美国文学史

American LiteratureComment on American RomanticismThe Romantic Period is one of the most important periods in the history of American literature, which stretches from the end of the 18th century to the outbreak of the Civil War. I t started with the publication of Washington Irving’s The Sketch Book and ended with Whitman’s Leaves of Grass.It is a great flowering of American literature; It is also called “the American Renaissance”.American Romanticism is associated with imagination, intuitive perception, personal expression. The most profound and comprehensive idea of romanticism is the vision of a greater personal freedom for the individual. There are four characteristics of Romanticism, the first one is the moral enthusiasm such as passion, emotion, fancy and imagination: secondly, American Romanticism faiths in the value of individualism and intuitive perception. What`s more, this period advocates that human nature is good. That is to say, man can know the world through his own ability , intuition and conscience. The last characteristic is that nature is a source of goodness and man’s societies are the source of corruption.About the background of American Renaissance is during the time when America is flourishing into a politically,economically and culturally independent country. For example, in politics, democracy and political equality became the ideals of the new nation. And, radical changes came about in the political life of the country. Parties began to squabble and scramble for power, and new system was in the making. In economics, the spread of industrialism, the sudden influx of immigration, and the pioneers pushing the frontier further west, all these produced something of an economic boon and with it, a tremendous sense of optimism and hope among the people. What`s more, in culture, the publication of Webster’s Dictionary marked the beginning of the American English and the appearance of many magazines and newspapers contribute to the literature.The Sketch Book written by Washington Irving marked the beginning ofAmerican Romanticism. Following the rise of romanticism, Transcendentalism, which appeared after 1830, marked the maturity of American Romanticism and the first renaissance in the American literary history. During the Transcendentalism period, Walden written by Thoreau became the foundation of American Romanticism. In the first half of 19th Century, Western Europe Romanticism has already deeply influenced on American Romanticism. Besides, American capitalism had a rapid development as well as the national consciousness and patriotic enthusiam of Americans. What’s more, American writers gradually got rid of the shackles of British Romanticism and became aware of the need of paying attention to the creation of human spirit and Transcendentalism which aimed at pursuing freedom. From then on, American Romanticism went into the flourishing period.In the earlier stage of American Romanticism, the representatives included Washington Ivring who wrote A History of New York and The Sketch Book, James Fenimore Cooper who wrote The Last of the Mohicans and The Pilot and Edgar Allan Poe who wrote Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque and Tales. In the later stage of American Romanticism, the representatives included Nathaniel Hawthorne who wrote The Scarlet Letter and The Marble Faun, Walt Whitman who wrote Leaves of Grass and Herman Melville who wrote Moby Dick” And the representatives of American Transcendentalism which appeared in American Romanticism included Ralph Waldo Emerson who wrote Nature and Henry David Thoreau who wrote Walden. Among all those great American Romanticism writers and their great literary works, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter leaves the most profound impression on me. It was published in 1850. The novel is set in the American colonial era two hundred years ago and it exposes the social cruelty, religious deception and moral hypocrisy in 19th century under capitalist development in America. Hawthorne uses symbolism throughout the novel. The characters, plots and language are all quite subjective which full of imagination and the writer often put the description of characters’ mental activities and intuition in the first place. Thus, The Scarlet Letter is not only the representative of American Romantic novels but also the beginning of the American psychological novels.In general, American Romanticism was a kind of imitation as well as innovation because it appeared under the Western Europe Romanticism and finally it created a unique style of fiction and poetry. American Romanticism embraced the individual and rebelled against the confinement of neoclassicism and religious tradition. American Romanticism created a new literary genre that continued to influence American writers.Comments on Benjamin Franklin(1706--1790)1.Brief introductionBenjamin Franklin was one of the founding father of the United States of America. He was one of the most important America thinkers during the revolutionary period. He stood as the epitome of the Enlightenment and as the versatile embodiment of rational man of the period. Meanwhile, Benjamin Franklin was a rare genius in human history. Nature seemed particularly lavish and happy when he was shaped. Everything seems to meet in this one man, mind and will, talent and art, strength and ease, wit and grace, and he became almost everything: a printer, postmaster, almanac maker, essayist, scientist, orator, statesman, philosopher, political, economist, ambassador, parlor man--“Jack of all trades,”Herman Melville thus described him, “master of each and mastered by none--the type and genius of his land.”2.Main WorksPoor Richard’s Almanac--It was published from 1732 to 158 under the name of Richard Saunders. In the almanac, Franklin gives advice in maxims, that is, proverbs with practical wisdom.A Proposal for Promoting Useful Knowledge (1743)Plain Truth (1747)A Narrative of the Late Massacres (1764)“Rules by Which a Great Empire May Be Reduced to a Small One” (1773) Autobiography--This is Franklin`s most important work. It has lasting charm to those who are pursuing their American dream in America.--The Autobiography is a Puritan document, which is a book of self-examination and self-improvement. In this book, Franklin looks intensely into his past life and describes the image of a boy`s rise from rags to riches through hard work and wise management. And therein he sets 13 virtues for himself to cultivate and combat with tempting vices. His story convinces that man is good and capable of becoming better. In fact, this book celebrates the fulfillment of the American dream through telling a story of self-reliance.3.The styles and techniques of Benjamin Franklin`s worksFranklin`s style of writing was clear and even plain in his time, but for modern readers, it is a bit hard to read.Besides, his style is rather formal, but the organization of his material is informal.In addition, his writing is full of his humor and satire.4.SignificanceThe Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin was probably the first of its kind in literature. And, Franklin was the first self-made man in America. He was considered as the symbol of American dream by the young generation. As the symbol of America in the age of Enlightenment, he brought the colonial era to a close.Franklin was called “the new Prometheus who had stolen fire (electricity in this case) from heaven.”What`s more, he helped found the Pennsylvania Hospital and the American Philosophical Society. As a result, everyone seems to meet this one man--“a Jack of all trades”.Comments on Leaves of grass。