英美詩(shī)歌欣賞（教案）

課程：英美詩(shī)歌欣賞

教材：英美詩(shī)歌教程ACourseofEnglishandAmericanPoetry開課院系：外國(guó)語(yǔ)學(xué)院任課教師：李正栓教授

開課學(xué)期：學(xué)分：周學(xué)時(shí)：2總學(xué)時(shí)：36 a

課程性質(zhì)：學(xué)士學(xué)位專業(yè)課適用專業(yè)：非英語(yǔ)專業(yè)選修

本課程的教學(xué)目的：

本課程旨在通過(guò)英美詩(shī)歌的具體文本閱讀，讓選課的學(xué)生比較系統(tǒng)地了解并掌握英美詩(shī)歌的開展，了解英詩(shī)在各個(gè)歷史時(shí)期的形式、風(fēng)格、技巧和與之相關(guān)的時(shí)代背景、文學(xué)思潮等，掌握詩(shī)歌分析和欣賞的根本方法。

教學(xué)內(nèi)容及根本要求：

比較系統(tǒng)和全面地介紹英美詩(shī)歌的開展歷史，分析各個(gè)時(shí)期英美詩(shī)歌的經(jīng)典佳作，闡述這些詩(shī)作的格式、韻律、風(fēng)格和詩(shī)歌創(chuàng)作理論。重點(diǎn)將放在具體詩(shī)歌的分析上。通過(guò)比較詳盡的分析，讓學(xué)生掌握英詩(shī)的特點(diǎn)，提高他們欣賞英語(yǔ)的能力以及分析水平，熟悉英國(guó)詩(shī)歌的創(chuàng)作理論。本課程將涉及32位詩(shī)人的65首詩(shī)歌。除了認(rèn)真研讀這些詩(shī)歌以外，學(xué)生們應(yīng)擴(kuò)大自己的閱讀范圍，廣泛地閱讀相關(guān)的翻譯和賞析材料以及其它優(yōu)秀的英美詩(shī)作，提高自身對(duì)英美詩(shī)歌的理解和欣賞水平。

