《英美文学选读》串讲讲义

《英美文学选读》应考指导

一、教材说明

《英美文学选读》是全国高等教育自学考试英语专业本科段的必修课程，也是广大考生比较头疼的课程。

教材大体可以分为两个大的部分，文学发展史和作家介绍及作品选读。让考生头疼的事情是课本信息量太大,

考纲要求的内容较多，学习的时候理不出头绪，也不便记忆。事实上，文学课有着相当强的逻辑性和系统性,

只要我们把握住这一点，这门课程并不难学，也不难考过。

二、考情分析

2009年，本门课程的考试大纲做了一些调整，这种调整在某种程度上减轻和考生的复习负担，但也同

时考察的内容更细，更全。

(-)关于考核要求的调整

考核要求中每章概述内容不作调整；”该时期的重要作家“只包含对考核知识点中保留的重要作家的相关内容

的考核。

(二)大纲调整后的特点

(1)新大纲更加突出了英美各个文学时期的时代特点。如：文艺复兴时期的戏剧和诗史，浪漫主义时期的诗

歌等。从这个意义上讲，命题的重点突出了。

(2)新大纲中考核的作家，都是每一个文学时期文学潮流的最具代表性的作家，都是对该时期文学的发展起

到决定作用的作家。从这个意义上讲，命题的焦点集中了。

(3)新大纲中所保留的作家的作品大多是广大考生耳熟能详的作品，从这个意义上讲，考试的难度降低了。

三、复习方法

(-)概述：

考试大纲调整以后，可命题的作家的数量减少了，但命题的深度会增加；同时，由于作家数量的减少，

这也意味着在每一章的概述部分和作品选读部分的命题点会增多。

(二)每章概述部分的复习重点

在对这部分的复习中，重点关注每一个文学时期的界定以及其标志性事件；另外每一个文学时期的时代

特点和突出文学成就也是考查的重点，还有本时期同时存在的文学流派的特点也是重点内容。

(三)每章重点作家的复习重点

作家的文学史上的地位和贡献；作家的代表作以及代表作的中心大意和所反映的社会现实；作家的写作

风格和写作特点也是命题的重点。

（四）每章作品选读的复习重点

作品选读前面的斜体字部分的简介和概括；作品中的名句；作品选读中的注释部分，小说作品中的人物

关系。

四、结束语

考纲的实施，从总体上讲，命题的重点突出了，密度增加了，深度也拓展了，但是，整体难度不会有太

大的变化。对于考生而言，复习的内容删减了，压力减轻了，考试也就容易了。

在对新考纲解读完了之后，剩下的事情就是大家去听后面的串讲，认真学习，通过考试！

PartOne:EnglishLiterature

AnIntroductiontoOldandMedievalEnglishLiterature

IUnderstandingandapplication:（理解应用）

1.England'sinhabitantsareCelts.AnditisconqueredbyRomans,AngloSaxonsandNormans.The

Anglo-SaxonsbroughttheGermaniclanguageandculturetoEngland,whileNormansbroughttheMediterranean

civilization,includingGreekculture,RomelawandtheChristianreligion.Itistheculturalinfluenceofthesetwo

conqueslsthatprovidedthesourcefortheriseandgrowthofEnglishliterature.

2.TheoldEnglishliteratureextendsfromabout450lo1066,CheyeasoftheNormancosqueslofEngland.

3.TheoldEnglishpoetrythathassurvivedcanbedividedintotwogroups:Thereligiousgroupandthesecular

one

4.Beowulf:atypicalexampleofOldEnglishpoetryisregardedasthenaiionalepicoftheAnglo-Saxons.Itisan

exampleoftheminglingofnaturemythsandheroiclegends.

5.AftertheNorman'sconquest,threelanguagesco-existedinEngland.Frenchistheofficiallanguagethatis

usedbykingandtheNormanlords.Latinistheprincipaltongueofchurchaffairsandinuniversities.OldEnglish

wasspokenonlybythecommonEnglishpeople.

