《英美文學(xué)選讀》串講講義

《英美文學(xué)選讀》應(yīng)考指導(dǎo)

一、教材說明

《英美文學(xué)選讀》是全國高等教育自學(xué)考試英語專業(yè)本科段的必修課程，也是廣大考生比較頭疼的課程。

教材大體可以分為兩個大的部分，文學(xué)發(fā)展史和作家介紹及作品選讀。讓考生頭疼的事情是課本信息量太大,

考綱要求的內(nèi)容較多，學(xué)習(xí)的時候理不出頭緒，也不便記憶。事實上，文學(xué)課有著相當(dāng)強(qiáng)的邏輯性和系統(tǒng)性,

只要我們把握住這一點，這門課程并不難學(xué)，也不難考過。

二、考情分析

2009年，本門課程的考試大綱做了一些調(diào)整，這種調(diào)整在某種程度上減輕和考生的復(fù)習(xí)負(fù)擔(dān)，但也同

時考察的內(nèi)容更細(xì)，更全。

(-)關(guān)于考核要求的調(diào)整

考核要求中每章概述內(nèi)容不作調(diào)整；”該時期的重要作家“只包含對考核知識點中保留的重要作家的相關(guān)內(nèi)容

的考核。

(二)大綱調(diào)整后的特點

(1)新大綱更加突出了英美各個文學(xué)時期的時代特點。如：文藝復(fù)興時期的戲劇和詩史，浪漫主義時期的詩

歌等。從這個意義上講，命題的重點突出了。

(2)新大綱中考核的作家，都是每一個文學(xué)時期文學(xué)潮流的最具代表性的作家，都是對該時期文學(xué)的發(fā)展起

到?jīng)Q定作用的作家。從這個意義上講，命題的焦點集中了。

(3)新大綱中所保留的作家的作品大多是廣大考生耳熟能詳?shù)淖髌?，從這個意義上講，考試的難度降低了。

三、復(fù)習(xí)方法

(-)概述：

考試大綱調(diào)整以后，可命題的作家的數(shù)量減少了，但命題的深度會增加；同時，由于作家數(shù)量的減少，

這也意味著在每一章的概述部分和作品選讀部分的命題點會增多。

(二)每章概述部分的復(fù)習(xí)重點

在對這部分的復(fù)習(xí)中，重點關(guān)注每一個文學(xué)時期的界定以及其標(biāo)志性事件；另外每一個文學(xué)時期的時代

特點和突出文學(xué)成就也是考查的重點，還有本時期同時存在的文學(xué)流派的特點也是重點內(nèi)容。

(三)每章重點作家的復(fù)習(xí)重點

作家的文學(xué)史上的地位和貢獻(xiàn)；作家的代表作以及代表作的中心大意和所反映的社會現(xiàn)實；作家的寫作

風(fēng)格和寫作特點也是命題的重點。

（四）每章作品選讀的復(fù)習(xí)重點

作品選讀前面的斜體字部分的簡介和概括；作品中的名句；作品選讀中的注釋部分，小說作品中的人物

關(guān)系。

四、結(jié)束語

考綱的實施，從總體上講，命題的重點突出了，密度增加了，深度也拓展了，但是，整體難度不會有太

大的變化。對于考生而言，復(fù)習(xí)的內(nèi)容刪減了，壓力減輕了，考試也就容易了。

在對新考綱解讀完了之后，剩下的事情就是大家去聽后面的串講，認(rèn)真學(xué)習(xí)，通過考試！

PartOne:EnglishLiterature

AnIntroductiontoOldandMedievalEnglishLiterature

IUnderstandingandapplication:（理解應(yīng)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:（識記再現(xiàn)）

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(玫瑰傳奇)，hefirstintroducedtotheEnglishtheoctosyllabiccouplet(八音節(jié)

對偶句).

③InTheLegendofGoodWomen,heusedforthefirsttimeinEnglishheroiccouplet.

@Andinhismasterpiece,TheCanterburyTales,heemployedheroiccoupletwithtrueeaseandcharmforthe

firsttimeinthehistoryofEnglishliterature.

@HisartmadehimoneofthegreatestpoetsinEnglish;JohnDrydencalledhim“thefatherofEnglishpoetry”.