EnglishPoetrySessionOne PartOneEdmundSpenserI.BackgroundInformationTheRenaissanceinEngland:Renaissanceisthe‘rebirth’ofliterature,artandlearningthatprogressivelytransformedEuropeanculturefromthemid-14thcenturyinItalytothemid-17thcenturyinEngland,stronglyinfluencedbytherediscoveryofclassicalGreekandLatinliterature,andacceleratedbythedevelopmentofprinting.TheRenaissanceiscommonlyheldtomarkthecloseoftheMiddleAgesandthebeginningofthemodernWesternworld.Inliteraryterms,theRenaissancemaybeseenasanewtraditionrunningfromPetrarchandBoccaccioinItalytoJonsonandMiltoninEngland,embracingtheworkofSidney,Spenser,andShakespeare;itismarkedbyanewself-confidenceinvernacularliteratures,aflourishingoflyricpoetry,andarevivalofsuchclassicalformsasepicandpastoralliterature.HumanismbecamethekeynoteoftheEnglishRenaissance.TheHumanistsemphasizedthecapabilityofthehumanmindandtheachievementsofhumanculture,incontrasttothemedievalemphasisonGodandcontemptforthethingsofthisworld.EnglishpoetryintheRenaissanceperiodhasoneofitshighlights.Itachievedoriginalbeautyandexuberance,especiallyintheAgeofElizabeth.Elizabethanpoetryisnotableforitsvariety,itsfreshness,itsfreshness,itsyouthfulness,anditsromanticardor.Agroupofexcellentpoetsappeared(includingEdmundSpenser,ChristopherMarlowe,WilliamShakespeare,BenJonsoninthisbook),andalargenumberofnoblepoeticworkswereproduced.IntheAgeofElizabeth,writingpoetrybecameafashion.EdmundSpenser(1552-1599),thegreatestnondramaticpoetoftheEnglishRenaissance,isregardedas“thepoet’spoet〞becauseofhisgreatinfluenceonlaterpoets.SpenserwasbornandeducatedinLondon.ThenSpenserstudiedatCambridge,wherehereadtheclassicsandItalianpoetsandwrotepoems.TheShepheardsCalendarwasSpenser’sfirstmajorwork,aseriesofpastoralpoemsarrangedaccordingtothemonthsoftheyear.HismasterpieceTheFaerieQueene,thegreatromanticepic,waspublishedin1590,consistingofsixbooks.OneofhismajorworkAmoretti,thesonnetsequencein1595,togetherwithShakespeare’ssonnetsandSidney’sAstrophelandStellawereregardedasthemostfamoussonnetsequencesoftheElizabethanAge.Spenser’scontributiontoEnglishliteratureliesnotonlyinwhathewrote,butalsoinhowhewroteit.Hecreatednewpoeticforms.The9-linestanzaform,calledSpenserianstanza,rhymedababbcbccisoneofhisinventions.Thefirsteightareiambicpentameterlines,andthelastlineisaniambichexameterline.Thesonnetformheinvented,calledSpenseriansonnet,whichcomprisesthreequatrainsandafinalcoupletasothers’,containssuchanintricatepatternofinterlockingrhymesasababbcbccdcdee.Hetriedhishandondifferentformsandmeters.Hehasgreatinfluenceonlaterpoets.II.SelectedpoemsSonnet34A.Pre-readingquestionsforclassroomdiscussionIdentifythethreeimagesinthepoem.What’stheirfunction?Whatdoestheauthorcomparehisloveto?B.TeachingPointsexceptthenotesinthebookThispoemiswritteninSpenseriansonnet,thatis,threequatrainsplusacoupletofiambicpentameterrhymingababbcbccdcdee.Archaicwords:lyke-like,wyde-wide,doth-does,whenas-when,guyde-guide,doe-do,cloudes-clouds,darknesse-darkness,storme-storm,lyfe-life,looke-look,cleare-clear,comfortlesse-confortless,pensivenesse-pensiveness.Theme:Thispoemshowstheauthor’sdeeploveforhisbelovedandtheimportanceofhisbelovedtohim.Analogy:Thepoetcomparedhislovejourneytothejourneyofashipbyusingthreeimages:ocean,shipandbrightstar.B.Questionsforstudyanddiscussion.What’stherhymeschemeofthispoem?Comparewiththerhymeschemeofothersonneteers.Sonnet75A.TeachingPointsexceptthenotesinthebook1.ThispoemisalsowritteninSpenseriansonnet.2.Archaicwords:agayne-again,tyde-tide,pray-prey,paynes-pains,vayne-vain,sayd-said,doest-does,vaine-vain,mortall-mortal,myselve-myself,lyke-like,bee-be,whenas-whereas,lykewize-likewise,quod-quoth,dy-die,vertues-virtues,subdew-subdue.3.Theme:Thankstohispoetry,theirlovewillliveforever,sodoesthefameofhislover.ThispoemfollowsthetraditionalthemeforpoetryintheElizabethanperiod,thatis,poetrycanbringeternitytotheoneheloves.ForexampleShakespeare’sSonnet18(“Solongasmencanbreathe,oreyescansee,/Solonglivesthis,andthisgiveslifetothee〞)andSonnet55(“Notmarble,northeguildedmonument,/OfPrincesshalloutlivethispowerfullrime〞).B.Questionsforstudyanddiscussion1.Identifythemetricalpatternandrhymeschemeinthispoem.2.Afterabriefnarrationforaquatrain,thepoemisgoingonindialogue.Whatdoyouthinkofthiswritingstyle?PartTwoChristopherMarloweI.BackgroundInformationPastoral,ahighlyconventionalmodeofwritingthatcelebratestheinnocentlifeofshepherdsandshepherdessesinpoems,plays,andproseromances.Pastoralliteraturedescribesthelovesandsorrowsofmusicalshepherds,usuallyinanidealizedGoldenAgeofrusticinnocenceandidleness;paradoxically,itisanelaboratelyartificialcultofsimplicityandvirtuousfrugality.IntheRenaissancethetraditionalpastoralwasalsoadaptedtodiversesatiricalandallegoricaluses,EdmundSpenser’sShepherd’sCalendar(1579),whichpopularizedthemodeinEnglishpoetry,includedmostofthevarietiesofpastoralpoemscurrentinthatperiod.Englishpastoralswerewritteninseveralforms,fromthepastoralromanceofSirPhilipSidney’sArcadia,theecloguesofEdmundSpenser’sShepherd’sCalendarandthecomedyofShakespeare’sAsYouLikeIttolyricslikeMarlowe’s“ThePassionateShepherdtoHisLove〞.ChristopherMarlowe(1564-1593),thoughshortlived,isregardedasthegreatestofthepioneersinEnglishdrama,firstmakingblankversetheprincipalinstrumentofEnglishdrama.Apartfromhisplays,Marlowealsowrotesomelyrics.Amongthem“ThePassionateShepherdtoHisLove〞isthemostquotedone.II.SelectedpoemThePassionateShepherdtoHisLoveA.Pre-readingquestionsforclassroomdiscussion1.Identifytherhymeschemeinthispoem.2.Howdoesthespeakerpaycourttohisloverinthepoem?B.TeachingPointsexceptthenotesinthebook1.ThispastorallyricofinvitationisoneofthemostfamousofElizabethansongs.Manypoetshavewrittenrepliestoit.Thefinestreplyis“TheNymph’sReplytotheShepherd〞bythegreatElizabethanromanticSirWalterRalegh.AnotherofthemanyreplieswasDonne’s“TheBait〞.2.Thepoemiswrittenin7quatrainsrhymingaabb.3.Theme:thispoemdescribesashepherd’sinvitationtohisloverbypromisingtogiveherallthepleasuresnaturecangive.B.Questionsforstudyanddiscussion1.Doyouthinktheshepherdcouldsucceedincourtshipbythewaydescribedinthepoem?PartThreeAssignmentsI.Recite“ThePassionateShepherdtoHisLove〞II.QuestionsforpreviewA.ComparetheSpenseriansonnetwiththatofShakespeare.Identifythesimilarityanddifferenceofthem.B.ComparedifferentChineseversionsofShakespeare’ssonnets.Pointoutthestrongpointsandweakpointsofeachversion.SessionTwoWilliamShakespeareI.BackgroundInformationWilliamShakespeare(1564-1616)wasthegreatestfigureofEnglishliterature.Inhislifetime,hewrote37plays,twolongnarrativepoemsVenusandAdonis(1593)andTheRapeofLucrece(1594)and154sonnets.Thoughhewasalwaystakenasthegreatestdramatistofhisday,hisgeniusforpoeticcreationwasalsoshinningbrightinhissonnets.Hissonnetsweremainlydedicatedto“W.H.〞,ayoungman―maybehisfriendorpatron.Sonnets1-126mainlydiscusshisfriendshipwithahandsomeyoungmanandSonnets127-152areaboutamysterious“darklady〞,whoisthoughttobethepoet’sidealwoman.Thelasttwosonnetshavenorelationshipwiththeothers.Themainthemeofhissonnetsisloveandfriendship.Sonnetisalyricpoemconsistingofasinglestanzaof14iambicpentameterlineslinkedbyanintricaterhymescheme.TherearetwomajorpatternsofrhymeinsonnetswritteninEnglish.TheItalianorPetrarchansonnet(namedafterthe14thcenturyItalianpoetPetrarch)comprisesanoctave(8lines)rhymingabbaabbaandasestet(6lines)rhymingcdecdeorcdccdc.Thetransitionfromoctavetosestetusuallycoincideswitha‘turn’intheargumentormoodofthepoem.TheEnglishorShakespeareansonnet(namedafteritsgreatestpractitioner)comprisesthreequatrainsandafinalcouplet,rhymingababcdcdefefgg.The‘turn’comeswiththefinalcouplet,whichmaysometimesachieveanepigram.Therewasonenotablevariant,theSpenseriansonnet,inwhichSpenserlinkedeachquatraintothenextbyacontinuingrhyme:ababbcbccdcdee.TherearethreefamoussonnetsequencesintheElizabethanAge----Spenser’sAmoretti,Shakespeare’ssonnetsandSidney’sAstrophelandStella.II.SelectedpoemsUndertheGreenwoodTreeA.Teachingpointsexceptthatinthebook1.ThispoemischosenfromShakespeare’scomedyAsYouLikeIt(1599-1600)(SceneV.ActII).ItvividlydescribesthehappylifeofthebanishedDukeandhisfollowersintheForestofArden.2.Thispoemiswrittenintwoeight-linestanzasrhymingaabbcddc.Turnhismerrynote/Untothesweetbird’sthroat:makehisjoyfulsonginharmonywiththebird’s.B.QuestionsforstudyanddiscussionWhomdoesthepoetcalltocome“hither〞inthefirststanza?What’stheeffectoftheshorterlinesofthepoem?What’sthethemeofthepoem?Sonnet18A.Pre-readingquestionsforclassroomdiscussionTakingthispoemasasample,carefullyexplainthestructure,turningpoint,conclusionandrhymeschemeofShakespeareansonnet.Whydoesthepoetcomparehislovetoasummer’sday?B.TeachingpointsexceptthatinthebookThispoemisShakespeare’smostfrequentlyquotedsonnet.Theme:Thepoetsingspraiseofhisfriend,andthinksthathispoetrywillbringeternitytotheoneheloves.ThepoemfollowsthetraditionalthemeforpoetryintheElizabethanperiod,thatis,poetrycanbringeternitytotheonehelovesandeulogizes(稱頌).Fromthepoemwecanseethatthepoethasconfidenceinhispoetryandhethinksthathispoemswillbeeverlastinginhumanworld.Healsoshowsloveforandcelebrationofhisfriend,theyoungman.ItiswritteninShakespeareansonnetrhymingabab,cdcd,efef,ggC.QuestionsforstudyanddiscussionExplainthefunctionofvariationinmetrical〔韻律的〕patternofthispoem,suchasthetrochee〔(英詩(shī)的)揚(yáng)抑格，長(zhǎng)短格〕“ShallI〞orthespondee〔強(qiáng)強(qiáng)格，揚(yáng)揚(yáng)格〕“Roughwind〞forstress.What’sthethemeofthepoem?Canyounamesomepoemswiththesameidea?莎士比亞最有名的詩(shī):十四行詩(shī)第18首/themostfamouspoembyWilliamShakespeareAnalyzethedevelopmentofthoughtinthissonnet.Sonet18WilliamShakespeareShallIcomparetheetoasummer’sday?