6.Inthesecondhalfof14thcentury,Englishliteraturestartedtoflourishwiththeappearanceofwriterslike

GeoffreyChaucer,WilliamLangland,JohnGower,andothers

IIRecite:（识记再现）

1.Romance:

①Itusesnarrativeverseorprosetosingknightlyadventuresorotherheroicdeedsisapopularliteraryformin

themedievalperiod.

②Ithasdevelopedthecharacteristicmedievalmotifsofthequest,thetest,themeetingwiththeevilgiantandthe

encounterwiththebeautifulbeloved.

③Theheroisusuallytheknight,whosetsoutonajourneytoaccomplishsomemissions.Thereareoften

mysteriesandfantasiesinromance.

©Romanticloveisanimportantpartoftheplotinromance.

Characterizationisstandardized,Whilethestructureislooseandepisodic,thelanguageissimpleand

straightforward.

⑤Theimportanceoftheromanceitselfcanbeseenasameansofshowingmedievalaristocraticmenandwomen

inrelationtotheiridealizedviewoftheworld.

2.Heroiccouplet:

Heroiccoupletisarhymedcoupletofiambicpentameter.ItisChaucerwhouseditforthefirsttimeinEnglish

inhisworkTheLegendofGoodWoman.

3.ThethemeofBeowulf:

Thepoempresentsavividpictureofhowtheprimitivepeoplewageheroicstrugglesagainstthehostileforces

ofthenaturalworldunderawiseandmightyleader.Thepoemisanexampleoftheminglingofthenaturemyths

andheroiclegends.

4.TheWifeofBathinTheCanterburyTales:

TheWifeofBathisdepictedasthenewbourgeoiswifeassertingherindependence.Chaucerdevelopshis

characterizationtoahigherartisticlevelbypresentingcharacterswithbothtypicalqualitiesandindividual

dispositions.

5.Chaucer'sachievement:

®Hepresentedacomprehensiverealisticpictureofhisageandcreatedawholegalleryofvividcharactersin

hisworks,especiallyinTheCanterburyTales.

②Heanticipatedanewear,theRenaissance,tocomeundertheinfluenceoftheItalianwriters.

③Hedevelopedhischaracterizationtoahigherlevelbypresentingcharacterswithbothtypicalqualitiesand

individualdispositions.

@HegreatlycontributedtothematuringofEnglishpoetry.Today,Chaucer'sreputationhasbeensecurely

establishedasoneofthebestEnglishpoetsforhiswisdom,humorandhumanity.

6.“TheFatherofEnglishpoetry”:

Originally,OldEnglishpoemsaremainlyalliterativeverseswithfewvariations.

©ChaucerintroducedfromFrancetherhymedstanzasofvarioustypestoEnglishpoetrytoreplaceit.

@InTheRomauntoftheRose(玫瑰传奇)，hefirstintroducedtotheEnglishtheoctosyllabiccouplet(八音节

对偶句).

③InTheLegendofGoodWomen,heusedforthefirsttimeinEnglishheroiccouplet.

@Andinhismasterpiece,TheCanterburyTales,heemployedheroiccoupletwithtrueeaseandcharmforthe

firsttimeinthehistoryofEnglishliterature.

@HisartmadehimoneofthegreatestpoetsinEnglish;JohnDrydencalledhim“thefatherofEnglishpoetry”.

【例题】Theworkthatpresented,forthefirsttimeinEnglishliterature,acomprehensiverealisticpicture

ofthemedievalEnglishsocietyandcreatedawholegalleryofvividcharactersfromallwalksoflifeismost

likely.(0704)

A.WilliamLangland,sPiersPlowman

B.GeoffreyChaucer'sTheCanterburyTales

C.JohnGower'sConfessionAmantis

D.SirGawainandtheGreenKnight

【答案】B

【解析】(P4.para.2)

