English Literature 3.docx

1、English Literature 3English Literature 3The English Renaissance 1485-1660The Renaissance The Renaissance, which began in the 14th century in Italy, was a great cultural and intellectual movement that swept the whole of Europe. The Renaissance period was marked by a reawakening of interest in learnin

2、g, in the individual and in the world of nature. The revival of learning led scholars back to the culture of Greece and Rome. The rebirthof interest in the individual gave rise to a new appreciation of beauty, to a desire of self-expression in varied activities and to the creation of great works of

3、art. The renewal of curiosity about the natural world ultimately drew men to discover new lands and new scientific truth. Humanism Humanism was the ideal of the Renaissance. It attempted to place the affairs of mankind at the center of its concerns. (Background on p. 67) A number of humanist scholar

4、s who took great interest in the welfare of human beings with the spread of the ancient Greek and Roman culture. It was against human nature to sacrifice the happiness of this life for and after life. Man should be given full freedom to enrich their intellectual and emotional life. In religion, they

5、 demanded the reformation of the church. In art and literature, instead of singing praise to God, they sang in praise of man and of the pursuit of happiness in this life.Significance:Humanism shattered the shackles of spiritual bondage of mans mind by the Roman Catholic Church and opened his eyes to

6、 “a brave new world” in front of him.Queen Elizabeth and the defeat of the Armada Queen Elizabeths reign (1558-1603) Defeat of the Spanish Armada (1588)Main traits of the Renaissance It emphasizes the dignity of man, affirms and eulogizes the value of man, which often implies a lessening in the powe

7、r of God. It advocates the full expression of individualism and the fulfillment of ones abilities. It affirms the delight of earthly achievement, as well as mans desire for happiness and pleasure.Major Writers of the English Renaissance Thomas More Sir Philip Sidney Edmund Spencer Christopher Marlow

8、e William Shakespeare Francis Bacon John DonneThomas More (1478-1535) He was Lord Chancellor to Henry VIII. He was beheaded because he refused to recognize the supremacy of Henry as head of the English Church. Masterpiece: Utopia (meaning no place), published in 1516. Sir Philip Sidney (1554-1586) H

9、e was a perfect knight and scholar courtier. Major works: Arcadia (1580) Astrophel and Stella (1580-1584): sonnet series, 108 in all. Apology for Poetry (1579)Edmund Spencer (1552-1599) The greatest non-dramatic poet of the Elizabethan age. He was called “poets poet”. The Spencerian stanza (p. 72).

10、Major works: The Shepherds Calendar (1579) Amoretti (sonnet sequence, 89 in all) The Faerie QueeneChristopher Marlowe (1564-1593) One of the “University Wits”. Major works: Tamburlaine the Great (1587) The Tragic History of Dr. Faustus (1592):A will to search the infinite world of knowledge even in

11、the expense of life. (See plot summary on p. 85-86) The Passionate Shepherd to His LoveWilliam Shakespeare (1564-1616) The Greatest writer in English and one of the greatest in the world. “He was not of an age, but for all time.”Ben Jonson Achievements: see p. 95-971. Shakespeare represented the tre

12、nd of history in giving voice to the desires and aspirations of the people.2. Shakespeares humanism.3. Shakespeares characterization. 4.Shakespeares originality.5. Shakespeare as a great poet.6. Shakespeare as master of the English language.Works:Poetry Sonnets (154 in all) A Lovers Complaint The Ra

13、pe of Lucrece Venus and Adonis Funeral Elegy by W.SComedyAlls Well That Ends Well As You Like It皆大欢喜The Comedy of Errors错误的喜剧 Cymbeline辛柏霖 Loves Labours Lost终成眷属 Measure for Measure The Merry Wives of Windsor温莎的风流娘儿们 The Merchant of Venice威尼斯商人A Midsummer Nights Dream仲夏夜之梦 Much Ado About Nothing无事生非

14、Pericles, Prince of Tyre Taming of the Shrew The Tempest暴风雨 Troilus and CressidaTwelfth Night第十二夜 Two Gentlemen of Verona维洛纳二绅士Winters Tale冬天的故事 HistoryHenry IV, part 1 Henry IV, part 2 Henry VHenry VI, part 1 Henry VI, part 2 Henry VI, part 3 Henry VIII King John Richard IIRichard III TragedyAntony

15、 and Cleopatra Coriolanus Hamlet Julius Caesar King Lear Macbeth Othello Romeo and Juliet Timon of Athens Titus Andronicus Sonnet 18 See p. 99 我怎么能够把你来比作夏天？你不独比它可爱也比它温婉：狂风把五月宠爱的嫩蕊作践，夏天出赁的期限又未免太短： 天上的眼睛有时照得太酷烈，它那炳耀的金颜又常遭掩蔽：被机缘或无常的天道所摧折，没有芳艳不终于雕残或销毁。 但是你的长夏永远不会雕落，也不会损失你这皎洁的红芳，或死神夸口你在他影里漂泊，当你在不朽的诗里与时同长

16、。 只要一天有人类，或人有眼睛，这诗将长存，并且赐给你生命。（梁宗岱译）Hamlet Plot summary: king of Denmark died-queen married the new king, deceased kings brother-ghost in Elsinore Castle-ghost talk to Hamlet-Hamlet pretended to be mad-actors came-proved kings guilt-Hamlet killed Polonius-king sent Hamlet to England-Hamlet returned