Thouartmorelovelyandmoretemperate.

RoughwindsdoshakethedarlingbudsofMay,

Andoftenishisgoldcomplexiondimmed;

Andeveryfairfromfairsometimedeclines,

Bychance,ornature’schangingcourse,untrimmed:

Butthyeternalsummershallnotfade,

Norlosepossessionofthatfairthouowest;

Norshalldeathbragthouwanderestinhisshade

Whenineternallinestotimethougrowest.

Solongasmencanbreatheoreyescansee,

Solonglivesthis,andthisgiveslifetothee.十四行詩(shī)〔第十八首〕

威廉·莎士比亞夏日怎能與妳譬喻比較

妳的可愛溫和夏日難及

五月花蕾惡風(fēng)吹襲落地

夏日租約倏忽轉(zhuǎn)瞬到期

有時(shí)天眼高灼炎炎難耐

更見烏云常蔽金色面容

古今紅顏難逃紅顏色衰

命運(yùn)無(wú)常季候欺凌作弄

妳的永恆夏日卻將長(zhǎng)存

美貌紅顏必也永世不減

死神難夸妳為地府美人

因妳芳名已成不朽詩(shī)篇

除非人世已經(jīng)滅絕無(wú)生

此詩(shī)必將永傳與汝永恆#3隨筆

英國(guó)大文豪莎士比亞文名遠(yuǎn)播，在臺(tái)灣通常敬稱他為莎翁。只要端出他的肖像幾乎就可以象徵英國(guó)文學(xué)或是大英帝國(guó)。這位一五六四年出生，一六一六年卒的詩(shī)人、劇作家、演員，據(jù)說(shuō)在一五八九年開始寫劇本之后，每二年就創(chuàng)作三齣戲劇，總共寫了三十七齣戲。這些劇作不像電影?莎翁情史?所刻劃的那樣，由他自己就拿出去賣稿，而是由他舞臺(tái)上的二位友人，為了紀(jì)念他而在他過(guò)世后蒐集出版。另外，莎翁也寫下了一百五十七首的十四行詩(shī)。十四行詩(shī)是格律工整的詩(shī)體〔這首詩(shī)每行十個(gè)音節(jié)〕，內(nèi)容通常是歌詠宮廷式浪漫愛情的詩(shī)句。義大利詩(shī)人佩脫拉克〔PetrarchFrancesco〕應(yīng)該是這個(gè)詩(shī)體的創(chuàng)始人，為他不倫之戀的愛人蘿拉寫下了許多著名詩(shī)篇。這個(gè)詩(shī)體到了莎士比亞這個(gè)天才文人的手中，不僅格律有了改變〔例如押韻的方式從二行二行同韻的aabbccddeeffgg格式改成隔行同韻的ababcdcdefefgg格式，此處翻譯儘量仿原文格式呈現(xiàn)〕，同時(shí)莎士比亞在內(nèi)容的取材上以及對(duì)愛情的描述上，都有了文藝復(fù)興時(shí)期典型的活力與多樣性。他的第一百三十首十四行詩(shī)，其實(shí)就是拿佩脫拉克的詩(shī)所掀起的宮廷式愛情詩(shī)與浪漫式的愛情觀來(lái)開玩笑。從莎翁的十四行詩(shī)裡，其實(shí)已經(jīng)可以看出他幾百年來(lái)聲名何以不墜的原因。在第十八首這一首非常精彩的愛情詩(shī)裡，莎士比亞透過(guò)修辭性的問(wèn)句說(shuō)我是否應(yīng)該把妳比喻為夏日？然后就一路開始給它比下去。先說(shuō)夏日雖然美好〔對(duì)於英國(guó)而言夏日還是算蠻短的〕，但是他的情人更好，完全沒(méi)有夏日的缺點(diǎn)。接著立刻又推翻前面所言，說(shuō)即使如此，人的美貌終究還是難保不會(huì)因意外而失去，或是隨著年歲衰敗。然后話鋒再又一轉(zhuǎn)，竟然捧起自己來(lái)了。他那看來(lái)像是讚美對(duì)方擁有永恆的夏日的詩(shī)句，搞了半天原來(lái)是利用「超級(jí)比一比」在吹噓自己的才華。十四行詩(shī)的最后兩行往往就是全詩(shī)神來(lái)之筆之處〔Punchline〕，莎士比亞當(dāng)然十分善於利用這個(gè)形式的特點(diǎn)，在這兩行來(lái)凸顯自己萬(wàn)古流芳的不朽詩(shī)篇，也就是他的文采，才是一個(gè)人的芳華與美貌能夠恆久艷麗的保證。莎士比亞這個(gè)傢伙雖然狂妄，但是還真所言不差。十一世紀(jì)的今日，除了我們，還真的不曉得有多少老師、學(xué)子與愛詩(shī)人，正和我們一樣在在朗誦他的十四行詩(shī)的第十八首。詩(shī)裡面的這位美人，真的就如同永恆的夏日一般，在詩(shī)中永遠(yuǎn)不老。如同他后來(lái)的同胞詩(shī)人濟(jì)慈〔Keats〕對(duì)著一只銘刻著在歡愉的背景中一對(duì)愛人將吻而未吻的希臘古甕，發(fā)出了浪漫的吟詠寫成＜希臘古甕頌＞，頌讚那不會(huì)隨時(shí)間消逝的永恆追求與永恆的美：Shecannotfade,thoughthouhastnotthybliss,雖然你尚未一親芳澤，但她將永不消逝，

