美國文學(xué)-文學(xué)詩歌期末考試賞析

1、Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)Im Nobody!Im Nobody! Who are you? Are you Nobody too?Then theres a pair of us!Dont tell, theyd banish us, you know!How dreary to be Somebody!How publiclike a FrogTo tell your name the livelong JuneTo an admiring Bog!The author uses the first narration to have a secret talk

2、 with the readers. The theme of the talk is the fame burden. The author is happy that she is nobody and asked the reader not to unclose her identity. She is satisfied with her current life.The theme of the poem is that to live a peaceful life with no fame is a wise idea. The complicated society is n

3、ot fit for the author.Simile :“How publiclike a frog”The author compares the public person or somebody to frogs, they have no freedom, hypocritical and have to share with others their own thingsQuestions1.Who are the “pair of us” and “they” in this poem?2.What does “an admiring bog” really mean?3.Wh

4、at is the theme of this poem?4.Do you want to be “nobody” or “somebody”? Explain your reasons.Ezra Pound (18851972)In a Station of the MetroThe apparition of these faces in the crowd; Petals on a wet, black bough人群中這些面龐的閃現(xiàn)； 人群中，這些面孔的鬼影；濕漉的黑樹干上的花瓣。 （趙毅衡） 潮濕的黑樹枝上的花瓣。 （余光中） 我是無名之輩，你是誰？ 你也是無名之輩嗎？ 那我們不就是

5、一對(duì)了！ 不要張揚(yáng)你知道，他們會(huì)趕走我們的。當(dāng)個(gè)大人物多么的無趣， 就像只青蛙在漫長的六月 公開地向贊揚(yáng)它的沼澤 宣揚(yáng)它的大名。這幾張臉在人群中幻景般閃現(xiàn)； 這些面孔浮現(xiàn)于人群；濕漉漉的黑樹枝上花瓣數(shù)點(diǎn)。 （飛白） 花瓣潮濕的黑樹枝（顏元叔）Theme: This poem is an observation of the poet of the human faces seen in a Paris subway station or a description of a moment of sudden emotion at seeing beautiful faces in a Metr

6、o in Paris. He sees the faces, turned variously toward light and darkness, like flower petals which are half absorbed by, half resisting, the wet, dark texture of a bough.The one image in this poem: This poem is probably the most famous of all imagist poems. In two lines it combines a sharp visual i

7、mage or two juxtaposed images （意象疊加） Petals on a wet， black bough with an implied meaning. The faces in the dim light of the Metro suggest both the impersonality and haste of city life and the greater transience of human life itself. The word apparition is a well-chosen one which has a two-fold mean

8、ing: Firstly, it means a visible appearance of something real. Secondly, it builds an image of a ghostly sight, a delusive and unexpected appearance.Pound uses the fewest possible words to convey an accurate image, which is the principle of the Imagist poetry. This poem looks to be a modern adoption

9、 of the haiku form of Japanese poetry which adapts the 3-line, 17 syllable and where the title is an integral part of the whole. The poem succeeds largely because of its internal rhymes: station/apparition; Metro/petals/wet; crowd/bough. Its form was determined by the experience that inspired it, in

10、volving organically rather than being chosen arbitrarily.This short piece illustrates his imagistic talent because the entire poem deals with images alone. It is not complex; rather, the two-line poem is straightforward and to the point. The poem is extremely short, but it seems intriguing and has a

11、 deep message about the beauty of human beings. Robert Frost (1874-1963)The Road Not Taken (1915)Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,And sorry I could not travel bothAnd be one traveler, long I stoodAnd looked down one as far as I couldTo where it bent in the undergrowth. (Stanza One- Describes Situ

12、ations)Then took the other, as just as fair,And having perhaps the better claim,Because it was grassy and wanted wear;Though as for that the passing thereHad worn them really about the same.(Stanza Two- Decides to Take Less-travelled Road)And both that morning equally layIn leaves no step had trodde

13、n black.Oh, I kept the first for another day!黃色樹林里分出兩條路，我很難辦，我一人把步散，不能同時(shí)都涉足，我躊躇，順著一條路我望向遠(yuǎn)處，直到它在樹叢下邊轉(zhuǎn)彎。 再看另一條，也同樣可愛，或許還有更大的說服力，因?yàn)樗兹兹绮荽瞬?；那邊的足跡，就這點(diǎn)說來，留下的印痕也難分彼此。 Yet knowing how way leads on to way,I doubted if I should ever come back.(Stanza Three- Continues Description of Road)I shall be telling th

14、is with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.(Stanza Four-Recalls the Road Taken and Not Taken) The theme： This poem seems to be about the poet， walking in the woods in autumn, hesitating for a lo

