英国文学选读复习要点

1、a brief revisiongeoffrey chaucergeoffrey chaucer is the “father of english poetry” and one of the greatest narrative poets of england. he was buried in westminster abbey. chaucers language, now called middle english, is vivid and exact. geoffrey chaucer is the first great poet who wrote in the engli

2、sh language. chaucer must be ranked among the most learned and accomplished of english poets. the canterbury tales is his masterpiece and one of the monumental works in english literature. the book of the duchess was composed by chaucer probably as a memorial poem for the duchess of lancaster, who d

3、ied of the plague.the canterbury talesthe canterbury tales should be an immense work of 124 stories but only 24 were written. incomplete as they are, the canterbury tales covers practically all the major types of medieval literature. the canterbury tales was written in heroic couplet. general tone:

4、happy, easy, lively, humorous.terms:rhyme: the repetition of sounds at the ends of words is called rhyme. when words rhyme at the end of lines of poetry it is called end rhyme.heroic couplet: iambic pentameter lines rhymed in pairs. it is called heroic because in england, especially in the 18th cent

5、ury, it was much used for heroic (epic) poems.iambic pentameter is a meter in poetry, consisting of an unrhymed line with five iambs or feet, felt by many to be the most powerful of all metrical forms in english poetry. renaissancegenerally, it refers to the period between the 14th and mid-17th cent

6、uries. the renaissance marks a transition from the medieval to the modern world. it first started in italy, with the flowering of painting, sculpture, architecture, and literature. the renaissance, therefore, in essence, is a historical period in which the european humanist thinkers and scholars mad

7、e attempts to get rid of those old feudalist ideas in medieval europe, to introduce new ideas that expressed the interests of the rising bourgeoisie, and to recover the purity of the early church from the roman catholic church.humanism is the essence of the renaissance. by emphasizing the dignity of

8、 human beings and the importance of the present life, the renaissance humanist thinkers voiced their beliefs that man did not only have the right to enjoy the beauty of this life, but had the ability to perfect himself and perform wonders.renaissance in englandthe 16th century in england was a perio

9、d of the breaking up of feudal relations and the establishment of the foundations of capitalism. because of the war of roses within the country and its weak and unimportant position in world trade, renaissance came later in england than other european countries. but when it did come, it was to produ

10、ce some towering figures in the english, and world literary heritage william shakespeare, edmund spenser, sir thomas more, francis bacon and a number of humanist scholars.william shakespearewilliam shakespeare is one of the most remarkable playwrights and poets the world has ever known. he was man o

11、f the late renaissance who gave the fullest expression to humanist ideals. with his 37/38/39 plays, 154 sonnets and 2 long poems, he has established his giant position in world literature. his works have been translated into every major language in the world. he has been given the highest praises by

12、 various scholars and critics in the world over. his contemporary poet and dramatist ben jonson dedicated a poem in praise of him: “ he was not of an age, but for all time!” that is definitely true.shakespeare was born in stratford-on-avon, a small town to the northwest of london.shakespeares achiev

13、ements 1. shakespeare represented the trend of history in giving voice to the desires and aspirations of the people. 2. shakespeares humanism: more important than his historical sense of his time, shakespeare in his plays reflects the spirit of his age.3. shakespeares characters are “round”, in the

14、sense that they have many aspects or dimensions. 4. shakespeares originality: shakespeare drew most of his materials from sources that were known to his audience; some from roman dramas, some from the anglo-saxon chronicle, and some from other writers plays. but his plays are original because he ins

15、tilled into the old materials a new spirit that gives new life to his plays.5. shakespeare as a great poet: shakespeare was not only a great dramatist, but also a great poet. 6. shakespeare as master of the english language: shakespeare was the master of the english language. hamlethamlet is conside

16、red to be the summit of shakespeares art. it is the profoundest expression of shakespeares humanism and his criticism of contemporary life.romeo and julietromeo and juliet it is shakespeares first romantic tragedy.sonnet: a 14-line poem, predominantly in iambic pentameter. the english (or shakespear

17、ean) sonnet is usually arranged into 3 quatrains and a couplet, rhyming abab cdcd efef gg. the couplet is usually the conclusion.some important works of shakespeare: 1) comedies: the comedy of errors, the two gentlemen of verona, the taming of the shrew, loves labours lost, a midsummer nights dream,

18、 the merchant of venice, much ado about nothing无事生非, as you like it皆大欢喜, twelfth night, the merry wives of windsor, alls well that ends well终成眷属, measure for measure一报还一报. 2) tragedies: romeo and juliet, julius caesar, hamlet, othello, king lear, macbeth, antony and cleopatra, troilus and cressida.

