刘炳善：英国文学简史-(1)

英国文学简史笔记（AConciseHistoryofBritishLiterature）Chapter1EnglishLiteratureofAnglo-SaxonPeriodI.Introduction1.Thehistoricalbackground(1)BeforetheGermanicinvasion(2)DuringtheGermanicinvasiona.immigration;b.Christianity;c.heptarchy.d.socialclassesstructure:hide-hundred;eoldermen(lord)–thane-middleclass(freemen)-lowerclass(slaveorbondmen:theow);e.socialorganization:clanortribes.f.militaryOrganization;g.Churchfunction:spirit,civilservice,education;h.economy:coins,trade,slavery;i.feastsandfestival:Halloween,Easter;j.legalsystem.2.TheOverviewoftheculture(1)ThemixtureofpaganandChristianspirit.(2)Literature:a.poetry:twotypes;b.prose:twofigures.II.Beowulf.1.Ageneralintroduction.2.Thecontent.3.Theliteraryfeatures.(1)theuseofalliteration(2)theuseofmetaphorsandunderstatements(3)themixtureofpaganandChristianelementsIII.TheOldEnglishProse1.Whatisprose?2.figures(1)TheVenerableBede(2)AlfredtheGreatChapter2EnglishLiteratureoftheLateMedievalAgesI.Introduction1.TheHistoricalBackground.(1)Theyear1066:NormanConquest.(2)Thesocialsituationssoonaftertheconquest.A.Normannoblesandserfs;B.restorationofthechurch.(3)The11thcentury.A.thecrusadeandknights.B.dominanceofFrenchandLatin;(4)The12thcentury.A.thecentralizedgovernment;B.kingsandthechurch(HenryIIandThomas);(5)The13thcentury.A.ThelegendofRobinHood;B.MagnaCarta(1215);C.thebeginningoftheParliamentD.EnglishandLatin:officiallanguages(theend)(6)The14thcentury.a.theHouseofLordsandtheHouseofCommons—conflictbetweentheParliamentandKings;b.theriseoftowns.c.thechangeofChurch.d.theroleofwomen.e.theHundredYears’War—starting.f.thedevelopmentofthetrade:London.g.theBlackDeath.h.thePeasants’Revolt—1381.i.ThetranslationofBiblebyWycliff.(7)The15thcentury.a.ThePeasantsRevolt(1453)b.TheWarofRosesbetweenLancastersandYorks.c.theprinting-press—WilliamCaxton.d.thestartingofTudorMonarchy(1485)2.TheOverviewofLiterature.(1)thestoriesfromtheCelticlandsofWalesandBrittany—greatmythsoftheMiddleAges.(2)GeoffryeofMonmouth—HistoriaRegumBritanniae—KingAuthur.(3)Wace—LeRomandeBrut.(4)Theromance.(5)thesecondhalfofthe14thcentury:Langland,Gawinpoet,Chaucer.II.SirGawinandGreenKnight.1.ageneralintroduction.2.theplot.III.WilliamLangland.1.Life2.PiersthePlowmanIV.Chaucer1.Life2.LiteraryCareer:threeperiods(1)Frenchperiod(2)Italianperiod(3)masterperiod3.TheCanterburyTalesA.TheFramework;B.TheGeneralPrologue;C.TheTaleProper.4.HisContribution.(1)HeintroducedfromFrancetherhymedstanzaofvarioustypes.(2)HeisthefirstgreatpoetwhowroteinthecurrentEnglishlanguage.(3)ThespokenEnglishofthetimeconsistedofseveraldialects,andChaucerdidmuchinmakingthedialectofLondonthestandardforthemodernEnglishspeech.V.PopularBallads.VI.ThomasMaloryandEnglishProseVII.ThebeginningofEnglishDrama.1.MiraclePlays.MiracleplayormysteryplayisaformofmedievaldramathatcamefromdramatizationoftheliturgyoftheRomanCatholicChurch.Itdevelopedfromthe10thtothe16thcentury,reachingitsheightinthe15thcentury.Thesimplelyriccharacteroftheearlytextswasenlargedbytheadditionofdialogueanddramaticaction.Eventuallytheperformancewasmovedtothechurchyardandthemarketplace.2.MoralityPlays.Amoralityplayisaplayenforcingamoraltruthorlessonbymeansofthespeechandactionofcharacterswhicharepersonifiedabstractions–figuresrepresentingvicesandvirtues,qualitiesofthehumanmind,orabstractconceptionsingeneral.3.Interlude.Theinterlude,whichgrewoutofthemorality,wasintended,asitsnameimplies,tobeusedmoreasafillerthanasthemainpartofanentertainment.Asitsbestitwasshort,witty,simpleinplot,suitedforthediversionofguestsatabanquet,orfortherelaxationoftheaudiencebetweenthedivisionsofaseriousplay.Itwasessentiallyanindoorsperformance,andgenerallyofanaristocraticnature.Chapter3EnglishLiteratureintheRenaissanceI.AHistoricalBackgroundII.TheOverviewoftheLiterature(1485-1660)Printingpress—readership—growthofmiddleclass—trade-educationforlaypeople-centralizationofpower-intellectuallife-exploration-newimpetusanddirectionofliterature.Humanism-studyoftheliteratureofclassicalantiquityandreformededucation.Literarystyle-modeledontheancients.Theeffectofhumanism-thedisseminationofthecultivated,clear,andsensibleattitudeofitsclassicallyeducatedadherents.1.poetryThefirsttendencybySidneyandSpenser:ornate,florid,highlyfiguredstyle.ThesecondtendencybyDonne:metaphysicalstyle—complexityandingenuity.ThethirdtendencybyJohnson:reaction--Classicallypureandrestrainedstyle.ThefourthtendencybyMilton:centralChristianandBiblicaltradition.2.Dramaa.thenativetraditionandclassicalexamples.b.thedramastandshighestinpopularestimation:Marlowe–Shakespeare–Jonson.3.Prosea.translationofBible;b.More;c.Bacon.II.Englishpoetry.1.SirThomasWyattandHenryHoward(courtlymakers)(1)Wyatt:introducingsonnets.(2)Howard:introducingsonnetsandwritingthefirstblankverse.2.SirPhilipSidney—poet,critic,prosewriter(1)Life:a.Englishgentleman;b.brilliantandfascinatingpersonality;c.courtier.(2)worksa.Arcadia:pastoralromance;b.AstrophelandStella(108):sonnetsequencetoPenelopeDvereux—platonicdevotion.Petrarchanconceitsandoriginalfeelings-movingtocreativeness—buildingofanarrativestory;theme-loveorigi