本题考查的是中世纪时期几位诗人作品的创作主题和创作范围。A答案是《农夫皮尔斯》及其作者威廉・兰

格伦他在其作品中描述了他那个时期的宗教与社会问题。C《爱人的告白》，D《高文爵士和他的绿衣骑士》

都是约翰•高厄的作品，属于时最精美的骑士文学作品;然而只有乔叟，在英国文学史上第一次向我们展示了

表现当时英国社会的一幅综合性、现实主义的画卷,在他的代表作《坎特伯雷故事集》中塑造了一系列来自社

会各阶层的生动形象的人物。

本章小结

本章重点：

Chaucerandhisachievement

本章提示：

本部分内容以选择题考查，所以，复习时以识记为主。

Chapter1:TheRenaissancePeriod

GeneralIntroduction

考核要求：

1.识记：

(1)文艺复兴时期的界定

(2)历史文化背景

2.领会：

(1)文艺复兴运动的意义与影响

(2)文艺复兴时期的文学特点

(3)人文主义的主张及对文学的影响

3.应用：文艺复兴，人文主义及玄学诗等名词的解释

考点串讲：

1.TheRenaissance:

TheRenaissancemarksatransitionfromthemedievaltothemodernworld.Generally,itreferstotheperiod

betweenthe14th&17thcentwies.ItfirststartedinItaly,withthefloweringofpainting,sculpture&literature.From

ItalythemovementwenttoembracetherestofEurope.TheRenaissance,whichmeans"rebirth"or“revival."is

actuallyamovementstimulatedbyaseriesofhisloricalevenls,suchas:

®There-discoveryofancientRoman&Greekculture

②Thenewdiscoveriesingeography&astrology,thereligiousreformation&theeconomicexpansion.

③TheRenaissance,therefore,inessenceisahistoricalperiodinwhichtheEuropeanhumanistthinkers&

scholarsmadeattemptstogetridofthoseoldfeudalistideasinmedievalEurope,tointroducenewideasthat

expressedtheinterestsoftherisingbourgeoisie,&torecoverthepurityoftheearlychurchfromthecorruptionof

theRomanCatholicChurch.

【例题】TheRenaissanceisactuallyamovementstimulatedbyaseriesofhistoricalevents

EXCEPT.(0804)

A.therediscoveryofancientRomanandGreekculture

B.thevastexpansionofBritishcoloniesinNorthAmerica

C.thenewdiscoveriesingeographyandastrology

D.thereligiousreformationandtheeconomicexpansion

【答案】B

【解析】(P7.paral)

文艺复兴是欧洲中世纪和现代社会的分水岭，它的发生有着深刻的社会历史根源，当时的社会发展刺

激了文艺复兴的发生，如地理天文大发现，席卷欧洲的宗教改革以及对古希腊，古罗马文化的发掘等。

2.Humanism:

HumanismistheessenceoftheRenaissance.Itsprangfromtheendeavortorestoreamedievalreverencefor

theancientauthorsandisfrequentlytakenasthebeginningoftheRenaissanceonitsconscious,intellectualside,for

theGreekandRomancivilizationwasbasedonsuchaconceptionthatmanisthemeasureofallthings.Throughthe

newlearning,humanistsnotonlysawtheartsofsplendorandenlightenment,butthehumanvaluesrepresentedin

theworks.Renaissancehumanistsfoundintheclassicsajustificationtoexalthumannatureandcametoseethat

humanbeingsweregloriouscreaturescapableofindividualdevelopmentinthedirectionofperfections,andthatthe

worldtheyinhabitedwastheirsnottodespisebuttoquestion,explore,andenjoy.Thus,byemphasizingthedignity

ofhumanbeingsandtheimportanceofthepresentlife,theyvoicedtheirbeliefsthatmandidnotonlyhavetheright

toenjoythebeautyofthislife,buthadtheabilitytoperfecthimselfandtoperformwonders.ThomasMore.

ChristopherMarloweandWilliamShakespearearethebestrepresentativesoftheEnglishhumanists.

