《英美文學選讀》

《英美文學選讀》ThomasMore:Utopia《烏托邦》FrancisBacon:Essays《論說文集》或《隨筆》"Knowledgeispower"—BaconEdmundSpencer:FaerieQueen《仙后》"Oursweetestsongsarethosethatsingofsaddestfeelings."—SpencerWilliamShakespeare(1564-1616)1.23rd,April1564,Stratford-on-Avon2.HisFather,aleathermerchant皮貨商3.Hisschool,alocalGrammarschoolfor6years4.Hislife,dramatist,actor,poet,proprietor5.Hisfirstson,Hamnet6.4tragedies:Hamlet,Othello,KingLear,Macbeth(RomeoandJuliet)7.Mainworks:37plays,154sonnets,2narrativeplays14TitusAndronicus《泰特斯?安德洛尼克斯》TamingoftheShrew《馴悍記》TheTwoGentlemenofVerona《維羅納二紳士》Love'sLabor'sLost《愛的徒勞》AMidsummerNight'sDream《仲夏夜之夢》KingJohn《約翰王的生平和逝世》MuchAdoaboutNothing《無事生非》TheMerryWivesofWindsor《溫莎的風流娘們》JuliusCaesar《朱力葉斯?凱撒》TheMerchantofVenice《威尼斯商人》Asyoulikeit《皆大歡喜》8.CarlMarx:"AeschylusandShakespearearethetwogreatestdramaticgeniustheworldhaseverknown."9.Hisfriend:"Hedoesnotbelongtoonetime,butbelongstoalltimes@@@WilliamShakespeare'swritingfeature1.Aplayintheplay.2.BorrowplotsfromotherstoriessuchasRoman,Greekandancientmyth.3.Severalthreadsrunningthroughtheplay.4.Combinationoftragicandcomicelements.@@@@WilliamShakespeare'swritingstyle1.Tremendousvocabulary(16,000words,inventwords)2.Literarydevices(alliteration,simile,metaphor)3.Usepoetryinhisplay@@@WilliamShakespeare'shumanisticideas1.Againstcrueltyandanti-naturalcharacterofcivilwars2.Againstreligiouspersecution,racialdiscrimination,socialinequality.3.Hatesrebellionanddespisesdemocracy@@@ThemesinShakespeare'ssonnets1.Expressloveandpraisetoayoungman2.Immortalizebeautythroughverses3.Friendshiporbetrayaloffriendship@@@SonnetOrigin:ItalyMostfamousandinfluentialsonneteer:PetrachSelectedReadingofShakespeare:1.Shakespeare'sSonnet18:a.LadiesintheeyesofShakespearearenotgoodandbeautiful.Hiswifeis8yearsolderthanhim.b.Iambicpentameterc.Mainideas:1i.Quatrain1:praisethebeautyoftheyoungmanii.Quatrain2:changesinlifeandnatureiii.Quatrain3:"your"beautywilllastforeveriv.Couplet:"your"beautywillliveinmypoem.àImmortalizebeauty2.AnExcerptfromTheMerchantofVenicea.HowdoesShylockjustifyhimselfaccordingtotheaccusationofDukeandBassanio?3reasons.b.WhydoesShylocksticktohisbondinsteadoftakingtwicehisprinciple?HehatestheChristiansandisdeterminedtorevengeonthembecausehisdaughterelopeswithaChristian.c.WhatdoyouthinkofShylockintheearlycourtscene?Whatabouthimlater?Intheearlycourtscene,Shylockiscruel,eloquent,stubborn,tricky,isolatedfromlawandfriendship.Inthelatercourtscene,Shylockisgreedy,sympatheticandoppressedbyChristians.d.WhatisShakespeare'sattitudetowardsShylock?Hesympathizesthosewhoareoppressed.AntonioisoppressedbyShylock.ShylockisoppressedbyChristians.e.Thewholeplayisatragi-comedy.Inthescene,Shylockisthetragicside.Antonioandhisfriendsisthecomicside.@@@JohnDonne(1572-1631)1572Borninamerchantfamily1591LearnlawattheInnsofCourtinLondonPrivateSecretarytoSirThomasEgerton,theLordKeeperoftheGreatSeal.160129y.MarriedEgerton'sniece,AnnMore.Heworkedhardtofightagainstpoverty.However,it'sasecretmarriage.Whenthemarriagewasexposed,hewasputintojail.TheEgertonsregardedthemarriageasanoffence.1617Hiswifedied.Hedevotedhistimeandeffortstohispriestlyduties,writingsermonsandreligiouspoems.1621DonnewasappointedtheDeanofSt.Paul'sandkeptthepostuntilhisdeath.