An Introduction to English Literature

BritishLiteratureFall,2009textbookHistoryandAnthologyofEnglishLiterature英国文学史及选读（两册）吴伟仁编外语教学与研究出版社TheObjectivesofthiscourseEnablethestudentstogetageneralideaaboutthedevelopmentorhistoryofEnglishliterature;EnablethestudentstogetageneralideaaboutthemajorgenresofEnglishliteratureindifferenttimes,andalsothemajorworksofmajorauthors;Cultivatetheliterarytasteofthestudents.Enrichthestudents’knowledge.Warm-upquestionsWhatisliterature?Whataretheformsofliterature?Whatisliterature?Writtenworksofthehumanexperience,pastandpresentthatareintendedforreading,butnoteverythingintendedforreadingisclassifiedasliterature.Whatarenotincludedinliterature?CookbooksTimetablespamphlettravelbooksadvertisementsWhatisliterature?literatureiswritingwhichexpresses&communicatesthoughts,feelings&attitudestowardslife.literatureisapermanentexpressioninwordsofsomethoughtsorfeelingsorideasaboutlife&theworld.Whataretheformsofliterature?PoetryDramaNovelsShortstoriesEssaysWhydowelearnliterature?Increasingone’sknowledgeCulturalenrichmentlanguageenrichmentFosteringtheabilitytoappreciateaworkofartEnjoyingoneselfHowtostudyLiterature?a.analyticalapproachTheelementsoffictionincludeplot,character,setting,pointofview,theme,symbol,style,andtone.b.historicalapproachItaimsatillustratingthehistoricaldevelopmentofliterature.AlltheLiteratureexistsintimeandassuchbearstheunmistakableimprintoftheperiodandcultureinwhichitiswrittenc.OtherapproachesMarxist/sociologicalcriticismpsychoanalyticalcriticismfeminist/gendercriticismformalist/newcriticismRequirementsforthestudents1.Getthefollowingbooksasyoursupplementaryreadings:LiuBinshaneds.AShortHistoryofEnglishLiterature(NewRevisedEdition),HenanPeople'sPress，1993.ChenJiaeds.SelectedReadinginEnglishLiterature(InThreeVolumes),TheCommercialPress,1984.ChenJiaeds.AHistoryofEnglishLiterature(InFourVolumes),TheCommercialPress,1984.WangShoureneds.SelectedReadingsinBritishLiterature,TheHigherEducationPress,2001.罗经国编著《新编英国文学选读》（上、下），北京大学出版社，1996年5月第一版。李公昭主编《新编英国文学教程》（上、下）世界图书出版公司，北京公司，1998年1月第1版。常耀信著《英国文学简史》（英文版）南开大学出版社，2006年1月第一版。Readtheuntaughttextsinthetextbooksbyyourself.Previeweachchapterorunitcarefully&makesurethatyouhavebeenfamiliarwiththeintroductorypartofthechapterorunittobediscussedbeforeyoucometotheclassTakenotesinclass.Reviewafterclasswhatyouhavelearntinclass&trytofindrelevantbooksormagazinestoread,sothatyoumayhaveabetterunderstandingofthetextorthestudiedauthors.Trytoreadintheoriginal.Self-studysomebooksaboutliterature&getsomecommonsenseaboutliterature.Thiswillhelpyougetabetterunderstandingofthetext.Last,butnottheleast,findyourfavoriteauthororauthors&haveaspecialstudyofthem.Thisishelpfulforyourfuturestudy(alsoforyourgraduationthesis).TheOutlineofEnglishliteratureOld-middleEnglishPeriod(449-1476)The15th-16thCentury(theRenaissancePeriod)The17thCentury(thePeriodofRevolutionandRestoration)The18thCentury(theAgeofEnlightenment)The19thCentury(theVictorianPeriod—CriticalRealism)The20thCentury(theModernPeriod)ABriefHistoryofEnglishLiterature1.OldEnglishLiterature(450–1066)2.Medieval(Middle)EnglishLiterature(1066---1500)3.RenaissancePeriod(laterhalfofthe15th—thebeginningof17thCentury)4.17thCentury(thePuritanRevolution)5.18thCentury(theAgeofReason)6.RomanticPeriod(1798—1832)7.VictorianPeriod(1832—1901)8.ModernPeriod(20thCentury)OldEnglishLiteratureConqueredthreetimesby—theRomans—theAnglo-Saxons:①language:oldEnglish②TheSongofBeowulf—theNormansMedievalEnglishLiteratureTheNormanConquest:Politically,afeudalistsystemwasestablishedinEnglandReligiously,theRomanCatholicChurchhadamuchstrongercontroloverthecountry.Inlanguage,threelanguagesco-existedinEngland:French,Latin,andoldEnglish.MedievalEnglishLiterature(1066---1500)Romance:KingArthur&HisKnightsoftheRoundTableSirGawain&theGreenKnight(culmination,theprime)Ballad:RobinHoodGeoffreyChaucer:FatherofEnglishpoetry24storiesinTheCanterburyTalescovermajorliterarygenresinmedievalEuropeForerunnerofEnglishrealismForerunnerofEnglishhumanismRenaissancePeriod(laterhalfofthe15th—thebeginningof17thCentury)RenaissanceandHumanismTherepresentativewritersare:ThomasMore:UtopiaEdmundSpencer:poetry—FaerieQueeneFrancisBacon:essay—Essays“Studiesservefordelight,forornament,andforability.”dramaChristopherMarlowe:—Tamburlaine—TheTragicalHistoryofofDr.Faustus—TheJewofMaltaWilliamShakespeare:(2longpoems,154sonnets,38plays)—comedies—tragedies—historyplaysThe17thCentury(theRevolutionandRestorationPeriod)AfterthevictoryoftheSpanishWar,thetiebetweenthemonarchyandthebourgeoisiebegantoweaken.TheconflictbetweentheparliamentandtheKingreachedthehighestpoint,hencebrokeouttheEnglishRevolutionin1649.TheresultwastheestablishmentofaCommonwealth,arepublicinEngland.WhileafterthedeathofCromwell,themonarchywasrestored1660.Afteracenturyofdisputesandbattlestilltheso-called“GloriousRevolution”in1688,thebasicstructureofEnglandwassettled.Poetry:themainliteraryformofthisperiodJohnMilton:ParadiseLost—theonlygenerallyacknowledgedepicinEnglishliteraturesinceBeowulfJohnDonne:—thefounderofMetaphysicalPoem—