《英美文學(xué)選讀》筆記,全面歸納

1、Chapter I The Renaissance Period一、學(xué)習(xí)目的和要求通過本章學(xué)習(xí),了解文藝復(fù)興運動和人文主義思潮產(chǎn)生的歷史,文化背景,認(rèn)識該時期 文學(xué)創(chuàng)作的基本特征和基本主張, 及其對同時代及后世英國文學(xué)乃至文化的影響;了解 該時期重要作家的文學(xué)生涯, 創(chuàng)作思想, 藝術(shù)特色及其代表作品的主題結(jié)構(gòu), 人物刻畫, 語言風(fēng)格,思想意義等;同時結(jié)合注釋,讀懂所選作品,了解其思想內(nèi)容和寫作特色, 培養(yǎng)理解和欣賞文學(xué)作品的能力。二、考核要求(一 文藝復(fù)興時期概述1. 識記:(1文藝復(fù)興時期的界定(2歷史文化背景2. 領(lǐng)會 : (1文藝復(fù)興運動的意義與影響(2文藝復(fù)興時期的文學(xué)特點(3人文主義

2、的主張及對文學(xué)的影響3. 應(yīng)用:文藝復(fù)興,人文主義及玄學(xué)詩等名詞的解釋Brief Introduction to the Renaissance PeriodI. 應(yīng)用Definitions of the Literary Terms:1. The Renaissance: The Renaissance marks a transition from the medieval to the modern world. Generally, it refers to the period between the 14th & 17th c enturies. It first star

3、ted in Italy, with the flowering of painting, sculpture & literat ure. From Italy the movement went to embrace the rest of Europe. The Renais sance, which means "rebirth" or "revival," is actually a movement stimulated by a series of historical events, such as the re-discover

4、y of ancient Roman & Gre ek culture, the new discoveries in geography & astrology, the religious reformati on & the economic expansion. The Renaissance, therefore, in essence is a hist orical period in which the European humanist thinkers & scholars made attempt s to get rid of those

5、 old feudalist ideas in medieval Europe, to introduce new i deas that expressed the interests of the rising bourgeoisie, & to recover the pu rity of the early church from the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church.2. Humanism: Humanism is the essence of the Renaissance. It sprang from th e ende

6、avor to restore a medieval reverence for the ancient authors and is freq uently taken as the beginning of the Renaissance on its conscious, intellectual side, for the Greek and Roman civilization was based on such a conception th at man is the measure of all things. Through the new learning, humanis

7、ts not only saw the arts of splendor and enlightenment, but the human values represe nted in the works. Renaissance humanists found in the classics a justification t o exalt human nature and came to see that human beings were glorious creatu res capable of individual development in the direction of

8、perfections, and that the world they inhabited was theirs not to despise but to question, explore, andenjoy. Thus, by emphasizing the dignity of human beings and the importance of the present life, they voiced their beliefs that man did not only have the right to enjoy the beauty of this life, but h

9、ad the ability to perfect himself and to pe rform wonders. Thomas More, Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare ar e the best representatives of the English humanists.3. Spenserian stanza:Spenserian stanza was invented by Edmund Spenser. It is a stanza of nine lin es, with the first eight lines

10、in iambic pentameter & the last line in iambic hexa meter, rhyming ababbcbcc.4. Metaphysical poetry: The term "metaphysical poetry" is commonly used to na me the work of the 17th century writers who wrote under the influence of John Donne. With a rebellious spirit, the metaphysical poe

11、ts tried to break away fro m the conventional fashion of the Elizabethan love poetry. The diction is simple as compared with that of the Elizabethan or the Neoclassic periods, and echo es the words and cadences of common speech. The imagery in drawn from th e actual life. The form is frequently that

12、 of an argument with the poet's beloved, with God, or with himself.5. The Renaissance her A Renaissance hero refers to one created by Christop her Marlowe in his drama. Such a hero is always individualistic and full of amb ition, facing bravely the challenge from both gods and men. He embodies M

13、arl owe's humanistic ides of human dignity and capacity. Different from the tragic h ero in medieval plays, who seeks the way to heaven through salvation and god 's will, he is against conventional morality and contrives to obtain heaven on ea rth through his own efforts. With the endless as

