Benjamin-Franklin本杰明富兰克林

BenjaminFranklin(1706-1790)PortraitsMezzotintofFranklin,Cochin/St.Aubin,1777PortraitofFranklinbyDavidMartin,1766HisReputationsTheFirstAmericanTheLastUniversalManWriterStatesmanBusinessmanScientistModeloftheAmericandreamPolymathPrinterPhilosopherInventor

DiplomatAmericanDreamTheAmericanDreamisthatdreamofalandinwhichlifeshouldbebetterandricherandfullerforeveryone,withopportunityforeachaccordingtoabilityorachievement.…Itisnotadreamofmotorcarsandhighwagesmerely,butadreamofsocialorderinwhicheachmanandeachwomanshallbeabletoattaintothefulleststatureofwhichtheyareinnatelycapable,andberecognizedbyothersforwhattheyare,regardlessofthefortuitouscircumstancesofbirthorposition.

TheEpicofAmericabyJamesT.AdamsIwouldratherhaveitsaid,“heliveduseful”than“hediedrich”…--BenjaminFranklinHisLifeBornintoapoorcandle-maker’sfamilyin1706HadlittleformaleducationVoraciousreaderandmadeupforthedeficiencyofformaleducationApprenticeofprinterat12begantopublishessaysat16WenttoPhiladelphiatomakehisownfortuneat17setuphimselfasanindependentprinterandpublisherFranklin’sContributionstoSocietyHumanitarianAmericanfirstcirculatinglibraryUniversityofPennsylvaniaPhiladelphiahospitalPennsylvaniamilitia

ServinggodbestistocontributeyourtalenttothepeopleandcommunityFranklin’sContributionstoScienceAscientistwithlotsofinventionsandafamousexperiment(kite,electricity,thunderstorm);firstappliedtheterms“positive”and“negative”toelectricalcharges.effectivestreetlighting,theFranklinstove,bifocalglassesandefficientheatingdevices.“thenewPrometheuswhohadstolenfirefromheaven.”andgiveitbacktohumansEnlightenmentOrigin:theEuropeanContinentEnlightenmentisanintellectualrevolution,andthenitsimpactfoundexpressioninAmerica.Emphasis:rationalityratherthantradition,scientificinquiryinsteadofunquestioningreligiousdogma

representativegovernment

inplaceofmonarchyEnlightenmentthinkersandwritersweredevotedtotheidealsofjustice,liberty,andequality

ashenaturalrightsofman.EnlightenmentFor:

Freedom,DemocracyandReasonAgainst:Tyranny,IntoleranceandSuperstitionInfluenceonliteraturePoliticalpurpose:shapethenation’sbeliefwithreasonsForms:Journals,speeches,pamphlets,broadsides,declaration,Aphorisms格言,almanac,letterspublicandprivateFranklin’sContributionstotheU.S.astatesman,diplomat,negotiatorHeconductedthedifficultnegotiationswithFrancethatbroughtfinancialandmilitarysupportforAmericainthewarHewastheonlyAmericantosignthefourdocumentsthatcreatedtheUnitedStates:TheDeclarationofIndependence,TheTreatyofAlliancewithFrance,TheTreatyofPeacewithEngland,TheConstitution《自传》《格言历书》(4)awriter1.Works

TheAutobiography

PoorRichard’sAlmanacAnembodimentofthe“AmericanDream”

LiteraryWorksPoorRichard’sAlmanac《格言历书》ProverbsPopularforaquarterofacenturyExpanditsliteraryparttoreadersTheAutobiography《自传》ExamplesOriginal:Manystrokesfellgreatoaks.Franklin:Littlestrokesfellgreatoaks.Original:Thegreatesttalkersaretheleastdoers.Franklin:Greattalkers,littledoers.StyleofPoorRichard’sAlmanacThechangeofoneormorewordstoamoregraphicwordorphraseTheuseofashorter,moreconciseconstruction

TheAutobiography《自传》

ItsContentItsStyleItsSignificanceCommentsonitThirteenVirtuesContentFourpartswrittenatfourdifferenttimes1stpart:

1771;alettertohisson;about80pages;hislifebeforetheageof252ndpart:

1784;hislifebetweentheageof25and42;3rdpart:

1788;hissocialandscientificlife;4thpart:

1790;hislifebetweenhisretirementanddeath;QuestionsforunderstandingWhatisthemainideaofthisselection?Whydidhearrangetheorderofthirteenvirtueslikethis?CanyousummarizeFranklin’smethodformoralperfection?Whichonedoyouthinkisthemostdifficulttokeep?“ThirteenVirtues”（13条美德）1.