3.TheRenaissanceinEngland:

@Thcfirst—thebeginning(1485-1558)--imitationandassimilation

Poetry:Wyatt&Surrey

TheformerintroducedthePetrarchansonnetintoEngland,whilethelatterbroughtinblankverse.

②Thesecond—(thepeak)theElizabethAge(1558-1603)--TheElizabethandrama

Poetry:Spenser&Marlowe

Spenserianstanza:SpenserianstanzawasinventedbyEdmundSpenser.Itisastanzaofninelines,withthefirst

eightlinesiniambicpentameter&thelastlineiniambichexameter,rhymingababbcbcc.

Drama:Marlowe&Shakespeare

TheRenaissancehero:ARenaissanceheroreferstoonecreatedbyChristopherMarloweinhisdrama.Sucha

heroisalwaysindividualisticandfullofambition,facingbravelythechallengefrombothgodsandmen.He

embodiesMarlowe'shumanisticidesofhumandignityandcapacity.Differentfromthetragicheroinmedievalplays,

whoseeksthewaytoheaventhroughsalvationandgod'swill,heisagainstconventionalmoralityandcontrivesto

obtainheavenonearththroughhisownefforts.Withtheendlessaspirationforpower,knowledge,andglory,thehero

interpretsthetrueRenaissancespirit.BothTamburlaineandFaustusaretypicalinpossessingsuchaspirit.

TheElizabethandrama:

ItistherealmainstreamofEnglishRenaissance.

ItcouldbedatedbacktotheMiddleAges.

EnglishmaterialwasputintotheregularformoftheLatincomediesofPlautusandTerence.

TragedieswereinthestyleofSeneca

ThemostfamousdramatistsintheRenaissanceEnglandare:Marlowe,Shakespears&BenJackson

③Thethird-furtherdevelopment(1603---1660)

Poetry:JohnDonne&JohnMilton

Metaphysicalpoetry:Theterm"metaphysicalpoetry"iscommonlyusedtonametheworkofthe17thcentury

writerswhowroteundertheinfluenceofJohnDonne.Witharebelliousspirit,themetaphysicalpoetstriedtobreak

awayfromtheconventionalfashionoftheElizabethanlovepoetry.Thedictionissimpleascomparedwiththatof

theElizabethanortheNeoclassicperiods,andechoesthewordsandcadencesofcommonspeech.Theimageryis

drawnfromtheactuallife.Theformisfrequentlythatofanargumentwiththepoet*sbeloved,withGod,orwith

himself.

Drama:BenJackson

Essay:FrancisBacon

HeisthefirstimportantEnglishessayist,isknownforhisessayswhichgreatlyinfluencedthedevelopmentof

thisliteraryform.

HeisalsothefounderofmodernscienceinEngland.

Hiswritingspavedthewayfortheuseofscientificmethod

Thetypicalauthorsduringthisperiod

考核要求：

L一般识记：重要作家的文学生涯

2.识记：重要作品及主要内容

3.领会：重要作家的创作思想，艺术特色及其代表作品的主题结构，人物塑造，语言风格，艺术手法，社会

意义等。

4.应用：

(1)莎士比亚诗歌的主题，意象

(2)喜剧《威尼斯商人》的主题和主要人物性格分析

(3)哈姆雷特的性格分析

(4)史诗《失乐园》的结构，人物性格，语言特点等的分析

考点串讲：

I.WilliamShakespeare

I.Thebibliography

WilliamShakespeareisoneofthemostremarkableplaywrightsandpoetstheworldhaseverknown.

