英美诗歌解读

WilliamShakespeareI.BackgroundInformationWilliamShakespeare(1564-1616)wasthegreatestfigureofEnglishliterature.Inhislifetime,hewrote37plays,twolongnarrativepoemsVenusandAdonis(1593)andTheRapeofLucrece(1594)and154sonnets.Thoughhewasalwaystakenasthegreatestdramatistofhisday,hisgeniusforpoeticcreationwasalsoshinningbrightinhissonnets.Hissonnetsweremainlydedicatedto“W.H.”,ayoungman―maybehisfriendorpatron.Sonnets1-126mainlydiscusshisfriendshipwithahandsomeyoungmanandSonnets127-152areaboutamysterious“darklady”,whoisthoughttobethepoet’sidealwoman.Thelasttwosonnetshavenorelationshipwiththeothers.Themainthemeofhissonnetsisloveandfriendship.Sonnetisalyricpoemconsistingofasinglestanzaof14iambicpentameterlineslinkedbyanintricaterhymescheme.TherearetwomajorpatternsofrhymeinsonnetswritteninEnglish.TheItalianorPetrarchansonnet(namedafterthe14thcenturyItalianpoetPetrarch)comprisesanoctave(8lines)rhymingabbaabbaandasestet(6lines)rhymingcdecdeorcdccdc.Thetransitionfromoctavetosestetusuallycoincideswitha‘turn’intheargumentormoodofthepoem.TheEnglishorShakespeareansonnet(namedafteritsgreatestpractitioner)comprisesthreequatrainsandafinalcouplet,rhymingababcdcdefefgg.The‘turn’comeswiththefinalcouplet,whichmaysometimesachieveanepigram.Therewasonenotablevariant,theSpenseriansonnet,inwhichSpenserlinkedeachquatraintothenextbyacontinuingrhyme:ababbcbccdcdee.TherearethreefamoussonnetsequencesintheElizabethanAge----Spenser’sAmoretti,Shakespeare’ssonnetsandSidney’sAstrophelandStella.Sonnet18A.Pre-readingquestionsforclassroomdiscussionTakingthispoemasasample,carefullyexplainthestructure,turningpoint,conclusionandrhymeschemeofShakespeareansonnet.Whydoesthepoetcomparehislovetoasummer’sday?B.TeachingpointsexceptthatinthebookThispoemisShakespeare’smostfrequentlyquotedsonnet.Theme:Thepoetsingspraiseofhisfriend,andthinksthathispoetrywillbringeternitytotheoneheloves.ThepoemfollowsthetraditionalthemeforpoetryintheElizabethanperiod,thatis,poetrycanbringeternitytotheonehelovesandeulogizes.Fromthepoemwecanseethatthepoethasconfidenceinhispoetryandhethinksthathispoemswillbeeverlastinginhumanworld.Healsoshowsloveforandcelebrationofhisfriend,theyoungman.ItiswritteninShakespeareansonnetrhymingabab,cdcd,efef,ggC.QuestionsforstudyanddiscussionExplainthefunctionofvariationinmetricalpatternofthispoem,suchasthetrochee“ShallI”orthespondee“Roughwind”forstress.What’sthethemeofthepoem?Canyounamesomepoemswiththesameidea?Analyzethedevelopmentofthoughtinthissonnet.PartThreeJohnMiltonI.BackgroundInformationJohnMilton(1608-1674)isagreatrevolutionarypoetofthe17thcentury.HeisalsoanoutstandingpoliticalpamphleteeroftheRevolutionperiod.Hededicatedhimselftotherevolutionarycause.HemadeastronginfluenceonthelaterEnglishpoetry.EveryprogressiveEnglishpoetsinceMiltonhasdrawninspirationfromhim.Miltonisagreatstylist.Hispoetryhasagrandstyle.Thatisbecausehemadealife-longstudyofclassicalandBiblicalliterature.Hispoetryisnotedforsublimityofthoughtandmajestyofexpression.Miltonisalsodifficulttoread,becauseofhisinvolvedstylewithfrequentinversionsandverycomplicatedsentencestructure.Hissentencesareoftenlong.Yet,toexpresshissublimityofthought,hewroteinastylethatisunsurpassedinitssonority,eloquence,majestyandgrandeur―theMiltonicstyle.Miltonisagreatmasterofblankverse.Heisthegloriouspioneertointroduceblankverseintonondramaticpoetry.Hehasuseditasthemaintoolinhismasterpiece“ParadiseLost”.Hisblankverseisrichineverypoeticqualityandnevermonotonous.Blankverseistheversewritteninunrhymediambicpentameter.ItistheverseformusedinsomeofthegreatestEnglishpoetry,includingthatofWilliamShakespeareandJohnMilton.PartTwoWilliamBlakeI.BackgroundInformationWilliamBlake(1757-1827),“themostspiritualartist”,wasamajorprophetoftheRomanticMovementandoftherevoltagainstthemechanicaltyrannyofthecapitalistworld.HisachievementwasabreakthroughintotheRomanticMovement.Blakereceivedlittleformaleducation,buthewaskeptwellsuppliedwithbooksandprintsofgreatpaintings.HisfavoritestudieswereShakespeare,MiltonandChatterton.SomeobjectorsofBlakecalledhimmadman.Maybethiseccentricityhelpedtoshapehimintoapoet.Blakewasoneoftherevolutionarythinkersofthattime.HissupportoftheFrenchRevolution(1789)waslife-long.BlakewascalledaforerunneroftheRomanticMovement.ThegreatnessofBlakeliesinhismastery,inartandverse,ofanextremeandmovingsimplicity.WilliamWordsworththuscommentedonBlake:“ThereissomethinginthemadnessofthismanwhichinterestsmemorethanthesanityofLordByronorWalterScott.”Blake’slyricpoetrydisplaysthecharacteristicsoftheromanticspirit.What’smore,Blake’srevolutionarypassionwasverymuchsimilartothatofShelley,esp.inimageryandsymbolism.Pre-romanticism:ageneraltermappliedbymodernliteraryhistorianstoanumberofdevelopmentsinlate18thcenturyculturethatarethoughttohavepreparedthegroundofRomanticisminitsfullsense.Invariousways,thesearealldeparturesfromtheorderlyframeworkofneoclassicismanditsauthorizedgenres.TheTygerA.Pre-readingquestionsforclassroomdiscussion1.Identifytherhymeschemeofthispoem?2.Whatdoesthetigerrepresentinthispoem?B.TeachingpointsexceptthatinthebookThisischosenfromSongsofExperience.Thispoemiswrittenin6quatrainsinrhymingcoupletsTyger:tiger.HereitrepresentsthegreatpoweroftherevolutionarypeopleinEnglandburningbright:指老虎眼睛在黑暗中发出炽烈光thefearfulsymmetry:可怕匀称deeps:seashe:God,指造物者aspire:risehighseizethefire:seizethefire(ofthineeyes)shoulder:指肩膀力量art:skillstwistthesinewsofthyheart:拧制你心脏筋肉。