英美文学作品赏析

英美文学赏析EnglishLiterature“TheWifeofBath”fromTheCanterburyTales“Sonnet18”ExcerptfromRomeoandJuliet“Song”“LettertoLordChesterfield”“IWanderedLonelyasaCloud”AdiscussionofJaneEyreExcerptfromMrs.DallowayAmericanLiterature“RipVanWinkle”“TheTell-taleHeart”“BecauseICouldnotStopforDeath”“Iheardaflybuzz”ExcerptfromTheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn20thcenturypoems“ACleanWell-lightedPlace”Lecture1

GeoffreyChaucerandhisTheCanterburyTalesGeoffreyChaucer(1340-1400)MessengerofHumanismThefirstrealisticwriterFatherofEnglishpoetryMasteroftheEnglishlanguageTheCanterburyTalesTheCanterburyTalesTheCanterburyTaleswaswrittenintheyearsbetween1387and1400.Ithasageneralprologueandtwentyfourtalesthatareconnectedby“links”.TheCanterburyTalesItgivesacomprehensivepictureofChaucer’stime.(Thereare29pilgrimsandtheyarefromallwalksoflife.)ItpopularizestheliteraryuseofthevernacularEnglish.TheWifeofBathOneoftwofemalestorytellers(theotheristhePrioress),theWifehasalotofexperienceunderherbelt.Shehastraveledallovertheworldonpilgrimages,soCanterburyisajourneyforpleasureorenjoymentcomparedtootherdangerousjourneysshehasendured.BathBackLecture2WilliamShakespeare

TheRenaissance

Renaissance:TogetherwiththedevelopmentofbourgeoisrelationshipsandformationoftheEnglishnationalstate,the16thcenturyismarkedbyaflourishingofnationalcultureknownastheRenaissance.ThetermRenaissanceoriginallyindicatedarevivalofclassical(GreekandRoman)artsandsciencesafterthedarkagesofmedievalobscurantism.

TheRenaissanceThestudyandpropagationofclassicallearningandartwascarriedonbytheprogressivethinkersofthehumanists.Theyheldtheirchiefinterestnotinecclesiastical(教会的)knowledge,butinman,hisenvironmentanddoingsandbravelyfoughtfortheemancipationofmanfromthetyrannyofthechurchandreligiousdogmas.WilliamShakespeare(1564-1616)Hewasnotofanage,butforalltime!thegreatestofallEnglishauthorsAlandmarkinthehistoryofworldcultureWilliamShakespeareSonnet:A

sonnet

isafourteen-linelyricpoem,traditionallywritteniniambicpentameter—thatis,inlinestensyllableslong,withaccentsfallingoneverysecondsyllable.TheShakespeareansonnetisdividedintofourparts.Thefirstthreepartsareeachfourlineslong,andareknownasquatrains,rhymedABAB;thefourthpartiscalledthecouplet,andisrhymedCC.TheShakespeareansonnetisoftenusedtodevelopasequenceofmetaphorsorideas,oneineachquatrain,whilethecoupletofferseitherasummaryoranewtakeontheprecedingimagesorideas.WilliamShakespeareShakespearewrote154sonnets.Thefirstgroup(1-126):toMr.W.H.Thesecondgroup(127-152):toaDarkLadyiambicpentametermeter:thebasicrhythmicstructureofaverseorlinesinversethepatternofsyllablesinalineofpoetry

arhythmofaccentedandunaccentedsyllablesarrangedintofeet.iambic:抑扬格(轻读音节与重读音节交替出现）pentameter:五音步(fivefeet）syllable:音节，通常包含一个元音和若干辅音vowel:元音consonant:辅音

iambicpentameterExample：

1.ifyouwouldputthekeyinsidethelockifYOU|wouldPUT|theKEY|inSIDE|theLOCK2.ShallIcomparetheetoasummer’sday?Thouartmorelovelyandmoretemperate.

ShallI/comPARE/theeTO/aSUM/mer’sDAY?