Foreverwiltthoulove,andshebefair!你將恆久熱戀，她亦將恆久美麗而文學(xué)偉大的魔力，也正是在此。文句注釋

ShallIcomparetheetoasummer’sday?

我是否該把妳比喻為〔美好的〕夏日？〔這不是真的問(wèn)句，只是修辭性的問(wèn)句〕Thouartmorelovelyandmoretemperate

art=are,temperate=溫柔的；妳比夏日更可愛溫柔summer'slease夏日的租約Sometimetoohottheeyeofheavenshines

Sometime在這一行的用法就是sometimes，意思指有時(shí)候，跟下幾行的sometime的意思不同；theeyeofheaven就是太陽(yáng)Andeveryfairfromfairsometimedeclines

這是莎翁十分喜歡使用的文字游戲，第一個(gè)fair指的是美好的人或物，第二個(gè)那么是美好〔的狀態(tài)〕。整行是說(shuō)每一個(gè)美麗的人不久就會(huì)慢慢變丑〔sometime這個(gè)副詞用來(lái)指過(guò)去或未來(lái)不確定的某個(gè)時(shí)候，這裡的意思就是「過(guò)些時(shí)候」hisgoldcomplexiondimm'd太陽(yáng)的金色容顏還常常變黯淡〔被云遮蔽〕Bychanceornature'schangingcourseuntrimm'd

untrimmed=雜亂不整，意思指美人或因意外〔chance〕或是大自然無(wú)可防止的日夜交替與四季變換，美人終難免花容褪色Butthyeternalsummershallnotfade

前８行皆是將情人喻為夏日后，說(shuō)明情人因無(wú)夏日之缺點(diǎn)，因此更勝於夏日，本行起那么直接描述情人的永恆美好。thatfairthouowest妳所擁有〔owe=own〕的美麗NorshallDeathbragthouwander’stinhisshade死神無(wú)法夸耀他已擁有妳〔在他的陰影中漫游表示已死亡〕。Whenineternallinestotimethougrowest不同於自然節(jié)令，妳是在不朽的詩(shī)篇中成長(zhǎng)於時(shí)間裡。Solonglivesthisandthisgiveslifetothee

十四行詩(shī)最后二行往往都是產(chǎn)生驚奇效果的詩(shī)句(punchlines)給人出人意表的文意總結(jié)，這裡將對(duì)情人的讚美同時(shí)等同於對(duì)這首詩(shī)的肯定，甚至明指情人的存在是仰賴詩(shī)的存在附：陳黎?張芬齡翻譯的版本英語(yǔ)情詩(shī)名作選---莎士比亞十四行詩(shī)"第18首"我該把你比較做夏天嗎？