Sinews:筋，腱dread:dreadfulthehammer,thechain,furnace,anvil:articlesrelatedtoworkwithiron.Inthisstanza,theimageofblacksmithisusedtosymbolizethecreatoroftiger.grasp:armsspears:tearstheLamb:JesustheChristC.Questionsforstudyanddiscussion1.What’sBlake’sattitudetowardreligioninthispoem?2.What’sthemainideaofthepoem?PartOneWilliamWordsworthI.BackgroundInformationWilliamWordsworth(1770-1850)istherepresentativeofthePassiveRomanticpoets,whoexpressedthedeepestaspirationsofEnglishRomanticism.Hesawnatureandmanwithneweyes.Hiswholeworkisanattempttocommunicatethatnewvision.Hispoetryisdistinguishedbythesimplicityandpurityofhislanguage.Itwashistheorythatthelanguagespokenbythepeasantswhenpurifiedfromitsdefectswasthebestofall.ThepoeticidealsannouncedbyWordsworthandColeridgeprovidedamajorinspirationforthebrilliantyoungwriterwhomadeupthesecondgenerationofEnglishRomanticpoets.Romanticism:amovementthatflourishedinliterature,philosophy,musicandartinWesterncultureduringmostofthe19thcentury,beginningasarevoteagainstclassicism.TherehavebeenmanyvarietiesofRomanticisminmanydifferenttimesandplaces.ManyoftheideasofEnglishRomanticismwerefirstexpressedbyWilliamWordsworthandSamuelTalorColeridge.ItprevailedinEnglandduringtheperiod1798-1832.Romanticistsexpressedtheideologyandsentimentofthoseclassesandsocialstratathatwerediscontentwithandopposedtothedevelopmentofcapitalism.Theysplitintotwogroupsbecauseofthedifferentattitudestowardthecapitalistsociety.ThePassiveRomanticpoetsortheLakepoetsarerepresentedbyWordsworth,ColeridgeandSouthey.TheActiveorRevolutionaryRomanticpoetsarerepresentedbyByron,ShelleyandKeats.II.SelectedpoemTheSolitaryReaperA.Pre-readingquestionsforclassroomdiscussion1.What’sthemainideaofthepoem?2.Identifytherhymeschemeofthepoem?B.TeachingpointsexceptthatinthebookThispoemisoneoftherarepoemsnotbasedonWordsworth’sownexperience.WordsworthtellsthatitwassuggestedbyapassageinThomasWilkinson’sTourofScotland(1824),whichhehadseeninMS:“Passedbyafemalewhowasreapingalone,shesanginErse(theGaeliclanguageofScotland)asshebendedoverhersickle,thesweetesthumanvoiceIeverheard.Herstrainsweretenderlymelancholy,andfeltdeliciouslongaftertheywereheardnomore.”Theme:Thepoetsingspraiseoftheordinarypeopleworkinginnature.TherhymeschemeofthestanzasisababccddYon:yonder那边，远处Highland:苏格兰高地strain:melodychaunt:chant/singwelcomenotes:pleasantmusicorsongswearybandsoftravelers:tiredcompaniesoftravelingmerchantsArabiansands:Arabiandesertne’er:neverHebrides:赫布里底群岛，在苏格兰西北方大西洋中Willnoonetellmewhatshesings:thepoetcan’tunderstandhersong,sinceshesingsinErse(alanguageintheHighlands)theplaintivenumbers:sadsongs.Numbers:songs.lay:littlelyricforsingingwhate’er:whatevero’erthesicklebending:bendingoverthesickleC.QuestionsforstudyanddiscussionWhydoesthespeakersay“Willnoonetellmewhatshesings?”Whatwasthemostvividimpressionofthereaperthatthespeakercarriedawaywithhim?IWanderedLonelyasaCloudA.Pre-readingquestionsforclassroomdiscussion1.Doyoulikethispoem?Why?B.TeachingpointsexceptthatinthebookTheme:thepoetsingspraiseofthebeautyofnatureinthepoemThispoemiswrittenin46-linedstanzasofiambictetrameterrhymingababcc.Iwanderedlonelyasacloud:“wander”,“lonely”,“acloud”areallwordstodescribethelonelinessofthespeaker.Wander:walkaimlesslyonhigh:inthesky,veryhigho’ervales:overvalleysallatonce:suddenlyacrowd:alargegroupahost,of:agreatnumberofbeneaththetrees:undersometreesflutteringanddancing:tossingtheheadandshakingthebodyinthebreeze:inthegentlewindContinuousasthestarsthatshine/Andtwinkleonthemilkyway:指湖边水仙花数不胜数，如同银河系闪烁繁星，连绵不停。