ThouART/moreLOVE/lyAND/moreTEM/perATESonnet18Inthesonnet,thespeakercompareshisbelovedtothesummerseason,andarguesthathisbelovedisbetter.Healsostatesthathisbelovedwillliveonforeverthroughthewordsofthepoem.RomeoandJulietLecture3JohnDonneJohnDonne(1572-1631)anEnglishpoet,satirist,lawyeranda

cleric

intheChurchofEngland.Heisconsideredthepre-eminentrepresentativeofthe

metaphysicalpoets.JohnDonneHispoetryisnotedforitsvibrancyoflanguageandinventivenessofmetaphor,especiallycomparedtothatofhiscontemporaries.Donne'sstyleischaracterizedbyabruptopeningsandvariousparadoxes,ironiesanddislocations.Metaphysicalpoets(玄学派）

aloosegroupof

British

lyricpoets

ofthe17thcentury,whoseworkwascharacterizedbytheinventiveuseof

conceits,andbyspeculationabouttopicssuchasloveorreligion.Conceits（奇喻）—far-fetchedorunusualsimilesormetaphors“themostheterogeneousideasareyokedbyviolencetogether”Example:TheFleaLecture4SamuelJohnsonSamuelJohnson(1709-1784)anEnglishwriterwhomadelastingcontributionsto

Englishliterature

asapoet,essayist,moralist,literarycritic,biographer,editorand

lexicographerDr.Johnson’sDictionaryAfternineyearsofwork,Johnson's

ADictionaryoftheEnglishLanguage

waspublishedin1755.Ithadafar-reachingeffecton

ModernEnglishandhasbeendescribedas"oneofthegreatestsingleachievementsofscholarship."ThisworkbroughtJohnsonpopularityandsuccess;untilthecompletionofthe

OxfordEnglishDictionary

150yearslater,Johnson'swasviewedasthepre-eminentBritishdictionary.Dr.Johnson’sDictionaryAnimportantinnovationinEnglishlexicographywastoillustratethemeaningsofhiswordsbyliteraryquotation,ofwhichtherearearound114,000.TheauthorsmostfrequentlycitedincludeShakespeare,MiltonandDryden.Lecture5WilliamWordsworthRomanticismEnglishromanticism:1798-1832AreactionagainsttheageofEnlightenmentFeatures:1.Poetryisthespontaneousoverflowofpowerfulfeelingsthatexpressesthepoet’smind.2.anemphasisonspontaneity3.astronglovefortheremote,theunusual,thestrange,thesupernatural,themysterious,thesplendid,thepicturesque,andtheillogical4.worshipofnature5.Romanticpoetstaketousingeverydaylanguagespokenbytherusticpeople.WilliamWordsworth(1770-1850)Amajorromanticpoet

Britain's

PoetLaureate

from1843untilhisdeathin1850Lecture6ADiscussionofJaneEyreJaneEyreTheVictorianAgeColonialismThe“scientific”studyofraceandgendereg.Thefacialangleconclusion:1.racewasacrucialdeterminantofphysical,intellectual,andmoralcharacter,andthatwhiteEuropeanswereofthesuperiorrace.2.ThefemaleEuropeanskullresemblesmuchmoretheNegroskullthanthatoftheEuropeanmale.Intheevolutionarydevelopmentoftherace,womenhadlaggedbehindmen,muchas“primitivepeople’laggedbehindEuropeans.RaceasmetaphorItwouldseemlogicaltolookforaninterestinraceinthefictionofsomeofthewomennovelistsofnineteenth-centuryEnglandwhomanifestthemostovertdiscontentwiththeconstraintsofgender.BerthaMason,aCreoleIsshewhiteorblack?BerthaMason:anindictmentofBritishimperialismintheWestIndiesandthestainedwealththatcamefromitsoppressiveruleBerthaMason:Jane’s“darkdouble”Lecture7StreamofConsciousness,VirginiaWoolfandMrsDalloway基本背景：