19、3) tragi-comedies: cymbeline, the winters tale, the tempest. 4) histories: henry iv, henry vi. themethe theme of hamlet is revengethe theme of king lear is vanity.the theme of othello is jealousy.the theme of macbeth is desire.francis baconbacon is the founder of modern science in england. he, a phi

20、losopher, scientist and essayist, 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. essays58 essays were included in bacons essays. they are famous for their brevity, compactness, a

21、nd powerfulness. these essays cover a wide variety of subjects concerning various aspects of life, such as love, truth, friendship, parents and children, beauty, studies, riches, youth and age, garden, death, and many others. they have won popularity for their precision, clearness, brevity and force

22、.the 17th century was one of the most turbulent periods in english history. it was a period when absolute monarchy impeded the further development of capitalism in england and the bourgeoisie could no longer bear the control of the landed nobility. the contradictions between the feudal system and th

23、e bourgeoisie had reached its peak and resulted in a revolutionary outburst.the english revolution took place in the middle of 17th century. among the causes of this revolution was the growth of capitalism, the break-up of serfdom and puritan movement. in 1642, the civil war broke out between the ki

24、ng and the parliament. with the support of the people and the leadership of oliver cromwell, the english bourgeoisie won the victory. in 1649 charles i was captured and beheaded. england became a commonwealth under the leadership of oliver cromwell. after his death, monarchy was again restored by ki

25、ng charles ii in 1660. it was called a period of the restorationthere were two leaders in the english revolution. cromwell was the man of action and milton the man of thought. john miltonin english literature john milton ranks with shakespeare and chaucer. during his retirement from public life, he

26、produced his masterpieces: the epic paradise lost, its sequel, paradise regained; and the poetic tragedy samson agonistes.paradise lostparadise lost is long epic poem divided into 12 books. the theme is the fall of men: mans disobedience and the loss thereupon of paradise. in this epic poem satan is

27、 the most successfully portrayed character. he was evil, rebellious, courageous, heroic and tragic.miltons stylemilton is difficult to read, because of his involved style with frequent inversion (probably owing to the influence of latin syntax) and very complicated sentence structures. his sentences

28、 are often long, sometimes running into a dozen, or even more lines. to express his sublimity of thought, he wrote in a style that is unsurpassed in its sonority, eloquence, majesty and grandeur.daniel defoedaniel defoe is considered one of the greatest fiction writers of 18th-century england. defoe

29、 was a very good story-teller. his sentences are sometimes short, crisp and plain, and sometimes long and rambling, while leave on the reader an impression of casual narration. his language is smooth, easy, colloquial and mostly vernacular. there is nothing artificial in his language: it is common e

30、nglish at its best. robinson crusoethe story of robinson crusoe is well-known throughout the world. it tells of how robinson crusoe, an english mariner, having shipwrecked on an island, managed to struggle for live for 28 years there and rescued a black man, whom he named friday, from the cannibals

31、(person who eats human flesh). later, robinson got hold of a ship and sailed home. the books “realistic” touch and ingenuity (originality) aroused great interest from the readers both in england and abroad.robinson is here a real hero: a typical eighteenth-century english middle-class man, with a gr

32、eat capacity for work, inexhaustible energy, courage, patience and persistence in overcoming obstacles, in struggling against the hostile natural environment. he is the very prototype of the empire builder, the pioneer colonist.jonathan swiftjonathan swift is a master satirist.gullivers travelsgulli

33、vers travels is his best work, a social and political prose satire, in the form of a book of travels. it is partly burlesque of travelers tales, and partly realistic wonder-book with a very different satirical aim. as a whole, the book is one of the most effective and devastating criticism and satir

34、es of all aspects in the then english and european lifesocially, politically, religiously, philosophically, scientifically, and morally. its social significance is great and its exploration into human nature profound. the book is also an artistic masterpiece.jonathan swift himself is one of the grea

35、test masters of english prose. his language is simple, clear, and vigorous. there are no ornaments in his writing, but it becomes homes to the reader.romanticismromanticism was a movement in literature, philosophy, music and art which developed in europe in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. st

36、arting from the ideas of rousseau in france and from the storm and stress movement in germany, it held that classicism, dominant since the 16th century, failed to express mans emotional nature and overlooked his profound inner forces. romanticism emphasized individual values and aspirations above th

37、ose of society. as a reaction to the industrial revolution, it looked to the middle ages and to direct contact with nature for inspiration. it gave impetus to the national liberation movement in 19th-century europe. the features of romanticism were:1) the romantics were against the modes of thinking

38、 in the 18th century which saw man as a social animal.2) they emphasize the special qualities of each individual 3) so romanticism actually constitutes a change of direction from attention to the outer world of social civilization to the inner world of human spirit.4) in essence it tends to see the

39、individual as the very center of life and all experience. they also place the individual at the center of art and make literature most valuable as an express of his or her unique feelings and particular attitudes, and value its accuracy in portraying the individuals experiences. attitudes towards in

