英国文学之中世纪英国文学 Old_and_Medieval_English_Literature
What was the original form of literature at that time?
Anglo-Saxon literature is almost a verse literature in oral form. It could be passed down by word of mouth from generation to generation. Its creators for the most part are unknown. It was only given a written form long after its composition.
Ð æ m eafera wæ s æ fter cenned geong in geardum, þ one God sende folce to frofre; fyrenð earfe ongeat, þ e hie æ r drugon aldorlease lange hwile; him þ æ s Liffrea, wuldres Wealdend woroldare forgeaf, Beowulf wæ s breme –blæ d wide sprangScyldes eafera Scedelandum in. Swa sceal geong guma gode gewyrcean, fromum feohgiftumon fæ der bearme,
Roman Invasion
2) Final occupation of the islands by Rome in 43 A.D. (Claudius the Emperor) Become one of province of Roman Empire.
3). End of Roman occupation: In 410 A.D., all the Roman troops went back to the continent and never returned, thus ended the Roman occupation in Britain.
Old and Medieval English Literature
Outline of British Literature
Old and Medieval English Liteature(449-1485) The Renaissance Period (1485-1660) The 17th Century (1660-1700) The 18th Century (1700-1798) The Romantic Movement (1798-1832) The Victorian Age (1832-1901) Contemporary Period (1901)
General View of Literature
Q: What do you think will exert influences on literature at this time? A: 1.Northern mythology trace 2. Christian feature
Masterpiece: “The Song of Beowulf ”
Significance Setting Characters Plot Theme Literary Features
Significance
The national epic of the English people; 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.
Old and Medieval English Literature
The Anglo-Saxon Period (449-1066) The Anglo-Norman Period (1066-1485)
Old and Medieval English Literature (History)
Who were Vikings?
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse (Scandinavian) explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.
Old and Medieval English Literature (Literature)
Historical Background
The Anglo-Saxon Period (449-1066)
Early Settlers: Celts around 700 B.C. Three Invasions
What was the major genre of literature?
c. There are two groups of English poetry in Anglo-Saxon period— pagan（无宗教信仰的；异教徒的） and religious poetry. Pagan poetry was represented by Beowulf while religious poetry was represented by the works of Caedmon and Cynewulf
Roman Invasion Invasions by Germanic/Teutonic tribes Danish Invasion
Roman Invasion
1). Process of invasion: Early invasion: (in 55 B.C.） Julius Caesar ，the Roman Conqueror, who had then just occupied Gaul (the present day France)
The Historical Background
3). Influence: 1. With the Roman Conquest the Roman mode of life came across to Britain. 2. Also, it was during the Roman rule that Christianity was introduced to Britain.
Setting
Time: The story may take place as early as 400 or 500 A.D.
Place: it is set in what is now Sweden, where a tribe called the Geats lived.
Setting: Beowulf’s time and place
þ æ t hine on ylde eft gewunigen wilgesiþ as, þ onne wig cume, leode gelæ sten; lofdæ dum sceal in mæ gþ a gehwæ re man geþ eon. Him ð a Scyld gewat to gescæ phwile felahror feran on Frean wæ re; hi hyne þ a æ tbæ ron to brimes faroð e, swæ se gesiþ as, swa he selfa bæ d, þ endenwordum weold wine Scyldinga--leof landfruma lange ahte.
Social pattern: the later stages of tribal society. some small kingdoms a united kingdom called England (the land of Angles) by the 7th century Language: the three dialects a single language called Anglo-Saxon or Old English.
What was the major genre of literature?
a. It is the earliest form of literature in the history of English literature. b. The earliest poems or songs were narrated orally by minstrels , or scops or gleemen.
Theme
Good & Evil Heroism & Heroic Deeds Loyalty
Beowulf (Old English)
HWÆ T, WE GAR-DEna in geardagum, þ eodcyninga þ rym gefrunon, hu ð a æ þ elingas ellen fremedon! oft Scyld Scefing sceaþ ena þ reatum, monegum mæ gþ um meodosetla ofteah, egsode eorlas, syð ð anæ rest wearð feasceaft funden; he þ æ s frofre gebad, weox under wolcnum weorð myndum þ ah, oð þ æ t him æ ghwylc ymbsittendra ofer hronrade hyran scolde, gomban gyldan; þ æ t wæ s god cyning!
