美国文学英文介绍【顶级精品】
美国文学的介绍Introduction of the American Literature.
4) Robert Frost’s definition:
➢ performance in words
5) Modern definition:
➢ We can define literature as language artistically used to achieve identifiable literary qualities and to convey meaningful messages. Literature is characterized by beauty of expression and form and by universality intellectual and emotional appeal.
the most controversial & the most misunderstood
Edgar Allen Poe
.
Time:
The age of Realism
the Civil War
1861
the First World War
1914
concern for the common-place offer an objective view
3) It helps you explore the nature of human beings. It gives you spiritual and psychological relief.
.
4. How to define the American literature?
❖American literature mainly refers to literature produced in American English by the people living in the United States.
美国文学经典名著 英语作文
美国文学经典名著英语作文The American literary classics have been a source of inspiration and enlightenment for generations of readers around the world. These timeless works of art have not only entertained and captivated audiences but have also served as a mirror, reflecting the complexities of the human experience. From the haunting tales of Edgar Allan Poe to the sweeping epics of Herman Melville, the American literary canon is a testament to the enduring power of the written word.One of the most celebrated American literary classics is "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, set in the segregated South during the Great Depression, explores themes of racial injustice, the loss of innocence, and the power of empathy. Through the eyes of the young protagonist, Scout Finch, readers are drawn into a world where the lines between good and evil are often blurred, and the pursuit of justice is fraught with challenges. The character of Atticus Finch, Scout's father and a principled lawyer, has become an enduring symbol of moral courage and integrity, inspiring readers to stand up for what is right in the face of adversity.Another quintessential American literary classic is "The Great Gatsby"by F. Scott Fitzgerald. This captivating novel, set against the backdrop of the Roaring Twenties, delves into the themes of wealth, social class, and the pursuit of the American Dream. The enigmatic Jay Gatsby, with his lavish parties and mysterious past, serves as a metaphor for the excesses and disillusionment of the era. Through the lens of the narrator, Nick Carraway, readers are invited to witness the downfall of the American Dream and the tragic consequences of the relentless pursuit of material success.Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick" is widely regarded as one of the greatest American novels of all time. This epic tale of man's struggle against the forces of nature, symbolized by the white whale, Moby-Dick, is a profound exploration of the human condition. The novel's central character, Captain Ahab, is a complex and haunting figure, driven by an obsessive quest for vengeance that ultimately leads to his own downfall. Melville's masterful use of symbolism and his deep philosophical insights have made "Moby-Dick" a beloved classic, inspiring generations of readers to delve into the depths of the human experience.Another iconic American literary classic is "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger. This coming-of-age novel follows the journey of the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, as he navigates the complexities of adolescence and the disillusionment of the adult world. Salinger's distinctive narrative voice and Holden's sardonic wit have made thisnovel a beloved touchstone for generations of readers, who have found solace and resonance in the character's struggles to find meaning and authenticity in a world that often seems indifferent and hypocritical.The works of Ernest Hemingway have also left an indelible mark on American literature. Novels like "The Sun Also Rises" and "The Old Man and the Sea" are celebrated for their spare, yet powerful, prose and their exploration of themes such as the human condition, the nature of masculinity, and the search for meaning in a world ravaged by war and conflict. Hemingway's characters, often grappling with the harsh realities of life, have become iconic representations of the resilience and determination of the human spirit.The American literary canon is further enriched by the works of authors such as Toni Morrison, whose novels "Beloved" and "Song of Solomon" have explored the complex legacies of slavery and the African-American experience. Maya Angelou's autobiographical works, such as "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," have given voice to the struggles and triumphs of African-American women, while the novels of John Steinbeck, including "The Grapes of Wrath" and "Of Mice and Men," have shed light on the plight of the working class and the enduring human spirit in the face of adversity.These American literary classics, and many others, have not onlyentertained and enlightened readers but have also served as a powerful lens through which we can understand the complexities of the human experience. They have challenged us to confront our own biases and preconceptions, to grapple with the moral and ethical dilemmas that shape our world, and to find solace and inspiration in the timeless stories that have come to define the American literary tradition.As we continue to explore and engage with these masterpieces, we are reminded of the enduring power of the written word and the transformative impact that great literature can have on our lives. The American literary classics have not only stood the test of time but have also become an integral part of our cultural heritage, shaping the way we understand ourselves and the world around us.。
1 History of American Literature 美国文学史 英语简介
The Postwar Period (1945-)
Poetry: The New Criticism (T. S. Eliot and Bishop), The Confessional School (Robert Lowell), The Beat Generation (Allen Ginsberg), The Black Mountain Poets (Charles Olson) and New York Poets (Frank O’ Hara).