40、dividualism:middle ages: emphasize on god; man lived chiefly for the future worldrenaissance period: man is the center of all concern; emphasized on the dignity of man and the importance of the present lifeenlightenment: saw man as social man; the general or universal characteristics of human behavi

41、or were more suitable subject matterromanticism: saw man as an individual in the solitary state; emphasized the special qualities of each individuals mind; value the exploration and evaluation of the inner self; a prominence of first-person lyric poem “i” the direct person of the poet; a change of d

42、irection from attention to the outer world of social civilization to the inner world of the human spirit william blakeliterarily william blake was the first important romantic poet, showing contempt for the rule of reason, opposing the classical tradition of the 18th century, and treasuring the indi

43、viduals imagination. he is considered to be a forerunner of the romantic poetry of the 19th century.william wordsworthwordsworth is the most representative poet of english romanticism. wordsworths poetry is distinguished by the simplicity and purity of his language. he was a worshipper of nature fro

44、m his childhood. in 1842, he received the government pension and in the following year, he succeeded southey as poet laureate. in 1798, wordsworth and coleridge jointly published the lyrical ballads. the publication of this book marked the break with the conventional poetical tradition of the 18th c

45、entury, i.e., with classicism, and the beginning of the romantic revival in england.definition of a poet and poetry he (poet) is a man speaking to men: a man, it is true, endowed with more lively sensibility, more enthusiasm and tenderness, who has a greater knowledge of human nature, and a more com

46、prehensive soul, than are supposed to be common among mankind. poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feeling; samuel taylor coleridgepoets are born and not made. a poem should not be judged as a mirror of truthas we judge science-but as a thing in itself, almost as a living organism. poems

47、should be judged only according to their own lights and not according to any established precept or precedent.lake poetswordsworth, coleridge and southey have often been mentioned as the “lake poets” because they lived in the lake district in the northwestern part of england. the three traversed the

48、 same path in politics and in poetry, beginning as radicals and ends as conservatives.jane austenthe major theme of her novel is love and marriage toward which she holds on a practical idealismlove should be justified by reason and disciplined by self-control.generally speaking, jane austen was a wr

49、iter of the 18th century, though she lived mainly in the 19th century. her works show clearly her firm belief in the predominance of reason over passion, the sense of responsibility, good manners and clear-sighted judgment over the romantic tendencies of emotion and individuality. she shows contempt

50、uous feelings towards snobbery, stupidity, worldliness and vulgarity through subtle satire and irony. austens main literary concern is about human beings in their personal relationships. in her works, she characterizes a human being not at moments of crisis, but in the most trivial incidents of ever

51、yday life. her characteristic theme is that maturity is achieved through the loss of illusions. faults of character are corrected when through tribulation, lessons are learned.because of her sensitivity to universal patterns of human behavior, jane austen has brought the english novel, as an art of

52、form, to its maturity, and she has been regarded as one of the greatest of all novelists. george gordon byronhe is well known in china. don juan, the long satirical epic, is generally considered his masterpiece. as a leading romanticist, byrons chief contribution is his creation of the “byronic hero

53、”, a proud, mysterious rebel figure of noble origin. with immense superiority in his passions and powers, this byronic hero would carry on his shoulders the burden of righting all the wrongs in a corrupt society, and would rise single-handedly against any kind of tyrannical rules either in governmen

54、t, in religion, or in moral principles with unconquerable wills and inexhaustible energies. the conflict is usually one of rebellious individuals against outworn social systems and conventions. the byronic hero became an idol of the young.percy bysshe shelleyone of the leading romantic poets, an int

55、ense and original lyrical poet in the english language he is known to chinese readers mainly for his ode to the west wind (1820), whose ending “if winter comes, can spring be far behind?” has given courage to many revolutionaries faced with reverses, even death. john keats (1795-1821)the one artisti

56、c aim in keats poetry was to create a beautiful world of imagination as opposed to the sordid reality of his day.his leading principle is “beauty is truth, truth is beauty.” that is, “what the imagination seizes as beauty must be truth, whether it existed before or not said by the poet”.george g. by

57、ron, percy b. shelley and john keats were called positive romantic poetsvictorian noveliststhe victorian period roughly coincides with the reign of queen victoria who ruled over england from 1836 to 1901. the period has generally regarded as one of the most glorious in the english history. victorian

58、 literature, as a product of its age, naturally took on its quality of magnitude and diversity. it was many-sided and complex, and reflected both romantically and realistically the great changes that were going on in peoples life and thought. charlotte bronte, william thackeray, charles dickens, tho

59、mas hardy were representatives of victorian novelists.charlotte bronte (1816-1855)jane eyre is one of the most popular and important novels of the victorian age.it is noted for its sharp criticism of the existing society, that is, the religious hypocrisy of charity institutions. the social discrimination jane experiences first