世纪之交深刻的社会危机

一次大战

一个动荡不安、矛盾激化、充满精神危机而又急速现代化的世界必然要求文学对其作出相应的反应。意识流：

意识本身并非是许多割裂的碎片。乍看起来，似乎可以用“锁链”或“系列”这样的字眼来描述它。其实，这是不恰当的。意识并不是一段一段地连结起来的。用“河”或者“流”这样的比喻来形容它才恰如其分……我们就称之为思想流，意识流或主观生活之流吧。人的意识似乎是由飞行与栖息交替构成的。它的栖息部分（实体状态）包含着长期埋在人脑中的思想内容，而飞行部分（过渡状态）则属于那种飘忽、闪烁和晃动的感官印象。Streamofconsciousnessinliterature:thenarrativemethodwherebycertainnovelistsdescribetheunspokenthoughtsandfeelingsoftheircharacters,withoutresortingtoobjectivedescriptionorconventionaldialogue传统小说的特征：

1)追求表现外部世界，刻意描绘人的物质生活环境，塑造典型环境中的典型人物。2)布局上具有戏剧化的特点。人物，情节，场景，冲突。3)有完整和有趣的故事情节。4)遵循以钟表时间为顺序的创作原则。意识流小说的特征：1)深刻反映现代作家新的价值观，异化感。2)遵循由里及表，由微观到宏观的创作原则。3)充分展示全新时空的观念。4)竭力淡化小说情节。意识流小说叙述形式的特征1.作品视角的频繁转换。作家退出小说，不仅让人物将自己最隐秘的心迹与感受和盘托出，而且还使作品的视角转换自如、跳跃频繁，犹如电影中的快镜头一般闪烁不停，向读者展示了一幅幅生动、逼真的意识画面。2.叙述笔法的诗歌化倾向。作家的笔法既体现了散文的风格，又蕴含着诗歌的意境。句子结构简单，词汇颠倒错置，注重音韵和节奏的艺术效果，强调形象的暗示作用以及讲究语言的抒情性而忽略它的逻辑性。3.文理叙事的印象主义色彩。作家充分挖掘语言的表意功能，强调光、色、声、影、味对感官的刺激作用，形象地再现了纯属个人精神领域最浮浅、最朦胧的感性活动。VirginiaWoolf(1882-1941)anEnglishwriter,andoneoftheforemostmodernistsofthetwentiethcenturyWoolfisconsideredamajorinnovatorintheEnglishlanguage.Inherworkssheexperimentedwith

stream-of-consciousness

andtheunderlyingpsychologicalaswellasemotionalmotivesofcharacters.NewDevices:

Thenarrowframeworkoftimethedevicesofmemoryandpsychictimethree-foldedtimestrata:1)theclocktime:thepassingofthehours2)symbolictime:thevoyagefromyouthtoage3)Thepsychictime:theblendingupofthepast,presentandfutureThus,byshapinghermajornovelswithanarrowframeworkoftime,VirginiaWoolfhasrealizedherpurpose:torepresentthedualaspectofhumanlife—theinnerlifesimultaneouslywiththeouterlife.MrsDalloway(1925)Mrs.Dallowayinherpreparationforherparty,goestotowntobuyflowersinthemorningandpresidesoverherpartyintheevening.SeptimusWarrenSmith,aworking-classveteranwhohasreturnedfromthe

