1、英国文学史选读复习资料整理Old English Period Anglo-Saxon Period (450-1066)1.The HistoryFrom 55 BC to 410 AD, the Romans conquered the land and transplanted its civilization. 2.The LiteratureTwo divisions: Pagan & ChristianPaganThe Seafarer水手; The Fight at Finnisburg芬尼斯郡之战; The Wanderer流浪者; Waldhere瓦登希尔; The Batt
2、le of Maldom马尔登战役Widsith(威德西斯); The complaint of Deor迪奥的抱怨The wifes Lament妻子的哀歌; Ruin 毁灭are good examples. Beowulf, Englands national epic.Writing features not a Christian but a pagan poem of all advanced pagan civilization,The use of the strong stress and the predominance of consonants are very not
3、able in this poem. Each line is divided into two halves, and each half has two heavy stressesThe use of alliteration is another notable feature and makes the stresses more emphatic.There are a lot of metaphors and understatements in this poemAnglo-Norman Period (1066-1350)The literatureThe Growth of
4、 the Arthurian Legends The legends of King Arthur and his knights had existed as an oral tradition since the time of the Celts. John Wycliffe (1320-1384)the first man who attempted to translate the Bible from sonorous Latin into English. Chanson de Roland 罗兰之歌 William Langland Sir Gawain and the Gre
5、en Knight Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400)Chaucers contribution to English Literature and Languagethe “father of English poetry” the first most significant poet in English literary history to write in Middle English the “heroic couplet” did much in making the dialect of London the foundation for the mod
6、ern English language Popular Ballads 大众民谣代表人物：Bishop Thomas Percy 托马斯.帕希主教 代表作：Robin Hood and Allin-a-Dale 罗宾汉和阿林代尔 The RenaissanceThe Pre-Elizabathan Period (1400-1557)Thomas More 托马斯.莫尔 Utopia 乌托邦The Elizabethan Age Edmund Spenser (1552-1599) The Shepheardes Calendar ； The Faerie Queene Philip Sid
7、ney Arcadia ；Astrophel and Stella Christopher Marlowe blank verseTamburlaine the Great； The Jew of Malta； The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus William Shakespeare The most popular and the most widely respected writer in all English literatureComedies :A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Merchant of Veni
8、ce, As You Like It, Twelfth Night. Tragedies:Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth. Sonnet:a “physical” poet ；154 in number1-126 addresses to a young man 127-152 to a mysterious “Dark Lady 153-154 are translation or adaptations of some Greek epigram.Of studiesIn what sense does reading make a full
9、 man?Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for abilities. But the general counsels, and the plots and marshaling of affairs, come best from those that are learned. Studies perfect nature, and is perfected by experience. There is no stond or impediment in the wit but may be wrought out by fit
10、studies. Studies can train (shape) a persons character and make up a persons deficiencies. Every defect of the mind may have a special receiptThe 17th CenturyA Brief Introduction of the 17th century The contradictions between the feudal system and bourgeoisieJames I：1603-1625 political and religious
11、 tyranny Charles I: 1625-1649 Oliver Cromwell : commonwealth protector: 1653-1658Charles II: 1660-1688 the RestorationJames II：1685-1688William of Oranges: 1688-1702 “Glorious Revolution”The Bill of Rights 权利法案：1689John Donne 代表作：The FleaMetaphysical Poetry Holy Sonnet 10SongA Valediction: Forbiddin
12、g Mourning 别离辞：节哀John Milton the early phase of reading and lyric writingthe middle phase of service in the Puritan Revolution and the pamphleteering for itthe last - the greatest - phase of epic writingParadise Lost- the great epicParadise Regained； Samson Agonistes John Bunyan The Pilgrims Progres
13、s（ essay）The 18th-century Literature The Rise of English NovelsThe historical background|Comparing with the 17th century, the 18th century is a period for peaceful development.|The constitutional monarchy has been set up by parliament in 1688.|England grew from a second rate country to a powerful na
14、val country in this century.|With the ascent of the bourgeoisie cultural life had undergone remarkable changes.|The rise of the English novel.代表作：Daniel Defoe Robinson CrusoeJonathan SwiftThe Battle of the Books; 书籍之战 The Tale of a Tub; 一只桶的故事 The Drapiers Letter; 布商来信 A Modest Proposal; 一个温和的建议 Jou
15、rnal to Stella; 给斯黛拉的日记 Gullivers Travel. 格列夫游记Satirical featuresSwift offered an opportunity of self-scrutiny.（自我审视）The Lilliputians （小人国居民）and their institutions were all about people and their institutions of England.The Brobdingnagians were incredible Utopians.The scientists and philosophers rep
16、resented the extremes of futile theorizing and speculations in all areas of activity such as science, politics, and economics with their instinct-killing tendencies.The picture of the Yahoos made a clear statement about man and his nature.Henry Fielding Tom JohnsonSocial significanceThe writer shows
