英国文学简史教案

1、英国文学简史教案IntroductionLiterature in the widest senseis just about anything written. But in the more specialized sense, it is the art that uses language as a medium. Literature contains fiction and non-fiction. Under fiction there are four genres: novels, short stories, plays, and poems Fiction is refe

2、rred to as creative or figurative expression of life. Non-fiction is called a literal expression of life or discursive writing. Non-fiction is essay, which has traditionally been classified into 4 categories: description, narration, exposition andargumentation.Robert Frost saysliterature is a perfor

3、mance in words It is the work of men who are specially sensitive to the language of their time and who use the skill of language to make their vision of life.Literature helps us to better understand the nature of the real. And it also makes us readers take delight in the way that the work has been c

4、onstructed, take delight in the performance in words. Literature offers both pleasure and 川umination . It enriches our lives and increases our capacities for understanding and comprehensionFor the first-level readers, literature is readfor emotional satisfaction, for excitement as well as for entert

5、ainment. For The second-level readers, literature is read fdts didactic function. Advanced readers of literature have a distinctive concern over matters beyond didacticism. They look for how it is said”. In other words, sophisticated readers do not allow themselves to be passively manipulated by eit

6、her moving plots or fascinating characters. Instead, they have an awarenessof how authors manipulate readers, of what the mode of narration is, of whom the speaker is and what the benefit of the choice is. For them, Literature can be read as rhetoric and philology. Readers at this level are also awa

7、re of artistic weakness. They even read texts closely as texts and do not move into the general context of human experience or history.The aim in teaching literature is to encourage a confrontation with actual works of art and to demonstrate how literature is a particular organization of language. L

8、iterature is always inward pointing. There is no way of knowing a work of literature unless we go to other parts of the work.Literature has its own specific laws, structures, and devices.To understand works of literature is like appreciating a bridge. It is important to know its elements to know how

9、 the component parts are put together to make the whole Being familiarity with technical vocabulary does not guarantee that one will understand and enjoy fiction. There is no substitute for careful reading, thinking about one s response, and rereading the text, looking for evidence that supports the

10、 initial responses or that will lead to richer or different ones. To sum up,one must be inside and outside of the workThis course aims at introducing the background of English literature, and the famous writers and works in English literature, focusing on the style of the writers and the characteris

11、tics of their works. A Survey of English Literature by Chang Yaoxin and Selected Readings in American Literature by Wang Shouren are course books. When studying this course, students are required to prepare a notebook and take notes of the important information given by the teacher. Besides, student

12、s are required to read some selected readings and discuss some questions given by the teacher. Furthermore, students are required to read two novels given by the teacher and hand in two papers, each of which no less than 1000 words.Lecture 1The Old English Period and the Middle English Period:The Ol

13、d English PeriodTeaching ContentThe early history of England; Early English literatureTime Allotment2 periodsTeaching Objectives and Requirements1 Help the students know about the history and characteristics of literature in the Old English Period.2 Help the students know aboutBeowulf and its signif

14、icance.Key Points and Difficult Points in Teaching1Early History of England3 BeowulfTeaching Methods and MeansLecture; Discussion; Multi-mediaTeaching Process1 The early history of EnglandThe beginning of settlement in Britain took place in about 700 B. C. The settlers were Celtic-speaking tribes ca

15、lled Britons (or Celts), from whom the island get its name Britain (the land of Britons) . The Britons were a primitive people, a bronze-age people entering an age of iron.In 55 B. C., Britain was invaded by the Roman general Julius Caesar. The Celts were subjugated to the role of Rome for nearly 40

16、0 years. In 410, the Romans abandonedthe island, which marks the end of“ Roman Conques”t (55 B. C. 410 A. D.)After the withdrawal of the Roman troops, England was soon invaded by three Germanic tribes: the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes, who came from the Northeast of Europe. The Anglo-Saxon invad

17、ers established some small kingdoms in Britain which by the 7th century were combined into a United Kingdom called England (the land of Angles). Its people were called the English. The three dialects spoken by them naturally grew into a single language called Anglo-Saxon, or Old English, a derivativ

18、e of Low German.The Anglo-Saxons admired the wisdom and courage of their war leaders. In Anglo-Saxon society, the king was essentially a warrior, whose duty was mainly to lead the tribe to fight against any possible foreign or hostile tribes. The Anglo-Saxons were aheathenpeople before they accepted

19、 Christianity. They believed in the old mythology of Northern Europe. That is why the Northern mythology has left its marks upon the English Language. (e. g. some of the names of the week in English derive from the names of Northern gods: Tuesday Tiu 战神 , Wednesday Woden 主神，Thursday-Thor 雷神，Friday F

20、rigg 爱情女神).In 597, St. Augustine and his monks landed in Kent. Then England was Christianized part by part in the following century. Monasteries were built all over the country. It was in these monasteries that the earliest English books were written down, becauseat that time few except monks could

