1、 - 1 -华 夏 大 地 教 育 网 http/:www.edu- 自学考试：英美文学选读Part One: English LiteratureAn Introduction to Old and Medieval English LiteratureI Understanding and application: (理解应用)1. Englands inhabitants are Celts. And it is conquered by Romans, Anglo Saxons and Normans. The Anglo-Saxons brought the Germanic lan
2、guage and culture to England, while Normans brought the Mediterranean civilization, including Greek culture, Rome law and the Christian religion. It is the cultural influence of these two conquests that provided the source for the rise and growth of English literature.2. The old English literature e
3、xtends from about 450 to 1066, the year of the Norman conquest of England.3. The old English poetry that has survived can be divided into two groups: The religious group and the secular one4. Beowulf: a typical example of Old English poetry is regarded as the national epic of the Anglo-Saxons. It is
4、 an example of the mingling of nature myths and heroic legends. 5. After the Normans conquest, three languages co-existed in England. French is the official language that is used by king and the Norman lords. Latin is the principal tongue of church affairs and in universities. Old English was spoken
5、 only by the common English people.6. In the second half of 14th century, English literature started to flourish with the appearance of writers like Geoffrey Chaucer, William Langland, John Gower, and othersII Recite: (识记再现)1. Romance: It uses narrative verse or prose to sing knightly adventures or
6、other heroic deeds is a popular literary form in the medieval period. It has developed the characteristic medieval motifs of the quest, the test, the meeting with the evil giant and the encounter with the beautiful beloved. The hero is usually the knight, who sets out on a journey to accomplish some
7、 missions. There are often mysteries and fantasies in romance.Romantic love is an important part of the plot in romance. Characterization is standardized, While the structure is loose and episodic, the language is simple and straightforward. - 2 -华 夏 大 地 教 育 网 http/:www.edu- 自学考试：英美文学选读The importanc
8、e of the romance itself can be seen as a means of showing medieval aristocratic men and women in relation to their idealized view of the world.2. Heroic couplet: Heroic couplet is a rhymed couplet of iambic pentameter. It is Chaucer who used it for the first time in English in his work The Legend of
9、 Good Woman.3. The theme of Beowulf: The poem presents a vivid picture of how the primitive people wage heroic struggles against the hostile forces of the natural world under a wise and mighty leader. The poem is an example of the mingling of the nature myths and heroic legends.4. The Wife of Bath i
10、n The Canterbury Tales:The Wife of Bath is depicted as the new bourgeois wife asserting her independence. Chaucer develops his characterization to a higher artistic level by presenting characters with both typical qualities and individual dispositions.5. Chaucers achievement:He presented a comprehen
11、sive realistic picture of his age and created a whole gallery of vivid characters in his works, especially in The Canterbury Tales. He anticipated a new ear, the Renaissance, to come under the influence of the Italian writers. He developed his characterization to a higher level by presenting charact
12、ers with both typical qualities and individual dispositions. He greatly contributed to the maturing of English poetry. Today, Chaucers reputation has been securely established as one of the best English poets for his wisdom, humor and humanity.6. “The Father of English poetry”:Originally, Old Englis
13、h poems are mainly alliterative verses with few variations. Chaucer introduced from France the rhymed stanzas of various types to English poetry to replace it. In The Romaunt of the Rose (玫瑰传奇), he first introduced to the English the octosyllabic couplet (八音节对偶句). In The Legend of Good Women, he use
14、d for the first time in English heroic couplet. And in his masterpiece, The Canterbury Tales, he employed heroic couplet with true ease and charm for the first time in the history of English literature. His art made him one of the greatest poets in English; John Dryden called him “the father of Engl
15、ish poetry”.- 3 -华 夏 大 地 教 育 网 http/:www.edu- 自学考试：英美文学选读【例题】The work that presented, for the first time in English literature, a comprehensive realistic picture of the medieval English society and created a whole gallery of vivid characters from all walks of life is most likely _. (0704)A. William
16、Langlands Piers Plowman B. Geoffrey Chaucers The Canterbury Tales C. John Gowers Confession Amantis D. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 【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
17、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：Chaucer and his achievement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。- 4 -华 夏 大 地 教 育 网 http/:www.edu- 自学考试：英美文学选读Chapter 1: The Renaissance PeriodGeneral Introduction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
