美國文學(xué),美國文學(xué)選讀American-Literature-Total

AmericanLiteratureTheOutlineofAmericanLiteratureIColonialPeriod(1607—1765)IIRevolutionaryPeriod(1765—1800)IIITheAgeofRomanticism(1800—1865)IVTheAgeofRealism(1865—1918)VAmericanModernism(1918—1945)VIContemporaryLiterature(1945--)

TheAgeofRomanticism

SectionOne:AmericanRomanticism

SectionTwo:NewEngland

Transcendentalism

SectionThree:RomanticNovelists

SectionFour:RomanticPoetsSectionFive:EdgarAllanPoeAmericanRomanticismBackgroundsTermsDistinctFeatureofAmericanRomanticism

ImportantLiteraryFiguresofAmericanRomanticismBackgrounds1nationalinfluences2internationalinfluencesnationalinfluencesInpolitics:

democracyandpoliticalequalitylaythefoundationofRomanticism;Ineconomics:

thespreadofindustrialism;thesuddeninfluxofimmigrationandthepioneerspushingthefrontierfurtherwest;Inculture:

thepublicationofWebsterDictionarymarkedthebeginningoftheAmericanEnglish;theappearanceofmanymagazinesandnewspapers;internationalinfluences①

RomanticMovementinEnglandandEuropeprovedtobeadecisiveinfluence;②

ManyEnglishandEuropeanmasterofpoetryandprosemadestimulatingimpactonAmericanRomanticism.TermsRomanceEmotionallyheightened,symbolicAmericannovelsassociatedwiththeRomanticperiod.RomanticismRomanticismamovementofthe18thand19thcentury.Itisthepredominanceofimaginationoverreasonandformalrulesandoverthesenseoffactortheactual,apsychologicaldesiretoescapefromunpleasantrealities.DetailedInformationRomanticismwasamovementinliterature,philosophy,musicandartwhichdevelopedinEuropeinthelate18thandearly19thcenturies.ItemphasizedindividualvaluesandaspirationsabovethoseofsocietyasareactiontotheIndustrialRevolution.ItlookedtotheMiddleAgesandtodirectcontactwithnatureforinspiration.Itgaveimpetustothenationalliberation

movementin19th-centuryEurope.DistinctFeatureofAmericanRomanticism1

Itwastheexpressionof“arealnewexperience”andcontained“analienquality”forthesimplereasonthat“thespiritoftheplace”wasradicallynewandalien.2

IttendedtobedidacticbecauseofPuritaninfluence.3

Itwasbothimitativeandindependent.ImportantLiterary

FiguresofAmericanRomanticismWashingtonIrving

JamesFenimoreCooperWashingtonIrving

(1783—1895)華盛頓.歐文

Hislife

Hiscareerandworks

Hisstyle

HiscontributiontoAm.Lit.HisLife(1)BornintoawealthyNewYorkmerchantfamilyBeganwritingfromaveryearlyageStudiedlawandledforatimethelifeofagentlemanlawyerLovedwritingmoreandwrotehisfirstbookin1809WenttoEnglandin1815totakecareoffamilybusinessbutfailedHadtowritetosupporthimself

TheSketchBookwonhiminternationalfameHisLife(2)WentasdiplomaticattachetoSpainin1826andgatheredmaterialforwritingSecretaryofU.S.LegationinLondonfrom1829—1832ReturnedtoAm.atabout50afterbeingawayfor17yearsLivedaleisurelifeandwrotetherestofhislifeexcept4yearsasMinistertoSpainDiedin1859andunmarriedallhislifeHiscareerandworks1stphase:1809—1832“Englishphase”

2ndphase:1832—1859“minorphase”1stphase:1809—1832

“Englishphase”

主要階段或英國階段AHistoryofNewYorkfromtheBeginningoftheWorldtotheEndoftheDutchDynasty《紐約外史》(1809)TheSketchBook《見聞札記》(1819—1820)/TheSketchBookofGeoffreyCrayon,Gent.:“RipWanWinkle”《瑞普.凡.溫克爾》“TheLegendofSleepyHollow”《睡谷的傳說》