21、read and write. The conversion of The Anglo-Saxons to Christianity changed their intellectual outlook. Christianity offered some values that were more consistent and solid than their pagan beliefs. It also enabled them to learn book knowledge in monasteries or schools from the Scriptures and the cla

22、ssical writings of Virgil (a great roman poet) and the ancient Greeks. They travelled long distance to Rome on pilgrimages, and these experiences enriched their understanding of the world, broadened and deepened their mental and spiritual power. From 787, the English began to be troubled by bands of

23、 Danish Vikings (Scandinavian sea robbers). At first they just invaded parts of the country from time to time. Gradually, however, they came to make permanent settlement and ruthlessly destroyed many of the monasteries. The great hero of the time was King Alfred the Great (849-901) of the Kingdom of

24、 Wessex in the south, who succeeded in driving off the Danes. It is to him that we owe much of the preservation of Older Anglo-Saxon Literature. Equally important is the fact that he started the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a historical register of national events from dim past to his own age. This work w

25、as continued by monks long after his death. The Danes were eventually defeated, and the Anglo-Saxons returned to rule in 1042. England did not have peace for long. Soorthey were conquered in 1066by the Norms from France. This is the end of the Anglo-Saxon period.The following is a formula for the na

26、tion:Original AAngles*+ * Saxons +Danes +Normans=EnglishBritonsJutes2 The early English Literature The Britons (Celts) had no written language, so their myths and legends were not recorded for many centuries. (e. g. The Adventures of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table is about a Celtic C

27、hieftain of the 5 th or 6 th century, but these legends were not written down until they reached eleventh century France and were circulated after the 13th century.) Therefore, English literature actually began with the Anglo-Saxon settlement in England (See Chang Yaoxin, 2-4). Beowulf It is a 3182-

28、line alliterative verse, considered the monumental work in English poetry of the Anglo-Saxon period, or the national epic of the English people. It is of Germanic heritage, and contains evidently pre-Christian elements. The whole song is essentially pagan in spirit and matter. It is pervaded with pa

29、ganism. In the noble figure of Beowulf, pagan heroism and fatalism are mingled with Christian qualities. The non-Christian story of monsters and mighty sea beasts is blended with some serious thoughts on the power of a wise God. In the poem, the poet expresses a hope that the evil should be punished

30、, and the righteous will be rewarded. The poem probably existed in its oral form as early as the 6h century. It was written down in the 7th or 8 th century though the extant manuscript, discovered in 1705, dated back to the 1t0 century. The whole epic is divided into two parts with an interpolation.

31、 There are three episodes related in the career of Beowulf:(1) The fight with the monster, Grendel(2) The fight with Grendel s mother, a still more frightful she-monster(3) The mortal combat with the Fire Dragon. (after being the king of the Geats for 50 years).(for details see Chan Yaoxin, 4-5) The

32、 poem is more than a fairy story of heroes combating monsters. It recaptures the values, beliefs and longing of the Anglo-Saxon people before they came to England. Though it is inferior to Iliad 伊里亚特(written by Homer) in artisticmerit, it is neverthelessa dignified noble poem, technically unexcelled

33、 in old English poetry. It affords us invaluable insight into the heroic ways of life of the Teutonic peoples, as well as into the best qualities of the newer culture they were building in England. It clearly mirrors their ideals valor, the love of glory, honour, and duty, the loyalty of the retaine

34、r and the generosity of the lord. It also reflects the typical tone of their literature, with its emphasis on the darker emotions, its grim scenery, and its vigorous portrayal of the sea and of battle. The poem unfolds a picture of an early Danish society, of its public life, its customs, rituals an

35、d cultural activities. Present-day readers are often charmed by its depiction and primitive beauty. Its chief significance lies in the portrayal of a great national hero, who is not simply a courageouswarrior, but a wise ruler, and a brave fighter. He is selfless, eager to help others in distress, f

36、aithful to his people, and is ready to sacrifice his own life for their welfare. Three important features must be noted while studying the poem: The most striking feature is the use of alliteration , which is the repetition of a speech sound in a sequence of nearby words, and is usually applied only

37、 to consonants and only when the recurrent sound begins a word or a stressedsyllable within a word. This is characteristic of all Old English verse. The second feature is the use of metaphors and understatements. The third feature of the poem is the mixture of pagan and Christian elements survive: t

38、he observing of omens, the attribution of power to Wyrd (i. e. fate), cremation, blood-revenge, and the praise of worldly glory all woven into the poem. On the other hand, the assumption of God s domination over the world, of Devil s agency among men, of existence of Heaven and Hell, of a last judgm

39、ent, and of the noxiousness of sin are all Christian. The artistic achievement of Beowulf ranks itself among the classics that belong to the tradition of the Odyssey 奥德赛 (written by Homer) and the Aeneid 埃涅伊德(writtenby Virgil).Reflection Questions and Assignments1 Answer the question “ Whydoes Beowu