fathered modern American literature)
Henry James
(with his “international theme” and his psychological realism, now considered as one of the most literary figures coming out of the 19th century)
manifesto of American
Transcendentalism”; “The American Scholar”,
rightly regarded as American’s “Declaration of Intellectual Independence” )
The Romantic Period (19th C1865)
The Modern Period (19181945)
The 1920s Novel: F. Scott Fitzgerald Ernest Hemingway and William Faulkner the Lost Generation Drama: Eugene O’ Neill (the great American Playwright,
美国文学爱伦坡英文介绍
Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston in 1809. He was an American author, poet, editor, and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the death,he is generally considered the inventor of the detective fiction story. He was a l s o the first well-known American writer to try to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a financially difficult life and career.
made Poe famous as a poet
B:Short Stories
1 MS. Found in a Bottle (1833)
《瓶中手稿》
2 Tales of the Grotesque and the Arabesque (1839) 《荒诞奇异的故事 》
美国文学各时期
1.Early Colonial Literature. 1607-17002.The literature of Reason And Revolution(18th century) The 18th-century American Enlightenment was a movement marked by an emphasis on rationality rather than tradition, scientific inquiry instead of unquestioning religious dogma, and representative government in place of monarchy. Enlightenment thinkers and writers were devoted to the ideals of justice, liberty, and equality as the natural rights of man.3. American RomanticismFeatures:1)From the end of the 18th century to the outbreak of he Civil War. It started with the publication of Washington Irving’s The Sketch Book and ended with Whitman’s Leaves of Grass. It is also called “the American Renaissance”.2)The desire for an escape from society and a return to nature became a permanent convention of American literature.3) The American Puritanism as a cultural heritage exerted great influences over American moral values.4) Besides, a preoccupation with the Calvinistic view of original sin and the mystery of evil marked the works of Hawthorne, Melville and a host of lesser writers5)The most clearly defined Romantic literary movement in this period is New England Transcendentalism6)It ranges from the comic fables of Washington Irving to the Gothic tales of Edgar Allen Poe, from the frontier adventures of James Fenimore Cooper to the narrative quests of Herman Melville, from the psychological romances of Nathaniel Hawthorne to the social realism of Rebecca Harding.4. The literature of Realism (1865-1918)1. This new attitude was characterized by a great interest in the realities of life.2.Interpreting sympathetically the “common feelings of commonplace people” was best suited as a technique to express the spirit of America.3.They introduced industrial workers and farmers , ambitious businessmen and vagrants流浪者, prostitutes妓女and unheroic胆怯的soldiers as major characters in fiction .4.They approached the harsh realities and pressures in the post Civil War society either by a comprehensive picture of modern life , or by a psychological exploration of man's subconsciousness .5.Artistically ,naturalistic writings are usually unpolished in language , lacking in academic skills and unwieldy in structure . Philosophically , the naturalists believe that the real and true is always partially hiddenfrom the eyes of the individual , or beyond this control . In a word , naturalism is evolved from realism when the author's tone in writing becomes less serious and less sympathetic but more ironic and more pessimistic .5. The Modern Period of literature1.The idea of “seize the day” or “enjoy the present” was pervasive, as opposed to placing all hope in the future.2.the writer’s task was to develop techniques that could represent a break with the past. Thus, the defining formal characteristics of the modernistic works are discontinuity and fragmentation.3.A typical modern work will seem to begin arbitrarily, to advance without explanation, and to end without resolution.4.They usually “screen himself” and speak ind irectly through an impersonal and objective story, which is usually a myth or a piece of the earlier literature, or a “mask”, that is, a persona.On the Characteristics and Speciality of Literature in Each Stage美国文学各个时期特点文理学院11级英语二班陈佳雯02。