@@@JohnDonne'smajorwork1.SongsandSonnets,wrotebefore1600,55lovepoems.2.TheElegiesandSatires,hiselegieswroteforlovewhereasothers'wroteformourningdeadpeople.3.HolySonnets&Sermons,SonnetswroteaboutGod,sexuallife,problemofdeathandlife.SermonsareChristianpreaching.@@@JohnDonneisfamedfor3things1.Agreatvisitorofladies2.Agreatfrequenterofplays3.AgreatwriterofconceitedversesAthistime,JohnDonnewasfamedasapreacher.Today,heisfamedasalyricpoet.JohnDonnecomparedpartinglovetocompass,fleacomparedtotheunionoflovers.JohnDonne'sconceitcanbeseenfromhis"Gocatchingthefallingstar"inwhichhelistedmanyimpossiblethings—themostimpossiblethingisawoman'sfaithandheart.Metaphysicalpoetry—iscommonlyusedtonametheworkofthe17th-centurywriterswhowroteundertheinfluenceofJohnDonne.Metaphysicalpoets—arethepoetsinthe17cEnglandwhooftenunconventionallyuseconceitsandwit.Theimageryisdrawfromeverydaylife.Theformistheformofargument(withGod,lover,himself).Thedictionissimpleandthelanguageiscolloquialbutpowerful.JohnDonneistheleadingof"metaphysicalschool".@@@SelectedReadingofJohnDonne1.TheSunRising2.Death,BenotProud(1)@@@JohnMilton(1608-1674)1608BorninLondon.ACatholicfamily.Hisfatherwasbothascholarandabusinessman.1620EducatedatSt.Paul'sSchool1625EducatedinCambridge1643Marrieda17y.girlyoungerthanhim1649AppointedLatinSecretarytoCromwell'sCouncilofState1652Becametotallyblind.Hiswifedied.Hemarriedagain.@@@3periodsinJohnMilton'slife1.Englishrevolution1649CharlesIbeheaded.Cromwelltookthepower1660Restoration.CharlesIItookthepower2.Politicalideas:expresshispoliticalideasinpamphlets3.Poem:ParadiseLost,ParadiseRegained,SamsonAgonistes.2ParadiseLostisalongepicdividedinto12books.Thethemeisthe"FallofMan",i.e.man'sdisobedienceandthelossofParadise.TheoriginalstoryistakenfromGenesis.AdamandEveareoriginallyininnocentspirituallove.TheyarepunishedbyGodbecausetheyeattheappleoftheTreeofKnowledgeseducedbyaserpent.Sincetheyeattheapple,theybegintomakelove.Godthinkstheyarenotinnocent.Theycommittedsin.GoddrivesAdamandEveoutofEden.SatanispunishedbyGodtosufferfromfire.Heknowsthathecan'twinGodbypower,sohewinsGodbycheating.HeseducedEvetoeattheapple.InParadiseLost,SatanistherebelwhoneverbowsdowntoGodevenwhenhefailed.Heisagoodmilitaryleader.HerefusestoacknowledgethepowerofGod.Heisdeterminedtocontinuethebattle.Hefeelssorrowatthesufferingsofthoseangels.Hehasledtosoterribleapunishment,butheisverycruel.Hehasindomitablepride,unconquerablerebellion,andthewilltoevilandpower.Hesaid,"Onlydoevil,nogood".HetriestobeasequalasGod.SelectedReadingofJohnMiltonAnExcerptfromParadiseLost@@@Chapter2TheNeoclassicalPeriod(1600-1798)Theageofreasonandenlightenment.It'saturbulentperiod.1660TheRestoration1665TheGreatPlague—BlackDeath.70,000died,2/3homeless.1688TheGloriousRevolution.JamesIIexiledabroad.ThepersecutionofProtestants.JamesII'sdaughterMarryandherwifeWilliamturnedbacktoEnglandasfigurehead(KingandQueen)withoutpower.PowerwasintheParliament.EnglandbecamethefirstcapitalistcountrywithConstitutionalmonarchy,whichmarkedtheendoffeudalsociety.1798ThepublicationofLyricsbyWordsworth@@@IndustrialRevolution—atthe2ndhalfof18cPreparationsfortherevolution1.money—bytradingcompanies,e.g.EastIndiaCompany；—bymoneyinvestment2.goods,materials—colonies,e.g.India,NorthAmerica3.manpower—"ActofEnclosure".Thelandlessandhomelesspeasantbegantoworkincities；—theinventionoftextilemachineIntherevolution,Bourgeois(middleclass)becamethemainclassinthesociety.Bankers,landlords,slavetraders,merchants,colonistscontrolledtheeconomyofthecountryatthetime.Theybelievedinself-relianceandhardworking.