18、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. The Renaissance: The Renaissance marks a transition from the medieval to the modern world. Generally, it refers to the period between the 14th Richard III; and Titus Andronicus（泰特斯, 提图斯）. four Comedies, including: The Comedy of Errors; The Two Gentlemen of Vero
19、na（维罗纳）; The Taming of the Shrew（泼妇的驯服）, and Loves Labors LostThe second stage, his style became highly individualized, Five historical: Richard II, King John, Henry IV, part I, II, Henry VSix comedies: A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Merchant of Venice, Much Ado About Nothing, As You like(皆大欢喜 ), Twe
20、lfth Night, and the Merry Wives of Windsor（温莎公爵的快乐情妇）Two tragedies: Romeo and Juliet, Julius CaesarThe Third stage is the peak of his creation, included his greatest tragedies and his so-called dark comedies:Seven tragedies: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra（克利奥帕特拉）, Troilus
21、and Cressida（特洛伊罗斯和克雷西达）, Coriolanus（科里奥兰纳斯）Two comedies: Alls Well That Ends Well, Measure for MeasureThe last period of Shakespeares includes his principal romantic tragicomedies: Pericles, Cymbeline, The Winters Tale, and The Tempest Two final plays: Henry III, and The Two Noble Kinsmen- 8 -华 夏 大
22、 地 教 育 网 http/:www.edu- 自学考试：英美文学选读5. About his dramashistorical playsShakespeares history plays are mainly written under the principle that national unity under a mighty and just sovereign is a necessity.The three history plays in the reign of Henry VI are the beginning of Shakespeares epic treatme
23、nt of English history.Romantic ComediesIn his romantic comedies, Shakespeare takes an optimistic attitude toward love and youth, and the romantic elements are brought into full play. They are The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Nights Dream, As You like, Twelfth Night, but the most important one is
24、The Merchant of Venice.TragediesThe successful romantic tragedy is Romeo and Juliet, which eulogizes the faithfulness of love and the spirit of pursuing happiness.Shakespeares greatest tragedies are Hamlet,-the first of greatest tragedies, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth(麦克白.)They have some characterist
25、ics in commonWilliam Shakespeares four great tragedies are Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth. They have some characteristics in common. Each portrays some noble hero, who faces the injustice of human life and is caught in a difficult situation and whose fate is closely connected with the fate o
26、f the whole nation. Each hero has his weakness of nature: Hamlet, the melancholic scholar prince, faces the dilemma between action and mind; Othellos inner weakness is made use of by the outside evil force; the old king Lear who is unwilling to totally give up his power makes himself suffer from tre
27、achery and infidelity; and Macbeths lust for power stirs up his ambition leads him to incessant crimes.Romantic tragicomediesThe Tempest is a typical example of his pessimistic view towards human life and society in his late year6. About his sonnetsLyric: A poem, usually a short one, which expresses
28、 a speakers personal thoughts or feelings. The elegy, ode, and sonnet are all forms of the lyricThe theme: most of the sonnets concerns with the flying of the time, and the youth, beauty, belief and the love are also gone.7. Shakespeares writing characteristicsThe progressive significance of the the
29、me-humanism- 9 -华 夏 大 地 教 育 网 http/:www.edu- 自学考试：英美文学选读The successful character portrayalwomens charactersThe masterhand in constructing the plotThe ingenuity of his poetryThe mastery of his language8. About selected readingabout sonnet 18Sonnet 18 is one of the most beautiful sonnets written by Sh
30、akespeare, in which he has a profound meditation on the destructive power of time and the eternal beauty brought forth by poetry to the one he loves.Typical lines:Shall I compare thee to a summers day?Thou art more lovely and more temperate:The theme: Immortality, Beauty and loveabout The Merchant o
31、f VeniceMajor characters:Bassanio: - a young Venetian court Portia, acceptedAntonio: -a merchant of Venice, all money invented in ships, at sea, return not on time Shylock:-the Jewish usurer (放高利贷者)Portia:- standing for the great beauty, wit and loyalty Main plot:Bassanio, a young Venetian, would li
32、ke to travel to Belmont to woo the beautiful and wealthy heiress Portia. He approaches his friend Antonio, a merchant, for three thousand ducats needed to subsidize his traveling expenditures as a suitor for three months. As all of Antonios ships and merchandise are busy at sea, Antonio approaches t
33、he Jewish moneylender Shylock for a loan, and the reward of breaking the returning oath is a pound of fresh from Antonios body. Court happening: unsuccessful persuading, no more and no less than one pound of flesh, spilling no drop of bloodThe analysis to the personalities:Antonio: -faithful to frie