15、ng time and wondering which road he should take since they are both pretty. In reality, this is a meditative poem symbolically written. It concerns the important decisions which one must take in the course of life, when one must give up one desirable thing in order to possess another. Then， whatever

16、 the outcome, one must accept the consequences of ones choice for it is not possible to go back and have another chance to choose differently. In the poem, he followed the one which was not frequently travelled by. Symbolically, he chose to follow an unusual, solitary life； perhaps he was speaking o

17、f his choice to become a poet rather than some common profession. But he always remembered the road which he might have taken， and which would have given him a different kind of life. Frost claims that he wrote this poem about his friend Edward Thomas, with whom he had walked many times in the woods

18、 near London. Frost has said that while walking they would come to different paths and after choosing one, Thomas would always felt wondering what they might have missed by not taking the other path.About the poem, Frost asserted, “You have to be careful of that one; its a tricky poem very tricky.”

19、Superficially, the poem has been and continues to be used as an inspirational poem, encouraging self-reliance, not following where others have led. But a close reading of the poem proves not so.Language: This poem is written in classic five-line stanzas, with the rhyme scheme a-b-a-a-b and conversat

20、ional rhythm. The poet uses the road to symbolize lifes journey. Reflective Questions:1. According to this poem, is Frost an innovative poet or not? Why?2. What does the speaker do when facing two diverged roads? What is the speakers initial response?3. Describe the similarities and differences of t

21、hese two roads. Why does he choose the other road?4. How do you understand the word “sigh”?Is it a kind of nostalgic relief or regret?The word “sigh” is a tricky word. Because sigh can be interpreted into nostalgic relief or regret. If it is the relief sigh, then the difference means the speaker fee

22、ls glad with the road he took. If it is the regret sigh, then the difference would not be good, and the speaker would be sighing in regret. 那個(gè)早晨那兩條路全都鋪滿落葉沒有腳步踩黑。哦，我留頭一條路下次走！但我知道前途路路相扣，我懷疑是否還能再走回。歲月如梭當(dāng)多少年已過，哪天說起此事我會(huì)感嘆：樹林樹林里分出兩條路，而我我走的那條路足跡不多，正是這把一切徹底改變。Hence, sigh is ambiguous here for the speaker is

23、 not showing whether his choice is right or wrong.5. What might the two roads stand for in the speakers mind? Clearly, this poem is endowed with abundant symbolic meanings. In the speakers mind, the two roads not only refer to the real roads he has to take while walking in the yellow wood, more sign

24、ificantly, it means two different ways of life when one hesitates before the lifes crossroad. Different choices will lead to different futures. For the poet, it also shows his attitude towards poetry creation. “He prefers to take the less-travelled road” suggests that he doesnt follow suit but emplo

25、ys the traditional pattern in spite of the influence of modernist innovation6. Why does Frost himself claim that this is a tricky poem? What is the theme this poem?Three things make his poem tricky- the time frame, and the words “sigh” and “difference”.Traditionally, this poem has been understood as

26、 an inspirational poem, seeming to encouraging people to be self-reliant and not following where others have led. Actually, it does not moralize about choice, it simply says that choice is inevitable but you never know what your choice will mean until you have lived it. This is also the theme of the

27、 poem. The theme: This is a deceptively simple poem in which the speaker literally stops his horse in the winter twilight to observe the beauty of the forest scene, and then is moved to continue his journey. Philosophically and symbolically, it stems from the ambiguity of the speakers choice between

28、 safety and the unknown. AppreciationThis poem suggests deep thought about death and about life. The strange attraction of death to man is symbolized by the dark woods silently filled up with the coldness of snow. Frost frequently uses the technique of symbolism in his poetry. Some critics think tha

29、t the village stands for the human world， woods for nature， horse for the animal world， and promises for obligations. The poem represents a moment of relaxation from the burdensome Stopping by Woods on a Snowy EveningBY ROBERT FROST Whose woods these are I think I know.His house is in the village, t

30、hough;He will not see me stopping hereTo watch his woods fill up with snow.My little horse must think it queer 5 To stop without a farmhouse nearBetween the woods and frozen lakeThe darkest evening of the year.He gives his harness bells a shakeTo ask if there is some mistake. 10 The only other sound

31、s the sweepOf easy wind and downy flake.The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,But I have promises to keep,And miles to go before I sleep, 15 And miles to go before I sleep.雪夜林畔小駐雪夜林畔小駐余光中譯余光中譯林主的莊宅就在鄰村林主的莊宅就在鄰村,卻不會(huì)見我在此駐馬，卻不會(huì)見我在此駐馬，看他林中積雪的美景?？此种蟹e雪的美景。我的小馬一定頗驚訝：我的小馬一定頗驚訝：四望不見有什么農(nóng)家，四望不見有什么農(nóng)家，偏是一年最暗的黃昏，