14、piration for power, knowledge, a nd glory, the hero interprets the true Renaissance spirit. Both Tamburlaine and Faustus are typical in possessing such a spirit.(二 該時期的重要作家1. 一般識記:重要作家的文學(xué)生涯2. 識記:重要作品及主要內(nèi)容3. 領(lǐng)會:重要作家的創(chuàng)作思想,藝術(shù)特色及其代表作品的主題結(jié)構(gòu),人物塑造,語言風(fēng) 格,藝術(shù)手法,社會意義等。4. 應(yīng)用:(1莎士比亞和鄧恩詩歌的主題,意象(2喜劇威尼斯商人的主題和主要人物性格

15、分析(3哈姆雷特的性格分析(4史詩失樂園的結(jié)構(gòu),人物性格,語言特點等的分析I. Edmund Spenser1. 一般識記Brief Introduction to the AuthorEnglish poet , born in London, England, about 1552,and died in London, Jan 13, 1599.2. 識記 His Major WorksSpenser's most important work & masterpiece is The Faerie Queene, a great p oem of its age. A

16、complex moral, religious, & political allegory, it is also an epi c that exalts Queen Elizabeth & the English nation. According to Spenser's o wn explanation, his principal intention is to present through a "historical poem" t he example of a perfect gentleman: "to fashion

17、 a gentleman or noble person in virtuous & gentle discipline." Its principal hero is the Arthur of medieval legend. The six books of the poem illustrate the nature of particular virtues, such as, t emperance & justice. Other major works of Spenser are The Shepheardes Cale nder(1579, a p

18、oem consisting of 12 eclogues-corresponding to the 12 months of the year; Epithalamion (1595, a poem expressing the deep personal feelings occasioned by the poets second marriage; Amoretti (1595, a series of sonnet s.3. 領(lǐng)會 His Influence1 Main qualities of Spenser's poetry a perfect melody a rare

19、 sense of beauty a splendid imagination a lofty moral purity & seriousness a dedicated idealism2 In his writing, Spenser drew on the conventions & thought of Classical, medi eval, & Renaissance literature. However, he added to his fusion of these divers e elements much that was original,

20、 & his works inspired many later English po ets. He created a new stanza, called the Spenserian stanza, which is well suite d to narrative verse. His skills in writing melodious English verse & his combin ation of emotion, erudition, & spiritual vision have won him the admiration of ge n

21、erations of English poets. It is his idealism, his love of beauty, &his exquisite melody that make him known as "the poets' poet."4. 應(yīng)用The Faerie Queene:1 It is a long, allegorical poem. In the poem, Spenser dramatized political, reli gious, & moral themes by personifying them,

22、 or making them characters.2Plot: The story, which is set against a background of Arthur & medieval lege nd, deals with the adventures of six knights of the court of the fairy queen na med Gloriana, who represents Queen Elizabeth of English.The faerie Queen was left unfinished at Spenser's d

23、eath. It was originally pla nned as a 12-book poem. But only 6 books were completed. The poem is particularly admired for the melodic beauty of its language & for its rich content of philosophical & mythological material presented in the form of vivid narratives.II. Christopher Marlowe1. 一般識

24、記Brief IntroductionEnglish dramatist & poet,born in Canterbury, England, Feb, 6,1567, died in Dep tford, England, May 30, 1593. Marlowe was the first great English Dramatist. H e brought to the English stage a new concept of tragedy, one in which the dra ma centers around the struggles of a man

25、overwhelmed by his passions & am bitions.2. 識記His Major WorksHis most famous tragedies are Doctor Faustus, The Jew of Malta, Tamburlaine & Edward . In his plays, Marlowe used blank verse, which he molded into a superb instrument for expressing intense emotions. After his development of bl an

26、k verse it became the standard medium for English dramatic & epic poetry. His non-dramatic poetry includes Hero & Leander, "the Passionate shepherd to His love," & a verse translation of Ovid's Amores.Marlowe's Doctor Faustus (about 1589, generally considered his best p

27、lay, was based on a real Dr. Faustus, who was later associated with a medieval legen d of a man selling his soul to the devil. The play's dominant moral is human r ather than religious. It celebrates the human passion for knowledge, power & h appiness; it also reveals man's frustration i

28、n realizing the high aspirations in a hostile moral order. The last scene, in which Faustus confronts his doom, brillia ntly renders the fear & agony of a condemned man.The Jew of Malta (about 1589 illustrates Marlowe's outstanding portrayal of ch aracter. Its hero, Barabas the Jew, served a

29、s the model for Shylock in Shakes peare's The Merchant of Venice. In about 1592. Marlowe wrote one of the first successful English historical dramas, Edward 。 It is his most dramatically m ature play & exhibits his mastery of characterization, stage craft & rhetoric. Tamburlaine is a pla

