《大学综合英语》课件-Unit 2 Background Infortmation

Thebackgroundinfortmationforunit2负责人Part1FiveNovels

ALittlePrincessGonewiththeWindAnnaKareninaMoby-DickToKillaMockingbirdPart2VictorianEngland

CONTENTS目录1234ALIttlePrincessGonewiththeWindAnnakareninaMoby-DickToKillaMockingbird5Part1FiveNovels

A

Little

PrincessAuthor:FranceHodgsBurneltCountry:UnitedStatesLanguage:EnglishGenre:Children'sliteraturePublicationdate:1905TheintroductionoftheauthorAuthorFrancisHodgsonBurnettin1949wasborninManchester,England,in1956andhisfamilyemigratedtotheUnitedStates.Shewrotemanyshortstoriesandfournovels,thefirstwaspublishedin1876.Thelittleprincess,thelittleprince,TheSecretGarden:herchildren'sliteratureclassic!SomeinformationaboutthebookALittlePrincessisa1904children’snovelbyFrancesHodgsonBurnett.ItisarevisedandexpandedversionofBurnett’s1888serializednovelentitledSaraCreweorWhathappenedatMissMinchin’sboardingschool,whichwaspublishedinSt.NicholasMagazine.AccordingtoBurnett,shediscoveredthatshehadmissedoutagreatnumberofthingswhenwritingthenovella.Shehadbeencomposingaplaybasedonthestorywhenshefoundoutalotofcharactersshehadmissed.Thepublisheraskedhertopublishanew,revisedstoryofthenovella,producingthenovel—thatisalittleprincessThemainplotSarawasadaughterofaveryrichman.Helovedhersomuchbuthehadtosenthertoaschool,whichwasfarfromhim.Theheadmasterofthisschoolwasverysnobbish.ButSarawasanimaginativelittlegirlwhohadsuchanintelligentsmallfaceandsuchperfectmanners.Soallthepeoplelikedherverymuch.TherewasatimewhenSarabecameapoorandpitifulservantinsultedbytheheadmaster.Inspiteofthis,shehadnevercomplainedtoanyoneMajorthemesSara,alittlegirlwhosufferedsuchunimaginablepainandtortures,butstillhadapositiveattitudetowardslife.Herspiritofbeingsostrong-mindedwhenshewasinhardtimesisworthanything.Princesses:let’s

move

on

to

learn

about

life,to

love

life,

to

learn

self-reliance,

courage,

tolerance,

enterprisingandso

on.GonewiththewindAuthor:

MargaretMitchellMargaretMunnerlynMitchell(November8,1900–August16,1949)wasanAmericanauthorandjournalist.OnenovelbyMitchellwaspublishedduringherlifetime,theAmericanCivilWar-eranovel,GonewiththeWind,forwhichshewontheNationalBookAwardforMostDistinguishedNovelof1936andthePulitzerPrizeforFictionin1937.Inmorerecentyears,acollectionofMitchell'sgirlhoodwritingsandanovellashewroteasateenager,LostLaysen,werepublished.AcollectionofarticleswrittenbyMitchellforTheAtlantaJournalwasrepublishedinbookform.Abouttheauthor内容页（设计好之后可以删掉这个文本框哦）MargaretMitchellbeganwritingGonewiththeWindin1926topassthetimewhilerecoveringfromanauto-crashinjurythatrefusedtoheal.InApril1935,HaroldLathamofMacMillan,aneditorwhowaslookingfornewfiction,readwhatshehadwrittenandsawthatitcouldbeabest-seller.AfterLathamhadagreedtopublishthebook,Mitchellworkedforanothersixmonthscheckingthehistoricalreferencesandrewritingtheopeningchapterseveraltimes.MitchellandherhusbandJohnMarsh,acopyeditorbytrade,editedthefinalversionofthenovel.Mitchellwrotethebook'sfinalmomentsfirstandthenwrotetheeventsthatleduptoit.GoneWiththeWindwasreleasedtothepublicinJune1936.Biographicalbackgroundandpublication内容页（设计好之后可以删掉这个文本框哦）GonewiththeWindtakesplaceinthesouthernUnitedStatesinthestateofGeorgiaduringtheAmericanCivilWar(1861–1865)andtheReconstructionEra(1865–1877)thatfollowedthewar.Thenovelunfoldsagainstthebackdropofrebellionwhereinsevensouthernstates,Georgiaamongthem,havedeclaredtheirsecessionfromtheUnitedStates(the"Union")andformedtheConfederateStatesofAmerica(the"Confederacy"),afterAbrahamLincolnwaselectedpresidentwithnoballotsfromtenSouthernstateswhereslaverywaslegal.Adisputeoverstates'rightshasariseninvolvingenslavedAfricanpeoplewhowerethesourceofmanuallaboroncottonplantationsthroughouttheSouth.Plotsummary内容页（设计好之后可以删掉这个文本框哦）ThemesSurvivalIfGonewiththeWindhasathemeitisthatofsurvival.Whatmakessomepeoplecomethroughcatastrophesandothers,apparentlyjustasable,strong,andbrave,gounder?Ithappensineveryupheaval.Somepeoplesurvive;othersdon't.Whatqualitiesareinthosewhofighttheirwaythroughtriumphantlythatarelackinginthosethatgounder?Ionlyknowthatsurvivorsusedtocallthatquality'gumption.'SoIwroteaboutpeoplewhohadgumptionandpeoplewhodidn't.—MargaretMitchellAnnaKareninaAuthorLevTolstoy

