美国文学简史(1)

-1-Chapter1ColonialPeriodI.Background:Puritanism1.featuresofPuritanism（Tulip）(1)Totaldepravity(2)Unconditionalelection(3)Limitedatonement:Onlythe“elect”canbesaved.(4)Irresistablegrace(5)Theperseverenceofsaints2.Influence(1)Agroupofgoodqualities–hardwork,thrift,piety,sobriety(seriousandthoughtful)influencedAmericanliterature.(2)Itledtotheeverlastingmyth.Allliteratureisbasedonamyth–gardenofEden.(3)Symbolism:theAmericanpuritan’smetaphoricalmodeofperceptionwaschieflyinstrumentalincallingintobeingaliterarysymbolismwhichisdistinctlyAmerican.(4)Withregardtotheirwriting,thestyleisfresh,simpleanddirect;therhetoricisplainandhonest,notwithoutatouchofnobilityoftentraceabletothedirectinfluenceoftheBible.II.Overviewoftheliterature1.typesofwritingdiaries,histories,journals,letters,travelbooks,autobiographies/biographies,sermons2.writersofcolonialperiod(1)AnneBradstreet(2)EdwardTaylor(3)RogerWilliams(4)JohnWoolman-2-(5)ThomasPaine(6)PhilipFreneauIII.JonathanEdwards1.life2.works(1)TheFreedomoftheWill(2)TheGreatDoctrineofOriginalSinDefended(3)TheNatureofTrueVirtue3.ideas–pioneeroftranscendentalism(1)Thespiritofrevivalism(2)Regenerationofman(3)God’spresence(4)PuritanidealismIV.BenjaminFranklin1.life2.works(1)PoorRichard’sAlmanac(2)Autobiography3.contribution(1)HehelpedfoundthePennsylvaniaHospitalandtheAmericanPhilosophicalSociety.(2)Hewascalled“thenewPrometheuswhohadstolenfire(electricityinthiscase)fromheaven”.(3)Everythingseemstomeetinthisoneman–“Jackofalltrades”.HermanMelvillethusdescribedhim“masterofeachandmasteredbynone”.-3-Franklin(1706-1790)wasauniversalgeniuswhodidnotrealizethathisAutobiographywouldeventuallybecomeaclassicofitskind.Itshowsthebeginningsofhispersonal,civic,andpoliticalsuccess,yettheaccountisuncoloredbyvanity.Franklinshowsusthatheisahumanbeingaswellasasuccessfulman.Thoughhisstyleofwritingwasclearandevenplaininhistime,wenowfinditabithardtoread.Ithasmanylongwords,oftenfromtheLatinlanguage,andlongsentences.Butwemustrememberthathewaswritingtwocenturiesago.ItistruethatFranklin'sstyleisformal.Theorganizationofmuchofwhathesays--ifnothowhesaysit--isinformal,however.InhisfamousAutobiography,inparticular,hetalksfirstaboutonethingandthenanotherwithlittleattemptatconnectingthem.Wecanseeamanofversatileenergyandnewideas.Ofcourse,notallofhisideaswerenew.Insomecaseshesimplybecamethemostprominentadvocateofoldones,especiallythebeliefsthatweshouldworkhardandthatweshouldsaveourmoney.TheseprincipleshadbeencurrentsincePuritantimesbutFranklinspreadthemwidelybyputtingthemintoapopularalmanac,orcalendar,calledPoorRichard'sAlmanac,whichhehimselfprinted.ItcontainedmanypopularsayingssuchasGodhelpsthemthathelpthemselves,Lazinesstravelssoslowlythatpovertysoonovertakeshim,andBewareoflittleexpenses;asmallleakwillsinkagreatship.Chapter2AmericanRomanticismThespan1828-1865fromtheJacksonianeratotheCivilWar,oftenidentifiedastheRomanticPeriodinAmerica,marksthefullcomingofageofadistinctivelyAmericanliterature.ThisperiodissometimesknownastheAmericanRenaissance,thetitleofF.O.Matthiessen’sinfluentialbook(1941)aboutitsoutstandingwriters,RalphWaldoEmerson,HenryDavidThoreau,EdgarAllanPoe,HermanMelville,andNathanielHawthorne;itisalsosometimescalledtheAgeofTranscendentalism,afterthephilosophicalandliterarymovement,centredon-4-Emerson,thatwasdominantinNewEngland.Inallthemajorliterarygenresexceptdrama,writersproducedworksofanoriginalityandexcellencenotexceededinlaterAmericanhistory.Emerson,Thoreau,andtheearlyfeministMargaretFullershapedtheideas,ideals,andliteraryaimsofmanycontemporaryandlaterAmericanwriters.ItwastheagenotonlyofcontinuingwritingsbyWilliamCullenBryant,WashingtonIrving,andJamesFenimoreCooper,butalsoofthenovelsandshortstoriesofPoe,Hawthorne,Melville,HarrietBeecherStowe,andthesouthernnovelistWilliamGilmoreSimms;ofthepoetryofPoe,JohnGreenleafWhittier,Emerson,HenryWadsworthLongfellow,andthemostinnovativeandinfluentialofallAmericanpoets,WaltWhitman;andofthebeginningofdistinguishedAmericancriticismintheessaysofPoe,Simms,andJamesRusselLowell,thetraditionofAfrican-AmericanpoetrybywomenwascontinuedbyFrancisWatkinsHarper,andtheAfrican-Amricannovelwasinaugurated.Section1EarlyRomanticPeriodWhatisRomanticism?AnapproachfromancientGreek:PlatoAliterarytrend:18cinBritain(1798~1832)SchlegelBros.I.Preview:Characteristicsofromanticism1.subjectivity(1)feelingandemotions,findingtruth(2)emphasisonimagination(3)emphasisonindividualism–personalfreedom,noheroworship,naturalgoodnessofhumanbeings2.backtomedieval,espmedievalfolkliterature(1)unrestrainedbyclassicalrules(2)fullofimagination-5-(3)colloquiallanguage(4)freedomofimagination(5)genuineinfeelings:answertheircallforclassics3.backtonaturenatureis“breathinglivingthing”(Rousseau)II.AmericanRomanticism1.Background(1)Politicalbackgroundandeconomicdevelopment(2)RomanticmovementinEuropeancountriesDerivative–foreigninfluence2.features(1)Americanromanticismwasinessencetheexpressionof“arealnewexperienceandcontained“analienquality”forthesimplereasonthat“thespiritoftheplace”wasradicallynewandalien.(2)ThereisAmericanPurit