30、y about an ambitious & pitiless Tartar conqueror in the fou rteenth century who rose from a shepherd to an overpowering King. By depictin g a great hero with high ambition & sheer brutal force in conquering one enem y after another, Marlowe voiced the supreme desire of the man of the Renaiss

31、 ance for infinite power & authority.3. 領(lǐng)會 His Achievements & InfluenceAchievements: Marlowe's greatest achievement lies in that he perfected the bla nk verse & made it the principal medium of English drama.His second achievement is his creation of the Renaissance hero for English dr

32、 ama.The theme of his works is the praise of the Renaissance spirit.His influence: A man of wide learning, Marlowe was one of the extra ordinary poets & playwrights of his time. "Marlowe's mighty line," as Ben Jonson called his blank verse, was one of the most important contributio

33、ns to the art of Engli sh literature.4. 應(yīng)用 Dr. FaustusThe selection of Act from Dr. Faustus is mainly about Faustus is showing his great ambition, that is, if he had many souls, he would give them all to the De vil so that he could control the world. In portraying Faustus, a more introspectiv e &

34、; philosophical figure than Tamburlaine, Marlowe praises his soaring aspiratio n for knowledge while warning against the sin of pride since Faustus's downfall was caused by his despair in God & trust in Devil. . William Shakespeare1. 一般識記 Brief IntroductionWilliam Shakespeare was the greates

35、t writer of plays who ever lived. His friend & fellow playwright Ben Jonson said that Shakespeare was "not of an age but for all time." The 18th-century English essayist Samuel Johnson described his work as "the mirror of life." The 19th-century English poet Samuel Taylor Col

36、eri dge spoke of "myriad-minded Shakespeare." The 20th-century English dramatist George Bernard Shaw stressed his "enormous power over language."2. 識記 His Life & CareerThe exact date of Shakespeare's birth is not known, but his baptism was recor ded on April 26, 1564, in

37、the parish register of Holy Trinity Church at Stratford-on-Avon. Since it was customary to baptize infants within two or three days of birth, April 23 is regarded as a reasonable birth date. It is also the date on wh ich he died in 1616. Generally, his dramatic career is divided into 4 periods. The

38、First Period (1590-1594-five historical plays & four comedies:Henry , part (1590Henry , part (1590Henry , part (1591Richard (1592Titus Andronicus (1593The Comedy of Errors (1592The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594The Taming of the Shrew (1593Love's Labor's Lost (1594The Second Period (1595-

39、1600-five historical plays, six comedies & two tragedi es:Richard (1595King John (1596Henry , Part & Part (1597Henry V (1598A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595The Merchant of Venice (1596Much Ado About Nothing (1598As You Like It (1599Twelfth Night (1600The Merry Wives of Winsor (1598Romeo &

40、amp; Juliet (1595Julius Caesar (1599The Third Period (1601-1609-Seven tragedies & two dark comedies:HamletOthelloKing LearMacbethAntony & CleopatraTroilus & CressidaCoriolonusAll's Well That Ends WellMeasure for MeasureThe Fourth Period (1609-1612-Romantic tragic-comedies & two p

41、lays:PericlesCymbelineThe Winte's TaleThe TempestHenry The Two Noble KinsmenShakespeare's authentic non-dramatic poetry consists of two long narrative poe ms: Venus & Adonis & The Rape of Lucrece & his sequence of 154 sonnets.3. 領(lǐng)會 His Influence1 Contributions to languageMany wor

42、ds and commonly used phrases have been added to everyday Englis h vocabulary through their appearance in Shakespeare's works.2 Effects on literatureShakespeare's plays & poetry have had a pervasive influence on world literatur e. Most of the great literary figures of the world have been

43、inspired & stimulate d by his achievement.On the whole, however, Shakespeare's contribution has been to the language & spirit of later writing rather than to its form. References & parallels to Shakesp eare's phraseology have occurred in literature since the 16th century.Perhaps

44、the greatest inspiration to subsequent authors has been Shakespeare'scapacity to depict life in all its complexity & to illuminate man's character & de stiny.4. 領(lǐng)會 His Major Works1 DramaA. The Merchant of VeniceTheme: to praise the friendship between Antonio & Bassanio, to ideali