这个意象扩大了想象视野空间，把人从地上带到天上。Continuous:countless,onebyone.TheMilkyWayisabroadbeltoffaintlight,consistingofcountlessstarsshininglikeariveracrosstheskyatnight.HerethelongbeltofdaffodilsarejustliketheMilkyWay.never-ending:endlessthemarginofabay:theedgeofalakeTenthousandsawIataglance:Isawtenthousand(ofdaffodils)ataglancesprightly:lively,joyfulThewavesbesidethemdanced:Thewaves(inthelake)besidethemroseandfellbutthey/Outdidthesparklingwavesinglee:buttheydancedmorebeautifullythantheshiningwaveingreatjoy.Sparkling:shining.Glee:cheer,delightApoetcouldnotbutbegay;/Insuchajocundcompany:Apoetcouldonlybehappywithsuchajoyfulcompanionlittlethought:thoughtlittleWhatwealththeshowtomehadbrought:whatwealththeshowhadbroughttome.wealth:value,benefit.Show:beautifulsceneoft:oftenwhenonmycouchIlie:whenIlieonmycouchinvacantorinpensivemood:inunthinkingorseriouslythoughtfulmood.心境茫然或心事重重Theyflashuponthatinwardeye:thegoldenflowerssuddenlyappearinmymindWhichistheblissofsolitude:whichisthegreatjoywhenIamalonemyheartwithpleasurefills:myheartfillswithpleasureThispoemshowsWordsworth’spoeticideathat“poetryshouldtakeitsoriginfromemotionrecollectedintranquility”.C.和陶渊明自然诗对比从平淡无奇事物中悟出不平凡哲理，升华为诗，这正是华兹华斯特色和他诗论中一条主要原理。于平凡中见真趣，也是陶渊明诗歌格调。但相同基调之下，他们诗作也张扬了不一样个性。这主要是由二者不一样文化背景及个人经历造成。华兹华斯所处时代是浪漫主义鼎盛时期。浪漫主义诗人十分推崇想象力，他们所歌颂大自然是永恒美表现者。华兹华斯诗中物我是分离，情即是情，景即是景。描写完自然景物之后，华兹华斯总是回到自我意识当中，大自然只是他表示心情借体，主位在诗人心中。“现有这快活旅伴相依，诗人们怎能不心花怒放。”“我灵魂于是又注满了欢欣，伴水仙同乐舞步飞扬。”（《咏水仙》）漂亮自然景物加上诗人想象翅膀展现了诗人不一样心境，赋予了华兹华斯作品一定个人主义和理想主义色彩。这与当初西方以人为主人本主义思想盛行是分不开。他靠着政府长久津贴和遗产，舒适地生活在风光明媚湖区。行吟湖畔、陶醉于自然风光华兹华斯像高空翱翔鸟儿，居高临下，俯视着大地，从中寻觅自己需要东西。他以旁观者身份，表示对农人穷苦生活同情，从未真正融入到他生活环境当中。而陶渊明则不一样。在陶渊明田园诗中诗人意趣与自然意象达成混化无迹，与自然展现出水乳交融般友好。陶渊明田园诗是中国儒、道、佛哲学培育结果。儒家重理节情，道家提倡与天地精神往来超脱，而佛教以超脱人世为最高境界。如此文化底蕴造就了诗人人、道、自然合一人格思想。在陶渊明眼中，自然即是诗。其物我混化至高境界在《饮酒二十首（其五）》中得到了很好表示：采菊东篱下，悠然见南山。山气日夕佳，飞鸟相与还。此中有真意，欲辩已忘言。农业生活亲身经历，赋予陶渊明田园诗强烈现实主义精神。他以写实手法，于自然中见自然，把自己于自然中得到乐趣融入其中，真正达成了天人合一，情景交融理想状态。陶渊明诗散发着浓郁乡土气息，写得清新而自然。如这首：种豆南山下，草盛豆苗稀。晨兴理荒秽，戴月荷锄归。路狭草木长，夕露沾我衣。衣湿不足惜，但使愿无违。SheDweltAmongtheUntroddenWaysA.TeachingpointsexceptthatinthebookItisoneofthe“Lucypoems”writtenin1799.Dove:ariverintheEnglishMidlandsceasedtobe:diedTherepetitionoflongvowelsstressthesorrowfulfeelingofthespeakerB.AnotherTranslation伊居荒径侧，鸠川清水旁，赏识固无人，奚问有情郎？兰葩苔石畔，半露还半藏。晶莹若孤星，闪闪碧空上。伊生无人识，伊殁何谁知？伊今冢中卧，独我长唏嘘！