2.Viewpoints

Viewpointsonpolitics:necessityofmightyandjustsovereign,andthecondemntotheanti-natureand

anti-humanismofthefeudalwars一anti-feudalism

Viewpointsonreligion:againstthereligiouspersecutionandracialdiscrimination,againstthesocialinequality

andthecorruptinginfluenceofthegoldandmoney--anti-Catholicism

Viewpointonliterature:literatureshouldbeacombinationofbeauty,kindnessandtruth,andshouldreflect

natureandreality-humanism

3.Themajorcontributions

①38plays（historicalplays,tragediesandcomedies）

②2narrativepoems:Venus,TheRapeofLucrece

③154sonnets

4.fourstagesforhisplay-creation

①Thefirststage:hisdramaticcareerisoneoftheaDPrenliceships

fivehistoricalplays:HenryIV,partI,II,andIII;RichardIII;andTitusAndronicus（泰特斯，提图斯）.

fourComedies,including:TheComedyofErrors;TheTwoGentlemenofVerona（维罗纳）；TheTamingofthe

Shrew（泼妇的驯服），andLove'sLabor*sLost

②Thesecondstage,hisstylebecamehighlyindividualized.

Fivehistorical:RichardII,KingJohn,HenryIV,partI,II,HenryV

Sixcomedies:AMidsummerNight,sDream,TheMerchantofVenice,MuchAdoAboutNothing,AsYou

like（皆大欢喜）,TwelfthNight,andtheMerryWivesofWindsor（温莎公爵的快乐情妇）

Twotragedies:RomeoandJuliet,JuliusCaesar

③TheThirdstageisthepeakofhiscrestion,includedhisgreatesttragediesandhisso-calleddarkcomedies:

Seventragedies:Hamlet,Othello,KingLear,Macbeth,AntonyandCleopatra（克利奥帕特拉）,Troilusand

Cressida（特洛伊罗斯和克雷西达），Coriolanus（科里奥兰纳斯）

Twocomedies:AlTsWellThatEndsWell,MeasureforMeasure

©ThelastperiodofShakespeare\includeshisDrincipalromantictragicomedies:

Pericles,Cymbeline,TheWinter'sTale,andTheTempest

Twofinalplays:HenryIII,andTheTwoNobleKinsmen

5.Abouthisdramas

©historicalplays

Shakespeare?shistoryplaysaremainlywrittenundertheprinciplethatnationalunityunde）amightyandjust

sovereignisanecessity.

ThethreehistoryplaysinthereignofHenryVIarethebeginningofShakespeare^epictreatmentofEnglish

history.

©RomanticComedies

Inhisromanticcomedies,Shakespearetakesanoptimisticattitudetowardloveandyouth,andtheromantic

elementsarebroughtintofullplay.TheyareTheMerchantofVenice,AMidsummerNigh」'sDream.AsYoulike,

TwelfthNightbutthemostimportantoneisTheMerchamofVenice.

©Tragedies

ThesuccessfulromantictragedyisRomeoendJuliet,whicheulogizesthefaithfulnessofloveandthespiritof

pursuinghappiness.

Shakespeare^greatesttragediesareHamlet,-thefirstofgreatesttragedies,Othello,KingLear,Macbeth（麦克

白.）

Theyhavesomecharacteristicsincommon

WilliamShakespeare'sfourgreattragediesareHamlet,Othello,KingLearandMacbeth.

Theyhavesomecharacteristicsincommon.Eachportrayssomenoblehero,whofacestheinjusticeofhuman

lifeandiscaughtinadifficultsituationandwhosefateiscloselyconnectedwiththefateofthewholenation.

Eachherohashisweaknessofnature:Hamlet,themelancholicscholarprince,facesthedilemmabetween

actionandmind;Othello'sinnerweaknessismadeuseofbytheoutsideevilforce;theoldkingLearwhois

unwillingtototallygiveuphispowermakeshimselfsufferfromtreacheryandinfidelity;andMacbeth'slustfor

powerstirsuphisambitionleadshimtoincessantcrimes.

©Romantictragicomedies

TheTempestisatypicalexampleofhispessimisticviewtowardshumanlifeandsocietyinhislateyear

6.Abouthissonnets

①Lyric:Apoem,usuallyashortone,whichexpressesaspeaker'spersonalthoughtsorfeelings.Theelegy,ode,

andsonnetareallformsofthelyric

②Thetheme:mostofthesonnetsconcernswiththeflyingofthetime,andtheyouth,beauty,beliefandthe

lovearealsogone.