Temperance:

Eat

not

to

dullness;

drink

not

toelevation.

节制。食不过饱；饮酒不醉。2.

Silence:

Speak

not

but

what

may

benefit

others

or

yourself;

avoid

trifling

conversation.

缄默。言则于人于己有益，不作无益闲聊。3.

Order:

Let

all

your

things

have

their

places;

let

each

part

of

your

business

have

its

time.

秩序。各样东西放在一定地方；各项日常事务应有一定的处理时间。4.

Resolution:

Resolve

to

perform

what

you

ought;

perform

without

fail

what

you

resolve.

决断。事情当做必做；既做则坚持到底。5.

Frugality:

Make

no

expense

but

to

do

good

to

others

or

yourself;

i.e.,

waste

nothing.

节俭。花钱须于人于己有益，即不浪费。6.

Industry:

Lose

no

time;

be

always

employed

in

something

useful;

cut

off

all

unnecessary

actions.

勤勉。不浪费时间；每时每刻做有用之事，戒除一切不必要的行动。7.

Sincerity:

Use

no

hurtful

deceit;

think

innocently

and

justly;

and,

if

you

speak,

speakaccordingly.

诚恳。不欺骗人；思想纯洁公正；说话也应诚实。8.

Justice:

Wrong

none

by

doing

injuries,

oromitting

the

benefits

that

are

your

duty.

正直。不做不利他人之事，切勿忘记履行对人有益的义务而伤害他人。9.

Moderation:

Avoid

extremes;

forbear

resenting

injuries,

so

much

as

you

think

they

deserve.中庸。勿走极端；受到应有的处罚，应当加以容忍。10.

Cleanliness:

Tolerate

no

unclearness

in

body,

clothes,

or

habitation.整洁。身体、衣服和住所应力求清洁。11.

Tranquility:

Be

not

disturbed

at

trifles,

or

at

accidents

common

or

unavoidable.

平静。勿因琐事或普通而不可避免的事件而烦恼。12.

Chastity:

Rarely

use

venery

but

for

health

or

offspring,

never

to

dullness,

weakness,

or

the

injury

of

your

own

or

another’s

peace

or

reputation.节欲。除了为了健康或生育后代起见，不常举行房事，切戒房事过度，伤害身体或损害你自己或他人的安宁或名誉13.

Humility:

Imitate

Jesus

and

Socrates.谦逊。效法耶稣和苏格拉底。Stylesimplicity,directness,andconcisionplainnessofitsstylethehomelinessofimageryStyle:fresh，simple,clearinorder,direct,vivid,truetolife,conciseandhumorous,utilitarian,witty,satirical,fair,notdullandamusing(“Nothingshouldbeexpressedintwowordsthatcanaswellbeexpressedinone.”)

(Puritanism’sinfluence);文笔清新流畅，叙述生动真实，充满时代气息，保留清教纯朴，简洁和精准的特点

InTheAutobiographywewillbeabletonotice:1)Puritanism’sinfluence,suchasself-examinationandself-improvementahow-to-do-itbook

(timetable,thirteenvirtues,lifestyle)Hardworkwasanethic,asteptowardsalvation;2)Enlightenmentspirits

(man’snatureisgood,rightsofliberty,virtuesinclude“order”)asuccessstoryofself-reliance,thefulfillmentoftheAmericandream.

The

Autobiographyisarecordofself-examinationandself-improvement.BenjaminFranklinwasaspokesmanfortheneworderofthe18thcenturyenlightenmentThe

Autobiographyisahow-to-do-itbook,abookontheartofself-improvement.(forexample,Franklin’s13virtues)

EvaluationwhyishisAutobiographyimportant?1)ItisthefirstofitskindinAmericanliterature.2)Itisapuritandocument.3)ItistheillustrationofAmericandream.4)Itisthebestexampleofplainstyle.CommentsonAutobiography1)AutobiographyrealisticallydescribedthelifeofFranklinwhoserags-to-richesexperiencesbecametheprototypeofmanyAmerican’sdreamofsuccess.2)Theprototypecharacterizedbyself-culture,self-improvement,self-reliance,self-cultivation,faithintheprogressofsocietyandtheidealsofthefuture,practicalandoptimisticatti