【例題】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)

本題考查的是中世紀(jì)時期幾位詩人作品的創(chuàng)作主題和創(chuàng)作范圍。A答案是《農(nóng)夫皮爾斯》及其作者威廉?蘭

格倫他在其作品中描述了他那個時期的宗教與社會問題。C《愛人的告白》，D《高文爵士和他的綠衣騎士》

都是約翰?高厄的作品，屬于時最精美的騎士文學(xué)作品;然而只有喬叟，在英國文學(xué)史上第一次向我們展示了

表現(xiàn)當(dāng)時英國社會的一幅綜合性、現(xiàn)實主義的畫卷,在他的代表作《坎特伯雷故事集》中塑造了一系列來自社

會各階層的生動形象的人物。

本章小結(jié)

本章重點：

Chaucerandhisachievement

本章提示：

本部分內(nèi)容以選擇題考查，所以，復(fù)習(xí)時以識記為主。

Chapter1:TheRenaissancePeriod

GeneralIntroduction

考核要求：

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

考點串講：

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.

【例題】TheRenaissanceisactuallyamovementstimulatedbyaseriesofhistoricalevents

EXCEPT.(0804)

A.therediscoveryofancientRomanandGreekculture

B.thevastexpansionofBritishcoloniesinNorthAmerica

C.thenewdiscoveriesingeographyandastrology

D.thereligiousreformationandtheeconomicexpansion

【答案】B

【解析】(P7.paral)

文藝復(fù)興是歐洲中世紀(jì)和現(xiàn)代社會的分水嶺，它的發(fā)生有著深刻的社會歷史根源，當(dāng)時的社會發(fā)展刺

激了文藝復(fù)興的發(fā)生，如地理天文大發(fā)現(xiàn)，席卷歐洲的宗教改革以及對古希臘，古羅馬文化的發(fā)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

考點串講：

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，提圖斯）.

fourComedies,including:TheComedyofErrors;TheTwoGentlemenofVerona（維羅納）；TheTamingofthe

Shrew（潑婦的馴服），andLove'sLabor*sLost

②Thesecondstage,hisstylebecamehighlyindividualized.

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

Sixcomedies:AMidsummerNight,sDream,TheMerchantofVenice,MuchAdoAboutNothing,AsYou

like（皆大歡喜）,TwelfthNight,andtheMerryWivesofWindsor（溫莎公爵的快樂情婦）

Twotragedies:RomeoandJuliet,JuliusCaesar

③TheThirdstageisthepeakofhiscrestion,includedhisgreatesttragediesandhisso-calleddarkcomedies:

Seventragedies:Hamlet,Othello,KingLear,Macbeth,AntonyandCleopatra（克利奧帕特拉）,Troilusand

Cressida（特洛伊羅斯和克雷西達(dá)），Coriolanus（科里奧蘭納斯）

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（麥克

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(放高利貸者)

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(辯論家)

2.Literatureachievements

Milton'sliteraryachievementscanbedividedintothreegroups:theearlypoeticworks,themiddleprose

pamphlets&iheIasigreatpoems.

①EarlyPoetry

Lycidas(利西達(dá)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.

【例題】ParadiseLostisactuallyastorytakenfrom.(0704)

A.theRenaissance

B.theOldTestament

C.GreekMythology

D.theNewTestament

【答案】B

【解析】(P73.Selectedreading)

本題考查的是《失樂園》的取材問題。如果對《圣經(jīng)》略有了解，就會知道，《圣經(jīng)》分為新約和舊約，

彌爾頓的《失樂園》就是取材于舊約中的《創(chuàng)世記》

本章小結(jié)

本章重點:

1.文藝復(fù)興時期的歷史文化背景

2.莎士比亞和彌爾頓的作品和寫作特點

本章提示：

本章中有關(guān)莎士比亞的文學(xué)成就可以以論述題的形式來考察，值得注意。

Chapter2:TheNeoclassicalPeriod

GeneralIntroduction

考核要求：

I.識記：

(1)新古典主義時期的界定

(2)政治經(jīng)濟(jì)背景

(3)啟蒙運動的意義與影響

2.領(lǐng)會：

(1)啟蒙運動的主張與文學(xué)的特點

(2)新古典主義時期文學(xué)的藝術(shù)特點

3.應(yīng)用：啟蒙運動，新古典主義，英雄雙行詩，英國現(xiàn)實主義小說等名詞的解釋

考點串講：

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