7.Shakespeare\writingcharacteristics

Theprogressivesignificanceofthetheme-humanism

Thesuccessfulcharacterportrayal—women'scharacters

Themasterhandinconstructingtheplot

Theingenuityofhispoetry

Themasteryofhislanguage

8.Aboutselectedreading

①aboutsonnet18

Sonnet18isoneofthemostbeautifulsonnetswrittenbyShakespeare,inwhichhehasaprofoundmeditation

onthedestructivepoweroftimeandtheetemalbeautybroughtforthbypoetrytotheoneheloves.

Typicallines:

ShallIcomparetheetoasummer'sday?

Thouartmorelovelyandmoretemperate:

Thetheme:Immortality,Beautyandlave

②aboutTheMerchantofVenice

Majorcharacters:

Bassanio:-ayoungVenetiancourtPortia,accepted

Antonio:—amerchantofVenice,allmoneyinventedinships,atsea,returnnotontime

Shylock:—theJewishusurer(放高利贷者)

Portia:-standingforthegreatbeauty,witandloyalty

Mainplot:

Bassanio,ayoungVenetian,wouldliketotraveltoBelmonttowoothebeautifulandwealthyheiressPortia.He

approacheshisfriendAntonio,amerchant,fbrthreethousandducatsneededtosubsidizehistravelingexpenditures

asasuitorforthreemonths.AsallofAntonio*sshipsandmerchandisearebusyatsea,Antonioapproachesthe

JewishmoneylenderShylockforaloan,andtherewardofbreakingthereturningoathisapoundoffreshfrom

Antonio'sbody.

Courthappening:unsuccessfulpersuading,nomoreandnolessthanonepoundofflesh,spillingnodropof

blood

Theanalysistothepersonalities:

Antonio:—faithfultofriend,

Shylock:-greedy,brutalandinhuman

Portia:—beautiful,wittyandloyal

Theme:traditionalthemeoftheplayistopraisethefriendshipbetweenAntonioandBassanio,toidealizePortia

asaheroineofthegreatbeauty,witandloyalty,andtoexposethegreedandbrutalityoftheJew.

Typicallines:

''Superfluitycomessoonerbywhitehairs,butcompetencyliveslonger.'1(Acti.Sc.2.)

"ThedevilcanciteScripturefbrhispurpose."(Acti.Sc.3.)

“Mislikemenotformycomplexion,theshadow'dliveryoftheburnish'dsun."(Actii.Sc.1.)

"Inthetwinklingofaneye."(Actii.Sc.2.)

"Allthatglistersisnotgold.11(Actii.Sc.7.)

③aboutHamlet

TheMajorcharacters:

Hamlet:thetitlecharacter,isthesonofthelateking,forwhomhewasnamed.HehasreturnedtoElsinore

CastlefromWittenberg,wherehewasauniversitystudent.

Claudius:istheKingofDenmark,electedtothethroneafterthedeathofhisbrother,KingHamlet.Claudius

hasmarriedGertrude,hisbrother'swidow.

Gertrude:istheQueenofDenmark,andKingHamletswidow,nowmarriedtoClaudius.

theGhost:appearsintheexactimageofHamlet'sfather,thelateKingHamlet.

Majorplot:

Hamletfeelsaresponsibilitytoavengehisfather^murderbyhisuncleClaudius,butClaudiusisnowtheking

andthuswellprotected.Moreover,Hamletstruggleswithhisdoubtsaboutwhetherhecantrusttheghostand

whetherkillingClaudiusistheappropriatethingtodo.

ThepersonalityofHamlet:Brave,justifiedandcleverbutindecisive

ViewsofHamlet

PerhapsthemoststraightforwardviewseesHamletasseekingtruthinordertobecertainthatheisjustifiedin

carryingouttherevengecalledforbyaghostthatclaimstobethespiritofhisfather.Themoststandardviewisthat

Hamletishighlyindecisive,

OthersseeHamletasapersonchargedwithadutythatheknowsandfeelsisright,yetisunwillingtocarryout.