40、lf tower above Old English Literature? in” the exercise book.2 Pre-read The Canterbury Tales in the textbook Selected Readingsand answer the questions given in the book.Lecture 2The Old English Period and the Middle English Period:The Middle English PeriodTeaching ContentThe Middle English PeriodTim

41、e Allotment2 periodsTeaching Objectives and Requirements1 Help the students know about the history and characteristics of literature in the Middle English Period.2 Help the students know clearly about Geoffrey Chaucer and his workThe Canterbury Tales.Key Points and Difficult Points in Teaching1 Hist

42、ory of the Middle English Period2 Middle English Literature3 Geoffrey Chaucer4 The Canterbury TalesTeaching Methods and MeansLecture; Discussion; Multi-mediaTeaching Process1 History of the Middle English Period1.1 The Norman Conquest and its effectsIn 1066 the English king Edward the Confessor died

43、 without an heir and the energetic and ambitious William, Duke of Normandy, decided to conquer England. The divided English were completely defeated at the Battle of Hastings. The Norman Conquest ended the purely Anglo-Saxon period and started the medieval period in England.After they invaded Englan

44、d, William and his followers brought their new social organization new laws and new speech to England. The Norman Conquest accelerated the development of feudalism in England. The first thing William did after conquering England was to claim his right to every inch of English soil. He took away land

45、 away from the Anglo-Saxon owners and granted large areas to his lords, who in return promised their absolute loyalty to him. The lords could grant land to the knights, who in return should fight for them in battle. At the bottom of the society were serfs, who farmed on the borrowed land. They could

46、 barely make a living.The three centuries following the Norman Conquest saw the introduction of medieval French culture, including French modes of customs, manners, literature, and especially the Norman-French language into England on a large scale. For almost two hundred years after 1066 three lang

47、uages native English, Norman-French and Latin, existed side by side in England. The native English language, which descended from Anglo-Saxon or Old English, was the common speech of the overwhelming majority of the ordinary people, while the Normans, Lords and courtiers used French. Latin was used

48、among the scholars in churches and courts. In the exchange of cultures throughout some four centuries the English language gradually underwent profound and extensive changes. The language in this transitional stage from old English to modern English is generally known as Middle English. ( For more i

49、nformation see Chang Yaoxin, 7-8) The effects of Norman Conquest on England can be summarized as: 1)the bringing of Roman civilization to England; 2) the growth of nationality, i.e. a strong government, instead of the loose union of Saxon tribes; 3) the new language and literature, which were procla

50、imed in Chaucer.1.2 Characteristics of the Medieval Period In the medieval period, chivalry was the important code of behavior for the knights. It served as a law that bound the often lawless warriors. Violating the code of chivalry could mean the loss of honor. The content of chivalry included loya

51、lty toward church and king, and reverence toward women. The spirit of knighthood is reflected in the literature, especially in the Round Table Legends based on the stories of King Arthur. Medieval life was harsh for the common people and for the aristocrat alike. Religious faith became an essential

52、means to sustain hardship if man s life was hard it was because he was passing through a journey of suffering to a better life after death. Geoffrey Chaucer captured the spirit of this age just as it was ending.2 The Middle English literature English literature is also a combination of French and Sa

53、xon elements. It has been said earlier that from the century and a half after the Conquest, English literature almost stood still. But the 12th and 13th centuries witnessed a flowering of literature in two socially acceptable languages, Latin and French, which was, of course, not a part of English l

54、iterature. The narrative poems fell roughly into three subject groups: “The Matter of Frances” (tales about Emperor Charlemagne), “The Matter of Britain ” (adventures of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table) and “The Matter of Rome” (tales of antiquity, from the Trojan War to the feats of

55、Alexander the Great.). About 1200, when the first pieces of English writing appeared, they were chiefly sermons, homilies, prayers, lives of saints, retelling of Biblical tales, and other religious writings. Somewhat later than the religious writers, appeared romances (mostly in the 14 century) the

56、most prevalent kind of literature in feudal England. The flowering of Middle English literature came in the second half of the 14th century. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Pearl, Piers the Plowman and Chaucer Thse Canterbury Talesare considered the four great contributions to poetry during thi

57、s period. The 15th century saw the development of popular literature, chiefly popular ballads, and miracle and morality playsin the later part of the century.2.1 Romances A romance was a long composition, in verse or in prose, describing the life and adventures of a noble hero. It generally concerns

58、 knights and involves a large amount of fighting as well as a number of miscellaneous adventures. In the tales of adventure, knights, or distressedladies, experienced various tests and had their wishes eventually fulfilled. The reasons for their adventures could be love, religious faith, or the mere

59、 desire for excitemen. t The most important romance of this period is about King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table. It was written in Latin. The first English version of the Arthurian legend is Layamon Brut. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is the best of Arthurian romances; the most attractive and beautiful romance of chivalry, and one of the f