英国文学 Part 1 知识点总结
Part 1 Old and Middle English Periods
Old English Period and Beowulf
1.BC 600, Celts(tribal people at early stage of Iron Age) came to British Isles.
2.BC 400-BC 300, Britons came to the Isles.
3.BC 55- AD 407, the conquest of Roman led by Julius Caesar.
4.At the beginning of 5th century, the Roman Empire declined. In AD 410, all Roman troops
were withdrawn.
5.AD 450, the conquest of Angles, Saxons and Jutes. These people were a seafaring people
who orginally lived along the coast of Denmark and Germany.
6.By the end of 6th century, a fedual society replaced the primitive tribal life.
7.Modern English orginates from Anglo-Saxon.
te 8th century, Vikings invaded English. In the second half of the 9th century, English
people led by Alfred drove the Vikings off. But they invaded again in 1013 and were brought to a stop until 1036.
9.The first Anglo-Saxon chronicle was a landmark of the Old English periods.
10.In 1066, the Norman conquest and it made influence on the English language. The year 1066
was also a dividing part in English history (from old English to middle English ).
11.In 1349, English was officially introduced in school and in 1362 in courts of law.
12.In 597, Christianity was taken to England by Augustine. And it took Roman Catholic Church
about a century to Christianise all England.
13.Venerable(father) Bede 彼得神父: the greatest Latinist of Northumbrian School(诺桑波雷
恩学派). His most outstanding work is The Ecdesiastical History of Angles(《英国教会史》).
14.Caedmon: an Anglo-Saxon poet, who wrote in Anglo-Saxon a poetic paraphrase of the Bible.
15.Cynewulf: the author of poems on religious subjects during Old English periods.
16.Beowulf or The Song of Beowulf, is the great national epic poem of 3182 lines and it tells
events that took place on European Continent before Anglo-Saxon's moving.
17.There are two parts in Beowulf: ①fighting against Grendel and then against Grendel's
mother; ②fighting against a firedragon.
18.Artistic features of Beowulf: alliteration, kennings, solemn and animated mood.
Middle English Period and Chaucer
1.During Anglo-Norman period, there is the coexistence of three languages: Latin, Old English
and French.
2.The 1381 peasant uprising was led by Wat Tyler, but finally they were betrayed and Wat
Tyler was executed.
3.Two wars : ①War of the Roses(1455-1485) broke between the House of York(white) and
the House of Lancaster(red); ②Hundred Years War(against French), happened during 1337-1453, and finally the French won.
4.Trouvers brought romance from French to England.
5.Three subject matters of Romans(传奇故事): matter of France, matter of Rome and
matter of Britain.
6.Arthurian cycle(组诗) is the representative work in the group of matter of Britain.
7.One of the most well-known stories in Arthurian cycle is Sir Gawain and the Green Knight(高
文爵士和绿骑士).
8.John Ball: preaching equality and his works summoned many people during peasant
uprising.
9.John Wyclif: translating the Bible into English.
10.William Langland: The author of The Vision of Piers Plowman (农夫皮尔斯之幻想).
11.Ballad (民谣): the most famous one is The Robin Hood Ballads (罗宾汉).
12.Two important features of ballads: repetition and alliteration.
13.Geoffrey Chaucer(乔叟): "Father of English poetry ", he was the first one to be buried at the
Poets' Corner(诗人角).
14.Three phases of Chaucer's creative career:
①phase of French influence: The Book of Duchess (《公爵夫人之书》).
②phase of Italian influence: Troilus and Criseyole (《特伊勒斯和克里西得》).
③English phase: The Canterbury Tales (《坎特伯雷故事集》)——his masterpiece.
15. There are two parts in The Canterbury Tales : the general prologue(前言) and 24 stories.
16. In The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer used the rhymed couplet of iambic pentameter(五步抑扬格押韵的对句)，also named the heroic couplet(英雄双韵体).
17. Chaucer is the first one who introduced heroic couplet(英雄双韵体) to England.
18. We call English used and developed by Chaucer and his contemporaries Middle English, which was the foundation of Modern English.。
英国文学史及选读1,2册复习大纲
英国文学史及选读1,2册复习大纲Part 1 The Anglo―Saxon Period（449-1066）秧格鲁-撒克逊时期1.H istorical BackgroundCelts 400B.C. Romans 50B.C. Anglo―Saxons 450A.D Norman Invasion 1066A.D. Roman empire从albion撤军，teutonic tribes(包括angles, Saxons,jutes)（条顿人or日耳曼人）陆续登陆此地2. Literature 1,pagan异教徒文学2 christian基督徒文学alliterative verse头韵诗Epic: Beowulf贝奥武甫（Denmark背景）（the hall heorot 鹿兀grendel:a monster half-human）1) Oral origin, recited in court, handed down in generations until finally it was recorded by certain poet.上下部分由pagan写，插入由christian写2) a mixture of history and legend.，england’s national epic 民国史诗Part II The Anglo-Norman Period(1066-1350)秧格鲁-诺曼时期11.H istorical BackgroundRoman conquest,接着是english conquest，最后是normanconquest。
The Norman Conquest in 1066Duke William of Normandy claimed himself William I, King of England.（the battle of hastings希斯廷战役）Kings―Barons男爵―Knights, a feudal system of hierarchy统治集团was formed2.T he languageUpper classes: French, Latin The mon people: Old EnglishThree languages co-existed in England. French became the official language used by the king and the Norman lords; Latin became the principal tongue of church affairs and in universities; and Old English was spoken only by the mon English people.3.The literatureRomance was a type of literature that was very popular2in the Middle Ages. It is about the life and adventures undertaken by a knight.It reflected the spirit of chivalry骑士制度. The content of romance: love, chivalry and religion. It involves fighting, adventures.Subject matter:Geoffrey’s His tory杰弗里《史记》，riming chronicles押韵编年史，metricalverse格律诗体，doggerel verse打油诗体1)t he Matter of France eg. Charlemagne and his peers查理曼大帝和他的骑士2)M atter of Greece and Rome eg Akexabder亚历山大大帝3)M atter of Britain tales having for their heroes Arthurand his knights of the Round Table3.m ain literatureSir Gawain and the green knight.高文爵士和绿衣骑士（arthur，gawain,green knight, morgain the fay-woman3妖精摩根, the green girdle绿腰带）Part III Geoffrey Chaucer (1340―1400)杰弗里.乔叟时期1.H istorical BackgroundHe was living at the same time as the writer of Sir Gawain. In 1350 AD, 100 Years' War between England and France.The English won, they controlled large French territory领土. The Henry VI lost it all. He is father of English poetry War of the Roses 1455-1485 AD2.W hat's middle ages like?1). The medieval society: hierarchy 等级制度social system.2). Another important thing in the medieval society is Christianity基督God-centered thinking, mind ideology 思想体系3.L ife and work of ChaucerChaucer lived between (1340-1400). His life is closely41. French 1360-1370 translate French poetry2. Italian 1372-13863.English The Canterbury tales4.The Canterbury talesHe got his stories from various sources, Greek authors, Roman authors, Italian, French, but there is no doubt about Chaucer's originality. He retells the stories in his own way.5The stories are told by a group of people on their way to and back from Canterbury. Pilgrims 朝圣者tell stories to pass the time. The journey is used as a kind of device to unite the various tales Nun修女:Her enthusiasm for grace, trying to e someone that she is not, she cannot possibly be. --Pretentiousness, pretending伪装too much Chaucer has different attitude to different characters第一句：as soon as april pierces to the root, the drought of march, and bathes each bud and shootThe significance of his writing1)it gives a prehensive广泛的picture of Chaucer’s time2)the dramatic structure3)Chaucer’s humor4)Chaucer’s contribution to the English language. Ever since the Norman Conquest the French language was the language at the court and the upper classes, and Latin was the language of the learned and the church. Chaucer6used the native language English and proved that the English language is a beautiful language. He increased the prestige 威信of the English language.5.Popular ballads大众民谣A ballad is a narrative叙述poem that tells a story. It is about particular incidents, usually dramatic. Ballets tell stories-about tragic悲剧的incidents. They are written in a special musical pattern, ballad meter-four meters, couplets（相连并押韵的两行诗）―two line in a unit or quatrain 四行诗__ ababcdcd Characteristics:1)The beginning is often abrupt突然地. No introductionof the characters and the background of the tale2)There are strong dramatic elements. A ballad deals witha single episode插曲3)the story is often told through dialogue and action4)the theme is often tragic悲剧的5)The ballad meter is used. It contains four-line stanza7节，段在英国把民谣当文学形式研究的第一人是托马斯.帕西主教Bishop Thomas Percy,他将民谣收录到《英诗辑古》Reliques of Ancient English Poetry中。
英国文学简史Part 1 Early and Medieval English Literature
Part on: Early and medieval english literature早期和中古时期的英国文学I.Beowulf <贝奥武夫>Features of Beowulf<贝奥武夫>的特点(1)Certain accented words in a line begin with the same consonant sound.,每一行的重读单词以相同的辅音开始。
(2)Other features of Beowulf are the use of metaphors and of understatements.《贝奥武夫》的另一些特点是隐喻和低调陈述的大量运用。
II The Romance(1)The Content of the Romance传奇文学的内容The most prevailing kind of literature in feudal England was the romance. It was a long composition, sometimes n verse, sometimes in prose, describing the life and adventures of a noble hero. The central character of romances was the knight.封建时期的英国最流行的文学形式是传奇文学。