OriginaltitleAннаКаренина

TranslatorConstanceGarnett(initial)CountryRussiaLanguageRussianGenreRealistnovelPublicationdate1877TheintroductiontoLevTolstoyLevTolstoy:(1828-1910)Heisthemostfamousandinfluentialnovelist,critic,dramatistandphilosopher.Meanwhileheistheeducationalreformer.HisrepresentativeworksincludeWarandPeace,AnnaKarenina,Resurrectionandsoon.

Historicalcontext:TheeventsinthenoveltakeplaceagainstthebackdropofrapidtransformationsasaresultoftheliberalreformsinitiatedbyEmperorAlexanderIIofRussia,principalamongthesetheEmancipationreformof1861,followedbyjudicialreform,includingajurysystem;militaryreforms,theintroductionofelectedlocalgovernments(Zemstvo),thefastdevelopmentofrailroads,banks,industry,telegraph,theriseofnewbusinesselitesandthedeclineoftheoldlandedaristocracy,afreerpress,theawakeningofpublicopinion,thePan-Slavismmovement,thewomanquestion,etc.Thesecontemporarydevelopmentsarehotlydebatedbythecharactersinthenovel.ThesuburbanrailwaystationofObiralovkawhereAnnacommittedsuicideisnowknownasthetownofZheleznodorozhny,MoscowOblast.PlotintroductionAbachelor,VronskyiseagertomarryherifshewouldagreetoleaveherhusbandKarenin,aseniorgovernmentofficial,butsheisvulnerabletothepressuresofRussiansocialnorms,themorallawsoftheRussianOrthodoxChurch,herowninsecurities,andKarenin'sindecision.AlthoughVronskyandAnnagotoItaly,wheretheycanbetogether,theyhavetroublemakingfriends.BackinRussia,sheisshunned,becomingfurtherisolatedandanxious,whileVronskypursueshissociallife.DespiteVronsky'sreassurances,shegrowsincreasinglypossessiveandparanoidabouthisimaginedinfidelity,fearinglossofcontrol.Majorthemes:AnnaKareninaiscommonlythoughttoexplorethethemesofhypocrisy,jealousy,faith,fidelity,family,marriage,society,progress,carnaldesireandpassion,andtheagrarianconnectiontolandincontrasttothelifestylesofthecity.TranslatorRosemaryEdmondswrotethatTolstoydoesnotexplicitlymoraliseinthebook,butinsteadallowshisthemestoemergenaturallyfromthe"vastpanoramaofRussianlife."Shealsosaysoneofthenovel'skeymessagesisthat"noonemaybuildtheirhappinessonanother'spain."Moby-Dick

HermanMelvilleAuthorHermanMelville(August1,1819–September28,1891)wasanAmerican

novelist,shortstorywriter,essayist,andpoet.HeisbestknownforhisnovelMoby-DickandtheposthumousnovellaBillyBudd.Hisfirstthreebooksgainedmuchcontemporaryattention(thefirst,Typee,becomingabestseller),butafterafast-bloomingliterarysuccessinthelate1840s,hispopularitydeclinedprecipitouslyinthemid-1850sandneverrecoveredduringhislifetime.Whenhediedin1891,hewasalmostcompletelyforgotten.Itwasnotuntilthe"MelvilleRevival"intheearly20thcenturythathisworkwonrecognition,especiallyMoby-DickwhichwashailedasoneoftheliterarymasterpiecesofbothAmericanandworldliterature.HewasthefirstwritertohavehisworkscollectedandpublishedbytheLibraryofAmerica.TheMainPlotThestorytellstheadventuresofthewanderingsailorIshmael,andhisvoyageonthewhaleshipPequod,commandedbyCaptainAhab.TheenormouswhitewhaleMoby-Dick,tormentsCaptainAhab,whoisobsessedwithfindingandkillingMoby-Dick,havinglostaleginapreviousencounterwiththewale,andAhab’sburningdesireforrevengereallyisthecenterofthestory.Atthenovel’send,AhabfindsandattacksMoby-Dick.Onthefirstdaythewaleoverturnsaboat;onaseconditswampsanother.Whenthethirddaycomes,Ahabandhiscrewmanagetoplungeaharpoonintoit,butthewalecarriesthePequodalongwithittoitsdoom.Allonboardthewhalergetdrowned,exceptone,Ishmael,whosurvivestotellthetale.ThemeMobyDickistheincarnationofeviltosomeextent.AlthoughAhabbecomesalmostcrazy,heistherepresentationofthepeoplewhoaredeterminedtofightagainstevil.Inanultimatedemonstrationofdefiance,Ahabuseshis“lastbreath”tocursethewhaleandfate.AlthoughthestrengthofAhabandhiscrewisnegligibleandinsomewaystheiractionisalittleblind,theirspiritoffightingagainsttheevilandperseveranceisworthyoflearningtoday.Nowadays,lifeisbecomingmoreandmorecomfortable,andthewill-powerofpeoplebecomesweakerandweaker.Insomeways,ignoringAhab’scrazinessandblindness,hisbravenessandperseverancereallysetagoodexamplefortoday’speople.CommentMobyDickisnowconsideredoneofthegreatestnovelsintheEnglishlanguageandhassecuredMelville'splaceamongAmerica'sgreatestwriters.Writtenin1851,itisthestoryofIshmael’swhalingvoyage.Itcontainsmanyexamplesofalliteration,allusion,similes,andmetaphors;italsopresentsanironicargumentagainstTranscendentalismandthepowerofman.ThisbookcontainsreflectionsofMelville’sownwhalingvoyagesandmanycollectionsofcompiledwhalingknowledge:thehistoryofwhaling,scientificwhalegroups,usageofwhalingtools,etc.Altogetherthisbookisaliterarymasterpiece.--SubmittedbyAnonymousToKillaMockingbirdToKillaMockingbirdisanovelbyHarperLeepublishedin1960.Itwasimmediatelysuccessful,winningthePulitzerliterature.TokillaMockingbirdissetintheAmericanlifeduringthedepression,showingthelifeinasmalltowninSouthAmerica.HarperLee,knownasNelle,wasbornintheAlabamatownofMonroeville,theyoungestoffourchildrenofAmasaColemanLeeandFrancesCunninghamFinchLee.Herfather,aformernewspapereditorandproprietor,wasalawyerwhoservedonthestatelegislaturefrom1926to1938.Asachild,Leewasatomboyandaprecociousreader,andenjoyedthefriendshipofherschoolmateandneighbor,theyoungTrumanCapote.Author