英国文学--古英语-文艺复兴
英国文学（1）-----古英语—文艺复兴Chapter I An Introduction to Old and Medieval English Literature & The Renaissance PeriodI. 古英语（文学）Old English—Anglo-Saxon, language spoken by the Angles, Saxons and Jutes 449 (the Anglo-Saxon Invasion) -1066 (the Norman Conquest)Beowulf-- the national epic of the Anglo-Saxons （最高成就）Anglo-Saxon ChronicleII. 中世纪英语(文学) Medieval (Middle) English—With the three languages intermingling, Old English developed into Middle English1066 - middle 14th century1. Romance—the most prevailing kindof literaturein feudalEngland （封建英国最流行的文学形式，取材于贵族，为贵族而作）2. 民间流行文学—Piers the Plowman by William Langland (written version)the Ballads (oral form)（英国民间文学最重要的一个分支）3. 乔叟Geoffrey Chaucer ----the father of English poetry (wisdom, humor, humanity)The Canterbury Tales---the first time to use ―heroic couplet‖英雄双韵体诗4. 文学术语----Alliteration；Epic;Romance; BalladIII. 文艺复兴The Renaissance - A rebirth or revival of art, literature and science between 14th and mid 17th centuries in Europe; An intellectual movement; started in Italy1. Series of historical events:1). rediscovery of ancient Roman & Greek culture2). the religious reformation & economic expansion3).the appearance of the Authorized Version of the English Bible (the King James Bible)2. Humanism人文主义- the essence(keynote, great spirit) oftheRenaissance, the dignity of humanbeing & the importanceof the present lifeBest representatives: Thomas More,Christopher Marlowe,William Shakespeare3. The Elizabethan drama: the realmainstream of the English RenaissanceMost famous dramatists: William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Ben JohnsonEdmund Spenser斯宾塞- the poets' poet诗人中的诗人,The Faerie Queenequality: 1) a perfect melody 2)a rare sense of beauty 3)a splendid imagination4)a lofty(高尚的) moral purity and seriousness 5)a dedicated idealism6) written in Spenserian Stanza ( 8iambic pentameter lines followedby a ninth line of six iambic feetwith the rhyme schemeababbcbcc)Major Characters：Arthur - who possess 12 virtuesGloriana –the Fairy QueenChristopher Marlowe–“University Wits”, the pioneer of English drama Marlowe’s achievement:1) blank verse无韵诗歌It is Marlowe who brought vitality(活力) and grandeur(伟大) into the blank verse with his “mighty lines,”which carry strong emotions.2) his creation of the Renaissance hero for English drama.(not strong in dramatic construction.)→the pioneer of English drama3 tragedies:Dr. Faustus the human passion for knowledge, power and happinessTamburlaine a play about an ambitious and pitiless overpowering king.The Jew of Maltanon-drama The Passionate Shepherd to His Love pastoral life，one of the most beautiful lyricsREADING: 1. excerpt from Dr. FaustusA play based on the German legend Content: Faustus is a scholar who has a strong desire to acquire knowledge. By conjuration(念咒文召唤) he call upMephistophilis, the Devil’s servant. Hemake a bond(契约) to sell his soul to the Devil in return for 24 years of life in which Mephistophilis to give himeverything he desires. Devil’s name is Lucifer.Dominant moral is human rather than religious2.The Passionate Shepherd to His Lovethis short poem is considered to be one of the most beautiful lyrics in English literature.The shepherd enjoys an ideal country life, cherishing a pastoral and pure affection for his love. Strong emotion is conveyed through the beauty of nature. William Shakespeare–playwright & poet (above all writers in the past and in the present time)1. historical plays:Henry Ⅵ, Richard Ⅲ…Richard Ⅱ, Henry Ⅳ, Henry Ⅴ, KingJohn…2. Comedies:Four great comedies--A Midsummer Night’s Dream, TheMerchant of Venice, TwelfthNight,As You Like It（皆大欢喜）3. Tragedy:Four great tragedies-- Hamlet, Othello, King Lear & Macbeth romantic tragedy--Romeo and Juliet. To praise the faithfulness of love and the spirit of pursuing happiness.4. tragicomedies：The Tempest Achievement:A. exploring the characters’s inner mind.soliloquy or monologue - fully revealthe inner conflict of the characters contrasts –bring vividness to the charactersB. adroit plot constructionC. Irony is a good means of dramatic presentation. Disguise is an important device to create dramatic irony.D. the language. A great master of the English language, a large vocabulary in his work: commanded a vocabulary larger than any other English writers and used about 16000 words. Many of his coinages and expressions have become everyday usage in English life. Shakespeare and the Authorized Version of the English Bible (in 1611, James I) are the 2 great treasuries of the English language.READING：1. Sonnet 18Sonnet 18eternal or immortal（不朽的）beauty, have a faith in the permanence of poetry.A nice summer’s day is usually transient(短暂的), but the beauty in poetry can last for ever.2.excerpt from The Merchant of VeniceThe Merchant of Venice to praise the friendship between Antonio and Bassanio, to idealize Portia a heroine of great beauty, wit and loyalty, to expose the insatiable（不知足的）greed and brutality of the Jew.Double plot:(1) Bassanio ask Antonio for a loan so that he might marriage with Portia(2) Antonio borrow money from Shylock, the Jewish usurer. Shylock make a strange bond that requires Antonio to surrender a pound of hisflesh if he fail to repay him within a certain period of time. Portia disguised as a young lawyer instructed to judge the case: Shylock can take his pound of flesh, but there is no mention of blood in the bond. Otherwise, his lands and goods will be confiscated(充公) according to he law of Venice. 3．