传奇文学的作品篇幅较长，有时是诗歌的形式，有时是散文的形式，描写贵族英雄的生活和冒险故事。
传奇文学的中心人物是贵族出身的善于使用武器的骑士。
(2)The Romance Cycles传奇文学的类型a.Matters of Britain(adventures of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table)“取材于英国的作品”（亚瑟王和他的圆桌骑士）b.Matters of France(Emperor Charlemagne and his peers)“取材于法国作品”（查理曼大帝和他的贵族）c.Matters of Rome(Alexander the Great and so forth)“取材于罗马的作品”（亚历山大大帝）d.The romance of King Arthur is comparatively the most important for the history of English literature.比较起来亚瑟王的传奇故事是英国文学史中最重要的。
英国文学简史笔记
Part One: Early and Medieval English Literature1. Beowulf: national epic of the English people; Denmark story; alliteration, metaphors and understatements （此处可能会有填空，选择等小题）2. Romance （名词解释）3. “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”: a famous roman about King Arthur’s story4. Ballad（名词解释）5. Character of Robin Hood6. Geoffrey Chaucer: founder of English poetry; The Canterbury Tales (main contents; 124 stories planned, only 24 finished; written in Middle English; significance; form: heroic couplet)7. Heroic couplet (名词解释)Part Two: The English Renaissance8. The Authorized Version of English Bible and its significance（填空选择）9. Renaissance（名词解释）10.Thomas More——Utopia11. Sonnet（名词解释）12. Blank verse（名词解释）13. Edmund Spenser“The Faerie Queene”; Amoretti (col lection of his sonnets)Spenserian Stanza（名词解释）14. Francis Bacon “essays” esp. “Of Studies”（推荐阅读，学习写正式语体的英文文章的好参照，本文用词正式优雅，多排比句和长句，语言造诣非常高，里面很多话都可以引用做格言警句，非常值得一读）15. Christopher Marlowe (“Doctor Faustus” and his achievements)16. William Shakespeare可以说是英国文学史中最重要的作家，一定要看熟了。
英国文学史及选读名词解释
Part O ne①B eowul f: Th e nat ional hero ic ep ic of theEngli sh pe ople. It h as ov er 3,000 l ines.It d escri bes t he ba ttles betw een t he tw o mon sters andBeowu lf, w ho wo n the batt le fi nally anddeadfor t he fa tal w ound. Thepoemendswiththe f unera l ofthe h ero.The m ost s triki ng fe ature in i ts po etica l for m isthe u se if alli terat ion.Other feat uresof it arethe u se of meta phors(暗喻)and o f und ersta temen ts(含蓄).②Allit erati on: I n all itera tiveverse, cer tainaccen ted(重音) wo rds i n a l ine b eginwiththe s ame c onson ant s ound(辅音).There aregener ally4acce nts i n a l ine,3 ofwhich show alli terat ion,as ca n beseenfromthe a bovequota tion.③Ro mance: The most prev ailin g(流行的) kin d ofliter ature in f eudal Engl and w as th e Rom ance. It w as alongcompo sitio n, so metim es in vers e(诗篇), som etime s inprose(散文), desc ribin g the life andadven tures of a nobl e her o, us ually a kn ight, as r iding fort h toseekadven tures, tak ing p art i n tou rname nt(竞赛), or figh tingfor h is lo rd in batt le an d the swea ringof oa ths.④Epi c: An epic is a leng thy n arrat ive p oem,ordin arily conc ernin g a s eriou s sub jectconta ining deta ils o f her oic d eedsand e vents sign ifica ntlyto acultu re or nati on. T hefi rst e picsare k nownas pr imacy, ororigi nal e pics.⑤Ba llad: Themostimpor tantdepar tment of E nglis h fol k lit eratu re is theballa d whi ch isa st ory t old i n son g, us ually in 4-line stan zas(诗节), w ith t he se condand f ourth line srhy med.The s ubjec ts of ball ads a re va rious in k ind,as th e str uggle of y ounglover saga insttheir feud al-mi ndedfamil ies,the c onfli ct be tween love andwealt h, th e cru eltyof je alous y, th e cri ticis m ofthe c ivilwar,and t he ma tters andclass stru ggle. Theparam ount(卓越的)impor tantballa d isRobin Hood(《绿林好汉》).⑥Geo ffrey Chau cer杰弗里?乔叟: He w as an Engl ish a uthor, poe t, ph iloso pherand d iplom at. H e isthe f ounde r ofEngli sh po etry. He o btain ed agoodknowl edgeofLa tin,Frenc h and Ital ian.His b est r ememb erednarra tiveis th e Can terbu ry Ta les(《坎特伯雷故事集》), whic h the Prol ogue(序言) s uppli es aminia ture(缩影) o f theEngl ish s ociet y ofChauc er’stime. That is w hy Ch aucer hasbeencalle d “th e fou nderof En glish real ism”. Chau cer a ffirm s men andwomen’s ri ght t o pur sue t heirhappi nesson ea rth a nd op poses(反对)the d ogmaof as cetic ism(禁欲主义)preac hed(鼓吹) by thechurc h. As a fo rerun ner o f hum anism, heprais es ma n’s e nergy, int ellec t, qu ick w it an d lov e oflife. Chau cer’s cont ribut ion t o Eng lishpoetr y lie s chi eflyin th e fac t tha t heintro duced from Fran ce th e rhy med s tanza of v ariou s typ es, e speci allythe r hymedcoup let o f 5 a ccent s iniambi c(抑扬格) met er(th e “he roiccoupl et”)to En glishpoet ry, i nstea d ofthe o ld An glo-S axonallit erati ve ve rse.⑦【Wi lliam Lang land威廉?朗兰: Pier s the Plow man《农夫皮尔斯》】P art T woTh e Eng lishBible: The firs t com plete Engl ish B iblewas t ransl atedby Jo hn Wy cliff e(约翰?威克里夫). The Auth orize d Ver sionis Ki ng Ja mes B iblemadein 1611. T he re sultis amonum ent o f Eng lishlangu age a nd En glish lite ratur e.R enais sance: Ren aissa nce o r the birt h oflette rs is an i ntell ectua l mov ement. Its twofeatu res a re athirs tingcurio sityfor t he cl assic al li terat ure a nd th e kee n int erest in t heac tivit ies o f hum anity. Hum anism is t he ke y-not e ofthe R enais sance.Wi lliam Caxt on威廉?卡克斯顿: He i s the firs t Eng lishprint er an d inv ented in E nglan d the prof essio n ofpubli sher.Tho mas M ore托马斯?莫尔: Thegreat est o f the Engl ish h umani sts w as Th omasMore, theautho r ofUtopi a《乌托邦》. He is a lso o ne of such “gia nts”(巨匠) o f theRena issan ce. H e dis tingu ished hims elf a s a l earne d sch olar, a ma sterof La tin,a wit tyta lker, a lo ver o f mus ic, a n hon est s tates man , anda man of n oblechara cter, mode st bu t ste adfas t(坚定的), to hisconvi ction s. He wasa far-sigh ted t hinke r, as pired fora tot allynew s ociet y wit h hap py, c lassl ess,and f ree f rom p overt y and expl oitat ion.He wa s oneof t he fo rerun nersof mo dernsocia listthoug ht.Utopi a: It is M ore’s mast erpie ce, w ritte n inthe f orm o f a c onser vatio n bet weenMoreand H ythlo day,a ret urned voya ger.It is divi ded i nto t wo bo oks.The f irstbookconta ins a long disc ussio n onthe s ocial cond ition s ofEngla nd. I n the seco nd bo ok is desc ribedin d etail an i dealcommu nistsocie ty, U topia. The name “Uto pia”comes from Gree kwor ds me aning “noplace” and wasadopt ed by More as t he na me of hisidealcomm onwea lth.Phil ip Si dney菲利普?锡德尼: He is w ell-k nownas apoetand c ritic of p oetry. Hiscoll ectio n oflovesonne ts, A strop hel a nd St ella《爱星者与星》, wa s pub lishe d in1591. Edm und S pense r埃德蒙?斯宾塞(莎翁之前最杰出的英国诗人)：Th e poe t’s p oet o f the peri od wa s ESwho w as bu riedbesid e Cha ucerin We stmin sterAbbey. EShas h eld h is po sitio n asa mod el of poet icalart a mongthe R enais sance Engl ish p oets, andhis i nflue nce c an be trac ed in theworks of M ilton, She lley, andKeats. ESis th e fir stma sterto ma ke th at la nguag e the natu ral m usicof hi s poe tic e ffusi ons(感情的流露). His sonn ets i n Amo retti, tog ether with Sidn ey’sAstro pheland S tella andShake spear e’s s onnet s ,ar e the most famo us so nnetseque ncesof th e Eli zabet h Age.【In 1579 he w roteThe S hephe rd’sCalen dar《牧人日记》which mark ed th ebud ding(萌芽) o f the Rena issan ce fl owerin th e nor thern isla nd of Engl and.The f aerie Quee n 《仙后》 ishis g reate st wo rk wh ich w as de dicat ed to Quee n Eli zabet h.】Franc is Ba con:He is thefound er of Engl ish m ateri alist phil osoph y and thefound er of mode rn sc ience in E nglan d. Hi s New Inst rumen t iscalle d the Indu ctive Meth od ofreas oning. Heis al so th e fir st En glish essa yist. To g ive a few, “Men fear deat h aschild ren f ear t o goin th e dar k..”“Stud ies s ervefor d eligh t.” “Readi ng ma kes a full man; conf erenc e a r eadyman;and w ritin g anexact man.”D rama: TheMirac le Pl ay圣迹剧 TheMoral ity P lay道德剧寓意剧The Inte rlude幕间节目Chri stoph er Ma rlowe克里斯托弗?马洛:The m ost g ifted of t he “u niver sitywits” wasChris tophe r Mar lowe. Hisbestworkinclu de 3of hi s pla ys, T ambur laine《帖木儿大帝》(1587),The J ew of Malt a《马耳岛的犹太人》(1592), an d Doc tor F austu s《浮士德博士》(1588). He w as th e gre atest of t he pi oneer s ofEngli sh dr ama.His w ork p avedthe w ay fo r the play s ofthe g reate st En glish dram atist——Sha kespe are——whoseachi eveme nts w ere t he mo numen t ofthe E nglis h Ren aissa nce.【Hisplays show thespiri t ofthe r ising bour geois ie, i ts ea ger c urios ity f or kn owled ge, i ts to werin g pri de, i tsin satia ble(不知足的)appet ite f or po wer w on by mili tary, migh t, kn owled ge, o r gol d. Th e the me of hisplays is t he pr aiseof in divid ualit y fre ed fr om th e res train ts of medi evaldogma s and law, andthe c onvic tionof th e bou ndles s pos sibil ity o f hum an ef fortsin c onque ringthe u niver se. T he he roesin hi s pla ys ar e mer ely i ndivi duali sts,theirindi vidua listi c amb ition ofte n bri ngs r uin t o the worl d and some times to t hemse lves.】Wi lliam Shak espea re: S hakes peare is o ne of thefound ers o f rea lismin wo rld l itera ture. Hisdrama tic c reati on of ten u sed t he me thodof ad aptat ion（改革）. S hakes peare long expe rienc e wit h the stag e and hisintim ate k nowle dge o f dra matic artthusacqui red m ake h im amaste r han d for play writi ng. S hakes peare wasskill ed in manypoet ic fo rms:the s ong,the s onnet, the coup let,and t he dr amati c bla nk ve rse.He wa sesp ecial ly at home with theblank vers e. Sh akesp earewas a grea t mas ter o f theEngl ish l angua ge. S hakes peare hasbeenunive rsall y ack nowle dgedto be thesummi t ofthe E nglis h Ren aissa nce,and o ne of thegreat est w riter s ove r the worl d.①The g reatcomed ies:A Mid summe r Mig ht’sDream, The Merc hantof Ve nice,As Y ou Li ke It, Twe lfthNight.②The g reattrage dies: Haml et, O thell o, Ki ng Le ar, M acbet h.T he Me rchan t ofVenic e: 威尼斯富商安东尼奥Ant onio为了成全好友巴萨尼奥B assan io的婚事，向犹太人高利贷者夏洛克Shy lock借债。