Inthisnovel,JemandScout'sfather,AtticusFinchwhoisasinglefatherandalsoanattorneydefendsablackmanwhoiswronglyaccusedoftherapeofawhitewoman.Withthedevelopmentofthecase,thelifelesstownbecomesactive.AtticusFinch,theimageofagreatheroandtherepresentativeofbenevolenceandjustintheordinaryworldisbacomingclearergradually.TheMainPlot

ToKillaMockingBirdpresentstheworldfromtheviewoftwokidswhichgivesreadersastrongsenseofrealitybecausekidsalwaysarepureandclosetothenature.JemandScoutfindtheinjusticeanduglinessinthecourt.Theyoncebelievedthattheirfathercoulddoeverythingbuttheresultdisappointsthemandletsthemknowthekindsofguiltintheworld.Themecomment

ToKillaMockingbirdprotestsagainstracialdiscriminationandsocialunjustnesssincerely.Andatthattime,thecivilrightsmovementwasbecomngtoattractallthenations'sattention.PeckandFinchisaperfectcombination.＿＿＿TheNewYorkTimes

ToKillaMockingbirdisapreciousculturalrelicofthetimes.Itsavedthehopeandemotionfortheworldinthatkinder,purerandmoreelegantAmerica.＿＿＿ChicagoSunTimes

1.ThebriefintroductiontoqueenVictoria2.DifferentaspectsofVictorianEngland3.SocialclassofVictorianEngland4.TheremarkofVictorianEnglandFrom1837to1901VictorianEnglandPart2TheVictorianEngland1.ThebriefintroductionofqueenVictorianBornon24May1819.

On10thJune1837,followingthedeathofheruncle,WilliamIV,shebecamequeenattheageofeighteen.QueenVictoriadiedaged80on22January1901andanewage-theEdwardian-began.2.DifferentaspectsImperialism:In1876VictoriawasdeclaredEmpressofIndiaandtheEnglishEmpirewasconstantlybeingexpanded.TheprevailingattitudeinBritainwasthatexpansionofBritishcontrolaroundtheglobewasgoodforeveryone.Map:TheBritishEmpire(map)wasthelargestempireever,consistingofover25%oftheworld'spopulationandarea.ItincludedIndia,Australia,Canada,NewZealand,SouthAfrica,Rhodesia,HongKong,Gibraltar,severalislandsintheWestIndiesandvariouscoloniesontheAfricancoast.In1750thepopulationofBritainwas4million.By1851itwas21million.By1900,QueenVictoriareignedover410millionpeople.Scienceandprogress:Industorialrevolution,thedevelopmentsthattransformedGreatBritain,between1750and1830,fromalargelyruralpopulationmakingalivingalmostentirelyfromagriculturetoatown-centeredsocietyengagedincreasinglyinfactorymanufacture.TheIndustrialRevolutiongatheredsteam,andacceleratedthemigrationofthepopulationfromcountrytocity.Theresultofthismovementwasthedevelopmentofhorrifyingslumsandcrampedrowhousingintheovercrowdedcities.DifferentaspectsSex:Inpropermiddle-classandupper-classcircles,womenweresupposedtohavenosexualconductbeforemarriage-ahandaroundthewaist,asmallkiss,andaferventpressingofthehandwasprobablythe