Excerpt from HamletHamlet hesitate between fact and fiction, language and action, too sophisticated（复杂的）to degrade his nature to the conventional role of a stage revengercontent: Hamlet, the prince, appearing in a mood of world-weariness（厌世）occasioned by his father’s death and his mother’s hasty remarriage with Claudius, his father’s brother. Hamletis informed that Claudius has murdered his father and then taken over both his father’s throne and widow. Thus Hamlet is urged to seek revenge. Note: To be, or not to be - to live on in this world or to die; to suffer or to take actionFrancis Bacon –philosopher, scientist, essayist, lay the foundation for modern scienceHis Essays is the first example of that genre in English literature.Bacon’s essays are famous for their brevity, compactness & powerfulness, well-arranging and enriching by Biblical allusions（典故）, metaphors（隐喻）and cadence（韵律）.The Advancement of Learning man’s understanding consists of three parts: history to man’s memory, poetry toman’s imagination and creation, and philosophy to man’s reason.Novum Organum written in Latin on methodology方法论Bacon suggests the inductive reasoning 归纳法( i.e. proceeding from the particular to the general)in place of Aristotelian method, the deductive reasoning 演绎法( i.e. proceeding from the general to the particular)READING: Of StudiesOf Studies uses and benefits of study –studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. Studies perfect nature, and are perfected by experience. Different ways adopted by different people to pursue studies - studies and experience are complementary (互补) to each other. The correct attitude toreading books - to weigh and consider. How studies exert influence over human character - reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man.文学术语Sonnet—a poem of 14 lines in iambic pentameter with a fixed rhyme scheme1.I talian form: octave, sestet; abba abba cde cde2.E nglish or Shakespearean form: 3 quatrains and one couplet; abab cdcd efef ggBlank verse(无韵体)—unrhymed iambic pentameter, literary form masterly handled by Shakespeare and MiltonI. Choose the right answer:1. Dr. Faustus is a play based on the _____legend of a magician aspiring for____ and finally meeting his tragic end as a result of selling his soul to the Devil.A.British/ immoralityB.French/moneyC.German/knowledgeD.American/political power Answer: C2. _____, is a typical example of Old English poetry, is regarded today as the national epic of the Anglo-Saxons.A.The Wife’s ComplaintB.BeowulfC.The Dream of the RoodD.The SeafarerAnswer: B3.It’s Chaucer alone who, for the first time in English literature, presented to us a comprehensive realistic picture of the English Society in his masterpiece__________.A.The Canterbury TalesB.The Legend of Good WomenC.Troilus and CriseydeD. The Romaunt of the Rose. Answer: A4. The Essence of Renaissance, the most significant intellectual movement, was_____.A. Geographical explorationB. Religious reformationC. Publishing and translationD. Humanism.Answer: D5. ―Prince Arthur’s greatest mission is his search for Gloriana, with whom he has fallen in love through a love vision.‖The two figures come from_____.A.Paradise LostB.Dr. FaustusC.The Faerie QueeneD.HamletAnswer: C6. In ―Sonnet 18‖, Shakespeare_________________.A.Meditate on the destructive power of time and eternal beauty by poetry.B.Satirize human’s vanity.C.Predict the eternity of love.D.Eulogize the power of the beauty. Answer: A7. ____ gave new vigor to the blank verse with his ―mighty lines‖ and make ’blank verse’ the principle vehicle of expression in drama.A.SurreyB.WyattC.MarloweD.SidneyAnswer: C8. Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies are the following works except____.A.HamletB.King LearC.Romeo and JulietD.OthelloAnswer: C9. The Renaissance refers to between 14th----mid-17th century, which was under the reign of Queen___and absolute monarchy in England reached its summit, and in which the ―real mainstream ‖ was ____.A.Victoria/poetryB.Elizabeth/ dramaC.Mary/ novelD.James/ dramaAnswer: B10. In The Legend of Good Women, Chaucer used for the first time in English the rhymed couplet of iambic pentameter, which is to be called later____.A.The Spenserian stanzaB.The heroic coupletC.The blank verseD.The free verseAnswer: B11. The Redcrosse Knight in ―The Faerie Queene‖ stands for_____, and Una stands for_____.A.bravery/ chastityB.holiness/ truthC.error/ deliveryD.true gentleman/ lady.Answer: B12. Which of the following is NOT regarded as one of the characteristics of Renaissance?A.Rediscovery of ancient Roman and Greek culture.B.Attempt to remove the old feudalist ideas in Medieval Europe.C.Exaltation of man’s pursuit of happiness in his life, and tolerance of man’s foibles.D.Praise of man’s efforts in soul delivery and personal salvation. Answer: D13. ―The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune‖ is an example of ______.A.MetaphorB.SimileC.IronyD.PersonificationAnswer: A14. _____ introduced the Petrarchan sonnet into England.A.Anglos/ SaxonsB.Normans/ Anglo-SaxonsC.Greeks/ RomansD.Romans/ NormansAnswer: B15. It is ___ alone who, for the first time in English literature presented to us a comprehensive realistic picture of the English society of his time and created a whole gallery of vivid characters from all walks of life.A.Edmund SpenserB.Geoffrey ChaucerC.William ShakespeareD.John DonneAnswer: B16. The following belong to the characteristics of ’metaphysical poetry’ represented by ’John Donne’ except___.A.ConceitsB.Actual imagery and simple dictionC.Argumentative formD.Elegant styleAnswer: D17. Paradise Lost is actually a story taken from____.A.Greek MythologyB.Roman legendC.The Old TestamentD.The New TestamentAnswer: C18. In ―Paradise Lost‖, Satan says ―We may with more successful hoperesolve/ To wage by force or guile eternal war, / Irreconcilable to our grand Foe‖ What does the ―Eternal war‖ mean?A.To remove God from his throneB.To burn the Heaven DownC.To corrupt God’s creation of man and woman-----Adam and EveD.To beguile into a snake to threaten man’s lifeAnswer: C19. _____, the first of the great tragedies, is generally regarded as Shakespeare’s most popular play on the stage, for it has the qualities of a ―blood-and-thunder‖ thriller and a ’philosophical exploration’ of life and death.A.The Merchant of VeniceB.HamletC.King LearD.The Winter’s TaleAnswer: B20. It was ___and ___ the two conquests that provided the source for the rise and growth of English literature.A.Anglos/ SaxonsB.Normans/ Anglo-SaxonsC.Romans/ NormansD.Greeks/ RomansAnswer: B21. Paradise Lost is ___’s masterpiece, which is an epic in 12 books, written in blank verse, about the heroic revolt of Satan against God’s authority.A.John DonneB.Christopher MarloweC.John MiltonD.Edmund SpenserAnswer: C22. The following description fit into Milton ’except’_____.A.a great revolutionary poet of the 17th centuryB.an outstanding political