世纪美国文学课件

1、American Literature第1页，共35页。Periods of Am. Lit.Beginning of American Literature: 1607-1776 Colonial Period 1765-1790 The Revolutionary Age 1775-1828 The Early National Period第2页，共35页。2. Romanticism, Transcendentalism1828-1865 The Romantic Period (Also known as:TheAmerican Renaissance)The Age of Tran

2、scendentalism 1865-1900第3页，共35页。3. Realism, NaturalismThe Realistic Period 1900-1914The Naturalistic Period (extreme realism)1914-1939 1920s 1920s, 1930s: American Modernist Period: Jazz Age, Harlem Renaissance The Lost Generation 第4页，共35页。1939-present 1950s 1960s, 1970s The Contemporary Period:The

3、Beat generation American Literature recognizes works of: African-American Writers Native American Writers Asian-American Writers 第5页，共35页。Colonial PeriodPeriods of Am. Literature vary a lotIts impossible to give exact datesThe first literature started to appear after founding of the first settlement

4、 at Jamestown in 1607It continuoud till the outbreak of the Revolution第6页，共35页。Literary genres:Historical writingsReligious themes sermons (kzn) tractsWriters:Anne Bradstreet (poet)Benjamin Franklin (The Way to Wealth)William Bradford第7页，共35页。The Revolutionary AgeThe greatest documents of American h

5、istory were authored:Thomas Paine (Common Sense he urged independence)The Declaration of Independence (Thomas Jefferson - 1776) The Constitution (1789 - ratified)第8页，共35页。The Early National PeriodBeginnings of true Am. LiteratureThe writers wrote in th English style but the settings, themes and char

6、acters were authentically American第9页，共35页。Washington Irving he wrote about Am. Life, biography of G. WashingtonJames Fenimore Cooper The Last of the MohicansEdgar Allan Poe第10页，共35页。E.A.Poe (1809-1849)son of a poor actress (drastic death)his father alcoholicHe was taken by his guardian Mr. AllanStu

7、died West Point kicked outMarriage with 13 year-old cousinShe died of TB ten years later despair, grief was reflected in his works1849 found delirious in a steet第11页，共35页。The Raven (poem) - a tired, unhappy student asks if he ever meets his love againHis doubts are underlined by the ravens repetitio

8、n nevermore“, symbol of doubts and longing第12页，共35页。The Golden BugThe Pit and the PendulumThe Black CatThe Murders in the Rue MorgueThe Fall of the House of Usher第13页，共35页。His work:1. realism: detective stories logical, brilliant, rational2. romanticism irrationalism, mystery, violence, criminality,

9、 death, passion Perverse, vulgar, grotesque style.第14页，共35页。TranscendentalismAmerican reflection of European romanticismPhilosophical movement第15页，共35页。The transcendal philosophy was based on:Free willHumanityIntuitionIndividual conscienceIt glories nature第16页，共35页。All transcendentalists were isolat

10、ed peopleThey lived in Utopian Community“ Brookfarm near BostonThe individual can transcend the world and discover union with God and Ideal第17页，共35页。Main representatives:Ralph Waldo ThoreauHenry David Thoreau第18页，共35页。Other Romantic WritersHerman Melville symbolist (Moby-Dick)Nathaniel Hawthorne (Th

11、e Scarlet Letter)the main theme sinHester has te wear letter A means adulteressWalt Whitman (poet)Emily Dickinson (poet)第19页，共35页。Realistic PeriodAfter Civil War:Social injustice first millionaires appear (Rockefeller)discoveries in science (railway, telegraph cable, telephone,)Growth of educationTw

12、ain called this period gilded age“第20页，共35页。RealismAction against romanticismMain literary form novelAuthors accuse romanticism of falsehoodThey describe common things, common places, everyday life第21页，共35页。Mark TwainHis real name: Samuel Langorne ClemensHe spent his childhood on the Mississippi riv

13、erWorkedon a steamboat on the MississippiTravelled a lotHe recollects his childhood in his books第22页，共35页。The Innocents AbroadThe Gilded AgeThe Adventures of Tom SawyerThe Advedntures of Huckleberry Finn Tom likes danger, hes always able to avoid problems, Huck represents social conscience, hes sens

14、itive to everything around him第23页，共35页。NaturalismDerived from the word nature (interest in nature)It has its origin in France ZolaProple are influenced by environmental forces (outside us) and inner drives (inside us) peole can t control themThe main drives of characters: hunger, fear, sex, 第24页，共3

15、5页。Their writings are often cruel and tragic.Stephen CraneJack London (Tjhe Call of the Wild)Theodore Dreiser (An American Tragedy)Upton Sinclair (The Jungle)第25页，共35页。Lost GenerationA term applied for Am. Writers born around 1900, who fought in WWIThe term comes from Gertrude SteinMain features: de

16、scription of the loss of traditional values as the result of the war other social evils第26页，共35页。Ernest HemingwayFind some info. about him第27页，共35页。F. S. FitzgeraldConnected with Jazz Age in 20sWrote many stories about wealthy peopleThe Great Gatsby masterpiece(a rich man earns money by smuggling, h

17、e loves Daisy, but Daisy is marriedNick a narrator is is disgusted)American Dream第28页，共35页。Other 20th century writersThe Harlem Renaissance:Harlem (N.Y.) was a centre of itMotto: Let us return to Africa! (in a literary sense) We all have sth. in common第29页，共35页。Main representatives:Langston HughesCo

18、untee CullenRichard Wright第30页，共35页。The Great Depression= the end of American Modernist PeriodWilliam FaulknerJohn SteinbeckEugene ONeil (a playwright)Dealt with social and political issues第31页，共35页。Jewish WritersBig emigration of the Jews to the USWriters explore new themes of identity, psychological problemsThey are looking at their racial backgroundSaul BellowJ.D. Salinger (The catcher in the Rye)Berna