32、偏是一年最暗的黃昏，寒林和冰湖之間停下。寒林和冰湖之間停下。journey of life， an almost aesthetic enjoyment and appreciation of natural beauty which is wholesome and restorative against the chaotic existence of modern man.The last stanza shows a kind of sad， sentimental but also strong and responsible feeling. The attraction of t

33、he beauty of the nature makes the speaker stop in the journey. He finally turns away from it， with a certain weariness and yet with quiet determination， to face the needs of life. This stresses the central conflict of the poem between mans enjoyment of natures beauty and his responsibility in societ

34、y. This shows a mans despairing courage to seek out the meaning of life.In the last stanza， the three adjectives lovely dark deep reinforce one another. Not only do they represent beauty and terror of nature symbolized by the dark woods， but they also reveal the speakers love for nature and human is

35、olation from it. Besides， the word sleep here means die symbolically. QuestionsWhy can the horse think? Why does the author stop by the woods?How is the sound described in this poem? What effect does it achieve?Why does the last two lines repeat?The Adventures of Huckleberry FinnSummary:Huck was a w

36、hite boy who was clever, brave as well as kindhearted. In order to live a free life and escaper the cruel trade of his father. Huck ran away to the Mississippi River. During the way, Huck met Jim, who almost carried the same mission-in search of freedom, just like Huck. Jim was a diligent, I Heard a

37、 Fly Buzz-When I Died 465I heard a Fly buzz-when I die-The Stillness in the RoomWas like the Stillness in the Air-Between the Heaves of Storm-The Eyes around-had wrung them dry-And Breaths were gathering firmFor that last Onset- when the KingBe witnessed-in the Room-I willed my Keepsakes-Signed away

38、What portion of me beAssignable-and then it wasThere interposed a Fly-With Blue-uncertain stumbling Buzz-Between the light-and me-And then the Windows failed-and thenI could not see to see-1862? 1896This poem described the situation at the moment of dying.Theme: the poets pessimistic and doubtful at

39、titude toward regeneration.Because I Could Not Stop for Death 712Because I could not stop for Death- He kindly stopped for me-The Carriage held out but just Ourselves-And Immortality.We slowly drove-He knew no hasteAnd I had put awayMy labor and my leisure too,For His Civility-We passed the School,

40、where Children stroveAt Recess-in the Ring-We passed the Setting sun-For only Gossamer, my Gown-My Tippet-only Tulle-We paused before a House that seemedA Swelling of the Ground-The Roof was scarcely visible-The Cornice-in the Ground-Since then-tis centuries-and yetFeels shorter than the DayI first

41、surmised the Horses Heads Were toward Eternity-1863? 1890Theme: a poem about death and immortalityRhetoric: personificationhonest, loyal black man. While no matter how hard he was working for his master, he never failed to be sold again and again. Each time he was sold, he would experience a more mi

42、serable life. In order to live a free life and control the fate of his own, he set foot on a way to escape. Same goal, same circumstances, Huck and Jim became good friend, and they helped each other and lived an easy and happy life on the Mississippi River. In order to help Jim to gain actual freedo

43、m, Huck had done a lot. Through thick and thin, theyve known that the master of Jim had already released him in his testament.Setting:SETTING (TIME) Before the Civil War; roughly 18351845; Twain said the novel was set forty to fifty years before the time of its publication SETTING (PLACE) The Missis

44、sippi River town of St. Petersburg, Missouri; various locations along the river through Arkansas MAJOR CONFLICT At the beginning of the novel, Huck struggles against society and its attempts to civilize him, represented by the Widow Douglas, Miss Watson, and other adults. Later, this conflict gains

45、greater focus in Hucks dealings with Jim, as Huck must decide whether to turn Jim in, as society demands, or to protect and help his friend instead.CLIMAX Huck considers but then decides against writing Miss Watson to tell her the Phelps family is holding Jim, following his conscience rather than th

46、e prevailing morality of the day. Instead, Tom and Huck try to free Jim, and Tom is shot in the leg during the attempt. FALLING ACTION When Aunt Polly arrives at the Phelps farm and correctly identifies Tom and Huck, Tom reveals that Miss Watson died two months earlier and freed Jim in her will. Aft

47、erward, Tom recovers from his wound, while Huck decides he is done with civilized society and makes plans to travel to the West.Characters:Huck Finn- A young boy that seeks to run away from home. He is smart and efficient. Huck is the orphan of an absentee father and a deceased mother. He is uncivilized in manner and habit. He desires to flee his