你比夏天更可愛，更溫婉：

狂風(fēng)會(huì)把五月的嬌蕊吹落，

夏天出租的期限又太短暫：

有時(shí)天上的眼睛照得太熱，

他金色的面容常常變陰暗；

一切美的事物總不免凋敗，

被機(jī)緣或自然的代謝摧殘：

但你永恆的夏天不會(huì)褪色，

不會(huì)失去你所擁有的美善，

死神也不能夸說(shuō)你在他陰影裡徘徊，

當(dāng)你在永恆的詩(shī)行裡與時(shí)間同久長(zhǎng)：

只要人們能呼吸或眼睛看得清，

此詩(shī)將永存，并且賜給你生命?！舱灾袊?guó)時(shí)報(bào)人間咖啡館〕Sonnet29A.TeachingpointsexceptthatinthebookThisisalsoaShakespeareansonnet.Theme:thepoetsingspraiseofthepoweroffriendshipandhisadmirationtowardtheyoungmaninthepoem.B.Questionsforstudyanddiscussion1.Explainthemeaningoftheword“state〞inLine2,10and14.2.Therearetwomoodscontrastedinthissonnet.Whatarethey?3.Whatcauseshischangeofmoodinthelastfewlinesofthepoem?4.Howdoyouunderstandtheimageofalarkinthesonnet?Sonnet55A.Pre-readingquestionsforclassroomdiscussionFindoutthethemeofthissonnet.Namethepoemsyoulearntinthisbookwiththesameidea.B.TeachingpointsexceptthatinthebookThisisanotherShakespeareansonnet.Theme:sameasSonnet18,65andSpenser’sSonnet75inAmoretti.C.Questionsforstudyanddiscussion1.Whatcomparisonsaredisplayedinthissonnet?2.What’sthefunctionofcomparisonhere?PartThreeAssignmentsI.Recite“Sonnet18II.Questionsforpreview1.TranslateJonson’s“Song:ToCelia〞intoChinese.2.Whatattitudestowardwomenareshownin“ThatWomenAreButMen’sShadow〞and“Song〞?3.Whatdoestheimage“theflea〞signify?SessionThreeBenJonsonI.BackgroundInformationBenJonson(1572-1637)wasoneofthemostoutstandingfiguresintheliteraryworldoftheearly17thcentury.Hewasamanofversatility,asoldier,actor,playwright,poetandpoetlaureate,scholar,critic,translator,manofletter,andheadofaliterary“school〞,theso-called“sonsofBen〞(thelaterCavalierschoolofEnglishpoetslikeRobertHerrick,ThomasCarew,SirJohnSucklingcalledthemselves“sonsofBen〞orthe“TribeofBen〞toshowtheirworshiptowardBenJonson).Inshort,hewasagiant.Jonson’smaindramaticworksincludeEveryManinHisHumor(1598),acomedyofhumors,Sejanus(1603)aclassicaltragedy,Volpone(1606)andTheAlchemist(1610),twosupremesatiriccomediesoftheEnglishstage.Besidesbeingadramatist,BenJonsonwasalsoapoet,thoughhispoetrywascertainlynothischiefcontributiontoliteratureashisdramais.Hispoetrycanbedividedintofivegroups:poemsoffestiveceremony,poemsinimitationofHoracewithEnglishtonality,elegiesandepitaphs,complimentsandtributes,andepigrams.Threebooksofhisnon-dramaticpoetrywerepublished.Amongthem,TheEpigramandTheForestwerepublishedinhislifetime,whilethethirdoneTheUnderwoodwascollectedandpublishedposthumously.BenJonsonwasalsoveryimportantasacritic.Headvocatedclassicism,modelingontheoldGreekandRomanmasters,takingafirmstandforthethreeunitiesinplaywriting.BalladstanzaorBalladmetre,theusualformofthefolkballadanditsliteraryimitations,consistingofaquatraininwhichthefirstandthirdlineshavefourstresseswhilethesecondandfourthhavethreestresses.Usuallyonlythesecondandfourthlinesrhyme.Therhythmisbasicallyiambic.II.SelectedpoemsSong:ToCeliaA.Pre-readingquestionsforclassroomdiscussion1.TranslatethispoemintoChinese.2.Identifythepoeticformofthepoem.B.TeachingpointsexceptthatinthebookThispoem,whichischosenfromTheForest,asmallcollectionof15poems,hasbeensettomusicandconsideredoneofthetreasuredlovelyricsintheEnglishlanguage.Thisclassiclyriciswrittenintwo8-linestanzasintheballadmeter(alternate8-syllableand6-syllablelinesofiambicmeterandwithalternaterhymes).Theme:TosingpraiseofPlatoniclove.drinktome:wishestomebydrinkingatoastthine:yourpledge:drinkatoastbut:onlydoth:doesThethirstthatfromthesouldothrise,/Dothaskadrinkdivine=thethirstfromthesoulrisesandasksadivinedrink.drinkdivine:divinedrinkmightIofJove’snectarsup=mightIsupofJove’snectar.MightI:ifImight.