@@@TheGiantsoftheEnlightenmentMovement:Voltaire伏樂泰,Mosteiqeu孟德斯鳩,Dierot狄德羅,Rousseau盧梭.@@@GothicNovel1.Content:magic,supernaturalelements,ghosts,monsters.2.Setting:oldcastle,graveyard,darkforest3.Atmosphere:horrible@@@JohnBunyan(1628-1688)1628Borninapoortinker'sfamily.HereceivedlittleeducationinaGrammarSchool1647MarriedaChristianwomanandbecameinterestedinChristianity.1660Bunyanbegantopreach,buthedidn'thaveapreachinglicensesohewasputintojailfor6years.1665GreatPlagueinEngland,hewasreleasedfromjail.Fewmonthslater,hewasinjailagainforanother6years.1672DeclarationofIndependence,hewasreleasedagain.1675Hislicenseoflaypreacherwastemporarilycancelledandhewasinprisonagain.Throughouthislife,heonlyreadonebooktheBible.HismostfamousworkisThePilgrim'sProcess.@@@Bunyan'spurposeofwritingThePilgrim'sProcess1.UrgepeopletoabidebyChristiandoctrine2.ToseeksalvationthroughstrugglingwithhisownweaknessandsocialevilsThecontentofThePilgrim'sProcessisaboutChristianity.Thetitlemeans"lifeisajourney".It'sametaphor.@@@FormofThePilgrim'sProcess:Allegory1.Astoryinverseorprosewithdoublemeaningsormeaningsattwolevels.2.Higherlever-concerningmoral,religious,orpoliticalideas.Lowerlevel-yourunderstandingofthestory.3.MaincharactersinthestoryChristian,Faithful,Hopeful.4.Thedescriptionofthestoryisrealisticreligiousallegory.@@@SelectedReadingofJohnBunyan:"TheVanityFair"fromThePilgrim'sProcessWhy"TheVanityFair"isasatireontherulingclassofEgnland?1.It'sasymbolicpictureofLondonatthetimeofRestoration2.InVanityFair,everythingcanbesoldandbought,dailynecessities,butalsohonor,kingdom,lust,pleasureandevenlives.3.Evilthingssuchascheating,roguery,andadulteryarenormalintheVanityFairwherethereisnomoral.It'sasatireofthenon-moralEnglishrulingclass.4.FaithfulisputtodeathforhisdespisingoftheVanities.It'saparallelofBunyan'sexperienceofimprisonedforpreaching.3@@@JohnBunyan'swritingstyle—modedaftertheBible@@@Language—easytoread,colloquial,concreteandconcise@@@Form—allegoricalform,realistic,truetolife.@@@AlexanderPope(1688-1744)1688BornintheyearofGloriousRevolutioninamerchantRomanCatholicfamily.Becauseofhisillhealth,hedidn'tgotouniversity.Hereceivedhiseducationfromalearnedpreacher.BecauseheisaCatholic,hecan'tdothingforthegovernment.Popeisadeformedperson.Hesufferedsevereillnessinhischildhood.Illnessaccompaniedhimthroughouthislife.@@@AlexanderPope'smajorwork1711AnEssayonCriticism.ThepoemisamanifestoofEnglishneoclassicism.It'sexpressedPope'saesthetictheoriesofpoetry.Thepoemisdividedinto3partswith744lines.PartI:bewailingthelackoftruetasteincritics;praisingtheancientslikeHomer,VirgilPartII:enumeratingdangersofcriticism;referringtoliterarysceneofhisdayPartIII:givingrulesforcriticism;tracingthehistoryofliterarycriticism.Thepoemisacomprehensivestudyonliterarycriticism.ItwaswritteninheroiccoupletasPopeisamasterinheroiccouplet.Heroiccoupletis2lineswiththesamerhymes,samelength.10syllables,5stressed,5unstressed.HeroiccoupletwasfirstusedbyChaucer.1712TheRapeofLockisbasedonarealevent.BellinaisasbeautifulwomanasaGoodness.Sheisadmiredbyallthepeoplearoundher,esp.ayoungmanname.ABaroncutasmallamountofBellina'shair.InBellina'sopinion,it'sanoffence.Baronjustcutherhairforfunandadmiration.Sohatredisarousedbetweenthetwofamilies.Theybecomeenemies.Inthispoem,Popesatirestheidle,meaninglesslifeofmiddle-classpeople.1728TheDunciadisconsistedof4books.It'sthebestsatireofPope.It'saveryfamoussatiricalpoemaboutagainstpersonalenemies.Popetriestoattackonallpersonalenemies.1733-34AnEssayonMan.Popegainedhisfameasapoet.Itincludes4epistles(letters).Peoplereviewhisphilosophicalandpoliticalviewsasanenlgitener.@@@SelectedReadingofAlexanderPope:AnexcerptfromPart2ofAnEssayonCriticism.@@@DanielDefoe(1660-1731)Hewasborninabutcher'sfamily(wealthybutlowsocialstatus).Defoeneverwenttouniversity,butreceivedgoodeducationinaDissentingAcademy.Defoehastwointerests:interestinbusinessandinterestinpolitics.Interestinbusiness.Hestartedfromsmallbusinesstobecomerich.Heisagiftedmaninbusiness.Interestinpolitics.HispoliticalstandswangbetweentheWhigsandtheTories.HewrotepoliticalpamphletstoattacktheWhigs,butbothofthetwopartiesthoughtthepamphletsinsultedthem.SoDefoewassenttojailandpillory.HenegotiatedwiththePrimeministertobecomeaspytoScotland.HetriedtomaketheunionofScotlandandEngland.1704,heissuedaperiodicalTheReview,onwhichhevoicedhisconcernsforwoman'sright,economy,childrenandparentsrelationships,politicsandotherhotissuesofthetime.1718,hebegantowritenovel.1719,hisfirstnovelRobinsonCrusoewaspublished.It'sbasedonatruestorypublishedonanewspaper.(AlexanderisaScottishwholivesinanuninhabitedislandfor5years.)Thestoryisaboutthehero'slifeontheisland.ThefirstpartisaboutthecareerofRobinsonCrusoe.Thebodyofthenovelisabouthislifeontheislandaftertheshipwreck.ThestoryrevealstheessenceofBritishcolonialism.@@@ThethemesofRobinson'sCrusoea.man'sstrugglesagainstnatureb.glorificationofthebourgeoismenwhohasthecourageandwilltofacehardshipanddeterminationtoimprovehislivelihood.c.Glorificationoflabor(Robinsonlivesonhisownhands)@@@ThestyleofRobinson'sCrusoea.realisticstyle,truetolife,indetailsb.smooth,simple,colloquiallanguagec.longsentencesareloose;shortsentencesareplain,easytounderstandd.presentsfactsinorder,themeaningisclearInthefollowingyears,Defoewroteanother4novels:CaptainSingleton(1720),MollFlanders(1722),ColonelJack(1722)andRoxana(1724).Defoewrotetheminthesamepattern.Thefeatureofthepattern:a.Tracesthepersonalhistoryofthetitularheroorheroineofaloworigin.Aftersomeupsanddowns,he/shefinallygetsprosperity.b.Dealswithmoralizing,repentance,andrevolutionstobegood.c.Expressesthestrugglesformereexistence.Showtheconflictsbetweenexistenceandsocialenvironment.d.Blamesthesocietyfordrivingpeopletosinning.41720,CaptainSingletonissenttoAfricawhenhewas3monthsold.InAfrica,heexperiencesmanyadventures.Withgoodluck,hewinsmuchgold.BacktoEngland,hegoesbankruptandbecomesapirate.1722,MollFlandersisthedaughterofawomanthief.SheisbornintheNewgatePrison.Inherlife,shemarried5timeswithover12children.However,shenevernursesasinglechild.Shebecomesathiefherself.SheistransferredtotheAmericancolonyasacriminal.Sheaccumulatesawealthandbuysafareplantthere.Attheageof30,shecomesbacktoEngland.1722,ColonelJackisdesertedbyhisparentsataveryyoungage.Hebecomesapickpocket.HeiskidnappedandsenttotheAmericancolony.Heisverycleverandfinallybecomesarichplantowner.1724,RoxanaisthedaughterofaProtestantrefugee.Sheisbeautifulandclever.ShemarriesanEnglishmerchant.Becausethemerchantdesertsher,shebecomesafamousinternationalprostitute.InHolland,shemarriedaDutchmerchant.Afterhisdeath,shefindsthathewasingreatdebts.Shecan'tpayoffthedebtsandisputintojailanddiedinjail.DanielDefoe'ssatiricalpoems.1701,TheTrue-BornEnglishman,inthepoem,DefoedefendedKingWilliam,whichwonhimthefriendshipoftheKing.HeattackedtheracialandfamilyprideofthearistocratsinEngland.1703,AHymntothePillory.Hevoicedhisangerovertheshamefulpunishment,courageousattackontheinjusticeofEngland'slegalsystem.Hewascheeredbypeopleasaherotodefendhimself.@@@SelectedReadingofDanielDefoe:AnexcerptfromRobinsonCrusoe@@@JonathanSwift(1667-1745)HewasborninDublin,Ireland,ofanEnglishfamily.Hisfatherdiedbeforehewasborn.ArichunclesentSwifttotheTrinityCollege.HismostdeedisagainsttherulingclassofEngland.1689-1699,heworkedasaprivatesecretarytoSirWilliamTemple,aretireddiplomat.Onthepost,Swiftmademanyfamouspoliticianfriendsandcametoknowmanydirtyanddishonestpoliticiansoftheday.1704,Swiftpublishedthesatire,TheBattleoftheBooks,whichwroteaboutthequarrelsbetweentheAncientsandtheModerns.TheAncientswerecomparedtobee.TheModernswerecomparedtospider.Inliteratetheory,beerepresentsgood-"bringhoney";spiderrepresentsselfish.1704,ATaleofaTubattacksonreligionorChristianity.Inthesatire,thefatherrepresentstheGod.His3sonsindicatethe3branchesofChristianity:RomanCatholic,EnglishChurch,andDissenters.TheBattleoftheBooks,andATaleofaTubestablishedSwift'snameasasatirist.1705,hebecameaclergyman.1707,hemovedtoLondonandbecameapolitician.HetriestospeakfortheIrishpeople.HewastheeditorofTheExaminer,aTory'speriodical.1713,hewasappointedtheDeanofSt.Patrick'sCathedralinDublin.1716,Swiftmarriedawoman.1724,therewere2greateventsinEngland.a.Woolindustry---EnglishCongresspassedthepersuasionofdevelopingwoolindustryinEngland.Irishpeoplecan'tmakemoneyfromwoolbecausetheyhavetoreturntheland.Irishpeoplehadtoliveamiserablelife.AfamoussloganinIrelandatthattimeis"BurneverythingthatcomefromEnglandexceptthecoal"whichvoicedIrishpeople'sdeterminationofrefusingEngland.b.Coinevent—Aministersuggestedandpermittedtomakenewcoins.TheexchangeratebetweenIrishcoinandthenewEnglishcoinwasunfair.TheministerandKinggotprofitfromtheexchange.1724,SwiftpublishedthesatireTheDrapier'sLetterstoattacktheevent.Theexchangeofnewcoiniscanceled.1726,hiswifedied.It'saheavyblowonhim.Hewroteandpublishedhisgreatestsatiricalwork,Gulliver'sTravels.Thestoryisdividedinto4parts.PartI.TravelsinLilliputisaminipictureofmodernEnglishsociety.Twoparties:HighHeelandLowHeelindicatestheToriesandtheWhigs.Here,Swiftsatiresthetwoparties.ThewarbetweenLilliputanditsneighboringcountryabouthowtobreakeggs(big/smallend).Bigend—RomanChurch.Smallend—EnglishChurch.Swiftsatiresthepartyandchurchfightsaremeaningless.PartII.TravelsinBrobdingnagPartIII.AshowofthecrueltyoftheEnglishrulingclass.TheFlyingIslandrulesthebelowcountries.PartIV.It'sthesharpestandbitterestsatire.Inthispart,humanbeingsarereducedtoanimals.Awisercreaturegovernshumanbeings.Gulliverwantstobeahorseratherthanaman.Itshowshowmeanthehumanbeingsare.1729,thepublicationofthepamphletAModestProposal.It'sagreatestandbitterestsatire.ThethemeofAModestProposala.ThepoorIrishpeoplewereforcedtoselltheirone-year-oldchildfortherichpeopleforfood.b.EnglishKingallowedFrenchKingtorecruitsoldiersfromIrelandtosolvetheproblemofoverpopulation.c.SomepoliticianssuggestedsendingIrishpeopletoAustraliatobeconcentratedservantsbecauseofoverpopulation.5d.Swiftlistssometerriblescenesintheprose:abeggarmotherfollowedbychildreninrugs;poorparentssellchildren.It'sasatireagainsttheEnglishrulingclassandthecrueltyofEnglishlandlords.SelectedReadingofJonathanSwift:[P107]AnexcerptfromGulliver'sTravel@@@HenryFielding(1707-1754)1707Fieldingwasborninanaristocraticfamily.HisgreatgrandfatherwasanEarl.(Duke公,Marquis侯,Earl伯,Viscount子,Baron男)HereceivedhiseducationintheEtonPublicSchool172821y.HepublishedhisfirstplayinLondon,butfailed.1729Fieldingquarreledwithhisfather,sohisfathercutofffinancialsupport.Hehadtomakealivingbyhimself.1730-37Heproduced25playsofdifferenttimes.Hisballads,satireswerealsoverysuccessful.1734Hegotmarried.173730y.ThepromulgationofLicensingActrestrictedthepublicationofplays.SoFieldingtookuplaw.Hespent3yearstofinisha7-yearcourse.1740Fieldingbecameabar,butthemoneyheearncouldn'tsupporthisfamilyHenryFieldingwrote4novelsinhislife.HenryFieldingisregardedas"FatherofEnglishNovel".1742TheHistoryoftheAdventuresofJosephAndrews.TheheroJosephAndrewsistheservantofMr.B'suncleandisthecousinofPamela.SamuelRichardson'sPamelaisacollectionofletterswrittenbyherselfandherparents.Pamelaisaverybeautifulandclevergirl.Mr.B'smotherisveryfoundofhereandteachesherknowledge.Afterthemotherdied,Pamelawantstogohome,butMr.Basanoblemanseducesher,doesn'tallowhertogohomeandimprisonsher.PamelawritelettersandsendsthelettersbyaservantofMr.B.Mr.BfallsinlovewithPamelathroughreadingherletters.Thenovelpersuadespeopletobevirtuous.@@@HenryFielding'saimsofwritingtheAdventuresofJosephAndrewsPartI,FieldingtriestoattackPamela.HethinksPamela'schastityispretentiousanduntrue.SheusesherchastitytoseduceMr.B.PartII.JosephAndrewsmeetshisfriendParsonAdams.BothofthemtravelthroughEngland.Fieldingtriestogiveapanoramicviewof@@@England.PartI.Itwasfirstintendedasaburlesqueoftheconventionalvirtueoffalsesentimentality.PartII.Fieldingadopted"comicepicinprose"—towritecommonpeopleinformofgreatnovel.Epicisusedtodescribegreatfiguresandheroes.HegaveavividpictureofEnglishlife.Majorachievement:thedescriptionofParsonAdams.Adamsisanabsent-minded,vainman,soheisaridiculousperson,easytobecheated.1743JonathanWildtheGreat,JonathanisanotoriouscriminaloftheLondonunderworld.Heisarealperson.Heishangedin1725.Jonathanisdescribedasagreatman.Heneverparticipatedinanycrime,butheordersotherpeopletocommitcrimes.Hecommandscrime.HenryFieldingcomparedJonathantoPrimeMinisterWalpole.Thestoryisapoliticalsatire.1749TomJonesisadesertedchild.HeisadoptedbyakindmanwhohashisownchildBlifil.ThetwochildrenfellinlovewiththesamegirlSophia.TomiskindandheistrulyinlovewithSophia.BlifillovesSophiaforherbeautyandmoney.Sophia'sfatherknowsthatTomisadesertedchildsohewantsSophiatomarryBlifil.TomwantstoseetheoutsideworldandmovestoLondon.Sophiawantstoseetheworldtoo.Sotheygothroughalongjourneyandgiveapanoramicviewof18c'sEnglishlife.Inthisnovel,socialevilsarepresented:cruelty,moraldegeneracy,deceit,andhypocrisy.It'sshowedFielding'sviewabouthumannature.HenryFieldingthinksthathumannatureisacombinationofgoodandevil.