FirstWorldWar

bearsdeeppsychologicalscars.Inonesense,thenovelisalifestoryofClarissaDalloway;inanother,itisaboutthehumanlifeitself,aboutitstensionbetweenmiseryandhappiness.Itisawretchedpictureofthealienatedmodernworldwithitsdestructiveforcesofpower-struggle,economicdepression,andwarLecture8WashingtonIrvingand“RipVanWinkle”WashingtonIrvingThefirstAmericanwriterofimaginativeliteraturetogaininternationalfameWashingtonIrvingStyle:avoidsmoralizingasmuchaspossiblegoodatenvelopinghisstoriesinanatmospherevividandtruecharactersHumorthefinishedandmusicallanguage“RipVanWinkle”“RipVanWinkle”“RipVanWinkle”“RipVanWinkle”“RipVanWinkle”“RipVanWinkle”“RipVanWinkle”“RipVanWinkle”“RipVanWinkle”thestoryofmanwhohasdifficultiesfacinghisadvancingagethecontradictoryimpulsesinAmericatowardwork—thepuritanattitudeasopposedtotheAmericandesireforleisurethethemeofescapefromone’sresponsibilitiesandevenone’shistorythelossofidentitySymbols:Rip:likeAmerica,isimmature,self-centered,careless,anti-intellectual,imaginative,andjollyastheovergrownchildDame:puritanicaldisciplineandtheworkethicofFranklinVillage:likeAmerica,foreverandrapidlychangingRip’sconflictsanddream:arethoseofthenation—theconflictofinnocenceand

experience,workandleisure,theoldandthenew,theheadandtheheartLecture9EdgarAllanPoeEdgarAllanPoe(1809-1849)anAmericanauthor,poet,editor,andliterarycriticBestknownforhistalesof

mystery

andthe

macabre(可怖的)theinventorofthedetectivefiction

genre

Heisfurthercreditedwithcontributingtotheemerginggenreof

sciencefiction.Theoryforshortstories:①Thestorymustbeofsuchlengthastobereadatonesitting(brevity)②Theveryfirstsentenceoughttohelptobringoutthe“singleeffect”ofthestory(compression);ataleshouldendwiththelastsentence,leavingasenseoffinalitywiththereader.Intheme,Poeanticipates20thcenturyliteratureinhistreatmentofthedisintegrationoftheselfinaworldofT.S.Eliot’s“nothingness”andHemingway’s“nada.”Whatinterestshimmostisthedeepabyssoftheunconsciousandsubconsciousmentalactivityofthepeople,thesubterraneanrecessesofthemindatwork.Hisassumptionseemstobethateverymindishalfmadorcapableofslippingintoinsanity.Poe’smostenduringtalesarethoseofhorror,thehorrorcomingfromtheworkingsofanirrationalorcriminalmind,driventoevilorinsanitybyaperverse,irrationalforcewhich,toPoe,isanelementaryimpulseinman.Lecture10EmilyDickinsonandherpoemsEmilyDickinson(1830-1886)therecluseofAmherst,whowrotealtogether1775poems,ofwhichonlysevenappearedinprintinherlifetimeSheisskepticalandambivalent.basictone:tragic

Dickinson'suniquestyle:theycontainshortlines,typicallylacktitles,andoftenuse

slantrhymeaswellasunconventionalcapitalizationandpunctuation.Themes:deathandimmortalitynatureasbothgaily,benevolentandcruelfreewillandhumanresponsibility"BecauseIcouldnotstopforDeath--"

Inthispoem,Dickinson’sspeakeriscommunicatingfrombeyondthegrave,describingherjourneywithDeath,personified,fromlifetoafterlife.Deathisnofrightening,orevenintimidating,reaper,butratheracourteousandgentleguide,leadinghertoeternity.“IheardaFlybuzz–whenIdied–”Thispoem,however,unlike“BecauseIcouldnotstopforDeath,“isfocusednotonwhatcomesafterdeath—eternityandtheafterlife—butinsteadisfocusedontheactualritesofdying,ofhavingone’slastmoments.Thispoemstrikinglydescribesthementaldistractionposedbyirrelevantdetailsateventhemostcrucialmoments—evenatthemomentofdeath.