美国文学史简述五篇范文
美国文学史简述五篇范文第一篇：美国文学史简述A Short Summary of the History of American LiteratureIn American Literature, Colonial and Revolutionary period, American Romanticism, The Realistic Period and American Modernism are the four important periods.During 17C and 18C is the American colonial and Revolutionary Period.Puritanism is the main school of this period, which is the practices and belief of puritans.The American puritans accept the doctrine and practice of predestination, original sin and total depravity, and limited atonement through a special infusion of grace from God.But due to the grim struggle for living in the new continent, they become more and more practical.American Puritanism is so much a part of the national atmosphere rather than a set of tenets.Jonathan Edwards was one of the great writers of the Puritanism, his works include The Freedom of the Will, The Nature of True Virtue and so on.Philip Freneau is “a poet of the American Revol ution” and “the father of American Poetry”.The Rising Glory of American and The Wild Honey Suckle are his famous works.Puritanism gradually declined at the end of 18C.As a result of the impact of European Literary Romanticism, there rapidly came into being the rise of romanticism in American.The American romanticism flourished from 1815 to 1865, which advocated importance to individual dignity and value, and they shared some characteristics— moral enthusiasm, individuality and intuitive perception.Transcendentalism, which appeared after 1830, marked the maturity of American Romanticism and the first Renaissance in the American literary history.It laid emphasis onspirit, individual and nature.Washington Irving is a writer of this period, who has been called “the father of American Literature”.He wins the international fame for The Sketch Book, which marked the beginning of American Romanticism.Ralph Waldo Emerson is the New England Transcendentalist.Nature, his famous work, is regarded as the “manifesto of Am erican Transcendentalism”.American industrialization was one of the important factors of the development of American Realistic Literature, which was the beginning of what Mark Twain called “The Gilded Age” from 1865 to 1914.American Realism came as a reaction against the lie of romanticism and sentimentalism.It turned from an emphasis on the faithful rendering of the ordinary, a slice of life as it is really lived.It expresses the common place and the low, and it offers an objective rather than an idealistic view of human nature and human experience.A realistic writer is more objective than subjective, more descriptive than symbolic.Realists looked for truth in any place.William Dean Howells is the champion of realism.He writes about the rising middle class and the way they live.The Rise of Silas Lapham, his masterpiece, is a fine example of the American realism.Mark Twain is a great literary artist and social critic.He writes about the story of the low class and is famous for his colloquial style and localism.The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn is his famous fiction, which has been regarded as one of the greatest books of western literature and western civilization.After the WWI, some young writers wondered pointlessly and restlessly, while at the same time the y were called the “Lost Generation”.Then, there came into being the modernism from 1914 to 1945, it is used to show the literary art possessing outstanding characteristics in conception, feeling, form and style after the WWI.It meanscutting off history and a sense of despair and loss.It refused to accept the traditional ideological influences.F.Scott Fitzgerald is widely regarded as one of the 20th century’s greatest writers.This Side of Paradise is his first novel, it became immensely popular for the simple reason that it caught the tone of the age.Ernest Hemingway is the famous writer of this period.He received the Pulitzer Prize in 1953 for The Old Man and the Sea.A Farewell to Arms is his masterpiece in which the author deals with the war directly.This is what I want to say about the history of American literature.第二篇：美国文学史梗概美国文学史梗概一、殖民地时代和美国建国初期最早来自这片新大陆的欧洲移民主要是定居在新英格兰的清教徒和马萨诸塞的罗马天主教徒，二者虽然在教义上有很多不同之处，但他们都信奉加尔文主义：人生在世只是为了受苦受难，而他们唯一的希望是争做上帝的“选民”，死后进天国，相信“原罪”。
美国文学知识简介