pamphleteerC.a great stylist and master of blank verseD.a kind of elegant and refine style. Answer: D23. _____is not written by John Milton.A.Samson AgonistesB.Paradise LostC.Paradise regainedD.TamburlaineAnswer: D24. Marlow’s greatest achievement is that he perfected the ’blank verse’, and he is regarded as ’the pioneer of English drama’, which of the following is not written by him?A.TamburlaineB.The Jew of MaltaC.The Passionate to His LoveD.The Sun RisingAnswer: D25. ____Essays is the first example of that genre in English literature, which has been recognized as an important landmark in the development of English prose.A.John Milton’sB.Francis Bacon’sC.Montaigne’sD.Thomas Gray’sAnswer: B26. _____Was known as ―the poets’ poet‖.A.William ShakespeareB.Edmund SpenserC.John DonneD.John MiltonAnswer: B27. ―And we will make thee beds of roses / And a thousand fragrant posies/ A cap of flowers, and a kirtle/ Em broidered all with leaves of myrtle.‖The above lines are probably taken from______.A.Spenser’s The Faerie QueeneB.John Donne’s The Sun RisingC.Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18D.Marlow’s The Passionate Shepherd to His Love.Answer: D28. Which of the following statement best illustrates the theme of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18?A.The speaker eulogizes the power of Nature.B.The speaker satirizes human vanity.C.The speaker praises the power of artistic creation.D.The speaker meditates on man’s salvation.Answer: CII. Read the quoted part and answer the questions:1.―For herein Fortune shows herselfmore kindThan is her custom. It is still her use To let the wretched man outlive his wealth,To view with hollow eye and wrinkled browAn age of poverty; from which ling’ring penanceOf such misery doth she cut me off‖ 1.Identify the title of the works and author.2.Explain ―from which…cut me off‖.3.What happened to him, which caused the words?The lines are from ―The Merchant of Venice‖,William Shakespeare.2) This sentence means she, ’Lady Fortune’, is more kind to him because she is taking away both his wealth and life.3) The speaker is Antonio, it’s said that his ship have all been lost, and he is penniless, and will have to pay the pound of flesh. (Because Shylock has made a strange bond that requires Antonio to pay him a pound of flesh if he can’t repay him the money that he borrowed for his friend in due time.) 2.―Read not to contract and confuse, not to believe and take for granted, nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider‖1)Identify the work and author.2)What idea does the passage express?1) The sentence comes from ―Of Studies‖ written by ’Francis Bacon’. 2) The Sentence talks about the proper way to read: When you read, don’t be puzzled by the content of the book; don’t take it for granted; don’t quote too much from the book; before accepting its idea, you’d better thinkabout its shortcomings and consider it from all sides.3.― Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st;Nor shall dea th brag thou wander’st in his shade,When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st:So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.1) Where does the poem comes from? Who wrote it?What does ―eternal lines‖ mean? Interpret it briefly.1) The poem is ― Shall I Compare thee to a Summ er’s Day‖, by Shakespeare.2) Eternal lines means the lines of the poem and other sonnets.3) It means: you will not lose your beauty, and death will not threaten youwith darkness, either. As long as man can live in the world, they will see your beauty in my lines of my poem, which has given you eternal life. (Or A nice summer’s day is usually transient, but the beauty in poetry can last for ever. 4.―… All is no lost: the unconquerable will,And study of revenge, immortal hate, And courage never to submit or yield: And what is else not to be overcome?……Irreconcilable to our grand Foe‖1) Please identify the poem and the poet.2) Interpret―all is not lost‖.3) What does the whole passage mean?1) It is taken from Joh n Milton’s ―Paradise Lost‖.2) ―all is not lost‖ is the word from Satan----Satan and other angels rebel against God, but they are driven fromHeaven into hell. In the fire of the hell, Satan is determined to fight back, just like what he says: not all is lost, the unconquerable will, the deep hatred, and the courage to fight till death still remain.3) This passage shows Satan’s will not to submit, and the desire to long for freedom; to beg God for mercy and worship his power is more shameful and disgraceful than the downfall. 5.―If he be not apt to beat over matters, let him study the lawyer’s cases. So every defect of the mind may have a special receipt.‖Questions:3)What does ―beat over matters‖ mean?4)What does ―receipt’ r efer to?5)From which essay does the above sentences come, what is the essay mainly about?1)It means: make through examinations of things.2)―Receipt‖ ref ers to cure, prescription.3)The sentences are from ―Of Studies‖ (Francis Bacon). It is the most popular of bacon’s essays. It analyzes what studies chiefly serve for, the different ways adopted by different people to pursue studies, and how studies exert influence over human character.6.―What, is great Mephistophilis to passionateFor being deprived of the joys of heaven?Learn thou of Faustus manly fortitude And scorn those joys thou never shalt possess.……Say he will spare him Four and twenty yearsLetting him live in all voluptuousnessHaving thee ever to attend on me…Questions:1)Identify the passage and author;2)―Say he surrenders up to him his soul‖, who will surrender his soul? What for?3)Who are thee? What will he do?1) The passage comes from ―Dr.Faustus‖ written by Chris topher Marlowe.2) Dr.Faustus will surrender his soul to devil. Because he was a great scholar who has a strong desire to ’get knowledge’ in vain, finally he ’made a bond’ to sell his soul to Devil in return for 24 years of life in which he may get anything he desires.3) The ―thee‖, refers to ―Mephistophilis‖, the Devil’s servant. He helped Dr.Faustus to do anything he wants.7.―Busy old fool, unruly sun,Why does thou thus,Through windows and through curtains call on us?