—markedthebeginningofshortstoryasagenreinAm.literature—markedthebeginningofAmericanRomanticismTheHistoryoftheLifeandVoyagesofChristopherColumbus

《哥侖布傳》(1828)AChronicleoftheConquestofGranada

《攻克格拉納達(dá)》(1829)TheAlhambra《阿爾罕伯拉》(1832)

2ndphase:1832—1859

“minorphase”

次要階段LifeofGoldsmith《歌德斯密傳》LifeofWashington《華盛頓傳》TheCrayonMiscellany:“ATouronthePrairies”《草原游記》“Astoria”《阿斯托里亞》“AdventuresofCaptainBonneville”

《博納維爾船長歷險記》HisContributiontoAmericanLiterature①HewasthefatherofAmericanliterature②Hewasthefirstromanticwriter,firsttogetinternationalfame;③Hemadeshortstoryasagenre;④HisstoriesbasedonthelegendsofEuropeandSpaingavehisreadersaglimpseofaworldbeyondtheirownshores⑤HiscolorfullegendsoftheHudsonRiverValleyhelpedawakenAm.toanappreciationoftheirnationanditsnativelit.

Hisstyle①imitative,buthighlyskillful;②nevershockingandabitsentimentalattimes;“Thestyleistheman”文如其人③

avoidedmoralizingasmuchaspossible;wrotetoamuseandentertain;④goodatenvelopinghisstoriesinanatmosphere;⑤hischaractersarevividandtrue;⑥hiswritingwithgreathumor;

JamesFenimoreCooper(1789—1851)詹姆斯.費(fèi)尼莫.庫柏FirstauthortowriteaboutWesternMovementHislifeHisworksHisstyleHiscontributiontoAm.Lit.AnalysisofLeatherstockingTalesHislifeBornintoarichland-holdingfamilyofNewJerseyWenttoYaleat14butwasexpelledinjuniorduetoimproperbehaviorSpent5yearsatseaInheritedfortuneandsettleddownBeganwritingbyaccidentWrotethirty-oddnovels(11ofsea)BestknownandrememberedbyLeatherstockingTalesHisworksSocialandHistoricalnovels:SeanovelsBordernovels:LeatherstockingTalesOtherworksSocial&HistoricalnovelTheSpy

《間諜》(1821)Satanstoe

《薩坦斯托》(1845)TheChainbearer

《持鎖鏈者》TheRedSkins

《紅色人》(1846)TheWaterWitch

《水巫》(1830)TheTwoAdmirals

《兩位海軍上將》(1842)LionelLincoln

《萊那爾.林肯》(1825)TheBravo

《亡命徒》(1831)TheHeadsman

《頭人》(1833)TheWaysoftheHour

《世風(fēng)》(1850)SeanovelThePilot

《領(lǐng)航者》TheRedRover《紅色的海盜》（1827）AfloatandAshore

《海上與岸上》(1844)JackTier

《杰克.梯耶爾》(1848)TheSeaLions

《海獅》(1849)OtherworksNotionsofAmerican《美國人的思想》HomewardBound《返鄉(xiāng)路上》(1838)HomeasFound《故鄉(xiāng)風(fēng)貌》(1838)TheCrater《火山口》(1847)TheOakOpenings《橡樹林間空地》(1848)HisstyleHiswritingispowerfulyetclumsy.Heisgoodatinventingplots.Hisstyleisdreadful,hischaracterizationwoodenandlackinginprobability,andhislanguage,hisuseofdialect,isnotauthentic.Hiscontributionto

Am.Lit.①

Hewasthefirstwriterofseanovels.②

Hewasthefirstexcellentwriterofbordernovels.③Hewasthefirstwriterofseriesnovels.④

Hewasthefirstromanticwriterwithrationalism.⑤

HewasthefirstwriterinAm.appreciatedbymanywritersofdifferentnationalitiesanddifferentgenerations.⑥

HewasamythicwriterandcreatedamythabouttheformativeperiodoftheAm.nation.Analysisof

LeatherstockingTales1)Itcontainsfiveones:

2)

Cooper’sambivalence:

3)

TheEnding

4)

Whoarethepioneers?