1.殖民地时期的文学The first writings that we all American were narratives and journals of the earlier settlers.In 1608，Captain John Smith published his letter under the title A True Relation of Such Occurrences and Accidents of Note as Hath Happened in Virginia Since the First Planting of That Colony, making him the first American writer. His next book was A Map of Virginia: with a Description of the Country. William Bradford: The History of Plymouth PlantationJohn Winthrop: The History of New EnglandRoger Williams: A key into the language of America (A help to the language of the natives in that part of America called New England)2.The literature of Reason and Revolution理性和革命文学In 18 century, two great revolutions: American Revolution and the Enlightenment, producing a number of famous political and literary figure, such as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson.Works: are mainly history, diary, political essay and articles about religion.Puritanism:Deism自然神论：held that firstly only one God was worthworshipping; secondly man could keep making progress by making use of his own moral sense and of his own intelligence; thirdly, man should love truth and do good; fourthly, education and science were important means to create man’s happiness.1.Benjamin Franklin:(本杰明.富兰克林，1706-1790)works:Poor Richard’s Almanac and Autobiography;12岁成为printer的见习生，16岁成为报纸编辑，还参与了《独立宣言》起草Autobiography: his rags-to-riches became the prototypeof many American’s dream of success. The prototypecharacterized by self-culture自学, self-reliance自利,self-improvement自我提高,self-cultivation自我培养，faith in the progress of society and the ideal of future,practical and optimistic attitude toward life.2.Thomas Paine：16 pamphlets: American Crisis.3.Thomas Jefferson: draft The Declaration ofIndependence.4.Philip Freneau:(菲利普.佛论诺,美国诗歌之父)known as“Poet of American Revolution” and “father of AmericanPoetry”;works: the wild honey suckle《野生的忍冬》and to the memory of the brave Americans《纪念英勇的美国人》3.浪漫主义文学the literature of romanticismThe representatives of pre-romanticism: Washington Irving, James Fennimore Cooper and William Cullen Bryant.布莱恩特The representatives of post-romanticism:novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville, poets Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Edgar Allan Poe and Walt Whiteman; essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Romantics characteristics: 1.moral enthusiasm;2.faith in the value of individualism and intuitive perception;3.a presumption that the natural world was a source of goodness and man’s societies a source of corruption.advocate individualism and encouraged people to fight for individual right and human happiness bravely. The romantic writers attached importance to individual dignity and value, and believed that human nature was good. The works of romanticism mostly reflected the fantastic and thrilling stories taking place long ago as an escape of the civilized society and were rich in mystic color.1.Transcendentalism超验主义：Appeared after1830(post-romanticism), marked the maturity of American romanticism and the 1st renaissance in the American literary history. It means to rise above or pass beyond the limits. It laid emphasis on spirit and individual and nature.2.Free verse自由诗体：has no regular rhythm or linelength and depends on natural speech rhythms and the counterpoint对照of stressed and unstressed syllables.3.作家：1；Washington Irving(华盛顿.欧文)：the author of the 1st American short stories and familiar essays and the 1st American author to achieve international distinction.Work: the sketch book《见闻札记》；the legend of sleep hollow《睡谷的传说》（immortal Rip Van Winkle）2; William Cullen Bryant(威廉.柯伦.布莱恩特,美国诗人)the 1st American lyric poet(主要以nature 为主题); To a Waterfowl《致水鸟》and The Yellow Violet《黄色的紫罗兰》；Poetic translation of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey 3；James Fennimore Cooper（詹姆士.费尼莫尔.库伯，美国小说家）：leather Stocking Tales《皮袜子故事集》；The last of the Mohican《最后的莫西干人》★4；Ralph Waldo Emerson(思想家、散文作家、诗人)：the head of Transcendental Movement; work: Nature 《论自然》Self-Reliance《论自利》★5；Walt Whiteman(沃尔特.惠特曼，诗人)the 1st American poet to use free verse in poetry; works: Leaves of Grass《草叶集》—praised as “Democratic Bible” and as American Epic.其中的《自我之歌》Song of Myself最出名★6；Nathaniel Hawthorne(纳撒尼尔.