美国文学史文档

美国文学史;America’shistoryofliteraturebeganwiththeswarminginofimmigrantswithdifferentbackgroundandcultures.Afterthat,AmericanliteraturehadbeengreatlyinfluencedbytheEuropeancultureforalongperiod.ItwasnotuntilAmerica’sindependence,didAmericansrealizedthattheyneednationalliteraturestrongly,andAmericanliteraturebegantodeveloped.TheCivilWarwasawatershedinthehistory,afterwhichAmericanliteratureenteredaperiodoffullblooming.Romantics,whichemphasizedindividualismandintuitionandTnscendentalismrepresentedbyEmersoncameoutintobeing.ThiswasanexcitingperiodinthehistoryofAmericanliterature.Liketheflowersofspring,thereweresuddenlymanydifferentkindsofwritingatthesametime.TheyhavegivendepthandstrengthtoAmericanliterature,andacceleratedtheformingofHighRomantics.ButduetotheinfluenceofCivilWar,theAmericansocietywasinaturbulentsituation.Thewritingsaboutlocallife,criticalrealismandunveilingthedarksideofthesocietywereincreased.AfterTheFirstWorldWar,Americanswereatalosspostwar,andtheModernAmericanliteraturebegan.Mypieceofpaperiswritteninchronologicalorderastheseperiodsdevelopedinordertohaveaclearoutlineofitsprogress.;;Keywords:NationalLiterature,Romanism,Transcendentalism,LocalColor,Realism,Modernliterature;;内容摘要：从殖民地时期起，欧洲殖民者和清教徒翻开了美国史的第一页。这往后很长一段时期，美国一直都受到欧洲的很大影响。一直到美国独立后，美国人强烈地感觉到了民族文学的需要，美国的民族文学开始发展。南北战争是美国文学史上一个分水岭，战后美国文学进入了一个全盛时期，产生了强调个性主义和直觉的早期浪漫主义，和以爱默生为代表的超验主义文学。爱默生的时代是美国前所未有的文学变动时代，产生了一大批优秀的作家和作品。他们突出地给予了当时美国文学以深度和力量，也促进了罗曼主义高潮的来临。但是由于战争的影响，动荡不安，这时的作品更注重于揭示的阴暗面，同时美国的民族文学进一步发展，创作出许多带有本土色彩和批判现实主义的作品。一战后，美国人陷入战后的茫然，美国也开始进入了现代文学阶段。我的论文随着这些时代的发展以时间顺序展开，以便对于美国文学史的产生和发展纲要能有一个清晰的条理。;;本文关键词语：民族文学，浪漫主义，超验主义，本土色彩，现实主义，现代文学;;;;;;;;;;;;;Americanisamulti-nationalcountry.Justlikeabigcontainer,whichputinvariouskindsofelements.Differentcultures,thatcannotonlybeco-existedbutalsoformasharpcontrast,mixedtogether,ItmakesAmericanliteraturestylehasaflavorofdistinctandvariousaestheticfeeling.Manywriterscomefromlowerlevel,whichmakesAmericanliteraturehastherichflavoroflifeandlocalcolor.Furthermore,manynewstylesofliteratureintheworldareorientedinAmericasince20thcentury.TheprocessofAmericanliteraturecanbedividedintofollowingmainperiods:ColonyandPuritanliterature;earlynationalliterature;latternationalliteratureandModernliterature.America’shistoryofliteraturebeganwiththeswarminginofimmigrantswithdifferentbackgroundandcultures.Afterthat,AmericanliteraturehadbeengreatlyinfluencedbytheEuropeancultureforalongperiod.ItwasnotuntilAmerica’sindependence,didAmericansrealizethattheyneednationalliteraturestrongly,andAmericanliteraturebegantodevelop.TheCivilWarwasawatershedinthehistory,afterwhichAmericanliteratureenteredaperiodoffullblooming.Romantics,whichemphasizedindividualismandintuition，andTnscendentalismrepresentedbyEmersoncameoutintobeing.ThiswasanexcitingperiodinthehistoryofAmericanliterature.Liketheflowersofspring,thereweresuddenlymanydifferentkindsofwritingatthesametime.TheyhavegivendepthandstrengthtoAmericanliterature,andacceleratedtheformingofHighRomantics.ButduetotheinfluenceifCivilWar,theAmericansocietywasinaturbulentsituation.Thewritingsaboutlocallife,criticalrealismandunveilingthedarksideofthesocietywereincreased.AfterTheFirstWorldWar,Americanswereatalosspostwar,andtheModernAmericanliteraturebegan.;;;;1.ColonialandearlyAmericanliterature(1).TravelersandExplorersWhentheEuropeanexplorersfirstcametothisnewcontinent,thenativeIndianswhoprobablygotherefromAsiaaboutfifteenthousandyearsagowerestillinorigin,andtheyevenhadnowrittenlanguage,“Thetraditionalliteraturewasoriginallytransmittedalmostentirelybywordofmouth,andthereforebelongstothecategoryoforalliterature,〞(WuDingbo,1)Astimepast,moreandmoretravelersandexplorersswarmedin.Theywrotealotofdiaries、letters,andtravelaccountstodescribethenewlandassecondEden.NowandersomebodysaidthattheearliestAmericanliteraturewerethetravelaccountswrittenbyEuropeanadventurers.AmongthemostremainedwereCaptainJohnSmith’sTrueRelationofVirginia(1608),andDescriptionofNewEngland(1616).AlthoughmostoftheIndianhistorywaspreservedintalesandsongs,theyhadthoughtsaboutlifeandnature.Theylovedthenaturalworldaroundthemdeeply,andtheybelievedthatwhenapersonwasdead,hewouldgivebackwhathadborrowedwhilehewasalivetonature.ThiskindofphilosophyhadinfluencedlaterorevenmodernAmericanwriters.It’sinterestingthatwhenwelookattheliteratureofthePuritans,theTranscendentalists,theNaturalists,andeventheModerns,whenwereadAnneBradstreet,EmilyDickinson,StephenCrane,andErnestHemingway,wecanfindsimilarthemes.;(2)PilgrimsettlementsSeveralyearslater,anothergroupofsettlersalsoarrivedintheNewWorld.ThisgroupwaslookingfortheJamestownsettlement.However,becauseofbadnavigation,theylandedinMassachusetts.TheywerealsocomingtotheNewWorldwithdreamsofsuccess,buttheirgoalwasdifferentfromtheJamestownsettlement.TheywantedtostartanewworldgovernedbytheBible.TheywerecalledPuritansbecausetheywantedtoliveabetterlifebymakingthemselvespure.TheyfirstarrivedontheMayflowerandsettledinPlymouth.Thisisthegroupweareusuallythinkingaboutwhenwetalkaboutthe"firstAmericans."TheclearesthistoryoftheirjourneytotheNewWorldcanbefoundinHistoryofPlymouthPlantation(1608)writtenbyWilliamBradford,whowasalsooneoftheMayflowerpassengers.TheHistoryofPlymouthPlantationisaPuritanbookinthebestsense.“It’slooselyannalistic,butadirectandsimplestylegivescharm,asasincerefaithinPuritanismgivespurity,totheentirebook.〞(W.P.Trent,1997)ThePuritanshadseveralkindsofliterature.ByfarthemostcommonformisthewritingrelatedtoBiblicalteachings,orsermons,thatthechurchleaderswrote.ThePuritansbelievedthattheywereintheNewWorldbecauseGodhadbroughtthemthereforaspecialpurpose.TheythoughtthatbystudyingtheBibletheycouldlearnmoreaboutthiswayoflife.Sotheywereverystricttotheirlife,andtheydidn’tallowanykindofentertainmenteveninliterature.That’swayWuDingbosaidinhisbook“LiteratureoftheNewEnglandSettlementismainlyaliteraryexpressionofthePuritanidealism〞and“TheliteratureofthecolonialsettlementservedeitherGodorcolonialexpansionorboth.〞(WuDingbo,4)Anotherimportantformofwritingfromthisperiodisthehistories.Thesebooks,likeBradford'sHistoryofPlymouthPlantation,areimportantbecausetheytellusaboutlifeatthetimeofthePuritans.Peoplealsowrotemanypoems.ButalotofworkswerehiddenandlostbecausepeopleoftenconsideredpoetrytobeaninferiorformofwritingandnottotallyacceptabletoPuritanthinking.OneofthemostsignificantpoetsfromthisperiodwasAnneBradstreet(1612-1672).HerpoemsinTenthMuseLatelySprungUpInAmerica(1650)reflectedtheconconcernsofwomenwhocametosettleinthecolonies,andinallherpoems,however,sheshowsherstrongbeliefinGod.;2.18thcentury—theAgeofreason(1)TheAgeofreasonInthe18thcentury,peoplebelievedinman’sownnatureandthepowerofhumanreason.WithFranklinasitsspokesman,the18thcenturyAmericaexperiencedanageofreason.Wordshadneverbeensousefulandsoimportantinhumanhistory.Peoplewrotealotofpoliticalwritings.Numerouspamphletsandprintingswerepublished.TheseworksagitatedrevolutionarypeoplenotonlyinAmericabutalsoaroundtheworld.;AmongthemostrenownedwastheworkCommonSense(1776)ofThomasPaine(1737-1809).It’stheringingcallforthedecorationofliberty.HealsowroteCrisis(1774-1783)andTheAgeofReason(1794-1796),accordingtoWu,“Hethoughtthatreligionshouldbebasedonrational,reasonableground.〞(WuDingbo,12)ThepamphletshelpedcompletethedebatethatresultedinAmerica'sseparationfromEngland.AndofcourseforalltheAmericans,themostimportantdocumentfromthisperiodwasasinglesheetofpapercalledTheDeclarationofIndependence(1776),mainlywrittenbyThomasJeffersonandBenjaminFranklin.BenjaminFranklin(1706-1790),themostdistinguishedpersonandgiantinAmericanhistory,hewroteandworkedforAmericanindependencehardlyandhadmadesomanygreateffortstoAmericathathehasbeencalled"TheFirstAmerican."aworld-renownedscientist,diplomat,philosopher,andwriter.Heperfectedthesmooth,clear,shortsentencesofthePuritanplainstyle.HisAutobiographyencourageshardworkandemphasizestheimportanceofachievement.AnotherworkthatiswellknownisPoorRichard'sAlmanack,andmanyofthesentenceshavebecomepopularquotations.DuringthistimewritersthoughtthatthetruthshouldbereliedonBible,churchmen,authorities,orpracticeandexperience.;(2)EarlyNationalLiteratureDuringtheperiodofAmericanRevolutionWar,Americannationalliteraturecameintobeing.Sincebeforethewar,Americanpeoplehavealreadyhadtheawarenessofnationalindependence,sotheywrotemanypoliticalwritingsrevolutionarypoems.ThewarhelpedthefirstimportantAmericanprosewritersandpoetsgrowupbothculturallyandartistically.Furthermore,theindependenceofnationledtotheindependenceofnationalliterature.Fromthismomenton,Americanpeoplebegantounderstandofmeaningofbeingareal〞American“.;3.TheflourishingofAmericanliteraturein19thcenturyFromthe1820’stotheCivilWarbrokeout,Americanliteratureenteredaperiodoffullblooming.Writingsallcharacterizedbyadistinctnationalstyleandflavor.Atthesametime,theworldasawholewasexperiencingachangeinwaysofthinking:therewasamovefromclassicalideastoromanticones.Thischangewastakingplaceinallareasofculturearoundtheworld.ThiswasanexcitingperiodinthehistoryofAmericanliterature.Liketheflowersofspring,thereweresuddenlymanydifferentkindsofwritingatthesametime.Alltheworkshaveanoptimisticspirit.TheyrepresentedthevariousandquickdevelopmentofAmericannationalliterature.(1);EarlyRomanticsInearly19thcentury,WashingtonIrving(1783-1859),thepersonbornwiththenewnation,hisTheSketchBookcreatedanewstyleofAmericanliterature—shortnovel.JamesFenimoreCooper(1789-1851)His"Leather-Stocking"novelstoldusastoryabouthowthebraveimmigrantsfightwithsavageusingwhattheyhavelearntfromnature.AnotherfamouswriterofthistimewasWilliamCullenBryant(1794-1878),hewasregardedoneoftheearliestnaturalistpoetsinAmericanhistory.HisgreatestpoemThanatopsiswaspublishedintheNorthAmericanReviewin1817.Heappreciatesnormalbirdsandflowers,throughwhichappreciatedharmoniousrelationshipbetweenhumanandnature.TheRomanticsemphasizedindividualismandtheythoughtfeelingsandemotionsweremoreimportantthanreasonandcommonsense.