英国文学知识点总结
英国⽂学知识点总结Part One Early and Medieval English literature& Masterpiece: “The Song of Beowulf ”1. Significance:The national epic of the English people;A folk legend brought to England by Anglo-Saxons from Northern Europe;Passed from mouth to mouth for hundreds of years before written down in the 10th century;The most important and representative work of the Old English (the Anglo-Saxon )literature.2. Characters:Beowulf: nephew of Hygelac Hygelac: king of Geats in Jutland Hrothgar: king of the Danes Grendel: a monster3. Plot:(1) Beowulf’s fight with the monster Grendel in Hrothgar’s hall(2) Beowulf’s slaying of Grendel’s mother in her lair(3) Beowulf’s return to his u ncle, and his succession to the throne.(4) Beowulf’s victory in death, fifty years later, over the fire dragon4. Features:i. Position: The national epic and the first long poem in English .ii. Rhyme: The poem is written in alliterative verse in a line, with 4 accents in a line , three of which show alliteration( beginning with the same consonant sound )iii. Rhetorics: A figurative language is used , which is called “kenning” or metaphor .iv. Structure: It is written in inverted order with two parts in a line (as pause)& The Medieval English LiteratureI. Romance : (in prose or verse form)a.Subject matter (题材，话题，论题)（See the definition）：The life and adventures of a noble hero , generally a knightb. Theme (主题)（See the definition）：The loyalty to the king and lord .c. Three romance cycles (传奇故事系列)The Matter of France (about Charlemagne and his peers )The Matter of Rome (about Alexander the Great )The Matter of Britain(about the adventures of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table) d. The class nature of Romance :It’s written for the upper classChivalry （骑⼠精神）is represented to show the quality of the knight : courage , honor , courtesy , loyalty and devotion to the helpless , the weakand women .e. Masterpiece :“Sir Gawin and the Green Knight” 《⾼⽂爵⼠和绿⾐骑⼠》in alliterative verse .* Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400)1. Position: i.“The father of English poetry”ii. The founder of English realism (by Gorky)iii. The forerunner of humanism .2. Contribution:i.He introduced the “heroic couplet”(the rhymed couplet of iambic pentameter抑扬格五⾳步)ii. He is the first great poet who wrote in the current English language .iii. He did much in making the dialect of London the foundation for modern English speech .3. Literary Creation:Influenced by：Dante (1265-1321): “The Divine Comedy”Petrarch (1307-1374) : “Sonnets”Boccaccio (1313-1375): “Decameron”4. Masterpiece : “The Canterbury Tales”i. Significance :a. A comprehensive picture of Chaucer's time a splendid realistic portrayal .b. An artistic corridor of people from all walks of life in the medieval England :a) the gentle class: knight , squire , monk prioress (⼥修道院的院长), the oxford scholar .b) the burgher class : tradesman , carpenter , weaver , the Wife of Bath , lawyerc. Realism and Humanism is revealed :The praise of man’s energy quick wit and love of life .The equal right of man and woman to pursue their happiness on earth and the opposition of the dogma of asceticism.ii. Features:a. Structural features :a) A prologue and 24 tales b) All the tales are closely knitted by interspersing them with the talk ,the quarrels , opinions of the pilgrims and especially the judgment of the innkeeper .b. Literary features :Heroic couplet : a pair of rhyming iambic pentameter lines .Tone : gentle satire and mild irony .& The English Ballads (Popular Ballads)1. Literary Features :i. English folk literature in feudal society .ii. In song , usually in 4-line stanza , with the 2nd and 4th lines rhymed .iii. iambic trimeter / tetrameter 抑扬格三⾳步/四⾳步2. Themes :i. The struggle of young lovers against their feudal families.ii. The conflict between love and wealth.iii. The cruel effect of jealousy.iv. The border wars between England and Scotland.v. The matters of class struggle.3. Masterpieces:1) Robin Hood Ballads : gathered into a collection called “The Geste of Robin Hood”2) “Ro bin Hood and Allan –a –Dale” “Get up and Bar the Door”“Sir Patrick Spans”Robin HoodStatus: a yeoman forced to be an outlaw/fugitiveDeeds: Greenwood of Sherwood Forest near Nottingham in the center of EnglandHunting the King’s deer, robbing from the r ich and distributing among the poorFriends and followers: the Merry Men (Little John, Friar Tuck, Will Scarlet, and the romantic minstrel Alan-a-Dale)His enemy: the Sheriff of NottinghamHis wife: Maid Marian4. Linguistic characteristics:RomanceIt uses narrative verse or prose to sing knightly adventures or other heroic deeds is a popular literary form in the medieval period. It has developed the characteristic medieval motifs of the quest, the test, the meeting with the evil giant and the encounter with the beautiful beloved.The hero is usually the knight, who sets out on a journey to accomplish some missions. There is often mysteries and fantasies in romance.Romantic love is an important part of the plot in romance. Characterization is standardized, while the structure is loose and episodic, the language is simple and straightforward.The importance of the romance itself can be seen as a means of showing medieval aristocratic men and women in relation to their idealized view of the world.Questions for consideration:1. The features of the medieval English literature ?2. The significance of The Canterbury Tales ?3. The literary features of English ballads ?4. The differences between romance and balladPart II The English Renaissance&Literary influence of the Bible on English language:Household words from Bible:root of all evil万恶之源clear as crystal极其明⽩a thorn in the flesh眼中钉，⾁中刺to cast pearls before swine明珠投暗a labor of love 不计较报酬的⼯作eye for eye , tooth for tooth 以眼还眼，以⽛还⽛The Development of Literaturei. The Beginning of the English Renaissancea. Geoffrey Chaucer（1340-1400）The forerunner of English Renaissanceb.William Caxton introducing printing to England in 1476 bringing a multitude of classical works .& c. Thomas More (1478-1535) The first humanist in EnglandI. IntroductionGreat thinker and humanist in the RenaissanceII. Masterpiece: “Utopia”Utopia, from two Greek words meaning “nowhere”, is an island discovered on a voyage to the newly discovered Americas. It is an description of the ideal communist society and ideal commonwealth, where property is held in common and there is no poverty.Practical basis for the communist society:From everyone according to his capacities ,to everyone according to his need”各尽所能，按需分配)B. Different Genres and their representatives: essay, poetry, dramaa. essayist: Francis Baconb.poets:Thomas Wyatt, HenryHoward,Sir Philip Sidney, Edmund Spenser, William Shakespearec. dramatists/playwrights: Christopher Marlowe, William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson&1. Francis BaconA. Position and Contribution:He is the first great essayist . He is the founder of English materialist philosophy （唯物主义哲学）He is the founder of modern science in England .Inductive Method of Reasoning (归纳法) was stated in his essay “New Instrument”He represents the intellectual energy of the age .B. Masterpiece:a. “Advancement of Learning”《科学的进展》b. “New Instrument” 新⼯具c. “Essays” 《随笔集》Subjects : love truth , friendship , parents and children , beauties , studies , riches , youth and ages , death etc .Features : clearness ,brevity and force of expression .C. Wise Sayings:“Knowledge is power”“Men fear death, as chi ldren fear to go in the dark; and as that natural fear in children is increased with tales, so is the other.“⼈们惧伯死亡，正如孩童惧于⿊暗中⾏路：孩童⼼中的恐惧感随着听到的童话故事的增多⽽增长，⼈们对死亡的惧怕亦是如此。
英国文学知识点总结