Cooper’sambivalence

Herealizedhisambivalence--natureandcivilization,freedomandlaw--in“ThePioneers”TheEndingOfthe5tales:

threeendedinNatty’sdepartureforthewilderness--ThePioneers

--

ThePathfinder

--

TheDeerslayer

twoendedinhisstayingwithanIndiantribe--TheLastoftheMohicans

--ThePrairieWhoarethepioneers?

--maybeNattyBumppo,--maybeJudgeTemple,--maybeboth.LeatherstockingTales①ThePioneers<開拓者>（1823）②TheLastoftheMohicans

<最后的莫希干人>(1826)③ThePrairie<草原>(1827)④ThePathfinder<探路者>(1840)⑤TheDeerslayer<殺鹿者>(1841)

Anotherwayofmakingupthecollections①TheDeerslayer--youth②TheLastoftheMohicans--middle-agematurity

③ThePathfinder--inthelate30s

and

fallinlove

④ThePioneers--old⑤ThePrairie--dyingNewEnglandTranscendentalismTranscendentalism

超驗(yàn)主義Factorsinfluenceitscoming

FeaturesofNewEnglandTranscendentalism

LiteraryrepresentativesofNewEnglandTranscendentalism--TranscendentalismAbroad,philosophicalmovementinNewEnglandduringtheRomanticera(peakingbetween1835and1845).Itstressedtheroleofdivinityinnatureandtheindividual‘sintuition,andexaltedfeelingoverreason.

Moreinformation

ThephaseofNewEnglandTranscendentalismisthesummitofAmericanRomanticism.Itwas,inessence,romanticismonPuritansoil.Itwasstartedbyagroupofpeoplewhoweremembersofaninformalclub,i.e.theTranscendentalClubinNewEnglandinthe1830s.Theyexpressedtheirviews,publishedthejournal,TheDial.Transcendentalismhasbeendefinedphilosophicallyas"therecognitioninmanofthecapacityofknowingtruthintuitively,orofattainingknowledgetranscendingthereachofthesenses".OtherconceptsthataccompaniedTranscendentalismincludetheideathatnatureisennoblingandtheideathattheindividualisdivineand,therefore,self-reliant.TherepresentativewritersofTranscendentalismareRalphWaldoEmersonandHenryDavidThoreauFactors

influenceitscomingforeigninfluences:

1)introductionofidealisticphilosophyfromGermanyandFrance;2)OrientalmysticismsuchasHinduismandphilosophyoftheChineseConfuciusandMencius;nativeinfluence:

AmericanPuritantraditionFeaturesofNewEnglandTranscendentalism1

TheTranscendentalistsplacedemphasisonspirit,ortheOversoul,asthemostimportantthingintheuniverse.2

TheTranscendentalistsstressedtheimportanceoftheindividual.3

TheTranscendentalistsofferedafreshperceptionofnatureassymbolicoftheSpiritorGod.

Literary

representatives

ofNewEnglandTranscendentalism

RalphWaldoEmerson(1803--1882)

拉爾夫.瓦爾多.愛默生

HenryDavidThoreau(1817--1862)

亨利.大衛(wèi).梭羅

RalphWaldoEmerson

(1803--1882)拉爾夫.瓦爾多.愛默生HisLifeHisWorksHisInfluenceonAmericanliteratureCommentonhimCommentsonhimAfounderoftheTranscendentalmovement.Moreover,EmersonwasnotonlytheshaperofadistinctlyAmericanphilosophyembracingoptimism,individuality,andmysticism,butoneofthemostinfluentialfiguresofthenineteenthcentury.“TheAmericanScholar”,anaddressdeliveredbeforeHarvard’sPhiBetaKappaSociety,attackedAmericandependenceonEuropeanthoughtandurgedthecreationofanewliteraryheritage.HislifeDescendantofNewEnglandclergymenExperienced“genteelpoverty”asachildWenttoHarvard,reconsiderCalvinistbelief,embracedUnitarianismBecameaUnitarianministertotheSecondchurchofBostonLefthisjobtoEuropeandbroughtbackEuropeanRomanticismFormedTranscendentalistClubanditsjournal“theDial”,becamespokesmanofNewEnglandTranscendentalism“preach”inthelecture-roominsteadofatthepulpitTraveledaroundandspreadhistranscendentalismHisworksNature