C.Questionsforstudyanddiscussion1.WhatdothecomparisonsinthesecondstanzasuggestaboutLucy?2.What’sthemainideaofthispoem?PartTwoPercyByssheShelleyI.BackgroundInformationPercyByssheShelley(1792-1822)isacontradictoryandchallengingfigure.HiswritingisatoncethemostpassionateandintenseofalltheRomanticpoets,andyetthemostintellectual,thefullestofphilosophicalspeculationandtechnicalexperiment.Hemadebrilliantinnovationsandexperimentsinpoeticlanguage,andhewroteamagnificentessayonthemeaningandimportanceofpoetryTheDefenceofPoetry`(1821).YetitispreciselyShelley’sstylisticexperimentsandhisferventambitiontopushlanguageintotherealmoftheinexpressiblethatmakehimattimesforbiddinglydifficult.Shelleylovedthepeopleandhatedtheiroppressorsandexploiters.Hecalledonthepeopletooverthrowtheruleoftyrannyandinjusticeandprophesiedahappyandfreelifeformankind.Hestoodforhissocialandpoliticalidealallhislife.HeandByronarejustifiablyregardedasthetwogreatpoetsofrevolutionaryromanticisminEngland.Ode:acomplexlyricpoemofsomelength,dealingwithanoblethemeinadignifiedmannerandoriginallyintendedtobesung.Odesareoftenwrittenforaspecialoccasion,tohonorapersonoraseasonortocommemorateanevent.TerzaRima:itisanItalianverseformconsistingofaseriesofthree-linestanzasinwhichthemiddlelineofeachstanzarhymeswiththefirstandthirdlinesofthefollowingstanzaasfollowsababcbcdcetc.Shelley’s“OdetotheWestWind”ispartlywritteninterzarima.II.SelectedpoemOdetotheWestWindA.Pre-readingquestionsforclassroomdiscussionWhatdoestheWestWindsymbolize?What’sthemainideaofeachpart?B.TeachingpointsThispoemwasoneofPercyByssheShelley’sgreatlyrics,writteninItalyin1819.Shelleyexpressedhispoliticalideasthroughthewestwind.ItisthesymbolofShelley’sspirit.Thislyriciswritteninacomplicatedfusionofthesonnetandterzarimawithinterlockingrhymescheme(ababcbcdcded)of43-linegroupsandacouplet(ee).Thefirstpartmainlydescribesthepowerandfunctionofthewestwindonland.Being‘thebreathofAutumnbeing’whichdestroysinautumninordertosurviveinspring,itplaysbothas‘DestroyerandPreserver.Being‘Destroyer’,itdestroystheoldthingsrepresentedbythedeadleaves;being‘Preserver’,itpreservesallthenewthingsrepresentedbytheseeds.wildWestWind:alliterationthoubreathofAutumn’sbeing:thou(are)breathofAutumn’sbeing(Metaphor).Autumn:Personification.Being:life,existencefromwhoseunseenpresencetheleavesdead/Aredriven:fromwhoseunseenpresencethedeadleavesaredriven.Whose:your.Presence:existence.Thismeansthewestwindcannotbeseenbutcanbefelt.likeghostsfromanenchanterfleeing:likeghostsfleeingfromanenchanter(Simile).Inthefirststanza,thepoetusesfourfiguresofspeech―alliteration,metaphor,personificationandsimiletodescribethepoweroftheWestWindhecticred:feverishredPestilence-strickenmultitudes:agreatnumberofleavesattackedbyfataldiseaseOthou,/Whochariotesttotheirdarkwintrybed/Thewingedseeds:youcarrythewingedseedsinyourchariottotheirdarkwintrybed.chariotest:(Archaicusage)Chariot.Bed:earththineazuresisteroftheSpring:theWestWindinspringwhichwillbringblueskytoItalyclarion:hornDrivingsweetbudslikeflockstofeedinair:sweetbudsgetnourishmentintheair.HeretheWestWindiscomparedtotheshepherdandfill/…/Withlivinghuesandodoursplainandhill:andfill…plainandhillwithlivinghuesandodours.livinghuesandodours:freshcolorandsweetsmellsart:areDestroyerandpreserver:youarebothadestroyertodestroyoldthingsandapreservertopreservethenewthingsindicatinglifeandhopeThouonwhosestream,midthesteepsky’scommotion,/Loosecloudslikeearth’sdecayingleavesareshed:Loosecloudsareshedlikeearth’sdecayingleaves,onwhosestream,midthesteepsky’scommotion.Thou:looseclouds.Whosestream:aircurrentbroughtbytheWestWind.Mid:amid.Steep:high.Commotion:thechangingstate.Shed:scatteredshook:shakenAngelsofrainandlightning:LoosecloudsareAngelsthatcanbringrainandlightningaery:airymænad:希腊神话中狂女，酒神女祭司even:justzenith’sheight:天顶，最高点thelocksoftheapproachingstormreferstothelooseclouds.Approaching:comingThoudirge/Ofthedyingyear:Thou(are)dirgeofthedyingyear.Thou:theWestWind.Dirge:funeralsong.Thewestwindinautumnpredictstheendoftheyear.Herethedyingyearsymbolizesallthetraditional,oldthingsthedomeofavastsepulcher:theceilingofabigtombthycongregatedmight:yourgatheredpowersolidatmosphere:浓密大气Thou：theWestWindhis:Mediterranean’scoil:noiseofthetidePumiceIsle:意大利那不勒斯附近浮石岛。pumice:多孔火山石Baiæ’sBay:古希腊名胜，意大利那不勒斯西端day:daylightsosweet,thesensefaintspicturingthem:sosweetthatthesensefaintsindescribingthemtheAtlantic’slevelpowers:大西洋海面上横流有力波浪。Powers:waveswithpowerCleavethemselvesintochasms:把自己劈成巨大沟壑theoozywoods:沾满软泥海底森林despoil:strip(themselves)of(theirleaves)thoumightestbear:youmightcarry(hereandthere)be/thecomradeofthywanderingsoverHeaven:runwiththewindintheskyasthen:atthattimetooutstripthyskieyspeed:togofasterthanyourflyingspeedintheskyvision:dreamAsthus:inthiswaywiththeeinprayerinmysoreneed:prayingwithyouinmygreatneedthethornsoflife:troubleorhardshipoflifeAheavyweightofhours:aheavyburdenoftimeOnetoolikethee:herethepoetcompareshimselftotheWestWind.One:thepoethimself.Thee:theWestWindevenastheforestis:justastheforestis(thylyre)myleaves:thepessimisticideasofthepoet,mydeadthoughtslikeitsown:liketheforest’sown(leaves)thymightyharmonies:yourpowerfulmusic(soundoftheWestWind)both:thepoetandtheforestimpetuous:courageous,braveincantation:咒语asfromanunextinguishedhearth/Ashesandsparks:asashesandsparksfromandunextinguishedhearthThetrumpetofaprophecy:预言号角C.Appreciationofthepoem“OdetotheWestWind”isShelley’sbestknownpoem.Shelley’sWestWindisasymbolofspirit.Itisdividedintofivestanzas.Shelleyaddressesthewestwindasaforcethatisbothdestructiveandcreative.Thefirststanzavividlydescribesthewind’sactivityontheautumnleavesontheearth.Thesecondstanzadescribesthewind’sactivityonthecloudsinthesky.Thethirdstanzadescribesthewestwind’sactivityonthewavesinthesea.Inthefourthstanza,Shelleylongstoidentifyhimselfwiththeobjectsofthewind’spower.Inthe5thstanza,thepoetdiscovershistruerelationshiptothewestwind.Heshowshisactiveandoptimisticspiritinthispart.Formexpresscontent.Thetumblingeffectoftheinterlockingrhymeschemeandrun-onlinescreateasenseoftheturbulent,swirlingactivityofthewindasitdrivesandtossestheleaves,clouds,andwaves.WhatcanbetterexpressthegreatpoweroftheWestWindthanthis?