‖Questions:6)Identify the work and author.7)What idea does the passage express?1)The passage comes from ―The Sun Rising‖,written by ’John Donne’.2) The speaker questions the sun’s authority and speaks condescendingly, placing the sun in the status of a subordinate. In the lover’s kingdom, the sun has no right to dictate the time of day or the passing of seasons. His presence in their bedchamber is an intrusion on their privacy.III. Questions and answers:1. What do you know about Renaissance? Give a summery about English literature in the period?1).The Renaissance refers to the period between 14th----mid-17th century. Itfirst started in Italy.2).The Renaissance means rebirth or revival----the discovery of ancient Roman and Greek culture.3).In essence, The Renaissance is a historical period in which the European humanist thinkers and scholars tried to get rid of the old feudalist ideas in medieval Europe, to introduce new ideas that expressed the interests of the rising bourgeoisie/middle class, and to recover the purity of the early church from the corruption of Roman Catholic church.4). Humanism is the essence of Renaissance -----Man is the measure of all things. The humanism exalted/praised human nature and emphasized the dignity of human beings and the present life. They thought man had the right to enjoy the beauty of life and had the ability toperfect himself and made wonders, which got ready for the appearance of the great Elizabethan writers in Britain. Poetry and drama were the most outstanding literary forms.5). Shakespeare, Marlowe and Francis Bacon etc. were the remarkable representatives of the English Renaissance.2. Please give a brief analysis of Hamlet’s “To be or not to be”soliloquy.“To be or not to be‖ is ’a philosophical exploration of life and death’. The soliloquy condemned the hypocrisy and treachery and general corruption of the world, and revealed the character of Hamlet---so ’speculative, questioning, contemplative and melancholy./gloomy’. It was notbecause he was not able to take action to revenge, but because of his ’hesitative/hesitant character’, when the chance for action came, it seemed defeat.It can be interpreted as: Hamlet bears the heavy burden of the duty to revenge his father’s death, he is forced to live in the suspense of facts and fiction, language and action. He considers that it wou ld be better to ’commit suicide’, but being scared of what might happen to him in the afterlife. So he put off the thing because of the sin. He considers the plan carefully only to find reason for not carrying it out. The soliloquy conveys ’the sense of world-weariness’.3. What common features do the characters share in Marlow’s works? The creation of The Renaissance herois one of Marlow’s contributions.1)Such a hero is always individualistic and full of ambition, facing bravely the challenge from god and men. They had human dignity and capacity, trying to get heaven/highest ideas on the earth by their own efforts.2)For example: Tamburlaine is a character written by Marlowe. By depicting a great hero with high ambition and sheer brutal forc4e in conquering, Marlowe voiced the supreme desire of man for infinite/ limitless power and authority. In Dr.Faustus, Marlowe celebrated the human passion for knowledge, power and happiness.3) Tamburlaine and Dr.Faustus are typical in owning such Renaissance spirit, Tamburlaine, being a cruel conquer, found happiness in conquering other kingdom. Only deathcould defeat him. While Dr.Faustus, a more introspective and philosophical figure, had high spirit for knowledge but he had sin for having despair in God and trust in Devil.4. What are the main themes of Shakespeare’s plays? Shakespeare’s plays are divided into 3 types: comedies, tragedies and historical plays.1) His historical plays are with the theme-----national unity under a might and just sovereign/ruler is necessary. 2)In his romantic comedies, he takes an optimistic attitude toward love friendship and youth.3)In his tragedies, Shakespeare always portrays some noble heroes, who faces the injustice of life and is caught in a difficult situation and whose fate is closely connected with the fate of his nation. Each hero has his weakness ofnature. We also see the conflict between the individual and the evil force in the society. And his major characters are always individuals representing certain types.5. Please comment on the character of Satan in ―Paradise Lost.‖Satan is a rebellious figure against God in literature, defeated, he and his rebel angels were cast into hell. However, Satan refused to accept his failure, swearing that “all was not lost”and that he would revenge for his downfall. The freedom of the will is the keystone of Satan’s character, which was the important spirit of the rising middle class. But he tempted Adam and Eve, which proved his evilness.6. What are the characteristics of the Humanism?1)’Humanism’ is the essence ofRenaissance.2)Humanists see that human beings were glorious creatures capable of individual development in the direction of perfection, and that the world they inhabited was theirs not to despise but to ’question, explore, and enjoy’. 3)They also believe that man did not only have the right to enjoy the beauty of this life, but had the ability to perfect himself and to perform wonders.。
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。
英语专八英美文学常识(EnglishLiterature)