Sup:sip.Of:someof.Jove:Jupiter.Nectar:thedrinkofgods.Iwouldnotchangeforthine:IwouldnotchangeJove’sNectarforyourwine.late:latelyrosywreath:wreathofrosesNotsomuchhonoringthee,/Asgivingitahope:nothonoringthee,butrathergivingitahope.Honoring:inordertohonor.It:rosywreaththatthere/Itcouldnotwitheredbe:thatitcouldnotbewitheredthere.that-clauseistheappositiveofhope.there:withyou.Butthouthereondid’stonlybreathe:butifyouonlybreatheonit.did’stbreathe:didbreathe.Thereon:onit.sent’st:sentSincewhen:afterwhichtime/thenNotofitself,butthee=notofitself,butofthee.Notofitself:byitself.Butthee:butbecauseofyou.C.ImageryappreciationThispoemisfamousforitsfreshimageryof“eyes〞,“kiss〞and“wreath〞.Changingofeyesrepresentsexchangingoflovebetweenlovers.Lover’skissisconsideredasadivinedrinkwhileawreathofrosesasthemessengeroflove.D.QuestionsforstudyanddiscussionWhatkindoflove,doyouthink,wasdescribedinthepoem?Pointouttherhymeschemeofthispoem.ThatWomenAreButMen’sShadowA.Pre-readingquestionsforclassroomdiscussion1.Whatrelationshipofmanandwomanisshowninthispoem?2.Identifytherhymeschemeofthepoem.B.TeachingpointsItisaminorpoemofBenJonson,inwhichhediscussestherelationshipofmenandwomen.flies:fleespursue:follow;beaftercourt:wooletheralone:nottrytopursuehermorn:morningatweakest:mentallyorphysicallyweakPartTwoJohnDonneI.BackgroundInformationTheMetaphysicalPoets:JohnDrydensaidinhisDiscourseConcerningSatire(1693)thatJohnDonneinhispoetry“affectsthemetaphysics,〞meaningthatDonneemploystheterminologyandabstruseargumentsofthemedievalScholasticphilosophers.In1779SamuelJohnsonextendedtheterm“metaphysical〞fromDonnetoaschoolofpoetsinhis“LifeofCowley.〞Thenameisnowappliedtoadiversegroupof17th-centuryEnglishpoetswhoseworkisnotableforitsingenioususeofintellectualandtheologicalconceptsinsurprisingconceits,strangeparadoxesandfar-fetchedimagery.TheleadingmetaphysicalpoetwasJohnDonne,whosecolloquial,argumentativeabruptnessofrhythmandtonedistinguisheshisstylefromtheconventionsofElizabethanlovelyrics.OtherpoetstowhomthelabelisappliedincludeAndrewMarvell,AbrahamCowley,JohnClevelandandthepredominantlyreligiouspoetsGeorgeHerbert,HenryVaughanandRichardCrashaw.Thefeaturesofthemetaphysicalpoetryinthe17thcenturywerearrestingandoriginalimagesandconceits,wit,ingenuity,cleveruseofcolloquialspeech,considerableflexibilityofrhythmandmeter,complexthemes,alikingforparadoxanddialecticalargument,adirectmanner,acaustichumor,akeenlyfeltawarenessofmortality,andadistinguishedcapacityforellipticalthoughtandterselycompactexpression.Butforalltheirintellectualrobustnessthemetaphysicalpoetswerealsocapableofrefineddelicacy,gracefulnessanddeepfeeling,passionaswellaswit.Inthe20thcentury,T.S.Eliotandothersrevivedtheirreputation,stressingtheirqualityofwit,inthesenseofintellectualstrenuousnessandflexibilityratherthansmarthumour.Thetermmetaphysicalpoetryusuallyreferstotheworksofthesepoets.MetaphysicalpoetrygainedrevivalafterH.J.C.GriersonpublishedDonne’scompletepoems(1912).T.S.EliotandmanyothercriticshelpedalottomakeDonneanacknowledgedmaster.ThemetaphysicalpoetshavemadeaprofoundinfluenceonthecourseofEnglishpoetryinthe20thcentury.Conceit:anunusuallyfar-fetchedorelaboratemetaphororsimilepresentingasurprisinglyaptparallelbetweentwoapparentlydissimilarthingsorfeelings.PoeticconceitsareprominentinElizabethanlovesonnets,inmetaphysicalpoetry.Conceitsoftenemploythedevicesofhyperbole,paradoxandoxymoron.Originallymeaningaconceptorimage,conceitcametobethetermforfiguresofspeechwhichestablishastrikingparallel,usuallyingeniouslyelaborate,betweentwoverydissimilarthingsorsituations.ThemetaphysicalconceitisacharacteristicfigureinJohnDonneandothermetaphysicalpoetsofthe17thcentury.ItwasdescribedbySamuelJohnson,inhis“LifeofCowley,〞(1779-81),as“wit〞whichisAkindofdiscordiaconcors;acombinationofdissimilarimages,ordiscoveryofoccultresemblancesinthingsapparentlyunlike….Themostheterogeneousideasareyokebyviolencetogether.