Part One Early and Medieval English literature& Masterpiece: “The Song of Beowulf ”1. Significance:⏹The national epic of the English people;⏹A folk legend brought to England by Anglo-Saxons from Northern Europe;⏹Passed from mouth to mouth for hundreds of years before written down in the 10th century;⏹The most important and representative work of the Old English (the Anglo-Saxon )literature.2. Characters:Beowulf: nephew of Hygelac Hygelac: king of Geats in Jutland Hrothgar: king of the Danes Grendel: a monster3. Plot:(1) Beowulf’s fight with the monster Grendel in Hrothgar’s hall(2) Beowulf’s slaying of Grendel’s mother in her lair(3) Beowulf’s return to his u ncle, and his succession to the throne.(4) Beowulf’s victory in death, fifty years later, over the fire dragon4. Features:⏹i. Position: The national epic and the first long poem in English .⏹ii. Rhyme: The poem is written in alliterative verse in a line, with 4 accents in a line , three of which show alliteration( beginning with the same consonant sound )⏹iii. Rhetorics: A figurative language is used , which is called “kenning” or metaphor .⏹iv. Structure: It is written in inverted order with two parts in a line (as pause)& The Medieval English LiteratureI. Romance : (in prose or verse form)a.Subject matter (题材，话题，论题)（See the definition）：The life and adventures of a noble hero , generally a knightb. Theme (主题)（See the definition）：The loyalty to the king and lord .c. Three romance cycles (传奇故事系列)The Matter of France (about Charlemagne and his peers )The Matter of Rome (about Alexander the Great )The Matter of Britain(about the adventures of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table) d. The class nature of Romance :It’s written for the upper classChivalry （骑士精神）is represented to show the quality of the knight : courage , honor , courtesy , loyalty and devotion to the helpless , the weakand women .e. Masterpiece :“Sir Gawin and the Green Knight” 《高文爵士和绿衣骑士》in alliterative verse .* Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400)1. Position: i.“The father of English poetry”ii. The founder of English realism (by Gorky)iii. The forerunner of humanism .2. Contribution:i.He introduced the “heroic couplet”(the rhymed couplet of iambic pentameter抑扬格五音步)ii. He is the first great poet who wrote in the current English language .iii. He did much in making the dialect of London the foundation for modern English speech .3. Literary Creation:Influenced by：Dante (1265-1321): “The Divine Comedy”Petrarch (1307-1374) : “Sonnets”Boccaccio (1313-1375): “Decameron”4. Masterpiece : “The Canterbury Tales”i. Significance :a. A comprehensive picture of Chaucer's time a splendid realistic portrayal .b. An artistic corridor of people from all walks of life in the medieval England :a) the gentle class: knight , squire , monk prioress (女修道院的院长), the oxford scholar .b) the burgher class : tradesman , carpenter , weaver , the Wife of Bath , lawyerc. Realism and Humanism is revealed :The praise of man’s energy quick wit and love of life .The equal right of man and woman to pursue their happiness on earth and the opposition of the dogma of asceticism.ii. Features:a. Structural features :a) A prologue and 24 tales b) All the tales are closely knitted by interspersing them with the talk ,the quarrels , opinions of the pilgrims and especially the judgment of the innkeeper .b. Literary features :Heroic couplet : a pair of rhyming iambic pentameter lines .Tone : gentle satire and mild irony .& The English Ballads (Popular Ballads)1. Literary Features :i. English folk literature in feudal society .ii. In song , usually in 4-line stanza , with the 2nd and 4th lines rhymed .iii. iambic trimeter / tetrameter 抑扬格三音步/四音步2. Themes :i. The struggle of young lovers against their feudal families.ii. The conflict between love and wealth.iii. The cruel effect of jealousy.iv. The border wars between England and Scotland.v. The matters of class struggle.3. Masterpieces:1) Robin Hood Ballads : gathered into a collection called “The Geste of Robin Hood”2) “Ro bin Hood and Allan –a –Dale” “Get up and Bar the Door”“Sir Patrick Spans”Robin Hood⏹Status: a yeoman forced to be an outlaw/fugitive⏹Deeds: Greenwood of Sherwood Forest near Nottingham in the center of England⏹Hunting the King’s deer, robbing from the r ich and distributing among the poor⏹Friends and followers: the Merry Men (Little John, Friar Tuck, Will Scarlet, and the romantic minstrel Alan-a-Dale)⏹His enemy: the Sheriff of Nottingham⏹His wife: Maid Marian4. Linguistic characteristics:RomanceIt uses narrative verse or prose to sing knightly adventures or other heroic deeds is a popular literary form in the medieval period. It has developed the characteristic medieval motifs of the quest, the test, the meeting with the evil giant and the encounter with the beautiful beloved.⏹The hero is usually the knight, who sets out on a journey to accomplish some missions. There is often mysteries and fantasies in romance.⏹Romantic love is an important part of the plot in romance. Characterization is standardized, while the structure is loose and episodic, the language is simple and straightforward.⏹The importance of the romance itself can be seen as a means of showing medieval aristocratic men and women in relation to their idealized view of the world.•Questions for consideration:1. The features of the medieval English literature ?2. The significance of The Canterbury Tales ?3. The literary features of English ballads ?4. The differences between romance and balladPart II The English Renaissance&Literary influence of the Bible on English language:Household words from Bible:root of all evil万恶之源clear as crystal极其明白a thorn in the flesh眼中钉，肉中刺to cast pearls before swine明珠投暗a labor of love 不计较报酬的工作eye for eye , tooth for tooth 以眼还眼，以牙还牙The Development of Literaturei. The Beginning of the English Renaissancea. Geoffrey Chaucer（1340-1400）The forerunner of English Renaissanceb.William Caxton introducing printing to England in 1476 bringing a multitude of classical works .& c. Thomas More (1478-1535) The first humanist in EnglandI. IntroductionGreat thinker and humanist in the RenaissanceII. Masterpiece: “Utopia”Utopia, from two Greek words meaning “nowhere”, is an island discovered on a voyage to the newly discovered Americas.It is an description of the ideal communist society and ideal commonwealth, where property is held in common and there is no poverty.Practical basis for the communist society:From everyone according to his capacities ,to everyone according to his need”各尽所能，按需分配)B. Different Genres and their representatives: essay, poetry, dramaa. essayist: Francis Baconb.poets:Thomas Wyatt, HenryHoward,Sir Philip Sidney, Edmund Spenser, William Shakespearec. dramatists/playwrights: Christopher Marlowe, William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson&1. Francis BaconA. Position and Contribution:He is the first great essayist . He is the founder of English materialist philosophy （唯物主义哲学）He is the founder of modern science in England .Inductive Method of Reasoning (归纳法) was stated in his essay “New Instrument”He represents the intellectual energy of the age .B. Masterpiece:a. “Advancement of Learning”《科学的进展》b. “New Instrument” 新工具c. “Essays” 《随笔集》Subjects : love truth , friendship , parents and children , beauties , studies , riches , youth and ages , death etc .Features : clearness ,brevity and force of expression .C. Wise Sayings:“Knowledge is power”“Men fear death, as chi ldren fear to go in the dark; and as that natural fear in children is increased with tales, so is the other. “人们惧伯死亡，正如孩童惧于黑暗中行路：孩童心中的恐惧感随着听到的童话故事的增多而增长，人们对死亡的惧怕亦是如此。
英国文学常识及笔记-English literature
Part One Basic Knowledge of LiteratureI. Literature contains fiction and non-fiction.Under fiction there are four genres --- novels, short stories, plays and poems. Fiction is referred to as creative or figurative expression of life.Non-fiction is called a literal expression of life or discursive writing. Another term for non-fiction is essay, which has traditionally been classified into four categories. These rhetorical divisions, usually called the forms of discourse, are description, narration, exposition, and argumentation.II. Novel:A novel is a highly strained prose account of fictional reality in the form of story with profundity for the purpose of changing the reader’s mind by the aid of the reader’s active involvement while providing entertainment and super truth of life.Elements of the novel:Plot, a plot is a plan or groundwork for a story, cased on conflicting human motivation, with the actions resulting from believable and realistic human response. It is response, interaction, opposition, and causation that make a plot out of a simple series of action. (internal conflict and external conflict)(exposition, complication, climax or crisis, falling action, and resolution)Characters: the term character applies to any individual in a literary work. For the purpose of analysis, characters in fiction are customarily described by their relationship to plot, by the degree of development they are given by the author, and by whether or not they undergo significant character change. (protagonist and antagonist, flat and round characters, dynamic and static characters)Setting: the stage against which the story unfolds we call the setting. In its narrowest sense, setting is te place and time of the narration, but eventually it encompasses the total environment of the work. Setting, therefore, in its broadest sense, encompasses the physical locale that frames the action, the time of day or year, the climatic condition, and the historical period during which the action takes place.Point of view: A story must have a storyteller: a narrative voice, real or implied, that presents the story to the reader. When we talk abou narrative voice, we are talking about point of view, the method of narration that determines the position, or angle of vision, from which the story is told.