英国文学(English Literature)450-1066 Old English (or Anglo-Saxon) Period 古英语（或盎格鲁—撒克逊）时期1066-1500 Middle English Period 中古英语时期1500-1660 1516-1578 1578-1625 1625-1660The Renaissance 文艺复兴1) The beginning of the Renaissance2) The flowering period3) The epilogue of the Renaissance1660-1785 The Neoclassical Period 新古典主义时期1785-1830 The Romantic Period 浪漫主义时期1832-1901 The Victorian Period 维多利亚时期1901-1914 The Edwardian Period 爱德华时期1910-1936 The Georgian Period 乔治五世时期1914 - The Modern Period 现代时期1945 - Postmodernism 后现代主义一、Old and Medieval English Literature中古英语文学(8世纪-14世纪)1) The Old English Period / The Anglo-Saxon Period古英语时期(449-1066)a. pagan poetry(异教诗歌): Beowulf《贝奥武甫》- 最早的诗歌；长诗(3000行) heroism & fatalism & Christian qualitiesthe folk legends of the primitive northern tribes; a heroic Scandinavian epic legend; 善恶有报b. religious poetry: C aedmon(凯德蒙610-680): the first known religious poet; the father of English songCynewulf(基涅武甫9C): The Christc. 8th C, Anglo-Saxon prose: Venerable Bede(673-735); Alfred the Great(848-901)2) The Medieval Period中世纪(1066-ca.1485 / 1500):a. Romance中世纪传奇故事(1200-1500): the Middle Ages; 英雄诗歌无名诗人- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight《高文爵士与绿色骑士》: Celtic legend; verse-romance; 2530 lines~ 14th C,Age of Chaucer:* Geoffrey Chaucer(乔叟1340-1400): 文风：vivid and exact language, his poetry is full of vigor and swiftnessthe father of English poetry; the father of English fiction; 首创“双韵体”；首位用伦敦方言写作英国作家The Canterbury Tales:pilgrims stories 受Boccaccio(薄伽丘) - Decameron《十日谈》启发The House of Fame; Troilus and Criseyde; The Romaunt of the Rose《玫瑰罗曼史》(译作) * William Langland(朗兰1332-1400)：The Vision of Piers Plowman《农夫皮尔斯之幻象》: 普通人眼中的社会抗议b. 15th C, English ballads:Thomas Malory (1395-1471) :Morte d’Arthur《亚瑟王之死》- 圆桌骑士二、The Renaissance Period英国文艺复兴(1500-1660): humanism十四行诗，文艺复兴，无韵诗，伊丽莎白戏剧1) 诗歌Henry Howard(霍华德1516-1547)a. Thomas Wyatt (怀亚特1503-1542): the first to introduce the sonnet into English literatureb. Sir Philip Sidney(雪尼爵士1554-1586)：代表了当时的理想- “the complete man”Defense of Poetry《为诗辩护》Astrophel and Stella; Arcadia《阿卡狄亚》: a prose romance filled with lyrics; a forerunner of the modern worldc.Edmund Spenser(斯宾塞1552-1599): the poets’ poet; non-dramatic poet of伊丽莎白时代- long allegorical romance文风：a perfect melody, a rare sense of beauty and a splendid imagination. The Shepherd CalendarThe Faerie Queen《仙后》：long poem for Queen Elizabeth; Allegory - nine-line verse stanza/ the Spenserian Stanza Spenserian Stanza(斯宾塞诗体): Nine lines, the first eight lines is in iambic(抑扬格) pentameter(五步诗),and the ninth line is an iambic hexameter(六步诗) line.2) Prose 散文a. Thomas More(莫尔1478-1535): 欧洲早期空想社会主义创始人Utopia《乌托邦》: More与海员的对话b. John Lyly(黎里1553-160，剧作家&小说家)：EupheusEuphuism(夸饰文体): Abundant use of balanced sentences, alliterations(头韵) and other artificial prosodic(韵律) means.The use of odd similes(明喻) and comparisonsc. Francis Bacon (培根1561-1626)：英国首位散文家，中世纪至现代欧洲时期; 近代唯物主义哲学奠基人和近代实验科学先驱: the first true English prose classic the trumpeter of a new age;Essays(论说文集)：Of Studies, Of Love, Of Beauty3) 戏剧a. Christopher Marlowe(马洛1564-1593): University Wits 大学才子派Edward II；The Jew of Malta《马耳他的犹太人》first made blank verse(无韵诗：不押韵的五步诗) the principle instrument of English dramaThe Tragical History of Doctor Faustus《浮士德博士的悲剧》：根据德国民间故事书写成; 完善了无韵体诗。
英国文学
英国文学主要分为六个时期一Old and Medieval English Literature（中古英国文学）。
Old English: 450-1066头韵体诗歌（alliteration）<Beowulf>《贝奥武甫》the national epic of the Anglo-SaxonsMedieval English：1066-14世纪中期1、Geoffrey Chaucer乔叟：英国诗歌之父t he father of English poetry<The Canterbury Tales>坎特伯雷故事集首创英雄双韵体first time to use 'heroic couplet'2、William Langland 威廉·兰格伦：< Piers the Plowman>《农夫皮尔斯》二The Renaissance Period（文艺复兴时期（伊丽莎白时代）14-16世纪，始于意大利，核心是人文主义Humanism）Most famous dramatists: Christopher Marlowe, William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson1、Thomas More-Utopia 托马斯.莫尔《乌托邦》2、Edmund Spenser: 埃德蒙·斯宾塞被人称为the poets' poet “诗人中的诗人”代表作《仙后》（The Farie Queene）被誉为英国文艺复兴时期―最杰出的史诗‖。
他的诗歌包含了民族主义（nationalism）、人文主义（humanism）和清教徒主义（puritanism）等思想。
Spenserian stanza斯宾塞诗节：在其代表作《仙后》(The Faerie Queene)中首先使用这种诗体，遂以他的名字命名作品：<The Shepherdes Calender>牧羊人日历<The Faerie Queene>仙后3、Christopher Marlowe克里斯托夫·马洛– representative of ―University Wits‖, the pioneer of English drama英国戏剧先驱马洛是“大学才子派”―University Wits‖中最杰出的剧作家在英国文学中，素体诗blank verse是在马洛手里成为英诗中最富有表现力和最雄伟的格律形式的。
Old and Middle English Literature 英国文学史 中古英语文学史
中古英语文学The 3 ConquestsThe Roman Conquest (55 BC to 410 AD) tribalBritain became a province of Roman Empire.Christianity was introduced.Britain achieved a certain degree of civilization.Anglo-Saxon Conquest / English Conquest (410 to 1066 AD) tribalThe English language emerged (Old English).Christianity was widely accepted.England became more unified.The Norman Conquest (1066-1485The Middle Ages/ Age of Faith/The Dark Age) FeudalFeudalism was established and developed.French culture thrived.I. Old English: 450-1066Beowulf the national epic(史诗) of the Anglo-Saxons (folk legend from NorthernEurope)It is more than 3,000 lines of alliterations, the oldest poem on the English language, and the most important specimen of Anglo-Saxon literature, and also the oldest surviving epic in the English language.II. Medieval English: 1066 - middle 14th century—Feudal EnglandChivalric Romance (骑士传奇):(literature for nobility, esp. the court)(i). France: Song of Roland (/rəulənd/, hero in the 8th century)(ii). Rome: stories of Alexander the Great and the gods and goddesses in mythology.(iii). Britain: legends about King Arthur and his Knights of Round Table recountingthe adventures of Lancelot(/la:nsələt/), Galahad (/gæ ləhæd/), Gawain (/ga: wei/) andother Round Table Knights.Death of King Arthur by Thomas Malory is a collection of stories about King Arthur.(Quest of Holy Grail, love, death and dissolution)Geoffrey Chaucer1340-1400-the father of English poetry founder or English realism (wisdom, humor, humanity)The Canterbury Tales first time to use “heroic couplet”(英雄双韵体/对句) Popular ballads-literature of the peasants。
英美文学简明教程
Old and Medieval English Literature（中世纪英语时期文学）I Understanding and application: (理解应用)1. England’s inhabitants are Celts. And it is conquered by Romans（罗马）, Anglo Saxons (盎格鲁撒克逊人)and Normans（日耳曼）. The Anglo-Saxons brought the Germanic language and culture to England, while Normans brought the Mediterranean civilization（地中海文明）, including Greek culture（古希腊文化）, Rome law（罗马法律） and the Christian religion（基督教）. It is the cultural influence of these two conquests that provided the source for the rise and growth of English literature.2. The old English literature（古英语文学） extends from about 450 to 1066, the year of the Norman conquest of England.3. The old English poetry(古英语诗) that has survived can be divided into two groups: The religious group and the secular one(宗教类和世俗类)4. Beowulf（贝尔武夫）: a typical example of Old English poetry is regarded as the national epic(民族史诗) of the Anglo-Saxons. It is an example of the mingling of nature myths and heroic legends.一、Geoffery Chaucer 杰弗里•乔叟1343~1400(首创“双韵体”，英国文学史上首先用伦敦方言写作。
英国文学 各个时期介绍
and writing an exact man.
