英国文学史考试重点整理

文学史课件整理考试题型名词解释三个15分问答题两个25分连线题20分选择题40分一、中古时期1、TwogroupsofAnglo-Saxonpoetry1):pagan异教徒:oralsagas口头传说/冒险故事:theSongofBeowulf2):Christian信徒:copiedbythemonk.TheinfluenceoftheChristianityuponlanguageandculture.Twoecclesiasticpoets:CaedmonandCynewulf2、TheSongofBeowulf-TheSongofBeowulf----England’snationalepic1)creationtime:writtenin10-thcentury2).plotandthemefightwithGrendelfightwithGrendel’smotherfightwithfiredrakedeathandfuneralTheepicpoemBeowulfdescribesthemostheroicmanoftheAnglo-Saxontimes.ItisaDenmarkstorywhichusedalliteration,metaphorsandunderstatements3).Characteristicsof“Beowulf”a.themixtureofpaganelementswithChristiancoloring.Themostoutstandingexampleisthefrequentreferenceintheepicto“Wyrd”(fate)asthedecisivefactorinhumanaffaires,whileonotheroccasions“God”or“Lord”isalsomentionedastheomniscientandomnipotentbeingthatrulesoverthewholeuniverse.b.thefrequentuseofmetaphorsandunderstatements.“Ringgiver”isusedforking,“Swanroad”,“whale-path”or“sealbath”forthesea,“wave-traveler”or“sea-wood”forship,“shield-bearer”,“battle-hero”or“spear-fighter”forsoldier.c.Beowulfiswritteninalliterativeverse.Itsrhythmdependsuponaccentandalliteration.Thatis,thebeginningoftwoormorewordsinthesamelinewiththesamesoundorletter.Thelinesaremadeupoftwoshorthalves,separatedbyapause.Norhymeisused;butamusicaleffectisproducedbygivingeachhalflinetwostronglyaccentedsyllables.Eachfullline,therefore,hasfouraccents,threeofwhichusuallybeginwiththesamesoundorletter.BeowulftowersaboveallotherAnglo-Saxonliterature,notonlybecauseitisapowerfulpoemaboutpeople’sherowrittenintrueepicstyle,butalsobecauseittellsinartisticformthetaleinaleisurelyway,fullofelaborationsinlegendarydetails,andtheverserisesatplacestoheightsofpoeticgrandeur4).ThesignificanceofBeowulf：a.ThisgloriousepicpresentsusavividpictureofthelifeofAnglo-Saxonpeopleandhighlypraisesthebraveandcourageousspiritofthefightingagainsttheelementalforces.b.TheepicreflectsthesituationstheepochofpagantribalismandoftheeraoftheChristianizedfeudalsociety.c.Theepicgivesthevividportrayalofagreatnationalhero,strongandcourageouspeopleandhiskinfolk.2、GeoffreyChaucer乔叟1）TheCanterburyTalesa.Startedwritingitinthe1380sUsesaframedevicesothathecouldwriteavarietyoftalesSettingisApril,withthepilgrimsleavingtheTabardInnforCanterburyTavernkeeperHarryBailleywasarealpersonitrepresentsChaucer’sfinalpoeticachievements.Fordepthofinterest,forthewealthofitsimpressionsofthehumancomedy,andforitsmaturewisdom.ItisunrivaledamongChaucer’sworks.30pilgrims,wouldbe120stories.ButChaucerhadactuallycompletedonly22stories,withtwomoreexistinginfragmentsb.Importantbecause....–FirstbookofpoetrywrittenintheEnglishlanguage–ChaucerchoseEnglishoverLatinandItalian–Servesasawindowintomedievalsociallife–CapturedthevariationsofhumantemperamentandbehaviorWestillknowthesepeoplec.GenreswithintheTales坎特伯雷故事集Severaldifferentgenresarepresentinthelargerbodyofworks.Theseinclude:–Courtlyromance(courtlylove)–Knight’sTale–Fabliau–ahumorous,satirical,andoftenbawdytaledealingwithbasichumandesireformoney,sex,orfood–Miller’sTale–Piouslegend(Saints’Lives)–Prioress’sTale–Allegory–thecharactersrepresentsometraitofhumannatureorsomeabstractconcept–BeastFable–Nun’sPriest’sTale–Sermon–MoralTales–Pardoner’sTale2)CanterburyPilgrims清教徒Chaucerrevealstheparadoxesofliving–heexposesthebestandworstofhumannatureinbothhistoricalandhumancontext.Howbelievableistheliterarypictureoftheknightasloyal,fearless,persevering,courteous,gentle,devout,andhumble??haucer’sknightisbattle-scarred,butcredible.HeistheembodimentoftheCodeofChivalrylivedoutinitsletterandspirit,apersonlargerthanlife,butrepresentativeofwhatlifeisallabout.3）Chaucer’sKnightInthecontextoftheentirework,theKnightisacritiqueofthechivalriccode.Traditionally,bylaw,theknightofthecodewasobligedtouprightness;bybirth,theknightiftitleandstatuswashonoredandpresumedhonorable.Chaucer’sknightbreaksawayfromtheartificialandfixedconditionofbirthandbecomesaknightofthespirit,livinguptoanaristocracyofthesoul.Theotherpilgrims,too,areentertainingandintriguingportraitsfrommedievallife3.EnglishBallads民谣1）MostofthewrittenliteratureinfeudalEnglandwasintendedonlyforupperclasses.TheEnglishpeoplehadaliteratureoftheirown,notwrittenbutoral—Englishfolksongs.ThemostimportantdepartmentofEnglishfolkliteratureistheballadWhatisaballad?Aballadisastorytoldinsecond，usuallyin4-linestanzas,withthesongandfourthlinesrhymed2）FeaturesofEnglishBallads1.TheballadsareinvariousEnglishandScottishdialects.2.Theywerecreatedcollectivelyandrevisedwhenhandeddownfrommouthtomouth.3.Theyaremainlytheliteratureofthepeasants.4.TheygiveanoutlookoftheEnglishcommonpeopleinfeudalsociety.二、文艺复兴时期1、TheRenaissancebeganinFlorence,ItalyItalywasinanideallocationtobethebirthplaceoftheRenaissance–ClosetotheoldByzantineEmpire–CenteroftradeintheMediterraneanItalianscholarsbegantotakelotsofinterestintheclassicalwritingoftheGreeksandRomansThisincreasedinterestintheclassicsiscalledhumanismHumanismisthekey-noteoftheRenaissance.Itreflectedthenewoutlookoftherisingbourgeoisclass.Humanistsemphasizethedignityofhuma