(P42)Theycultivatedfancifulcomparisonsandconceitstoahighdegreeofingenuity,eitherasthebasisforwholepoems(notablyDonne’s‘TheFlea’)orasanincidentaldecorativedevice.JohnDonne(1572-1631),wasbornintoanoldRomanCatholicfamily.Whenyoung,hereceivedhiseducationinaCatholicatmosphere.HestudiedatOxfordandCambridgeUniversitiesaswellasLincoln’sInnforsixyears,buthewasnevergivenanyacademicdegrees.Hisearlylifewaspassedindissipationandroguery.Butlaterheturnedsaintly.JohnDonnequietlyabandonedCatholicismsometimeduringthe1590’s.ButhedidnotbecomeanAnglicanuntil1615whenDonnefinallyovercamehisscruplesandenteredministry.Donnereadenormouslyindivinity,medicine,lawandtheclassics;hewrotetodisplayhislearningandwit;hemadehiswayintheworldbywit,charm,learning,valor,andaboveallfavour.ThepoetryofDonnerepresentsasharpbreakwiththatwrittenbyhispredecessor’sandcontemporaries.MuchElizabethanverseisdecorativeandfloweryinitsquality.Itsimagesadorn,itsmeterismellifluous.Imagesharmonizewithimages,andlineswellsalmostpredictablyintoline.Donne’spoetry,ontheotherhand,iswrittenverylargelyinconceits―concentratedimageswhichinvolveanelementofdramaticcontrast,ofstrain,orofintellectualdifficulty.InDonne’slovepoetry,onecannotseethetraditionalflowerimages,cannotencounterbleedinghearts,cheekslikeroses,lipslikecherries,teethlikepearlsorCupidshootingthearrowsoflove.Donne’sconceitsinparticularleapcontinuallyinarestlessorbitfromthepersonaltothecosmicandbackagain.Donne’srhythmsarecolloquialandvarious.Helikestotwistandistortnotonlyideas,butmetricalpatternsandgrammaritself,hesatires.Inthelyrics,elegiesandsonnets,theverseneverfailsofacomplexandmemorablemelody.Donneandhisfollowersareknowninliteraryhistoryasthe“metaphysicalschool〞ofpoets.II.SelectedpoemsSongA.Pre-readingquestionsforclassroomdiscussion1.Appreciatetheanalogyinthispoem.2.Identifythepoeticformofthepoem.B.Teachingpoints1.TherearemainlytwokindsoflovepoemsinDonne’spoetry.Oneistodenylovebetweenmenandwomen;theotheristoaffirmlove.Thispoembelongstothefirsttype.Donneputssatireontheunfaithfulnessofwomen.Inthepoem,Donnedisplaysmanyimpossiblethingsintheworld,buttohisopinionthemostimpossiblethingintheworldistofindawomanwithbothbeautyandfaithfulness.Evenifsomeonetellshimthereisreallysuchawoman,hewouldnotliketobelieve.2.Thispoemiswrittenin1633.Thewholepoemiswrittenin39-linestanzasofiambictetrameter(withtheexceptionofthe7thand8thlines),rhymingababccddd.3.Thepoemiswritteninacolloquialstyle(Go,letmeknowetc.)4.Go:Thispoembeginswiththeimperativemood,likeadialogue.It’sfullofdramaticeffect,typicalofDonne’sstyle.Inthefirststanza,thepoetlists7impossiblethingssuccessively.5.catchafallingstar:it’sanimpossiblething6.Getwithchildamandrakeroot:anotherimpossiblething.Mandrake:apoisonousplantwiththeshapesimilartohumanbeing,usedtomakedrugs,esponeswhichmakepeoplesleep.Withchild:bepregnant.7.whereallthepastyearsare/orwhoclefttheDevil’sfoot:theyarequestionswithoutanswer.Cleft:pasttenseofcleave8.mermaids:heremeansirensinGreekmythology,wingedwomenwhosesongsluredsailorstotheirdestruction.9.envy’sstinging:envy:enviouspeople;stinging:slanders10.Whatwind/Servestoadvanceanhonestmind:wind:[waind];advance:promote11.Ifthoubeest