(first, second, third, and mingling)Theme: the theme is the cental idea or statement about life that aunifies and controls the total work. Theme is not the issue, or the problem, or subject with which the work deals, but rather the comment or statemnet the author makes about the issue, problem, or subject.Style: the style is unsterstood to mean the way in which writers assemble words to tell the story, develop the argument, dramatize the play, or compose the poem. Often the definition is extended to distinguuish style from content.Tone: tone refers to the methods by which writers convey attitudes, although the discussion of tone sometimes on the attitudes themselves.Symbolism: a symbol is something that stands for something else by reason of relationship, association, convention, or accidental resemblance … a visible sign of something invisible. In literature, symbols --- in the form of words, images, objects, settings,events, and characters --- are often used deliberately to suggest and reinforce meaning, to provide enrichement by enlarging and clarifying the experience or work, and to help to organize and unify the whole.III. Short Story: a short story is a brief work of prose fiction.IV. Poetry:Poetry is an oldest form of art, and is reputed as the most democratic art. Poetry as a genre must be a particular form combined with a particular quality. The word poetry brings to our mind a picture of words special arrangements. In a poem, the sentences are seldom pla ced one after another in the same line. The readers have to actually “read between the line”. Poetry uses language and it uses language in a different manner. Therefore, poetry is a literary genre that communicates experience in the most condensed form.Kinds: ballad; lyric; narrative poem; epic; sonnet; ode; elegy; pastoral; blank verse; free verseElements: rhyme; metrical rhythm; foot; tone; image; themeDevices: simile; metaphor; conceit; personification; symbol; paradox; ambiguity; onomatopoeia)Sonnet:A sonnet is a lyric invariably of fourteen lines, usually in iambic pentameter, restricted to a definite scheme.Shakespearean sonnet: it si structured of three quatrains and a terminal couplet in iambic pentameter with the rhyme pattern abab cdcd efef gg.Petrachan sonnet: this form contains an octave with the rhyme pattern abbaabba and a sestet of various rhyme patterns such as cdecde or cdcdcd.Spenserian sonnet: a Spenserian sonnet comprises three quatrains and a couplet in iambic pentameter with the rhyme scheme abab bcbc cdcd ee.Sir Thomas Wyatt is credited with introducing the sonnet into English -- father of English sonnet.V. Drama:Drama is the for of compositon designed for performance in the theatre, in which actors take the role of the characters, perform the indicated action, and utter the written dialogue (the common alternative name for a dramatic compositon is a play).VI. Essay:Any short composition in prose that undertakes to discuss a matter, express a point of view, persuade us to accept a theis on any subject, or simply entertain is an essay.Part Two Notes About British LiteratureI. English literature in the Old and Medieval periods(the Anglo-Saxon and Norman Period 449--1066--1485)1.Historical background1.1 The original people lived on the island were Celts.1.2 The invasion of the Romans from about 55BC to 410AD for about 400years.1.3 The invasion by Teutonic tribes of Angles, Saxons and Jutes. They are the forefathers of English .1.4 The conquer of Normans in 1066 which brought England into the Feudal system.1.5 The consequence of the Norman ConquestThe Norman Conquest brought England more than a change of rulers. Politically, a feudalist system was established in England; religiously, the Rome-backed Catholic Church had a much stronger control over the country; and great changes also took place in languages. After the conquest, three languages coexisted in England. Old English was spoken only by the common English people; French became the official language used by the King and the Norman lords; and Latin became the principal tongue of church affairs and was used by the clergymen and scholars in universities. The conquest opened up England to the whole European continent, so that with the introduction of the culture and literature of France, Italy and other European countries, a fresh wave of Mediterranean civilization came into England.2.Literature2.1 The original form is orature.2.2 It falls into two divisions: pagan(represented by The Song of Beowulf) and Christian(represented by Caedmon and Cynewulf).2.3 Terms during this period2.3.1 ballad: ~ is a story in poetic form to be sung or recited. It is passed down from generation to generation.2.3.2 epic: ~ refers to a long work dealing with the actions of gods and heroes. Beowulf is the greatest national epic of the Anglo-Saxons.2.3.3 romance: ~ is a popular literary form in the medieval England. It sings knightly adventures or other heroic deeds. Chivalry (such as bravery, honor, generosity, lo yalty and kindness to the weak and the poor) is the spirit of romance.2.3.4 alliteration: !means a repetition of the initial sounds of several words in a line of group. It is a traditional poetic device in English literature.2.4 The Song of BeowulfIt is regarded as the greatest national epic of the Anglo-Saxons.It describes the heroic deeds of a Scandinavian hero, Beowulf, in fighting against the monster Grendel, his revengeful mother and a fire-breathing dragon.The theme: the righteous triumphs over the evil.2.5 Geoffrey Chaucer2.5.1 main works: The Canterbury Tales; The House of Fame; The Parliament of Fowls; The Legend of Good Women; Troilus and Criseyde.2.5.2 the Father of English Poetry(1)Chaucer introduces from France the rhymed stanzas of various types to English poetry to replace the old English alliterative verse. He’s the first to use the rhymed couplet of iambic pentameter, which is to be called the heroic couplet. (2) He was the first to write in the current English language, and he did much in making the London dialect the foundation for modern English language. (3) In his works, he developed his characterization to a higher artistic level by presenting characters with both typical qualities and individual dispositions.2.5.3 His masterpiece: The Canterbury TalesIn The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer gives us a faithful picture of the society of his time; taking the standard of the rising bourgeoisie, he affirms men and opposes the dogma of asceticism by the church; as a forerunner of Humanism, he praises man's energy, intellect, quick wit and love of life, and his tales expose and satirize the evils of his time. They attack the degeneration of the noble, the heartlessness of the judge, and the corruption of the Church, etc.2.5.4 Chaucer is the first poets to be buried at the Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey.II. English literature in the Renaissance period(1485--1603)1.Historical background1.1 1453--1485 The War of Roses: a new dynasty in power，the Tudors1.2 1485 the beginning of modern western civilization1.3 the Enclosure Movement (sheep devoured men)1.4 In 1492，Christopher Columbus's voyage to the America opened European eyes to the existence of the New World.1.5 reign of Queen Elizabeth I from 1558 to 16031.6 The greatest of the Tudor monarchs was Henry VIII，whose needs for the annulment of his first marriage in order to father a son and heir to the line brought him into direct conflict with Catholic Church，and with Pope Clement VII in particular. In reaction to the Catholic Church’s rulings against remarriage, Henry took a decisive step which was to influence every aspect of English life and culture from that time onwards. He ended the rule of the Catholic Church in England, closed (and largely destroyed) the monasteries --- which had for centuries been the depositors of learning, history, and culture --- and established himself as both the head of Church and the head of state. Now England became Protestant1.7 The emergence of humanism was another feature of the Renaissance.2.Terms in this period2.1 Renaissance: ~ means rebirth or revival. It meant the reintroduction into Western Europe of the full cultural heritage of Greece and Rome. It refers to the transitional period from the medieval to the modern world. It first started in Italy in the 14th century. The essence of the Renaissance id Humanism. The English Renaissance didn't begin until the reign of Henry VIII. The real mainstream of the English Renaissance is the Elizabethan drama. This period produced such literary giants as Shakespeare, Spenser, Marlowe, Bacon etc.2.2 Humanism: ~ is the essence of Renaissance. It emphasizes the dignity of human beings and the importance of the present life. Humanists voiced their beliefs that man was the center of the universe and man did not only have the right to enjoy the beauty of the present life but had the ability to perfect himself and to perform wonders.2.3 sonnet (see basic knowledge)2.4 blank verse: ~ refers to verse written in unrhymed iambic pentameter. It is a very popular form in English poetry. It was extensively employed in English poetry of the Renaissance.It was Christopher Marlowe who made blank verse the principle vehicle of expression in drama.2.5 stanza: ~ is a group of lines of poetry, usually four or more, arranged according to afixed plan. It is the unit of structure in a poem and poets do not vary the unit within a poem.2.6 University Wit: ~ refers to any of a notable group of pioneer English dramatists who wrote during the last 15 years of the 16th century. They transformed the native dramatic inheritance of interlude and chronicle play into a potentially great drama by writing plays of quality and diversity. Their plays paved the way for William Shakespeare. UW include John Lily, Robert Greene, Christopher Marlowe and Thomas Kyd, etc.2.7 soliloquy: ~, indrama, means a moment when a character is alone and speaks hia or her thoughts aloud.2.8 narrative poem: a ~ refers to a poem tells a story.2.9 meter: the word "meter" is derived from the Greek word "metron", meaning "measure". In English when applied to poetry, it refers to the regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllable. The analysis of the meter is called scansion.3.Works in this period3.1 The main literary genre in this period is DRAMA.3.2 Main figures: Shakespeare, More, Bacon, Spenser etc.3.2.1 Edmund Spenser and his Faerie Queene(1) Spenser is often referred to as "the poets' poet" because his influence on later poets was considerable. He is generally acknowledged to be the greatest non-dramatic poet of the Elizabethan Age.