“IfWintercomes,canSpringbefarbehind?”canbestexpressShelley’soptimisticbeliefinthefutureinfaceofthecoldsocialreality.Thislinehasbecomeafamoussayingandbeenquotedformanytimes.革命乐观主义者口号D.QuestionsforstudyanddiscussionInwhatwayistheWestWindbothadestroyerandapreserver?What’stherelationshipbetweentheWestWindandthepoet?？？ASongA.TeachingpointsexceptthatinthebookItisaminorpoemofShelleyignoredbymostreadersandcritics.awidowbird:afemalebirdwithoutcompanionmourn:悼念wintrybough:boughinthewinter.Awintryboughusuallyhasnoleaves.Herebothabirdwithoutcompanionandaboughwithoutleavesshowawoefulstatefrozenwind:thewindwasfrozen.Itisverycoldfreezingstream:streamisbecomingfrozen.below:incomparisonwith“above”inthethirdline.From“above”to“below”areallimagesofcoldnesstheforestbare:thebareforestNofloweruponherground:thereisnoflowerintheforestInthesecondstanza,themournfulsceneisdisplayedbothfromthevisualandacousticangles.C.QuestionsforstudyanddiscussionAppreciatetheChineseversionofthepoembyProf.LiZhengshuan.PartThreeAssignmentsI.Recite“SheWalksinBeauty”II.Questionsforpreview1.Whatstylistictechniqueshavebeenusedin“OdetotheNightingale”?2.What’sthecentralimageinthispoem?AmericanPoetryWaltWhitmanandEmilybelongedtoatypeofAmericanRomanticists.ShapinganAmericanpoetryoutofthenativeelementsoftheNewWorld,WhitmanandDickinsonwerethetwomajorAmericanpoetsofthenineteenthcentury.WhitmantriedtowritepoetrydescribingthenativeAmericanexperience,andDickinsonwroteaboutthelifeofhertimeinhercompletelyoriginalway.PartOneWaltWhitmanI.BackgroundInformationWaltWhitman(1819-1892)holdsauniquepositioninthehistoryofAmericanliterature.Withhisbeliefthat“therhymeanduniformityofperfectpoemsshowthefreegrowthofmetricallawsandbudfromthemasunerringlyandlooselyaslilacsorrosesonabush,”Whitmandevelopedapoeticstyleoforiginality,whichwasdevoidofconventionalrhymeandmeter.Thegreatmajorityofhispoems,withtheexceptionofonlyafewpoemslike“OCaptain!MyCaptain!”,employtheline,insteadoftheconventionalfoot,asthestylisticunit,anddependonparallelismandotherreiterativedevicesforitsstructureandcadence,resemblingthetechniqueofHebrewpoetry.Whateverthesourcesandthemodelwere,Whitmancapturedarhythmthatisexceedinglyeffectiveinexpressinghimself,butnoteasilyimitated.NotonlytheformofWhitman’sfreeversebutalsohisthoughtofdemocracyhavebeeninfluentialinworldliterature,andremaintheinspiringsourcesof20th-centuryliterature.FreeVerseispoetrythathasnofixedrhythmandlinelengthandthatattemptstoavoidanypredeterminedversestructure;instead,itusesthecadencesofnaturalspeech.Whitman’spoetryisanexampleoffreeverseatitsmostimpressive.AlthoughfreeversehadbeenusedbeforeWhitman―notablyinItalianoperaandintheKingJamestranslationoftheBible―itwasWhitmanwhopioneeredtheformandmadeitacceptableinAmericanpoetry.IthassincebeenusedbyEzraPound,T.S.Eliot,WilliamCarlosWilliams,WallaceStevens,andothermajorAmericanpoetsofthetwentiethcentury.PartTwoEmilyDickinsonI.BackgroundInformationEmilyDickinson(1830-1886)wasashyNewEnglandrecluseduringherlifetime,whowroteprolificallyinverseandletter,butpublishedonlyafew.However,afterherdeath,shehascometoberegardedasachiefpoet,asgreatasWhitman,intheturbulentAmericaofthelate19thcentury.Withherbeliefthatthetrulygreatpoet“distillsamazingsensefromordinarymeanings,”shemadeeffortstodiscoverwhatshevaluedinthecommonlifearoundherandtransmutedintoherpoemssharplyoriginalperceptionsandmeditationsinspiredbythenarrowworldofherhouseandgarden,theseasonsoftheyears,afewbooks,andherlimitedcommunicationwithacoupleoffriends.ThephenomenalsuccessofherpoetryhasgainedforherthepositionasonethegreatestAmericanpoets.Emilyseemstobewhollyoriginal,takingthestuffofherpoetrymerelyfromherpersonalexperiencesinordertoexpresswhatshefeltaboutlove,nature,friendship,death,andimmortalityanddevelopingherownpoeticformwithmanypeculiarfeatures.Inadditiontosuchcharacteristicsastheabundantuseofdashes,andirregularandoftenidiosyncraticpunctuationandcapitalization,hermodeofexpressionischaracterizedbyclear-cutanddelicatelyoriginalimagery,precisediction,andfragmentaryandenigmaticmetricalpattern.Thesevariationsofherpoetrywereusedsystematicallyandeffectivelyforrhetoricalemphasisormusicalpointing.Dickinson’spoetryisremarkableforitsuncommonvariety,originalsubtletyDickinson’spoetrypossessestheappealthatmovesthe20th-centuryreadersandexertedagreatimpactupontheso-called“newpoetry”oftheearly20thcentury.PartTwoRobertFrostI.BackgroundInformationRobertFrost(1874-1963)isthebest-knownandmostreadilywelcomeoftheNewEnglandpoets.AlongwithEzraPound,T.S.Eliot,andWallaceStevens,FrostisnowfirmlyregardedasoneoftheundisputedmastersofmodernAmericanpoetry.Frost’sprimarycontributiontopoetictechniqueishistheoryofthe“soundsofsense’or“sentencesound”.Alliedtothisishisclaimthat“theobjectinwritingpoetryistomakeallpoemssoundasdifferentaspossiblefromeachother”throughtheresourcesof“vowelsconsonants,punctuation,syntax,words,sentences,”reinforcedbytheall-importantadditionofmeaning.Poetry,hebelieved,wasaboveallmetaphor.Frost’smainaccompanyingthemeisthedesiretounderstandhumanity’srelationshiptothecosmosortothesourceofultimatevalues.II.SelectedpoemsTheRoadNotTakenA.Pre-readingquestionsforclassroomdiscussion1.What’stherhymeschemeofthestanza?2.Whatdoes“roads”implyinthepoem?B.TeachingpointsThispoemiswrittenin1915,publishedin1916.诗人描述了一个行人面对两条岔路思索及选择，其实人生道路何尝不是如此。弗罗斯特诗歌简单平易，但蕴含丰富人生哲理。Thispoemiswrittenin4quatrainsofiambictetrameterrhymingabaabroads:implyingthechoicesinhumanlifeThentooktheother,asjustasfair:ThenItooktheotherroad,whichisbothproperandfair.havingperhapsthebetterclaim:可能有着愈加好理由wantedwear:wasnotquitewornthepassingthere:作that同位语nostephadtroddenblack:没被踩踏过hence:从此C.QuestionsforstudyanddiscussionDoesthespeakerthinkthatheha