1、Lecture 9,Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,By 张慧 ,Contents,Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Biographical Introduction Major Works Analysis of “A Psalm of Life” “The Slaves Dream” The Song of Hiawatha Characteristics of Longfellows poems Evaluation of Longfellow,Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882),Poet Dramat
2、ist Translator Linguist,Biographical Introduction (1),Family Background Born on Feb 27, 1807 in Portland, Maine among his ancestors are poets, lawyer, and generals in the Independence War Education went to school at 3 and at six received a report from school Attended Bowdoin College (1821-1825); cla
3、ssmates with Hawthorne,Longfellows Childhood Home, Portland, Maine,Report from School,“Master Henry Longfellow is one of the best boys we have in school. He spells and reads very well. He can also add and multiply numbers. His conduct last quarter was very correct and amiable.“,Museum of Art,An unde
4、rgraduate liberal arts institution Founded in 1794 Location: Brunswick, Maine,Working Experience After Graduation, Europe, study Romance languages and literature (1826-1829) 1829 -1835, Professor of Modern Languages at Bowdoin College 1835 -1836, Europe, study Germanic languages and Scandinavian lit
5、erature 1836 -1854, Professor of Modern Languages in Harvard University 1854, resigned from Harvard, devoted into poetic writing wholeheartedly,Biographical Introduction (2),Marriage,Married twice: first wife: Mary Storer PotterSecond wife: Fanny Appleton,Mary Storer Potter Longfellow,died of miscar
6、riage during their sojourn in Europe in 1835,Fanny Appleton Longfellow,Married in 1843 daughter of a wealthy industrialist Brought Longfellow with wealth, domestic happiness, and an assured entrance into the higher circle of Boston 1861 Fanny Appleton died of burns she received when packaging her ch
7、ildrens curls.,Longfellow National Historic Site,Honors and Death,Following years filled with honors received degrees from Oxford and Cambridge Given a private audience by Queen Victoria called by request upon the Prince of Wales chosen as a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences and of the Spani
8、sh Academy Died On Mar 24, 1882 in Cambridge city, Massachusetts The only American to be honored with a bust in the Poets corner of Westminster Abbey.,Longfellows bust in the Poets Corner,Major Works,Famous Poems 1838 A Psalm of Life 人生礼赞 1858 The Courtship of Miles Standish 迈尔斯.史坦迪什求婚记 1855 The Son
9、g of Hiawatha (epic poem) 海华沙之歌 1847 Evangeline (epic poem) 伊凡吉琳 1839 Hyperion, A Romance (a prose romance) 海波林 Collection of Poems 1839 Voices of the Night 夜吟 1842 Ballads and Other Poems 歌谣及其他 1842 Poems on Slavery 关于奴隶制的诗篇 Drama 1843 The Spanish Student Michael Angelo, A Fragment (incomplete; pub
10、lished posthumously) Translations 1867 Dantes Divine Comedy,Lead-in Questions,Have you ever thought about how you will spend your life?What attitude you will take when you meet with difficulties in your life?,Appreciating “A Psalm of Life”,ThemeForm and RhythmWriting Technique,Theme,Life is short, b
11、ut real and earnest. We should be active and optimistic towards life. Act positively and leave footprints on the sand of time to inspire and encourage the following descendants. ,Form and Rhythm,Form 9 quatrains (4-line stanza) Rhythm trochaic tetrameter with the rhyme of “abab” running in each stan
12、za,Writing Technique,Rhythmical beauty with strong musical effect use of figures of speech: simile; metaphor,The Slaves Dream,Main Idea a slave, who intoxicated himself in a dream of the past happy times when he had freedom and dignity as a king, died in his dream Theme Poem on slavery The slaves pa
13、inful suffering Form 8 sestets (6-line stanza) Rhythm Iambic only even lines are rhymed,The Song of Hiawatha,The first long poem depicting the American Indians in the history of American literature based on American Indian legends and written in Finnish folk meter Form: an epic poem (22 chapters in
14、all) in trochaic tetrameter Main Character-HiawathaIndian legendary figureHero: intelligent, powerful, kind-hearted, wise leader,Characteristics of Longfellows poems,Form: traditional but various lyric Hexameter(六部格), free verse Anapestic (抑抑扬格) and trochaic forms blank verse, heroic couplets ballad
15、s and sonnets Musicality melody-like Theme obvious themes which appeal to all kinds of people Joyousness; a spirit of optimism and faith in the goodness of life Tone: didactic,Evaluation of Longfellow,One of the most popular and widely-read poets in the 19th America Made a great contribution to Amer
16、ican literature domesticating classical European meters adaptations and translation of popular ballads the first of American writers to use native themes American scene and landscape; the American Indians The Song of Hiawatha American history and tradition The Courtship of Miles Standish; Evangeline Criticized by others as imitating and lack of vitality,Thanks for your attention!,