(2) Spenser' s fame in English literature is chiefly based upon his masterpiece The Faerie Queene.(3) The Faerie Queene is a long poem planned in twelve books, of which he finished only six. In the poem Spenser speaks of 12 virtues of a perfect gentleman. The poem was dedicated to Queen Elizabeth. The whole poem is suffused with genuine devotion to the queen and the country.(4) The long poem is written in the form of allegory. It has sweet melody and its lines are very musical.(5) Spenser invented a new verse form for this poem. The verse form has been called "Spenserian Stanza" since his day. Each stanza has nine lines, each of the first eight lines is in iambic pentameter form, and the ninth line is an iambic hexameter line. The rhythm scheme is abab bcbc c.3.2.2 Thomas More and his UtopiaOne of the greatest of the English Humanists3.2.3 Christopher Marlowe(1)He is the most gifted of the University Wits.(2)Works: Tamberlaine 《贴木儿大帝》；Dr. Faustus; The Jew of Malta; Shepherd to His Love.(3)It was Christopher Marlowe who made blank verse the principle vehicle of expression in drama.3.2.4 Francis Bacon(1)He is a philosopher, a scientist and the first English Drama.(2)Bacon's works may be divided into three groups: the philosophical works; the literary works and the professional works.(3)He lays the foundation for modern science with his insistence on scientific way of thinking and fresh observation rather than authority as a basis for obtaining knowledge.(4)Works: Essays; The Advancement of Learning; Novum Organum(The New Instrument); Of Studies.(5)The New Instrument is a successful treatise written in Latin on methodology. The argument is for the use of inductive method of reasoning in scientific study.(6)Of Studies is the most popular one. It analyses what studies chiefly serve for, the different ways adopted by different people to pursue studies, and how studies exert influence over human character. Forceful, compact and precise, the essay reveals to us Bacon's mature attitude toward learning.3.2.5 William Shakespeare(1)He is the greatest of all Elizabethan dramatists.(2)He wrote 37 plays, 2 narrative poems and 154 sonnets.(3)Comedies:Shakespeare wrote his comedies in his early period. In these plays he portrayed the young people who had just freed themselves from the feudal fetters. He sang of their youth, their love and ideal of happiness. The heroes and heroines were sons and daughters of the Renaissance. They trust not in God or King but in themselves.Shakespeare's comedies are imbued with bourgeois ideas and show progressive significance. Shakespeare produced 16 comedies altogether. His main comedies are: Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It, The Winter's Tale, and The Twelfth Night.(4) Tragedies:Shakespeare's great tragedies are associated with a period of gloom and sorrow in his life. During this period, England witnessed a general unrest, and social contradictions became very sharp. What caused the writer's personal sadness is unknown to us. It is generally attributed to the political misfortune of his friend and patron, Earl of Essex, who was killed by the Queen. Shakespeare wrote 11 tragedies. His main tragedies are: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth. All of these plays express a profound dissatisfaction with life. They show the struggle and conflicts between good and evil of the tune, between justice and injustice. In these plays, the writer Shakespeare condemns the dark and evil society. (5)Historical plays:Shakespeare's historical plays are political plays. The principal idea of these plays is the necessity for national unity under one sovereign. At his time, this idea was anti-feudal in nature; and it summed up the general opinion of the rising bourgeoisie in Shakespeare's own day. Shakespeare's historical plays reflect the historical events of two centuries from RichardⅡ to Henry VIII. They show the horrors of civil war, the necessity for national unity, the responsibilities of efficient ruler, and the importance of legitimate succession to the throne.In Shakespeare' s historical plays there is only one ideal king Henry V, though his real prototype differs little from the other kings. Nevertheless, for English patriots of that time his name was associated with the military victories of England in the Hundred Y ear's War and became a symbol of English glory in the eyes of the well-to-do citizens of England. Among Shakespeare's 10 historical plays, Henry IV and Henry V are two remarkable plays. Henry V is the continuation of Henry IV. The two plays deal with the events of the 15th century and give the picture of a troubled reign.(6)Sonnets:The bulk of Shakespeare's sonnets were written between 1593 and 1598. Each line of a sonnet is in iambic pentameter, and the rhyme scheme is abab cdcd efef gg. His 154 sonnets seem to fall into two series: one series are addressed to W. H, evidently a patron, and the other addressed to "dark lady" who played the poet false. For depth of sentiment, for mastery of diction, for perfection of finish, they are among the most excellent of Elizabethan poetry.(7) Features of Shakespeare's Dramatic WorksShakespeare is a realist. He is one of the founders of realism in English literature. His plays are mirrors of his age, reflecting the major contradictions of that time. He described the decaying of the feudal society and the rising of the bourgeois spirit. His comedies reflect life of the young men and women who just freed themselves from the fetters of feudalism and who were striving for individual emancipation. His comedies lay emphasis on emancipation of women, which played a very important role in anti-feudalism. In his great tragedies, Shakespeare depicted the life and death struggle between the humanists, who represented the newly emerging forces, and the corrupted King and his feudal followers, who represented the dark power of that time.III. Literature in the Revolution and Restoration Period (1603--1688)1.Historical background1.1 The 17th century is a chaotic period.1.2 Elizabeth died in 1603 and James I came to the throne.1.3 Charles I succeeded James I in 1625.1.4 Conflicts and clashes appeared between the crown and the bourgeoisie. In 1628, Charles I dissolved the parliament because it wanted to limit the kings power in taxation. But in 1640, the king was compelled to it again.1.5 In 1642, a civil war broke out between Charles I and the parliament. The royalists were defeated by the parliament army led by Oliver Cromwell. In 1649 Charles was sentenced to death, and England was declared to be a commonwealth and Cromwell became the leader of the country.1.6 After the death of Cromwell, the parliament recalled CharlesⅡto England in 1660 and monarchy was restored.1.7 1688, Glorious Revolution. Modern England was firmly established and capitalism would develop freely within the state structure of modern England, constitutional monarchy.2.Literature in this period2.1 Mainstream thought(1)Puritanism was the religious doctrine of the revolutionary bourgeoisie during this period. It preached thrift, sobriety, hard work, but with very little extravagant enjoyment of the fruits of labor.(2)The Puritan Movement had two chief objects: the first was personal righteousness, the second was civil and religious liberty. So it aimed to make man honest and to make man free.2.2 Characteristics2.2.1 English literature of the revolution and restoration was very much concerned with the tremendous social upheavals of the time.2.2.2 The main literary form of the period was poetry．2.2.3 Puritan literature is different from that of Elizabethan Period in the following three aspects：1) Elizabethan literature had a marked unity and the feeling of patriotism and devotion to the Queen, but in the Revolution Period，all this was changed, the king became the open enemy of the people, and the country was divided by the struggle for political and religious liberty. So literature was as divided in spirit as were the struggling parties.2) Elizabethan literature was generally inspiring. It throbbed with youth and hope and vitality．