(2)TheTranscendentalism;“TheNewEnglandTranscendentalismwasromanticidealismonpuritansoil〞(WuDingbo:28).Itstressedthepowerofintuitionplacedspiritfirst,andittooknatureassymbolicofspiritorGod.TherewerethreemainfeaturesofTranscendentalismwereUnitarianism,idealisticphilosophy,andorientalmysticism.;RalphWaldoEmerson(1803-1882),theleaderofAmericanTranscendentalism.“Hecaptainedagroupofenthusiastandformedatranscendentalclubwiththem.HealsohelpedtosetupandeditedthetranscendentalistjournalTheDial.〞Hehadwrittenmanyfamousessays.AmongthebestareNatureandTheAmericanScholar,whichhasbeencalled“America’sDeclarationofIntellectualIndependence〞.EmersonwroteinTheAmericanScholar(1837),amanmust"learntodetectandwatchthatgleamoflightwhichflashesacrosshismindfromwithin."Themainkeytothisinnerworldistheimagination.Man'simaginationleadstoexpression.Ourexpressionmakeseachofusauniquehuman.Romanticismbecamethewayofthinkingforthisgenerationofwriters.HenryDavidThoreauwasalsooneofthewritersofTranscendentalism,andhisfamousessaywasWalden,inwhichherevealedthehiddenspiritualpossibilitiesineveryone’slife,andtoconsideratethepursuitofmaterialthings.(3)HighRomanticsDuetothegreateffortmadebythosegeniusessuchasEmersonandThoreau,awild-rangednationalAmericanliteraturehadbeenlaidasolidfoundationbythemid-19thcentury.TherearefourimportantnamesinAmericanliteraturetorememberfromthisperiod:WashingtonIrving(1783-1859),WaltWhitman(1819-1892),JamesFennimoreCooper(1789-1851),andEdgarAllanPoe(1809-49).Irvingwilllongberememberedforhisbookofessaysandstories,TheSketchBookofGeoffreyCrayon(1819),whichhelpingthisnewnationstarteditsfirststepconfidently.CooperandWhitmandescribedthecharacterofthenation,whichcombinedthecourageandclevernessofexpansion,thegreatsenseofdestination,andtheoptimisticspirittogether.HawthorneandMelvilleexpressedthedarksideofAmericandreamthoughtheirprofoundandsymbolizedworks.WaltWhitman(1819-1892),fatheroffreeverse,“hethrewasidethetraditionalornamentsandprettinessofverse,andcreatedhisownform〞(WuDingbo,44).HisLeavesofGrass(1855),whichcontainssuchwell-knownpoemsasIHearAmericaSinging,andSongofMyself,wasregardedAmerica’sfirstgenuineepicpoem.Herejectedregularmeterandrhymeinfavorofflowingfreeverseandcelebratedpatrioticlove,raggedindividualism,democracyandequalityandstressedanalmostmysticalidentificationwithAmerica.NathanielHawthorne(1804-1864),duetohisfamilybackground,hisworksalwaysconcernedwithsin,morality,romance,andhadcomplexPuritanism.HismasterpiecewasthenovelTheScarletLetter,andhisTheHouseofSevenGableswasalsowellliked.Intheseworkshepresentedmaterialonthealienationbetweenfactsandfancy,byusingmanysymbolsandsettingtorevealthepsychologyofthecharacter.HermanMelvillewasHawthorne’sgoodfriend,alsoanimportantnovelist.Melville'sgreatestwork,MobyDick(1851)wasbasedonMelville'sadventuresonthewhalingships.Itisthedeep"tragediesofhumanthought"thatshowhiscriticalunderstandingofhumannature.TodayMelvilleisconsideredoneofAmerica'sgreatestwriterstoday.RomanismwasextremelyinfluencedinarisingAmericaasAmericahadalwayshadastrongspiritualtraditionandromanticismwasverycomfortablewithAmericanspiritualheritageanditsidealsofdemocracyandequality.Duringthisperiod,theAmericanliteraturewassochangeablethathasneverbeenbefore.NathanielHawthorne,HermanMelville,WaltWhitmanandEdgarAllanPoe,thesefourgreatwritershadgivendepthandstrengthtoAmericanliteratureatthattime.;4.LocalColorAndRealism:ANewFlavortoAmericanLiteratureAftertheCivilWar,theAmericansocietywasinaturbulentsituationthroughseveraleconomicalcrises.Thewritingsaboutcriticalrealismandunveilingthedarksideofthesocietywereincreased.Theyweremainlyfocusonbankruptincountries,difficultlifeorstruggleoflow-positionpeopleandsoon.ThusRomanismwasonthewanewithpassingdays,whileRealismroseandbecamemoreandmorepopular.;(1)LocalColorFictionandMarkTwainLocalColorFictionfirstappearedintheearly19thcentury,andithadfurtherdevelopingaftertheCivilWar.Thiskindofliteraturemainlydescribesthelocallife.Itskeynotewasoptimistic,andthelanguagewasnarrativeandhumorous.Forexample,theworkofBretHarte(1836-1902)toldusthelifeofAmericanwesternminers.MarkTwainwasthemainwriterofthisperiod.Hewrotefornearly50years,andhehadactuallywrittenmanydifferenttypesofstories.Nevertheless,TwainisrememberedmostforTheAdventuresofTomSawyer(1876),LifeontheMississippi(1884)andTheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn(1884).Thecharactershecreatedwerehumorousandfullofwittiness.;MarkTwain’sworkwasregardedthewitnessofAmerica’spurelocallife.AccordingtoCalkins,“FewAmericanwritershavewrittenthesameafterreadingTwain,forhehashelpedchangetheentirecountrywithhishumorandskillfulstorytelling.〞(CarrollC.Calkins,124).(2)RiseofRealism“Realismisthetheoryofwritinginwhichfamiliaraspectsofcontemporarylifeandeverydayscenesrepresentedinastraightforwardormatteroffactmanner“(WuDingo,59).Romanticwritersfocusedonthedevelopmentofplot,makethestoryasinterestingandattractiveaspossible,whilerealismwritersemphasizedthecharacterizationofcharacters,focusedonobjectivityratherthananidealisticviewofhumannatureandhumanexperience.WilliamDeanHowells(1837-1920)insistedthatRealismwasthetruthfultreatmentofmaterialmoralproblemsofsociety.AndinO.Henry(1862-1910)’sfictions,allhischaracterswerecommonpeopleandalwayshadanironicalandsurprisedending.;;TherewasanotherstyleofwritingdevelopedbyHenryJames(1843-1916),whowasawriterfocusedonthedescriptionofpsychologyandbehavior.HewrotesomecomplexandprofoundnovelssuchasTheWingsoftheDove,TheAmbassador,TheGoldenBowl,andcreatedpsychologicalrealism.Afterthemid-19thcentury,thekeynoteofromanticliteraturechangedformoptimistictodoubtful.Thesharpconflictofsocietyforcemorewriters’attentiontotheunveilingofdarksocialfactandself-questioning.Thoughtthewritersofthistimeunveiledthemisfortuneandsadnessorevendegeneratethingsinactuallife,theydidn’tjusttookofthedarksideoflifeastheirmaterial,mostofthemwerethereformistswiththehopeofhelpingtocreateabetternation.StephenCrane(1871-1900)showedmoreandmoreseriousproblemsinbigsitesinhisMaggie,AGirloftheStreets,andhismostfamousbookabouttheAmericanCivilWarcalledTheRedBadgeofCourage.Hethoughthisworkslikedamirrorreflectingalllife,heemphasizedtheaccidentalphysiologicalnatureofthecharactersratherthantheirmoralandrationalqualities.StephenCranehadformedanewstylecalledNaturalism,whichhadinfluencedmanyfollowingwriters.;5.;ModernAmericanLiteratureTheFirstWorldWarnotonlydamagedthepeople’slife,butalsoledtoaturbulentsituationoftheAmericansociety.Peopleofthistimewerenamed“TheLostGeneration〞,andthewritersandworkshadapessimisticanddisconsolatefeeling.(1);ModernpoetryEzraPound,T.S.EliotandE.ECummingsarethreepoetswhoopenedthewaytomodernpoetry.;EzraPoundstartedthe“Imagist〞movement,andhisTheLoveSong