Inthisview,allofhiseffortstosatisfyhimselfofKingClaudius*guilt,orhisfailuretoactwhenhecan,areevidence

ofthisunwillingness,andHamletberateshimselfforhisinabilitytocarryouthistask.

Theme:Theimpossibilityofcertainty;thecomplexityofaction;themysteryofdeath;thenationasadiseased

body

motifs:Incestandincestuousdesire;earsandhearing;deathandsuicide;darknessandthesupernatural;

misogyny

Symbols:Theghost(thespiritualconsequencesofdeath);Yorick'sskull(thephysicalconsequencesof

death)

TypicalLines:

“Tobeornottobe,thatisaquestion^^

Whatarethequestions:

Whetherbelievetheghost'swordsornot

Whetherkillhisuncleornot

Whatshouldhedo,dieorlive

II.JohnMilton

I.Personalintroduction

①Milton'slife

BominpuritanfamilyinLondon,

Motherinterestedinreligionandlocalcharity,

Fatherawell-to-doscrivenerandmusician

②EducatedatCambridge

Graduated:studyandwritingofpoetry

Begantravelingabroadin1638,returnedLondontowritepamphletsandtractstosupporttherevolution

③In1649Latinsecretarycorrespondingforeigngovernment

©In1652wentblindcompletelyandincurablyat43duetohardworkdayandnight

⑤KingCharlesIIrestoration:Keepingwritingagainstkingship

Arrestedandfinedandreleased

Leftinpeacetoproducehispoeticworks

In1674diedpeacefullyinasmallhouse

ThegreatestEnglishpoetafterShakespeare,polemicist(辩论家)

2.Literatureachievements

Milton'sliteraryachievementscanbedividedintothreegroups:theearlypoeticworks,themiddleprose

pamphlets&iheIasigreatpoems.

①EarlyPoetry

Lycidas(利西达斯)isacollectionofelegiesdedicatedtoEdwardking,afellowundergraduateofMilton'sat

Cambridge,whowasdrownedintheIrishSea.Thepoembeginswithgrief&afeelingofimmaturity;thenthegrief

isdeepenedbythesenseofirrecoverablelossinthesilencingofayoungpoet.Withthisbittersenseofloss,Milton

askswhythejust&goodshouldsuffer.Theseemotionsswelltoapassionatecallfortheconsolationofart.The

poemmovesfromasadapprehensionofdeath,throughregret,topassionatequestioning,rage,sorrow&acceptance.

Thefeelingsbegininalowkeybutmoveontothelargequestionsofdivinejustice&humanaccountability.The

climaxofthepoemistheblisteringattackontheclergy,i.e.the"Shepherds,“whoarecorruptedbyself-interest.

②MiddlePeriod&ProsePamphlets

③LaterYears&MajorPoetry

AftertheRestorationin1660,Miltonwasimprisoned.Hisreleasewasbroughtaboutmainlythroughtheefforts

ofhisfriends,notablythepoetAndrewMarwell,afterthattimehedevotedhimselftohis3majorpoeticalworks:

ParadiseLost(1667),ParadiseRegained(1671)&SamsonAgonistes(1671).Amongthethree,thefirstisthe

greatest,indeedtheonlygenerallyacknowledgedepicinEnglishliteraturesinceBeowulf;&thelastoneisthemost

perfectexampleoftheversedramaaftertheGreekstyleinEnglish.

ParadiseRegained

Mainplot:showhowmankind,inthepersonofChrist,withstandsthetempterandisestablishedoncemorein

thedivinefavor.

Theme:Chrisi'stemmationinthewilderness

SamsonAgonistes

Milton'slastimportantworkwasthemagnificentpoelicdramaSamsonAgonisles,whichpresentstheBiblical

storyofSamsonintheformofaGreektragedy.Theblind&sufferingSamsonisstronglyreminiscentofMilton

himself.