Literature in the Puritan Age expressed age and sadness. Even its brightest hours were followed by gloom and pessimism.3) Elizabethan literature was intensely romantic．The romantic spirit sprang from the heart of youth．People believed all things, even the impossible．But in literature of the Puritan period, we cannot find any romantic ardor.2.3 Main terms2.3.1 Metaphysical poetry(1) The term“metaphysical poetry”is commonly used to designate the works of the 17th century writers who wrote under the influence of John Donne. Pressured by the harsh, uncomfortable and curious age, the metaphysical poets sought to shatter myths and replace them with new philosophies, new sciences, new world and new poetry. Thus, with a rebellious spirit, they tried to break away form the conventional fashion of Elizabethan love poetry, in particular the sonnet tradition, and favored in poetry a more colloquial language, a single-minded working of one theme.(2) John Donne (1573-1631) is the founder of the Metaphysical School.(3) George Herbert (1593-1633) is "the saint of the Metaphysical School".2.3.2 conceit(1)Conceit is a far-fetched simile or metaphor, a literary conceit occurs when the speaker compares two highly dissimilar things. (2) Conceit is extensively employed in John Donne's poetry.2.3.3 Allegory(1)~ is a story told to explain or teach something, especially a long and complicated story with an underlying meaning different from the surface meaning of the story itself. (2) Allegorical novels use extended metaphors to convey moral meanings or attack certain social evils. Characters in these novels often stand for different values such as virtue and vice. (3) Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress is a good example of this kind.2.4 Writers and works2.4.1 John Donne(1)He is the leading figure of the metaphysical school(2)The most striking feature of Donne's poetry is his frequent use of conceit.(3)He is a religious poet.(4)His best work is The Songs and Sonnets. Love is the basic theme. He holds that the nature of love is the union of soul and body.(5)His main works: The Sun Rising; The Holy Sonnets; Death, Be Not Proud; The Flea;A V alediction: Forbidding Mourning.(6)In A V alediction: Forbidding Mourning John Donne resents too much display foremotion when two lovers part. In this poem we are farmiliarized with his famous conceit: the two lovers are likened to the two points of a compass. The wife stays at home. She is the fixed foot and the husband "roams" around, but never deviates from the center.Summary : In 1611, John Donne wrote the poem to his wife, Anne More Donne, to comfort her while he sojourned in France on government business and she remained home in Mitcham, England, about seven miles from London. The poem then explains that a maudlin show of emotion would cheapen their love, reduce it to the level of the ordinary and mundane. Their love, after all, is transcendant, heavenly. Other husbands and wives who know only physical, earthly love, weep and sob when they separate for a time, for they dread the loss of physical closeness. But because Donne and his wife have a spiritual as well as physical dimension to their love, they will never really be apart, he says. Their souls will remain united–even though their bodies are separated–until he returns to England.Figures of SpeechMetaphor ....Donne relies primarily on extended metaphors to convey his message. First, he compares his separation from his wife to the separation of a man's soul from his body when he dies (first stanza).Donne compares his relationship with his wife to that of the two legs of a drawing compass. Although the legs are separate components of the compass, they are both part of the same object.He also compares himself and his wife to celestial spheresParadox ...In the sixth stanza, Donne begins a paradox, noting that his and his wife's souls are one though they be two; therefore, their souls will always be together even though they are apart.Simile .Stanza 6 , comparing the expansion of their souls to the expansion of beaten gold. Alliteration "s" "f" ...Theme Real, complete love unites not only the bodies of a husband and wife but also their souls. Such spiritual love is transcendent, metaphysical, keeping the lovers together intellectually and spiritually even though the circumstances of everyday life may separate their bodies.Rhyme Scheme and MeterEnd rhyme occurs in the first and third lines of each stanza and in the second and fourth lines. The meter is iambic tetrameter, with eight syllables (four feet) per line. Each foot, or pair of syllables, consists of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. The first two lines of the second stanza demonstrate this metric pattern:2.4.2 John Milton(1)Main works: Paradise Lost 1665 Paradise Regained 1671 Samson Agonistes 1671(2)Paradise Lost①~ is the greatest of Milton's epics.②It is the only generally acknowledged epic in English since Beowulf.③The story is taken from the Bible. The theme of the epic is man's disobedience and loss of Paradise, with its prime cause -- Satan who rebels against God's authority and tyranny.④To Milton, the proud and somber Satan represented the spirit of rebellion against an unjust authority. By using Satan as his mouthpiece, Milton is uttering his intense hatred of tyranny in the capacity of the Revolutionary.(3)Paradise RegainedIt explores the theme of temptation and fall: in this case, it is the tempting of Jesus by Satan to prove his godhead.(4)Samson Agonistes①~ is the most perfect example of verse drama after the Greek style in English.②In the epic Milton presents to us a picture of how Samson, the Isreal's mighty champion, brings destruction down upon the enemy at the cost of his own life.③The whole poem strongly suggests Milton's passionate longing like Samaon's. In this sense, Samson is Milton.(5) Features of Milton's PoetryA. Milton is a great revolutionary poet of the 17th century. He is also an outstanding political pamphleteer of the Revolution period. He dedicated himself to the revolutionary cause. He made a strong influence on the later English poetry. Every progressive English poet since Milton has drawn inspiration from him.B. Milton is a great stylist. His poetry has a grand style. That is because he made a life-long study of classical and Biblical literature. His poetry is noted for sublimity of thought and majesty of expression.C. Milton is a great master of blank verse. He is the glorious pioneer to introduce blank verse into non-dramatic poetry. He has used it as the main tool in his masterpiece Paradise Lost. His blank verse is rich in every poetic quality and never monotonous.D. Milton wrote the greatest epic in English literature. He made a strong influence o later English poetry.2.4.3 John Bunyan(1)He is a religious novelist whose style was modeled after that of the English Bible.(2)His language is concrete and vivid.(3)His masterpiece, The Pilgrim's Progress, is the most successful religious allegory.(4)Over the centuries the book has been the most widely read work produced during the Puritan Age, and one of the most popular pieces of Christian writing ever to appear in English.(5)The two great forces at work in Bunyan’s life are vivid imagination and the spiritual ferment of the age.(6)The Pilgrim's Progress~ is Bunyan's masterpiece. It is the most successful religious allegory. It tells of the experience of a devout Christian the Pilgrim with a neighbor named Faithful in a world full of vice and wickedness. It is a prose allegory depicting the pilgrimage of a human soul in search of salvation. The novel is not only about something spiritual but also bears much relevance to the time. Its predominant metaphor is the metaphor of life as a journey. The most famous scene is V anity Fair.2.4.4 John Dryden(1)Dryden is the most notable representative of English classicism in the Restoration period.。
自考英美文学选读--英美文学课本中各要点总结
Part one: English Literature Chapter1 The Renaissance period（14世纪至十七世纪中叶）文艺复兴1. Humanism is the essence of the Renaissance.人文主义是文艺复兴的核心。
2. the Greek and Roman civilization was based on such a conceptionthat man is the measure of all things.人文主义作为文艺复兴的起源是因为古希腊罗马文明的基础是以“人”为中心，人是万物之灵。
3. Renaissance humanists found in then classics a justification to exalthuman nature and came to see that human beings were gloriouscreatures capable of individual development in the direction ofperfection, and that the world they inhabited was theirs not to despisebut to question, explore, and enjoy.人文主义者们却从古代文化遗产中找到充足的论据，来赞美人性，并开始注意到人类是崇高的生命，人可以不断发展完善自己，而且世界是属于他们的，供他们怀疑，探索以及享受。
4. Thomas More, Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare arethe best representatives of the English humanists.托马斯.摩尔，克利斯朵夫.马洛和威廉.莎士比亚是英国人文主义的代表。
英国文学上册Unit One The Abglo-Saxon Period概要
Literature is as literature does.
In exploring ideas about what literature is, it
is useful to look at some of the things that literature does.