? 读书使人充实，讨论使人机智，笔记使人 准确。
? Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtle; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores.
? 读史使人明智，读诗使人灵秀，数学使人 周密，科学使人深刻，伦理学使人庄重， 逻辑修辞之学使人善辩：凡有所学，皆成 性格。
威廉?莎士比亚
? William Shakespeare ? 1564～1616 ? 英国戏剧之父 ? 两首长诗，154首十四行诗和38部（或39
部）戏剧
莎士比亚 历史剧
? 概括了英国历史上百余年间的动乱，塑造 了一系列正、反面君主形象，反映了莎士 比亚反对封建割据，拥护中央集权，谴责 暴君暴政，要求开明君主进行自上而下改 革，建立和谐社会关系的人文主义政治与 道德理想。
莎士比亚 喜剧
? 大多以爱情、友谊、婚姻为主题，主人公 多为具有人文主义智慧与美德的青年男女 ，通过他们争取自由、幸福的斗争，歌颂 进步、美好的新人新风，同时也温和地揭 露和嘲讽旧事物的衰腐和丑恶。这一时期 的戏剧创作的基本情调是乐观、明朗的， 充满着以人文主义理想解决社会矛盾的信 心
Excalibur
杰弗利·乔叟Geoffrey Chaucer
? 约1343～1400 ? “英国诗歌之父” ? 乔叟的诗歌创作分为三个时期 ? ①法国影响时期 ? ②意大利影响时期 ? ③成熟时期 ? 《坎特伯雷故事》The Canterbury Tales ? 英国文学史上现实主义的第一部典范。
英国文学之中世纪英国文学 Old_and_Medieval_English_Literature
Roman Invasion Invasions by Germanic/Teutonic tribes Danish Invasion
Roman Invasion
1). Process of invasion: Early invasion: (in 55 B.C.） Julius Caesar ，the Roman Conqueror, who had then just occupied Gaul (the present day France)
What was the major genre of literature?
a. It is the earliest form of literature in the history of English literature. b. The earliest poems or songs were narrated orally by minstrels , or scops or gleemen.
Social pattern: the later stages of tribal society. some small kingdoms a united kingdom called England (the land of Angles) by the 7th century Language: the three dialects a single language called Anglo-Saxon or Old English.
Roman Invasion
2) Final occupation of the islands by Rome in 43 A.D. (Claudius the Emperor) Become one of province of Roman Empire.
英语专八人文知识考试总结
英语专八人文知识考试总结1 专八考试人文知识考试内容总结其中英美文学包括英国文学和美国文学。
英国文学主要分为六个时期：1. Old and Medieval English Literature（中古英国文学）。
2. The Renaissance Period（文艺复兴时期）。
3. The Neoclassical Period（新古典主义时期）。
4. The Romantic Period（维多利亚时期）。
5. The Victorian Period（维多利亚时期）。
6. The Modern Period（现代时期）。
美国文学主要分为四个时期：1. The Literature Around the Revolution of Independence（独立革命前后的文学）。
2. American Romanticism（美国浪漫主义文学）。
3. American Realism（美国现实主义文学）。
4. American Modernism（美国现代主义文学）。
语言学，考生不光要知道语言的本质还要掌握语音学，音位学，形态学，句法学，语义学和语言学的知识。
关于英语国家概况，英语专业的学生都会开设英美概况这门课程，但是专八考试的中需要考生了解的是英语国家概况，不光包括英国和美国，还有其他一些说英语的地区，包括爱尔兰概况，加拿大概况，澳大利亚概况和新西兰概况。
3专八人文知识:英国地理概况the english channel: the channel is a narrow sea passage which separates england and france and connects the atlantic ocean and north sea.英吉利海峡：英吉利海峡是一道狭长的海峡，分割英法两国，连接大西洋和北海。
the dee estuary: a small sea ( in irish sea) where the dee river enters.迪河河口：是迪河流入的一个小海。
英国 上古及中世纪英国文学简介
PART ONE: ENGLISHG LITERTUREAn Introduction to Old and Medieval EnglishLiteratureSince historical times, England, where the early inhabitants were Celts, has been conquered three times. It was conquered by the Romans, the Anglo-Saxons, and the Normans. England was not much affected by the Roman Conquest, but she felt the full weight of the other two conquests. The Anglo-Saxons brought to England the Germanic language and culture, while the Normans brought a fresh wave of Mediterranean civilization, which includes Greek culture, Roman law, and the Christian religion. It is the cultural influences of these two conquests that provided the source for the rise and growth of English literature.The period of Old English literature extends from about 450 to 1066, the year of the Norman conquest of England. The Germanic tribes from the Northern Europe brought with them not only the Anglo-Saxons language, the basis of Modern English, but also a specific poetic tradition, which is both bold and strong, mournful and elegiac in spirit. Generally speaking, the Old English poetry that has survived can be divided into two groups: the religious group and the secular one. The poetry of the religious group is mainly on biblical themes.Genesis A, Genesis B and Exodus are poems based on the Old Testament; whereas The Dream of the Rood comes from the New Testament. In this poem, Christ is portrayed as the young warrior striding to embrace death and victory, while the rood (cross) itself takes on the burden of his suffering. In addition to these religious compositions, Old English poets produced the national epic poem, Beowulf, and a number of more or less lyrical poems of shorter length, which do not contain specific Christian doctrines but evoke the Anglo-Saxons sense of the harshness of circumstance and the sadness of the human lot. The wanderer, Deor, The Seafarer, and The wife's Complaint are among the most beautiful in this secular group. The harsh climate of North Sea strongly affected the tone or mood of the poets. The life is sorrowful, and the speakers are fatalistic, though at the same time courageous and determined.Beowulf, a typical example of the Old English poetry, is regarded today as the national epic of the Anglo-Saxons. However, the hero and setting of Beowulf have nothing to do with England, for the story took place in Scandinavia. The poem was originally in an oral form, sung by the bards (minstrels) at the end of the 6th century. The present script was written down in the 10th century. Beginning and ending with the funeral of a great king, and composed against a background of impending disaster, Beowulf describes the exploits of the Scandinavian hero, Beowulf, in fighting against the monster Grendel, hisrevengeful mother, and a fire-breathing dragon. In these sequences Beowulf is shown not only as a glorious hero but also as a protector of the people. Thematically the poem presents a vivid picture of how the primitive people wage heroic struggles against the hostile forces of the natural world under a wise and mighty leader. The poem is an example of the mingling of nature myths and heroic legends. For instance, the battle between Beowulf and the Dragon symbolically represents that phase of Winter and Summer myth in which the Summer God, here embodied by Beowulf, fights his last battle against the Winter Dragon in order to rescue the treasures of earth, that is, the golden corn and ruddy fruits. Having given them back to men, Beowulf himself dies of the Winter's breath.The Norman Conquest brought England more than a change of rulers. Politically, a feudalist system was established in