17、 his strong hatred for all the hypocrisy and treachery in the society of his age and his sympathy for the courageous young rebels in their righteous struggleThe 18th-century Literature (II)The Age of Enlightenment in EnglandThe rapid development of social lifeOn the economic scene, the country becam
18、e increasingly affluent.On the political scene, a fragile of balance between the monarch and the middle class existed.On the religious scene, deism came into existence代表Thomas Gray Elegy Written in a Country Churchyarda masterpiece of lyric Theme: a sentimental meditation upon life and death, esp. o
19、f the common rural people, whose life, though simple and crude, has been full of real happiness and meaningPoetic pattern: quatrains of iambic pentameter lines rhyming ABAB Mood: melancholy, calm, meditativeStyle: neoclassic -vivid visual painting, -musical/rhythmic, -controlled and restrained, -pol
20、ished language Section 1 It sets the scene for the poets visit to the churchyard. It is enveloped in gloom and grief, which is archetypal of graveyard, poets fascination with night, graves, and death. The tone is echoed by the last part of the poem Section 2 It tells about the people entombed there
21、and recalls their life experiences. When the “rude forefathers of the hamlet” lived. They got up early at the twittering of swallows, or a roosters wake-up call or a hunters horn, enjoyed family bliss with wife and kids in the evening, or were happily busy with farm work in the fields, but now that
22、they lie in their “narrow cells”, their “useful toil” and “homely joys” happen no more. The tone is one of melancholy and regret for the dead.Section 3 It warns the rich and powerful not to despise the poor since all are equal in face of death and the grave levels off all distinction. All nobility,
23、power, and wealth “await alike” the inevitable end and “the paths of glory lead but to the grave”. Nothing could ever bring anything back to life.Section 4It expresses, on the one hand, the poets regret that their life had not been congenial to the growth and full play of the poor farmers native gif
24、ts and talents and, on the other, his feeling of “a blessing in disguise” for them in the sense that, because they did not commit any crimes to humankind nor have to play the obsequious social climber against ones integrity.Section 5It asserts the notion that, even though they lived a less eventful
25、life, there is no reason to forget these farmers.Section 6It portrays the scenario that the poet envisions would happen after his own death. A villager would say of him: he got up early to go uphill to the lawn and lay there meditating under the tree until noon. He would wander in the wood, smiling
26、at one moment, muttering to himself at the next, sad and pale, like one “in hopeless love”. Then for a couple of days he did not show up, and on the third day he was buried in the churchyard.Section 7As he shows sympathy for the poor, he gains the friendship of man and God. He asks the passers-by no
27、t to get to know any more about his merits and weaknesses as he waits in his grave for Gods judgment. The poem touches the readers to the quick with its notable sadnessOliver GoldsmithsThe Vicar of WakefieldPre-Romantic Poems (I)William Blake The Songs of Experience； THE LAMB ；The Tyger；The Sick Ros
28、eRobert Burns 1) Political poems - The Tree of Liberty; 2) Satirical poems - Holy Willies Prayer, Two Dogs 3) Lyrics - My Hearts in the Highlands, A Red, Red Rose, Auld Lang SyneBurnss position and his featuresA great Scottish peasant poet; a national poet of ScotlandNumerous are Burnss songs of lov
29、e and friendship. His great success was largely due to his comprehensive knowledge and excellent mastery of the old song traditions. His poetry have a musical quality that helps to perpetuate the sentimentBurns ushered a tendency that prevailed during the high time of RomanticismThe Romantic Period
30、(I)“The Lakers”：湖畔诗人 William Wordsworth Samuel Coleridge Robert Southey William WordsworthLyrical Ballads；Lines Written in Early Spring；To the Cuckoo ；The Daffodils I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud； My Heart Leaps Up； Intimations of Immortality 不朽颂Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey Comments
31、on WordsworthWordsworths poetry is distinguished by simplicity and purity of his language which was spoken by the peasants who convey their feelings and emotions in simple and unelaborated expressions. George Gordon ByronChilde Harolds Pilgrimage；Don Juan；She Walks in BeautyWhat is Byronic hero?Byrons chief contribution to English poetry.Such a hero is a proud, rebellious figure of noble origin. Passionate and powerful, he is right to all the wrongs in a corrupted society, and he would fight single-hand