45、ze Portia as a heroine of great beauty, wit & loyalty, & to expose the insatiable greed & brutality of the Jew.Plot: The play has a double plot (P39B. HamletHamlet is generally regarded as Shakespeare's most popular play on the stage, for it has the qualities of a "blood-and-thu

46、nder" thriller & a philosophical explor ation of life & death. And the timeless appeal of this mighty drama lies in its c ombination of intrigue, emotional conflict & searching philosophic melancholy. The play opens with Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, appearing in a mood of world -weari

47、ness occasioned by his father's recent death & by his mother's hasty rem arriage with Claudius, his father's brother. While encountering his father's ghost, Hamlet is informed that Claudius has murdered his father & then taken over b oth his father's throne & widow. T

48、his, Hamlet, is urged by the ghost to seek re venge for his father's "foul & most unnatural murder." Trapped in a nightmare world of spying, testing & plotting, & apparently bearing the intolerable burden of the duty to revenge his father's death, Hamlet is obliged to i

49、nhabit a shadow world, to live suspended between fact & fiction, language & action. His life is one of constant role-playing, examining the nature of action only to deny its po ssibility, for he is too sophisticated to degrade his nature to the conventional ro le of a stage revenger. By char

50、acterizing Hamlet, Shakespeare successfully ma kes a philosophical exploration of life & death.C. The TempestThe Tempest, an elaborate & fantastic story, is known as the best of his final r omances. The characters are rather allegorical & the subject full of suggestion. The humanly impos

51、sible events can be seen occurring everywhere, in the play. The playwright resorts to the supernatural atmosphere & to the dreams to solv e the conflict. To Shakespeare, the whole life is no more than a dream. Thus, The Tempest is a typical example of his pessimistic view towards human life &

52、; society in his late years.2 PoemsA. SonnetsThe first 126 sonnets are apparently addressed to a handsome young noblema n, presumably the author's patron. The poems express the writer's selfless but not entirely uncritical devotion to the young man.Twenty of the sonnets are about a young wom

53、an characterized as a " dark lad y," whom the poet distrust but cannot resist. The poems addressed directly toher are perhaps the most remarkable in the sequence because their unsentime ntal tone is unlike that of traditional love sonnets.A philosophical theme that appears in many of the s

54、onnets is that of time as t he destroyer of all mortal things. Also expressed in the poems is the author's d isillusionment with the false ness of earthly life.The form of the poems is the English Variation of the traditional Italian, or Petr archan, sonnet, Shakespeare's sonnets have three

55、quatrains, or groups of four l ines, & a final couplet. Their rhyme scheme is abab, cdcd, efef, gg. A theme i s developed & elaborated in the quatrains, & a concluding thought is presented in the couplet.B. Other poemsVenus & Adonis, in which Shakespeare made his first bid for litera

56、ry patronage & fame, is a conventional Elizabethan narrative poem. Its mythological story, t aken from Ovids Metamorphoses, tells of the passionate love goddess who wo os the reluctant youth Adonis.The Rape of Lucrece, another narrative of passion, is based on the semi histor ical story of the r

57、ape of a chaste Roman matron by Tarquin, son of the king o f Rome.5. 領(lǐng)會 His Major Theme1 Shakespeare is against religious persecution & racial discrimination, against social inequality & the corrupting influence of gold & money.2 He was a humanist of the time & accepted the Renaissan

58、ce views on literat ure.6. 領(lǐng)會 His Literary Achievements1 CharacterizationHis major characters are neither merely individual ones nor type ones; they are individuals representing certain types. Each character has his or her own pers onalities; meanwhile, they may share features with others. The solil

59、oquies in his plays fully reveal the inner conflict of his characters. Shakespeare also portray s his characters in pairs. Contrasts are frequently used to bring vividness to his characters.The women in the plays are vivid creations, each differing from the others. Sha kespeare was fond of portrayin

60、g "mocking wenches," such as Kate of the Tami ng of the Shrew, Rosaline of Love's Labor's Lost, & Beatrice of Much Ado Abo ut Nothing, but he was equally adept at creating gentle & innocent women, suc h as Ophelia in Hamlet, Desdemona in Othello, & Cordelia in King Lear

61、. His fe male characters also include the treacherous Goneril & Regan, the iron-willed L ady Macbeth, the witty & resourceful Portia, the tender & loyal Juliet, & the all uring Cleopatra.2 Plot ConstructionShakespeare's plays are well known for their adroit plot construction. He seldo m invents his own plots; instead, he borrows them from some old plays or stor ybo