@@@ThewritingfeatureofTomJones—"comicepicinprose",displaysakindofclassicepicform.Thenovelcontains18booksin3sections.Section1:lifeinthecountrysideSection2:lifeonthehighwaySection3:lifeinLondon1750Ameliamarriesapoorsolider.HerhusbandgoestoLondontoseekfortune.Hefightswithotherpeopleinthestreetsoheisputintojail.Sheisveryfaithfultoherhusband.Whenherhusbandisinprison,otherofficialstrytoseduceher.Intheend,Ameliareuniteswithherhusbandandlivehappily.@@@HenryFielding'saimofwritingAmeliaa.Tocondemnthemoraldegeneracyoftheofficials.TopraiseAmelia.b.Torevealtheshamelessdeedofthenobleandtherich.@@@HenryFielding'swritingstyle1.Comicepicinprose:thegrandstyleofclassicepicinthedepictionofcommon,ridiculouspeople.2.Hestartedthethirdpersonnarration.ThenarratorisakindofallknowingGod.3.Thecharactersarevivid,convincingandtruetolife,64.Hislanguageiseasy,familiar,vividbutvigorous.5.Thecontentisnotedforthetheatricaldevices:suspense,coincidence,surprise.@@@Whatis"comicepicinprose"?1.Thedescriptioninagrandstyleofclassicepic."Classicepic"has:(a)agreathero(b)callsonMuses(c)givealistofnamesofgods(d)comparesmallfightstogreatwars.2.Useverifiedlanguagetonarrateasmallfight.3.Differentfigureofspeechesp.irony,hyperbole@@@SelectedReadingofHenryFielding:AnexcerptfromTomJones@@@SamuelJohnson(1709-1784)1708Johnsonwasborninabookseller'sfamily,inRichfield.HiseyesightwasverypoorlikeJohnMilton17158y.HewenttoaGrammarSchoolfor8yearswhichprovidedhimasolidknowledgeofLatin1728HewenttoOxfordUniversity173122y.Hisfatherdied.HequitOxfordwithoutadegree.173526y.Hemarriedanoldrichwidowwhowas20yearsolderthanhim.Hemarriedherformoney.173829y.Hisfirstpoem1747HecompiledEnglishdictionary1752Hiswifedied.Hewasingreatdebtandwasarrested.1755ThefirstpublicationofEnglishdictionarybroughthimfameandmoney.1762TheBritishgovernmentgavehimanannualpensionof￡300,whichfreedhimfromtheburdenof"writingforaliving".Hislifebefore1762wasverydifficult.Hehadahandinallthedifferentbranchesofliteraryactivities.Hewasapoet詩人,dramatist劇作家,proseromancer散文傳奇小說作家,biographer傳記作者,essayist隨筆作家,critic批評家,lexicographer詞典編纂者andpublicist政治評論家.@@@Johnsonwasthelastgreatneoclassicistenlightenerinthelate18c.Hispointofview:1.Heconcernedwiththethemeofthevanityofhumanwishes.2.Inliterarycreationandcriticism,hewasratherconservative,openlyshowedhisdislikeandfondness.3.Heinsistedthatawritershouldadheretouniversaltruthandexperiencei.e.Nature.4.Hewasparticularlyfoundofmoralizing道德教化anddidacticism教訓主義.@@@Johnson'swritingstyle.1.Hislanguageischaracteristicallygeneral,ofLatinate從拉丁文衍生來的andfrequentlypolysyllabic多音節(jié)的2.Hissentencesarelongandwellstructured,interwoven交織withparallelwordsandphrasesbutclearlyexpressed.3.Hetendstouse"learnedwords",useswordsaccurately.@@@SelectedReadingfromSamuelJohnson:"TotheRightHonorabletheEarlofChesterfield"@@@RichardBrinkleySheridan(1751-1816)1751SheridanwasborninDublin,Ireland.Hisfatherwasanactorandtheatermanager.HewaseducatedatHarrow(Eton,2publicschools).Hisworksaremainlyplays.Infact,Dublinisthecradleofmanyfamouswriters,likeJonathanSwift.1770SheridanmovedtoBath,themostfashionableplacein18c'sEngland.1772Hewasinlovewithabeautifulladywhoisasingerandactress.Hefoughttwoduelsandfinallymarriedher.1774TheappearanceofhisfirstplayTheRivalswonhimanimmediatesuccessandfame.1776HebecameapartownerandmanageroftheDruryLaneTheater,soi