Literature is something that reflects society,
ideology, just like it follows generic conventions as well as changing them.
It has social and political effects.
Literature is the creation of another world, a
What Is a Text?
Often, “text” is automatically equated with
“literature” or “literary work”, and the two terms can seem interchangeable.
literary works?
What makes us treat something as
literature?
How do we know when something is
literature?
Would it be easier to ask “what isn't
literature”?
world that we can only see through reading literature.
Reasons for the study of English Literature
英国文学复习总结
英国文学复习总结详解Part one:Early and medieval English literature1.Beowulf《贝奥武甫》------the national epic of the English people ,it is also the epic of the Anglo-Saxon.(P3)2.The name of the terrible monster------Grendel(格伦德尔)(P3)3.the most striking feature in its poetical form is the use of alliteration(头韵)，others are metaphor （暗喻）and understatement(保守陈述)(P5)4The Norman Conquest （诺曼征服）marks the establishment of feudalism in England. (P6)5.The romance(传奇文学)(P8)The most popular of literature in fedual England was the romance. It was a long composition, sometimes in verse, sometimes in prose, describing the life and adventures of a noble hero.The hero of the romance was the the knight, a man of noble birth, skilled in the use of weapons.It was written for the noble class(贵族的文学) Romances falls into three cycles :“matters of Britain”( adventures of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table),“matters of France” (Emperor Charlemagne and his peers)“matters of Rome”. (Alexander the Great and so forth)6. William Langland威廉·朗兰------ Piers the Plowman《耕者皮尔斯》(P11)7.The ballads(民谣)(P17)The most important department of English folk literature is the ballad.It is a story told in song ,usually in 4-line stanzas[ˈstænzə],with the second and fourth lines rhymed.It was written for common people(平民文学). The subjects of ballads are various in kind,as the struggle of young loves against their feudal-minded families,the conflict between love and wealth ,the cruelty of envy,the criticism of the civil war,and the matters of class struggle. The most famous ballads are the ballads of Robin Hood.8. Geoffrey Chaucer’ Contributions<1>Father of English poetry in 14th century.Chaucer introduces from France the rhymed stanzas of various types instead of the old Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse,especially the rhymed couplet of 5 accents in iambic meter(the heroic couplet) to English poetry.(P26)<2>Chaucer is the first great poet who wrote in the English language. His production of so much excellent poetry is an important factor in establishing English as the literary language of the country.He did much in making the dialect of London the standard for the modern English speech.(P26)<3>the founder of English realism(P23)The Prologue(序言)suppies a miniature of the English society of C haucer’s time<4>. he forerunner of humanisim (P24 倒数第二行)9. Geoffrey Chaucer died in 1400 and was buried in Westminster Abbey（威斯敏斯特教堂）thus founding the “Poets’ Corner”..(P20)10.The Romaunt of the Rose(translated from Franch)《玫瑰传奇》Troilus and Criseyde(adapted from the Italian)《特洛勒斯和克莱西》10. Geoffrey Chaucer 杰弗里·乔叟------The Canterbury Tales《坎特伯雷故事集》The tales of the Knight,the Pardoner（卖赎罪券者），the Nun’s Priest (尼姑的牧师)，the Wife of Bath,together with the Prologue,are the best of the whole collection.(P24)（了解一下）Part two:The English renaissance1.historical background1.The Reformation(宗教改革)2. the Authorized Version(钦定版圣经)3. The Enclosure movement（圈地运动） 4 The commercial expansion（贸易扩张）5 The war with Spain（与西班牙战争）6Renaissance（文艺复兴）7 Humanism（人文主义）（P27-30）2.Thomas More托马斯·莫尔 Utopia《乌托邦》Utopia is More's masterpiece, written in the form of a conversation between More and a returned sailor.It is divided into two books.(P37)Book I of " Utopia" is a picture of contemporary social conditions of England.BookⅡwe have a picture of an ideal commonwealth (Utopia )in some unknown ocean.(P37)3. Thomas Wyatt(托马斯·韦阿特): He first introduced the sonnet into England from Italy.Surrey(萨里)，in his tranlation Virgil’s Aeneid《埃涅伊德》,wrote the first English blank verse(无韵诗)，later masrerly handled by Shakepeare and Milton.4 Philip Sidney(菲利普·锡德尼)Astrophel and Stella《爱星者与星星》Apology for Poetry《为诗辩护》5.WalterRaleigh(华尔特·罗利) Discovery of Guiaana《发现圭亚那》,Historty of the world6."the poets' poet" of the period was Edmund Spenser.T he Shepherd’s Calendar《牧羊人日记》，Epithalamion《新婚颂歌》，masterpiece The Faerie Queen 《仙后》7. The Faerie Queen《仙后》（P42）<1>Spenser’s grestest work,is a long poem planned in 12 books,he only finished 6.the work was dedicated to Queen Elizabeth.<2>each guest has a knight,each knight represents a virtue(美德),as Holiness（圣洁）,Temperance(温和)，Chastity(贞洁)，Friendship,Justice （正义）and Courtesy(谦恭).<3>The knight as a whole symbolize England,the evil figures stand for his enemies,as King Philip of Spain,Mary Queen of Scots(both Catholics) or church of Rome.<4>The thoughts of the poem are nationalism,humanism,puritanism<5>The Faerie Queen is written in a special verse form ,consisits of 8 iambic pentameter lines followed by a ninth line of six iambic feet (an alexandrine亚历山大诗行),with the rhyme scheme abab bcbc c , the form called "Spenserian Stanza"(斯宾塞诗节) （P43）8.John Lyly（约翰·黎里）------Euphues《优弗依斯》was written in a peculiar style known as "Euphuism"（优弗依斯体或绮丽体）(P44)9. Francis Bacon（弗朗西斯·培根）the founder of English materialist philosophy(唯物主义) and modern science（P45）<1>Advancement of Learning《学问的演进》<2> New Instrument《新工具》---a statement of what is called the Inductive Method (归纳法)<3>Eassy《随笔》These essays cover a wide variety of subjects, such as love, truth, friendship, parents and children, beauty, studies, riches, youth and age, garden, death and many others. （P46）Of study《论读书》10.The Miracle Play(奇迹剧)(P46)The miracle were simply plays based on Bible stoies,such as the creation of the world,Noah(诺亚)and the flood, and the birth co Christ.They were at first performed in the churches.But after the actors introduced secular(世俗)and even commercial elements into the performance,it was forbidden inside the church ,so it got into the market place.11.Morality play(道德剧)(P47)A morality presented the conflict of good and evil with allegorical persons,such as Mercy(怜悯)，Peace,Hate,Folly and so on.They contended for the possession of one’s soul.The morality was dreary performance with endless speech-making of those abstract characters.so into the plays Vice(恶习)who was the predecessor of the modern clown.12.The Interlude(插剧)13.The classical drama------comedy and tragedy14."University Wits"(大学才子) They were Lyly, Peele, Marlowe, Greene,Lodge and Nash). wrote for the stage of the time.15. Christopher Marlowe(克里斯托弗·马洛)t he most gifted of the "University Wits".（P50）Marlowe's best plays : Tamburlaine the Grea《帖木儿大帝》t, The Jew of Malta《马耳他的犹太人》and Doctor Faustus《浮士德博士》.（P51）The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus is Marlowe' s masterpiece.The doctor sold his soul to Devil so he may live 24 years in all voluptuousness.(P53)Marlowe's Literary Achievement（P55）<1>Marlowe was the greatest of the pioneers of English drama. He reformed the English drama and perfected the language and verse of dramatic works.<2>He first made blank verse(unrhymed iambic pentameter) the principal instrument of English drama.<3>Marlowe's dramatic achievement lies chiefly in his epical and at times lyrical verse.<4>His works paved the way for the plays of the greatest English dramatist –Shakespeare - whose achievements were the monument of the English Renaissance.16 Ben Jonson（本·琼森）--- V olpone, or the Fox, 《福尔蓬奈，或狐狸》The Alchemist.《炼金术士》，Every Man in His Humour《个性互异》，Bartholomew Fair《巴梭罗缪市集》（P94）William Shakespeare1. Shakespeare’s career may be divided into four major phrases which represent respectively his early, mature, flourishing, and late periods.（P60）详见课本2.His great ComediesA Midsummer Night's Dream《仲夏夜之梦》，The Merchant of Venice《威尼斯商人》，As You Like It《皆大欢喜》，Twelfth Night《第十二夜》are Shakespeare’s great comedies.3.The Character Analysis of Shylock 夏洛克人物形象分析He is greedy. He accumulates as much wealth as he can He is also cruel. In order to revenge, he would rather claim a pound of flesh from his enemy Antonio than get back his loan.他是贪婪的，竭尽全力敛财；他也是残忍的，为了复仇，宁愿割安东尼奥一磅肉用来偿还欠款。