17、alive-king arranged a duel-Hamlet, Laertes, queen were poisoned, king was killedAct III, Scene 1See p. 156 是生，还是死，问题就在这里： 哪一种做法更高贵可取， 是忍受厄运投射的矢石， 还是拔剑杀向无边恨海， 一拼了之：死去，睡去， 了却一切？若一觉睡去， 得以了却心头之恨 和肉体带来的千般苦， 那可是馨香以求的归宿。 死去睡去，或许又入梦； 唉，麻烦就出在这里， 想到摆脱了人世的纷扰， 在长眠中可能梦到什么， 我们就踌躇。是这一缘故 使得人生苦难如此长命： 一个人若仅用一把匕首 就结清了

18、身前身后之账， 谁又愿忍受那世态炎凉、 压迫者的欺负、傲慢者的白眼、 失恋的痛苦、正义的迟误、 官吏的骄横、还有那小人 对宽让君子的侮辱？ 谁愿身背愁苦生活的包袱， 呻吟、流汗，要不是因为 对死后情况，对那不为人知、 行客一入不返国度的恐惧？ 于是我们意志消沉，宁可忍受 前已有的困苦，也不逃往 其他我们不了解的困境。 这样，理智使我们都成为懦夫， 这样，我们血气方刚的本色 便蒙上一层思虑的惨白病容， 轰轰烈烈的各番事业 由此便偃旗息鼓，白白断送。Francis Bacon (1561-1626) p.196 English philosopher, statesman, scientist,

19、lawyer, jurist and author. Essays (1597, 1625)John Donne (1572-1631) Metaphysical poet, preacher. Works: religious sermons and poems.Style: 1. Intense feeling 2. Darting thought 3. Vast erudition 4. Conceit (别出心裁的比喻): love-a poisonous spider, cannon ball, pike; heart-fry; lovers-feet of compassA Val

20、ediction: Forbidding Mourning See p. 192 Meter and rhymeThe poem contains nine quantrains of iambic tetrameter (四步抑扬格). The rhyme scheme of each quantrain is abab. A Brief Guide to Metaphysical Poetry The term metaphysical, as applied to English and continental European poets of the seventeenth cent

21、ury, was used by Augustan poets John Dryden and Samuel Johnson to reprove those poets for their unnaturalness. As Goethe wrote, however, the unnatural, that too is natural, and the metaphysical poets continue to be studied and revered for their intricacy and originality. John Donne, along with simil

22、ar but distinct poets such as George Herbert, Andrew Marvell, and Henry Vaughn, developed a poetic style in which philosophical and spiritual subjects were approached with reason and often concluded in paradox. This group of writers established meditation as a poetic mode. The metaphysical poets wer

23、e eclipsed in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by romantic and Victorian poets, but twentieth century readers and scholars, seeing in the metaphysicals an attempt to understand pressing political and scientific upheavals, engaged them with renewed interest. In his essay The Metaphysical Poets

24、, T. S. Eliot, in particular, saw in this group of poets a capacity for devouring all kinds of experience.Ben Jonson (1572-1637) Dramatist, poet. Poems: Song to Celia (p. 198) To the Memory of My Beloved Master William ShakespeareRobert Herrick (1591-1674) Cavalier poet Theme: carpe diem (seize the

25、day) e.g. To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time (p. 200) cf. 金缕衣 (唐)杜秋娘 劝君莫惜金缕衣，劝君惜取少年时。 花开堪折直须折，莫待无花空折枝。(女人花) Andrew Marvell (1621-1678) Metaphysical poet Poems: The Garden To His Coy MistressTo His Coy Mistress Had we but world enough, and time,This coyness, Lady, were no crimeWe would sit down and

26、 think which wayTo walk and pass our long loves day.Thou by the Indian Ganges sideShouldst rubies find: I by the tideOf Humber would complain. I wouldLove you ten years before the Flood,And you should, if you please, refuseTill the conversion of the Jews. My vegetable love should growVaster than emp

27、ires, and more slow;An hundred years should go to praiseThine eyes and on thy forehead gaze;Two hundred to adore each breast,But thirty thousand to the rest;An age at least to every part,And the last age should show your heart.For, Lady, you deserve this state,Nor would I love at lower rate. But at

28、my back I always hearTimes wingd chariot hurrying near;And yonder all before us lieDeserts of vast eternity.Thy beauty shall no more be found,Nor, in thy marble vault, shall soundMy echoing song: then worms shall tryThat long preserved virginity,And your quaint honour turn to dust,And into ashes all

29、 my lust:The graves a fine and private place,But none, I think, do there embrace. Now therefore, while the youthful hueSits on thy skin like morning dew,And while thy willing soul transpiresAt every pore with instant fires,Now let us sport us while we may,And now, like amorous birds of prey,Rather at once our time devourThan languish in his slow-chapt power. Let us roll all our strength and allOur sweetness up into one ball,And tear our pleasures with rough strifeThrough the iron gates of life:Thus, though we cannot make our sunStand still, yet we will make him run.