England; religiously, the Roman-backed Catholic Church had a much stronger control over the country; and great changes also took place in languages. After the conquest, three 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 common English people. Thus, Britain was opened up to the whole European continent.With the Norman Conquest starts the medieval period in English literature which covers about four centuries. In the early part of the period, i.e. from 1066 up to the mid-14th century, there was not much to say about literature in English. It was almost a barren period in literary creation. But in the second half of the 14th century, English literature started to flourish with the appearance of writers like Geoffrey Chaucer, William Langland, John Gower, and others. In comparison with Old English literature, Middle English literature deals with wider range of subjects, tones and genres. Popular folk literature also occupies an important place in this period. Its presentation of life is not only accurate but also lively and colorful, though the originality of thought is often absent in the literary works of this period. Besides, Middle English literature strongly reflects the principles of the medieval Christian doctrine, which were primarily concerned with the issue of personal salvation.Romance which 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 - to protect the church, to attack infidelity, to rescue a maiden, to meet a challenge, or to obey a knightly command. There is often a liberal use of the improbable, sometimes even supernatural, things in romance such as mysteries and fantasies. Romantic love is an important part of the plot in romance. Characterization is standardized, so that heroes, heroines and wicked stewards can be easily moved from one romance to another. While the structure is loose and episodic, thelanguage 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. If the epic reflects a heroic age, the romance reflects a chivalric one.Among the three great Middle English poets, the author of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is the one who produced the best romance of the period; while William Langland is a more realistic writer who dealt with the religious and social issues of his day in Piers Plowman. However, it is Chaucer alone who, for the first time in English literature, presented to us a comprehensive realistic picture of the English society of his time and created a whole gallery of vivid characters from all walks of life in his masterpiece The Canterbury Tales. Geoffrey Chaucer is the greatest writer of this period. Although he was born a commoner, he did not live as a commoner; and although he was accepted by the aristocracy, he must always have been conscious of the fact that he did not really belong to that society of which birth alone could make one a true member. Chaucer characteristically regarded life in terms of aristocratic ideals, but he never lost the ability of regarding life as a purely practical matter. The art of being at once involved in and detached from a given situation is peculiarly Chaucer's.The influence of Renaissance was already felt in the field of English literature when Chaucer was learning from the great Italian writers like Petrarch and Boccaccio in the last part of the 14th century. Chaucer affirmed man's right to pursue earthly happiness and opposed asceticism; he praised man's energy, intellect, quick wit and love of life; he expose and satirized the social vices, including religious abuse. It thus can be said that though essentially still a medieval writer, Chaucer bore marks of humanism and anticipated a new ear to come.From his birth do death, Chaucer dealt continually with all sorts of people, the highest and lowest, and his observant mind made the most of this ever-present opportunity. His wide range of reading gave him plots and ideas, but his experience gave him models of characters. In his works, Chaucer explores the themes of the individual's relation to the society in which he lives; he portrays clashes of characters' temperaments and their conflicts over material interests; he also shows the comic and ironic effects obtainable from the class distinctions felt by the newly emerged bourgeoisie as in the case of the Wife of Bath who is depicted as the new bourgeois wife asserting her independence. In short, Chaucer develops his characterization to a higher artistic level by presenting characters with both typical qualities and individual dispositions.Chaucer introduced from France the rhymed stanzas of various types to English poetry to replace the Old English alliterative verse. In The Romaunt of the Rose, he first introduced into English the octosyllabic couplet. In The Legend of Good Women, he used for the first time in English the rhymed couplet of iambic pentameter which is to be called later the heroic couplet. And in The CanterburyTales, Chaucer employed the heroic couplet with true ease and charm for the first time in the history of English literature. In addition to his contribution to English prosody, Chaucer also developed the art of the literature itself beyond anything to be found in any other medieval literature. In Troilus and Criseyde, he gave the world what is virtually the first modern novel. In The Canterbury Tales, he developed his art of poetry still further towards drama and the art of the novel. Though Chaucer was entirely rooted in the soil of the Middle Ages, his art is so fully realized as to carry him beyond his time and make him one of the greatest poets in English. John Dryden, who modernized several of the Canterbury tales, called Chaucer the father of English poetry.Chaucer dominated the works of his 15th-century English followers and theso-called Scottish Chaucerians. For the Renaissance, he was the English Homer. Edmund Spenser paid tribute to him as his master; many of Shakespeare's plays show thorough assimilation of Chaucer's comic spirit. Today, Chaucer's reputation has been securely established as one of the best English poets for his wisdom, humor, and humanity.。