Lecture11

MarkTwainandhisTheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinnMarkTwain(1835-1910)anAmericanauthorand

humoristHisThe

AdventuresofHuckleberryFinn(1885)isoftencalled"the

GreatAmericanNovel."MarkTwain(1835-1910)Abouthispenname:Theriverboatman'scrywas"marktwain"or,morefully,"bythemarktwain",meaning"accordingtothemark[ontheline],[thedepthis]two[fathoms],"thatis,"Thewateris12feet(3.7

m)deepanditissafetopass."MarkTwain(1835-1910)Atmid-career,with

HuckleberryFinn,Twaincombinedrichhumor,sturdynarrativeandsocialcriticism.Twainwasamasteratrendering

colloquialspeech

andhelpedtocreateandpopularizeadistinctiveAmericanliteraturebuiltonAmericanthemesandlanguage.TheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn

theworkisamongthefirstinmajor

Americanliterature

tobewrittenthroughoutinvernacular

English(方言),characterizedby

localcolorregionalism.Thebookisnotedforitscolorfuldescriptionofpeopleandplacesalongthe

MississippiRiver.TheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinnSetina

Southernantebellum(内战前)

societythathadceasedtoexistabouttwentyyearsbeforetheworkwaspublished,

HuckleberryFinn

isanoftenscathing

satire

onentrenched(根深蒂固的)attitudes,particularlyracism.HuckleberryFinnTheprotagonistandnarratorofthenovel.Huckisthethirteen-year-oldsonofthelocaldrunkofSt.Petersburg,Missouri,atownontheMississippiRiver.Frequentlyforcedtosurviveonhisownwitsandalwaysabitofanoutcast,Huckisthoughtful,intelligent(thoughformallyuneducated),andwillingtocometohisownconclusionsaboutimportantmatters,eveniftheseconclusionscontradictsociety’snorms.Jim

AhouseholdslaveJimissuperstitiousandoccasionallysentimental,butheisalsointelligent,practical,andultimatelymoreofanadultthananyoneelseinthenovel.Jim’sfrequentactsofselflessness,hislongingforhisfamily,andhisfriendshipwithbothHuckandTomdemonstratetoHuckthathumanityhasnothingtodowithrace.dramaticirony:thecontrastbetweenwhatacharacterbelievesorsaysandwhatthereaderunderstandtobetrueTheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinnThroughoutthestory,Huckisinmoralconflictwiththereceivedvaluesofthesocietyinwhichhelives,andwhileheisunabletoconsciouslyrefutethosevalueseveninhisthoughts,hemakesamoralchoicebasedonhisownvaluationofJim'sfriendshipandhumanworth,adecisionindirectoppositiontothethingshehasbeentaught.Lecture12

ImagismImagism(意象派)Background:1.TheFirstWorldWar2.ThesenseoflifebeingdislocatedandfragmentedDefinition：amovementinearly20th-centuryAnglo-Americanpoetrythatfavoredprecisionof

imagery

andclear,sharplanguage.Poeticprinciples

1.Directtreatmentofthe“thing”,whethersubjectiveorobjective.2.Touseabsolutelynowordthatdoesnotcontributetothepresentation.3.Asregardingtorhythm,tocomposeinthesequenceofthemusicalphrase,notinthesequenceofametronome.WhatistheimageastheImagistssawit?

T.E.Hulme:Theimagemustenableone“todwellandlingeruponapointofexcitement,toachievetheimpossibleandconvertapointintoaline.”EzraPound:Animagepresentsanintellectualandemotionalcomplexinaninstantoftime.Animagewas“avortexorclusteroffusedideas”“endowedwithenergy.”AnImagisticpresentationishard,clear,un-blurred,donebymeansofthechosen“exactword.”Andtheexactwordmustbringtheeffectoftheobjectbeforethereaderasithadpresenteditselftothepoet’smindatthetimeofwriting.AnImagistpoemenablesthereadertoseethephysicalthingratherthanputhimthroughanabstractprocess.Thebestpoeticeffectisvisualandconcrete.ThusanImagist’simagerepresentsamomentofrevealedtruth,truthrevealedbyaphysicalobjectpresentedandseenassuch.AnImagistpoem,therefore,oftencontainsasingledominantimage,oraquicksuccessionofrelatedimages.Itseffectismeanttobeinstantaneous.Lecture13ErnestHemingwayErnestHemingway(1899-1961)a