英国文学--上册--大作品赏析汇总

1.Beowulf(1)Style:ItisanepicwritteninWessexdialect.Itcontains3183linesandthestoryinitisbasedonpartlyhistoricalandpartlylegendarymaterials.(2)Characters:Hrothgar(DanishKing);Grendel(monster)AdemondescendedfromCain.GrendelpreysonHrothgar’swarriorsintheking’smead-hall,Heorot.BecauseGrendel’sruthlessandmiserableexistenceispartoftheretributionexactedbyGodforCain’smurderofAbel,Grendelfitssolidlywithintheethosofvengeancethatgovernstheworldofthepoem.;Beowulf(finallyruleswiselyandwellfor50years;Heisaglorioushero,protectorofpeopleandhashighspiritualqualities,resolutiontoservehiscountry,truecourage,courteous,loveofhonor)Heistheprotagonistofthepoem.BeowulfisaGeatishherowhofightsthemonsterGrendel,Grendel’smother,andafire-breathingdragon.Beowulf’sexploitsprovehimtobethestrongest,ablestwarriorofhistime.Inhisyouth,hepersonifiesthevaluesoftheheroicculture.Inhisoldage,heprovesawiseandeffectiveruler.;Wiglaf(companion,helpBeowulfkillthedragon)(3)Artisticfeaturesortechniques:(thepoemisamixtureofpaganismandChristianelements);caesura,alliteration,accentedsyllable,kenning,exaggeration,repetition,variation(4)Theme:avividpictureofhowtheprimitivepeoplewageheroicstrugglesagainstthehostileforcesofthenaturalworldunderawiseandmightyleader.2.SirGawainandtheGreenKnight(1)Style:ThepoemisabrilliantexampleofthewisdomoftheminstrelsoftheMiddleAges.Itcontainsseveralelements:(1)avividportrayaloftheheroandafineanalysisofhispsychology.(2)awellundefinedandexcitingplotfullofclimaxesandsurprises.(3)thethreehuntingscenesarecloselyrelatedtoeachother.(4)amixtureofAnglo-SaxonandFrancepoetry,combinealliterativeversewithmetricalverse.(2)Charactersandplot:KingArthurheldafeastwithhisRoundTableKnightsatCamelot(GreenKight)SirGawainaxhishead;SirseekstheGreenChapel(acastle);deer(mildandgentle),boatandfox(3kissandagirdle,heviolatesthechivalriccodeofhonesty);hostofthecastle-GreenKnight(coward&covetous)forgavehimandgavethegirdleback.SirGawain-Thestory’sprotagonist,Arthur’snephewandoneofhismostloyalknights.Althoughhemodestlydisclaimsit,Gawainhasthereputationofbeingagreatknightandcourtlylover.Heprideshimselfonhisobservanceofthefivepointsofchivalryineveryaspectofhislife.Gawainisapinnacleofhumility,piety,integrity,loyalty,andhonesty.Hisonlyflawprovestobethatheloveshisownlifesomuchthathewilllieinordertoprotecthimself.GawainleavestheGreenChapelpenitentandchanged.GreenKnight:TheGreenKnightshowshimselftobeasupernaturalbeingwhenhepicksuphisownseveredheadandridesoutofArthur’scourt,stillspeaking.Atthesametime,heseemstosymbolizethenaturalworld,inthatheiskilledandrebornaspartofacycle.Atthepoem’send,wediscoverthattheGreenKnightisalsoBertilak,Gawain’shost,andoneofMorganleFaye’sminions.(3)Artisticfeaturesortechniques：alliterativelines,synecdoche(4)Theme:Itshowsthenatureofchivalry:humility,piety,integrity,loyalty,honestyandself-protection(weakness).It'sabouttemptationandtesting,huntingandseduction,natureandchivalryandreflecttheidealoffeudalknighthood:chivalry,chastity,piety,friendlinessandfree-giving.Thecolourgreensymbolsnatureandrebirth(inEnglishfolkloreandliterature),alludetoloveandthebasedesiresofman(medievalperiod),misfortuneanddeath(celticmythology).3.TheCanterburyTales(1)Style:metricalfeature:iambicpentameter.Itcontains24tales.Thetoneofitismerry,cheerfulandjoyful.Thisapproachgivestheopeninglinesadreamy,timeless,unfocusedquality,anditisthereforesurprisingwhenthenarratorrevealsthathe’sgoingtodescribeapilgrimagethathehimselftookratherthantellingalovestory.TheCanterburyTalesismorethananestatessatirebecausethecharactersarefullyindividualizedcreationsratherthansimplegoodorbadexamplesofsomeidealtype.(2)Charactersandplot:29pilgrims,Chaucer,HarryBailey(hearty,boisterous,frank,rough,improperuseofwordaboutGod,keepthecompanygenerallyingoodspirits)---eachonetellstwostoriesonthewaytoitandanothertwoonthewayback,thebestwillberewardedafreesupper.(only24werewritten)Prioress:(45lines)AlthoughthePrioressisnotpartoftheroyalcourt,shedoesherbesttoimitateitsmanners.Shetakesgreatcaretoeatherfooddaintily,toreachforfoodonthetabledelicately,andtowipeherlipcleanofgreasebeforedrinkingfromhercup.ShespeaksFrench,butwithaprovincialEnglishaccent.Sheiscompassionatetowardanimals,weepingwhensheseesamousecaughtinatrap,andfeedingherdogsroastedmeatandmilk.Thenarratorsaysthatherfeaturesarepretty,evenherenormousforehead.Onherarmshewearsasetofprayerbeads,fromwhichhangsagoldbroochthatfeaturestheLatinwordsfor“LoveConquersAll.”Anothernunandthreepriestsaccompanyher.(3)Artisticfeatures:image,metaphor,personification,tansferepithet,alliteration,irony.(4)Themes:ThePervasivenessofCourtlyLoveTheImportanceofCompanyTheCorruptionoftheChurchthesignificance:acomprehensivepictureofChaucer'stime,thepilgrimscoverawiderangeofcharactersintheEnglandofthetime;thedramaticstructureofthepoemhasbeenhighlycommendedbycritics.Moststoriesarerelatedtoehpersonalityoftheteller;Chaucer'shumor:(CharlesDickensandBernardShaw),hehasshownsympathytolowerclassbuthehastopleasepeopleatcourt.Hisgentlesatireandirony;prestigeoftheEnglishlanguageFrench(courtandupp