英国文学史知识梳理

一、TheAnglo-SaxonPeriod(449-1066)Theliterature：Twodivisions:paganandChristianTheSongofBeowulf：theeventswhichtookplaceontheContinentatthebeginningofthe6thCentury，Thepoemtellsofahero,aScandinavianprincenamedBeowulf,whoridstheDanesofthemonsterGrendel,halfmanandhalffiend,andGrendel'smother,whocomesthateveningtoavengeGrendel'sdeath.FiftyyearslaterBeowulf,nowkingofhisnativeland,fightsadragonwhohasdevastatedhispeople.BothBeowulfandthedragonaremortallywoundedinthefight.ThepoemendswithBeowulf'sfuneral.Theme：theprimitivepeople’sstruggleagainsthostileforcesofthenaturalworldunderawiseandmightyleader.二、TheAnglo-NormanPeriod(1066-1350)TheLiterature：TheliteraturewhichtheybroughttoEnglandisremarkableforitsbright,romantictalesofloveandadventure(Romance),inmarkedcontrastwiththestrengthandsomberness(朴实无华)ofAnglo-Saxonpoetry(Epic).ExplanationofSirGawainandGreenKnight：Twomotifs（主题）1.Thetestoffaith,courage,purity2.Thetestofhumanweaknessforself-preservation三、GeoffreyChaucer(1340?-1400）Characteristics①Hisallegoriesandsymbolsarealreadytingedwithrealisticimages②Chaucer’spoemisdistinguishedforitsprofounddelineationofcharacterandtruthfuldescriptionofhumanrelations.TheCanterburyTales：TheHost(HarryBaily)proposesastorytellingcontesttopassthetime;eachofthe30pilgrims(includingthepoet)istotellfourtalesontheroundtrip.MajorWork:1.TheLegendofGoodWomen好女人的故事2.TheHouseofFame声誉殿堂3.TheCanterburyTales坎特伯雷故事集4.TroilusandCressida特洛伊勒斯和克莱西5.TheParliamentofFowls百鸟会议四、TheRenaissance（16thCentury）Twofeatures：1.Athirstingcuriosityforclassicalliterature.2.Thekeeninterestinlifeandhumanactivities.1.WilliamShakespeare(1564-1616)ThreePeriodsofhisDramaticCareeranditscharacteristics(1)theyearsfrom1590to1600,arecharacterizedfromadegreebyformalandratherobviousconstructionandbystylizedversetohighlyindividualized.Comedies:1)TheMerchantofVince,威尼斯商人2)AMidsummerNight’sDream,仲夏夜之梦TwelfthNight,第十二夜3)AsYouLikeIt.（皆大欢喜）4)TheComedyofErrors,5)TheMerryWivesofWindow,theyearsfrom1601to1608,themostprofoundofhisworks.Tragedies:1)Hamlet哈姆雷特2)KingLear李尔王3)Macbeth麦克白4)Othello奥赛罗5)RomeoandJuliet罗密欧与朱丽叶6)TimonofAthens.(雅典的泰门）theperiodfrom1609-1612,principalromantictragicomedies.TheThemesofHamlet：newthemes:1.theimpossibilityofcertainty;2.thecomplexityofaction;3themysteryofdeath;4.itsexplorationintoman’sinnerworld,intohumanpsychologythroughaseriesofsoliloquy（自言自语，独白）.TraditionalaspectsofThemes：1.Hesitation:2.InheritedSinandCorruption(人生而有罪和堕落):3.SonsSeekingRevenge4.Deception:DeceptionmakesupamajormotifinHamlet.5.Ambition6.Loyalty:7.Madness8.EmptyExistenceFeaturesofShakespeare’sDrama：1).oneofthefoundersofrealisminworldlit.2)Skilledinmanypoeticforms.3).AgreatmasteroftheEnglishlanguagePetrarchansonnet:Theoctaveiseightlineslong,andtypicallyfollowsarhymeschemeofABBAABBA,orABBACDDC.Thesestetoccupiestheremainingsixlinesofthepoem,andtypicallyfollowsarhymeschemeofCDCDCD,orCDECDE.Shakespeareansonnet:ABABCDCDEFEFGGThesonnet18,16TheSpencerianSonnet:ABABBCBCCDCDEEOnHisBlindness2.FrancisBacon(1561-1626)Majorworks:1)AdvancementofLearning学术的进展2)NewInstrument新工具3)NewAtlantis新大西岛;4)Essays随笔(OfTruth;OfFriendship;OfStudies论学习;OfWisdomforaMan’sSelf)五、ThePeriodofRevolution&Restoration（17thCentury)Literarycharacteristics:Confusion;Absenceofanyfixedstandardofliterarycriticism;1.JohnDonne(1572-1631)MetaphysicalpoetsAValediction:forbiddingmourningTheme:Real,completeloveunitesnotonlythebodiesofahusbandandwifebutalsotheirsouls.Suchspiritualloveistranscendent,metaphysical,keepingtheloverstogetherintellectuallyandspirituallyeventhoughthecircumstancesofeverydaylifemayseparatetheirbodies.Imagery:Thecircle1.Marriagering2.Pathoftheplanets3.PathdescribedbyacompassThecompassPlanetarytrepidationEarthquakesThegoldValuable,noble,difficulttodestroyThreekindsofpoets.Puritanpoet(清教徒派诗人),Cavalierpoet(保皇派诗人),theMetaphysicalpoet(玄学派诗人).Literaryterm:Metaphysicalpoetry(玄学派诗歌)2.JohnMilton(1608-1674)AnEnglishPoet1)ParadiseLost(masterpiece)《失乐园》2)ParadiseRegained《复乐园》3)SamsonAgonistes《力士参孙》4)Lycidas《利西达斯》5)Areopagitica《论出版自由》6)OntheMorningofChrist’sNativity《基督诞生晨颂》7)L’Allegro《快乐的人》8)OfReformationinEngland《论英国改革》9)DoctrineandDisciplineofDivorce《离婚的戒律与学说》10)Penseroso《幽思的人》11)Comus《科玛斯》ParadiseLost:ItisaboutSatan’srebellionagainstGodandtheexpulsion(驱逐)ofAdamandEvefromtheGardenofEden.Theme:ThethemeofthepoemisarevoltagainstGod’sauthorityOnHisBlindness:theme:GodjudgeshumansonwhethertheylaborforHimtothebestoftheirability.六、TheAgeofEnlightenmentinEngland（The18thCentury）1.DanielDefoe:ThefatheroftheEnglishfiction(英国小说之父）Majorworks:1)TheLifeandStrangeSurprisingAdventuresofRobinsonCrusoe《鲁滨逊漂流记》2)CaptainSingleton《辛格顿船长》3)MollFlanders《摩尔·弗兰德斯》4)AJournalofthePlagueYear《大疫年日记》5)Roxana《罗克萨娜》THEADVENTURESOFROBINSONCRUSOETheme:thepoweroftheaveragemantopreservelifeandtoorganizeeconomyinthefaceofunpromisingenvironment.2.JonathanSwift(1667-1745)OneofthegreatestmastersofEnglishprose;十八世纪杰出的政治家和讽刺小说家MajorWorks：1)ATaleofaTub《一个木桶的故事》2)BattleoftheBooks《书籍之战》3)JournaltoStella《给斯黛拉的信》4)TheDrapier’sLetters《布商的信》5)AModestProposal《一个温和的建议》Gulliver’sTravels《格列佛游记》：Li