霍桑，小说家) the 1st great American writer of fiction; works：the Scarlet Letter《红字》—the 1st symbolic novel; The house of the Seven Gables《带有七个尖角阁的房子》；Young Goodman Brown《好年轻小伙布朗》主题多为：human soul★7；Henry Wadsworth Longfellow(亨利.沃兹沃思.浪费罗，诗人)：Evangeline《伊万杰琳》；song of Hiawatha《海华沙之歌》；A Psalm of Life《生命颂》（最有名）★8；Edgar Allan Poe(埃德加.爱伦.坡，诗人、小说家、批评家)：1st American professional writer and 1st writer of detective storyWorks： To Helen《致海伦》；最有名The Raven《乌鸦》与Annabel Lee《安娜贝丽.李》；最有名小说TheFall of the House of Usher《厄舍古厦的倒塌》★9；Harriet Beecher Stowe(哈里特.比彻.斯托，美国女作家)作品：Uncle Tom’s Cabin《汤姆叔叔的小屋》---president Lincoln praised her as “the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war”(1st well-known sociological novel in American literature)★10.Emily Dickinson（艾米丽.迪金森，美国女诗人）：Because I could Not Stop for Death《因为我不能等待死亡》and I’m nobody. Who are you?《我是无名小卒！你是谁？》★11.Henry David Thoreau(亨利.大卫.梭罗，美国作家、思想家)作品：Walden,or life in the Woods《瓦尔登湖，或林中生活》。
美国文学【英文精品】
Colonial Period (1620-1750)
Literature of the period dominated by the Puritans and their religious influence
emphasis is on faith in one’s daily life
a person’s fate is determined by God all are corrupt and need a Savior
theocracy--civil authority in Bible and church nature is revelation of God’s providence and power Puritan work ethic—belief in hard work and simple, no-frills living
Overview of American Literature
The history of American literature isry.
Native American Period (pre-1620)
Oral
Revolutionary Period (1750-1815)
Writers
focused on explaining and justifying the American Revolution After the Revolution, this period becomes known as Early Nationalism. Writers begin to ponder what it really means to be an American. After the War of 1812, which removed the last British troops from North America, there was an even greater focus on nationalism, patriotism, and American identity
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American Romanticism (1815-1865)
Learning Points
Distinct Features
Representatives Conclusion
Much classroom discussion will involve close textual commentary upon the assigned works.
Course Outline
1.Literature of Colonial American 2.Early Romantics 3.Transcendentalism 4.High Romantics 5.Realism 6.Local Color Fiction 7.Naturalism 8.Modern Poetry 9.Modern Fiction Before 1945
Philip Freneau
Philip Freneau(1752-1832)
A forerunner of American Romanticism or a transitional figure towards Romanticism.
Wild Honeysuckle a lyrical lament for the mutability of nature and an expression of faith in man’s ability to learn universal truths from nature. An indirect eulogy of America predicting Whitman
---- Having faith in human accomplishment and progress
---- Believing that an individual with industry and thrift will improve himself and his community, a self-mad man and an archetypal American success story that has since become part of American popular culture ---- Almost the first example of achieving the “American Dream”
1.
2.
Class attendance(10%)
Assignments(10%)
3.
4.
Classroom Discussion(10%)
Final Exam(70%)
Literature of Colonial American
“The first American literature was neither American nor really literature. It was not American because it was the work mainly of immigrants from England. It was not literature as we know it---- in the form of poetry, essay, or fiction---- but rather an interesting mixture of travel accounts and religious writings”
American Literature
Introduction
Course Description
This course will survey American literature from the Colonial period to the Post-World War II period. Readings will include poems, novels, essays, autobiographies, short stories, and philosophical writings, originating in different regions and social settings across the country. Some works are chosen from their historical importance, others for their aesthetic virtues. Taken as a whole, they form a rich collection of imaginative and critical writings.
10.Postwar Realism in Fiction 11.Beat Generation 12.Women Writers in America 13.Black Literature 14.Southern Literature 15.Modern Drama
Course Requirements
Our goal will be to analyze these works as diverse representations of American experience, ideas, and values. As it is created, literature in its widest sense can function as moral instruction, personal expression, and casual entertainment.
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin(1706-1790)
An inventor, scientist, printer, political statesman, diplomat, exemplary self-made man, revolutionary hero, author.