Poets CornerChaucers active career as courtier, soldier, diplomat, and civil servant provided him not only with knowledge but also experiences which accounted for the wide range of his writings.Literary career 1.The French period (1360s13
25、72)Under the influence of French poetry, he translated many French works and also familiarized with writings in Latin esp. Virgil and Ovid.Works: The Romaunt of the Rose 玫瑰的故事2. The Italian period (13721385) a. He immersed himself in the works of Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio.b. Here he wrote Troilu
26、s and Criseyde, 特罗勒斯与克丽西德, the first modern novel, which also became the subject of Shakespeare and Dryden3.The Mature period/English period (13851400). Free from any foreign influence, he has his own choice of subject, own grasp of character and his own diction and plot.Works: The Canterbury Tales
27、坎特伯雷故事集The Canterbury TalesChaucers masterpiece, one of the monumental works in English literatureSubject matter p.43 The prologue p. 44-5 Provides a framework for the whole poemSocial significance p. 44-5the function of the Prologue to The Canterbury Tales1.The Prologue provides a framework for the
28、 tales. It contains a group of vivid sketches of typical medieval figures. All classes of the English feudal society, except the royalty and the poorest peasant, are represented by these thirty pilgrims. 2.It is no exaggeration to say that the Prologue supplies a miniature of the English society of
29、Chaucers time. Looking at his word-pictures, we know at once how people lived in that era. That is why Chaucer has been called “the founder of English realism”. 3.On the other hand , there is also an intimate connection between the tales and the Prologue, both complement each other.Metical rhythm of
30、 “The Canterbury Tales ” As soon as April pieces to the root - / - / - / - / - / The drought of March, and bathes each bud and shoot - / - / - / - / - / Through every vein of sap with gentle showers - / - / - / - / - / From whose engendering liquor spring the flowers - / - / - / - / - / Iambic penta
31、meter 五步抑扬格 正当四月里甘甜的春雨 渗透了三月里干枯的根须 沐浴了茎络,唤起了生机 使鲜花盛开,清香缕缕 当西风以自己温暖的气息 在每一个树林,每一片荒地,唤起一个个嫩芽新枝 当青春的太阳在白羊宫里 已经走过一半的路程 小鸟们彻夜不眠,吟唱歌曲 大自然在他们心里弹奏旋律 这是人们都立愿前去 向远处的圣地进香朝礼Chaucers contribution to English Literature He introduced from Italy and France the rhymed stanza of various types, esp. the “heroic couple
32、t ”to English poetry, to replace the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse. He was the first great poet who wrote in English language (Middle English), thus establishing English as the literary language. He did much in making the London dialect the foundation for modern English languageHeroic couplet: the rhymed couplet of iambic pentame
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