ThethemeofSamsonAgonistesisamorevital&personalone.ThepictureofIsrael'smightychampion,blind,

alone,afflictedbythoughtlessenemiesbutpreservinganobleidealtotheend,isafittingclosetothelifeworkofthe

poethimself.Thepoet'saimwastopresenlinEnglishapureiragedy,withallthepassion&restraintwhichmarked

theoldGreekdramas.ThewholepoemstronglysuggestsMilton'spassionatelongingthathetoocouldbring

destructiondownupontheenemyatthecostofhisownlife.Inthissense,SamsonisMilton.

3.Aboutselectedreading

ThegreatestworkofMilton,Milton'smasterpiece.

TheonlygenerallyacknowledgedepicinEnglishlileraluresinceBeowulf;

Alongepicdividedinto12books.

ThestoryistakenfromtheOldTestament

Thethemeisthe“FallofMarT.

Mainplot:Inheaven,SatanledarebellionagainstGod.Defeated,heandhisrebelangelswerecastintoHell.

However,Satanrefusedtoaccepthisfailure,vowingthat"allwasnotlosf,.ThepoemgoesontotellhowSatantook

revengebytemptingAdamandEve,thefirsthumanbeingscreatedbyGod,toeatfruitfromthetreeofknowledge

againstGod'sinstructions.Fortheirdisobedience,AdamandEveweredrivenoutofParadise.Theyweresorryfor

whattheyhaddoneandprayedtoGod.Inthelastbooktheyweregiventhehopeforredemption.Thepoemended

withAdamandEvewalkingawayfromParadise,handinhand,andthegatesofEdenwereclosedbehindthem.

【例题】ParadiseLostisactuallyastorytakenfrom.(0704)

A.theRenaissance

B.theOldTestament

C.GreekMythology

D.theNewTestament

【答案】B

【解析】(P73.Selectedreading)

本题考查的是《失乐园》的取材问题。如果对《圣经》略有了解，就会知道，《圣经》分为新约和旧约，

弥尔顿的《失乐园》就是取材于旧约中的《创世记》

本章小结

本章重点:

1.文艺复兴时期的历史文化背景

2.莎士比亚和弥尔顿的作品和写作特点

本章提示：

本章中有关莎士比亚的文学成就可以以论述题的形式来考察，值得注意。

Chapter2:TheNeoclassicalPeriod

GeneralIntroduction

考核要求：

I.识记：

(1)新古典主义时期的界定

(2)政治经济背景

(3)启蒙运动的意义与影响

2.领会：

(1)启蒙运动的主张与文学的特点

(2)新古典主义时期文学的艺术特点

3.应用：启蒙运动，新古典主义，英雄双行诗，英国现实主义小说等名词的解释

考点串讲：

I.Duration:

NeoclassicalperiodistheoneinEnglishliteraturebetweenthereturnofStuartstotheEnglishthronein1660

andthefullassertionofRomanticismwhichcamewiththepublicationofLyricalBalladsbyWordsworthand

Coleridgein1978.It'sinfactaturbulentperiod.

2.PoliticalBackground:

Themarkingevents:

TherestorationofCharlesIIin1660

TheGloriousRevolutionin1689

Constantstrifebetweenthemonarchandtheparliament

Constantstrifebetweenbigparties—theToriesandWhigs

Constantstrifebetweenrulingclassandthelaboringpoor

Constantstrifebetweenreligioussects,suchastheRomanCatholicismandprotestants(churchofEngland)

TheeighteenthcenturysawthefastdevelopmentofEnglandasanation

3.SocialBackground:

TheeighteenthcenturysawthefastdevelopmentofEnglandasanation.Abroad,avastexpansionofBritish

coloniesinNorthAmerica,India,theWestIndies,andacontinuousincreaseofcolonialwealthandtradeprovided

Englandwithamarketforwhichthesmall-scalehandp