34、nd, Shylock:-greedy, brutal and inhuman Portia:- beautiful, witty and loyal Theme: traditional theme of the play is to praise the friendship between Antonio and Bassanio, to idealize Portia as a heroine of the great beauty, wit and loyalty, and to expose the greed and brutality of the Jew.Typical li
35、nes:- 10 -华 夏 大 地 教 育 网 http/:www.edu- 自学考试：英美文学选读“Superfluity comes sooner by white hairs, but competency lives longer.“ (Act i. Sc. 2.)“The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.“ (Act i. Sc. 3.)“Mislike me not for my complexion, the shadowd livery of the burnishd sun.“ (Act ii. Sc. 1.)“In the
36、twinkling of an eye.“ (Act ii. Sc. 2.)“All that glisters is not gold.“ (Act ii. Sc. 7.)about HamletThe Major characters:Hamlet: the title character, is the son of the late king, for whom he was named. He has returned to Elsinore Castle from Wittenberg, where he was a university student. Claudius: is
37、 the King of Denmark, elected to the throne after the death of his brother, King Hamlet. Claudius has married Gertrude, his brothers widow. Gertrude: is the Queen of Denmark, and King Hamlets widow, now married to Claudius. the Ghost: appears in the exact image of Hamlets father, the late King Hamle
38、t. Major plot:Hamlet feels a responsibility to avenge his fathers murder by his uncle Claudius, but Claudius is now the king and thus well protected. Moreover, Hamlet struggles with his doubts about whether he can trust the ghost and whether killing Claudius is the appropriate thing to do.The person
39、ality of Hamlet: Brave, justified and clever but indecisiveViews of HamletPerhaps the most straightforward view sees Hamlet as seeking truth in order to be certain that he is justified in carrying out the revenge called for by a ghost that claims to be the spirit of his father. The most standard vie
40、w is that Hamlet is highly indecisive, Others see Hamlet as a person charged with a duty that he knows and feels is right, yet is unwilling to carry out. In this view, all of his efforts to satisfy himself of King Claudius guilt, or his failure to act when he can, are evidence of this unwillingness,
41、 and Hamlet berates himself for his inability to carry out his task.Theme: The impossibility of certainty; the complexity of action; the mystery of death; the nation as a diseased bodymotifs: Incest and incestuous desire; ears and hearing; death and suicide; darkness and the supernatural; misogynySy
42、mbols: The ghost (the spiritual consequences of death); Yoricks skull (the physical consequences of death)- 11 -华 夏 大 地 教 育 网 http/:www.edu- 自学考试：英美文学选读Typical Lines:“To be or not to be, that is a question”What are the questions:Whether believe the ghosts words or notWhether kill his uncle or notWha
43、t should he do, die or live. John Milton1. Personal introduction Miltons life Born in puritan family in London, Mother interested in religion and local charity, Father a well-to-do scrivener and musician Educated at CambridgeGraduated: study and writing of poetryBegan traveling abroad in 1638, retur
44、ned London to write pamphlets and tracts to support the revolutionIn 1649 Latin secretary corresponding foreign government In 1652 went blind completely and incurably at 43 due to hard work day and night King Charles II restoration: Keeping writing against kingship Arrested and fined and releasedLef
45、t in peace to produce his poetic worksIn 1674 died peacefully in a small houseThe greatest English poet after Shakespeare, polemicist (辩论家 )2. Literature achievementsMiltons literary achievements can be divided into three groups: the early poetic works, the middle prose pamphlets then the grief is d
46、eepened by the sense of irrecoverable loss in - 12 -华 夏 大 地 教 育 网 http/:www.edu- 自学考试：英美文学选读the silencing of a young poet. With this bitter sense of loss, Milton asks why the just A long epic divided into 12 books. The story is taken from the Old TestamentThe theme is the “Fall of Man”.Main plot: In
47、 heaven, Satan led a rebellion against God. Defeated, he and his rebel angels were cast into Hell. However, Satan refused to accept his failure, vowing that “all was not lost”. The poem goes on to tell how Satan took - 13 -华 夏 大 地 教 育 网 http/:www.edu- 自学考试：英美文学选读revenge by tempting Adam and Eve, the
48、 first human beings created by God, to eat fruit from the tree of knowledge against Gods instructions. For their disobedience, Adam and Eve were driven out of Paradise. They were sorry for what they had done and prayed to God. In the last book they were given the hope for redemption. The poem ended with Adam and Eve walking away from Paradise, hand in hand, and the gates of Eden were closed behind them.【例题】Paradise Lost is actually a story taken from _. (0704)A. the Renaissance B. the Old Testament C. Greek Mythology D. the New Testament 【答案】B【解
