英美文学选读笔记完整笔记,全面归纳

ChapterITheRenaissancePeriod一、学习目的和要求通过本章学习，了解文艺复兴运动和人文主义思潮产生的历史，文化背景，认识该时期文学创作的基本特征和基本主张，及其对同时代及后世英国文学乃至文化的影响；了解该时期重要作家的文学生涯，创作思想，艺术特色及其代表作品的主题结构，人物刻画，语言风格，思想意义等；同时结合注释，读懂所选作品，了解其思想内容和写作特色，培养理解和欣赏文学作品的能力。二、考核要求(一)文艺复兴时期概述1.识记：（1）文艺复兴时期的界定（2）历史文化背景2.领会:（1）文艺复兴运动的意义与影响（2）文艺复兴时期的文学特点（3）人文主义的主张及对文学的影响3.应用：文艺复兴，人文主义及玄学诗等名词的解释BriefIntroductiontotheRenaissancePeriodI.应用DefinitionsoftheLiteraryTerms:1.TheRenaissance:TheRenaissancemarksatransitionfromthemedievaltothemodernworld.Generally,itreferstotheperiodbetweenthe14th&17thcenturies.ItfirststartedinItaly,withthefloweringofpainting,sculpture&literature.FromItalythemovementwenttoembracetherestofEurope.TheRenaissance,whichmeansrebirthorrevival,isactuallyamovementstimulatedbyaseriesofhistoricalevents,suchasthere-discoveryofancientRoman&Greekculture,thenewdiscoveriesingeography&astrology,thereligiousreformation&theeconomicexpansion.TheRenaissance,therefore,inessenceisahistoricalperiodinwhichtheEuropeanhumanistthinkers&scholarsmadeattemptstogetridofthoseoldfeudalistideasinmedievalEurope,tointroducenewideasthatexpressedtheinterestsoftherisingbourgeoisie,&torecoverthepurityoftheearlychurchfromthecorruptionoftheRomanCatholicChurch.2.Humanism:HumanismistheessenceoftheRenaissance.ItsprangfromtheendeavortorestoreamedievalreverencefortheancientauthorsandisfrequentlytakenasthebeginningoftheRenaissanceonitsconscious,intellectualside,fortheGreekandRomancivilizationwasbasedonsuchaconceptionthatmanisthemeasureofallthings.Throughthenewlearning,humanistsnotonlysawtheartsofsplendorandenlightenment,butthehumanvaluesrepresentedintheworks.Renaissancehumanistsfoundintheclassicsajustificationtoexalthumannatureandcametoseethathumanbeingsweregloriouscreaturescapableofindividualdevelopmentinthedirectionofperfections,andthattheworldtheyinhabitedwastheirsnottodespisebuttoquestion,explore,andenjoy.Thus,byemphasizingthedignityofhumanbeingsandtheimportanceofthepresentlife,theyvoicedtheirbeliefsthatmandidnotonlyhavetherighttoenjoythebeautyofthislife,buthadtheabilitytoperfecthimselfandtoperformwonders.ThomasMore,ChristopherMarloweandWilliamShakespearearethebestrepresentativesoftheEnglishhumanists.3.Spenserianstanza:SpenserianstanzawasinventedbyEdmundSpenser.Itisastanzaofninelines,withthefirsteightlinesiniambicpentameter&thelastlineiniambichexameter,rhymingababbcbcc.4.Metaphysicalpoetry:Thetermmetaphysicalpoetryiscommonlyusedtonametheworkofthe17thcenturywriterswhowroteundertheinfluenceofJohnDonne.Witharebelliousspirit,themetaphysicalpoetstriedtobreakawayfromtheconventionalfashionoftheElizabethanlovepoetry.ThedictionissimpleascomparedwiththatoftheElizabethanortheNeoclassicperiods,andechoesthewordsandcadencesofcommonspeech.Theimageryindrawnfromtheactuallife.Theformisfrequentlythatofanargumentwiththepoet'sbeloved,withGod,orwithhimself.5.TheRenaissanceherARenaissanceheroreferstoonecreatedbyChristopherMarloweinhisdrama.Suchaheroisalwaysindividualisticandfullofambition,facingbravelythechallengefrombothgodsandmen.HeembodiesMarlowe'shumanisticidesofhumandignityandcapacity.Differentfromthetragicheroinmedievalplays,whoseeksthewaytoheaventhroughsalvationandgod'swill,heisagainstconventionalmoralityandcontrivestoobtainheavenonearththroughhisownefforts.Withtheendlessaspirationforpower,knowledge,andglory,theherointerpretsthetrueRenaissancespirit.BothTamburlaineandFaustusaretypicalinpossessingsuchaspirit.（二）该时期的重要作家1.一般识记：重要作家的文学生涯2.识记：重要作品及主要内容3.领会：重要作家的创作思想，艺术特色及其代表作品的主题结构，人物塑造，语言风格，艺术手法，社会意义等。4.应用：（1）莎士比亚和邓恩诗歌的主题，意象（2）喜剧《威尼斯商人》的主题和主要人物性格分析（3）哈姆雷特的性格分析（4）史诗《失乐园》（弥尔顿）的结构，人物性格，语言特点等的分析I.EdmundSpenser1.一般识记BriefIntroductiontotheAuthorEnglishpoet，borninLondon,England,about1552,anddiedinLondon,Jan13,1599.2.识记HisMajorWorksSpenser'smostimportantwork&masterpieceisTheFaerieQueene,agreatpoemofitsage.Acomplexmoral,religious,&politicalallegory,itisalsoanepicthatexaltsQueenElizabethⅠ&theEnglishnation.AccordingtoSpenser'sownexplanation,hisprincipalintentionistopresentthroughahistoricalpoemtheexampleofaperfectgentleman:tofashionagentlemanornoblepersoninvirtuous&gentlediscipline.ItsprincipalheroistheArthurofmedievallegend.Thesixbooksofthepoemillustratethenatureofparticularvirtues,suchas,temperance&justice.OthermajorworksofSpenserareTheShepheardesCalender(1579),apoemconsistingof12eclogues-correspondingtothe12monthsoftheyear;Epithalamion(1595),apoemexpressingthedeeppersonalfeelingsoccasionedbythepoetssecondmarriage;Amoretti(1595),aseriesofsonnets.3.领会HisInfluence1)MainqualitiesofSpenser'spoetry①aperfectmelody②araresenseofbeauty③asplendidimagination④aloftymoralpurity&seriousness⑤adedicatedidealism2)Inhiswriting,Spenserdrewontheconventions&thoughtofClassical,medieval,&Renaissanceliterature.However,headdedtohisfusionofthesediverseelementsmuchthatwasoriginal,&hisworksinspiredmanylaterEnglishpoets.Hecreatedanewstanza,calledtheSpenserianstanza,whichiswellsuitedtonarrativeverse.HisskillsinwritingmelodiousEnglishverse&hiscombinationofemotion,erudition,&spiritualvisionhavewonhimtheadmirationofgenerationsofEnglishpoets.Itishisidealism,hislo