<論自然>

ThePoet<論詩人>TheAmericanScholar<美國學(xué)者>or<美國的哲人>America’sDeclarationofIntellectualIndependence

RepresentativeMen<代表性人物>EnglishTraits<英國人的特性>TheConductofLife<論為人處事>Essays

Nature<論自然>“Nature”hasbeencalled“theManifestoofAmericanTranscendentalism”andisgenerallyregardedastheBible

ofNewEnglandTranscendentalism;1)Manisdivine;ThespiritualandimmanentGodisoperativeinthesoulofman;2)Theindividual,notthecrowd,isthemostimportantofall.“theinfinitudeofman”人類發(fā)展無限論3)Thephysicalworldisvitalisticandevolutionary.NaturewasemblematicofGod.Inaword,“Natureisthesymbolofspirit”.ThePoet<論詩人>HisaestheticsbroughtaboutarevolutioninAmericanliteratureingeneralandinAmericanpoetryinparticular;itmarkedthebirthoftrueAmericanpoetryandtrueAmericanpoetssuchasWaltWhitmanandEmilyDickinson.Essays

Essays:FirstSeries<散文選：第一集>Essays:SecondSeries<散文選：第二集>ManyofhisfamousessaysareincludedinEssays,whichconveythebestofhisphilosophicaldiscussions,suchas“TheAmericanScholar”,“Self-Reliance”,“Theover-soul”.InfluenceonAmericanliterature

1)Hiscallforanindependentcultureinboth“Nature”and“TheAmericanScholar”playedaveryimportantpartintheintellectualhistoryofthenation.2)HecalledonAmericanwriterstowriteaboutAmericainawaypeculiarlyAmerican.3)HisimportanceintheintellectualhistoryofAmericaliesinthefactthatheembodiedanewnation’sdesireandstruggletoassertitsownidentityinitsformativeperiod.HenryDavidThoreau(1817—1862)亨利.大衛(wèi).梭羅HislifeHisworksCommentsonThoreauAppreciationofWaldenQuestionfordiscussionHislifeUnsuccessfulfamilybackgroundMotherdeterminedtosendhimtoHarvardDidn’tlikeuniversityHelpedhisfathertomakepencilsandranaprivateschoolMadefriendswithEmerson,usedhislibrary,andembracedhisideasWenttoliveonWaldenPondMovedbacktoConcord2yearslaterandwrotehisexperienceinWaldenHisworks

“CivilDisobedience”<非暴力反抗>or<論公民的不服從>“APleaforJohnBrown”

<為約翰．布朗辯護(hù)>AWeekontheConcordandMerrimackRivers<在康科德及麥瑞邁克河的一周>--Failureathistime;ItalsoledtothefailureofWalden.Walden/LifeintheWoods<沃爾登or華爾騰or瓦爾登湖

/林中生活>TheMaineWoods<緬因森林>LetterstoVariousPerson<書信集>JohnBrownJohnBrown

(1800—1895)約翰.布朗:Abolitionistleader廢奴運(yùn)動領(lǐng)袖

OperatoroftheUndergroundRailroadWaldenWaldenisnowconsideredoneofthebest-sellingbooksinthehistoryofAmericanliterature,anditscriticalreputationcontinuestogrowasmuchasitspopularacceptance.Inaddition,WaldenhaslongbeenastapleoftheAmericanliteraturecurriculumatuniversitiesintheU.SWalden1ItisagreatTranscendentalistworkthatcameoutoftheperiodunderdiscussion.2Itisafaithfulrecordofhisreflections.Hesawnatureasagenuinerestorativehealthyinfluenceonman’sspiritualwell-being,andregardeditasasymbolofthespirit.3Itcanbemanythingsandcanbereadonmorethanonelevel.Itisabookonself-cultureandhumanperfectibility.Itisfullofideasexpressedtojostlehisneighborsouttotheirsmugcomplacency.4Regenerationbecameoneofitsmajorthematicconcernsanddecideditsstructuralframework.Thewholebookiswithintheframeofasingleyear,andprogressesthroughsummerandautumntowinter,andfinallytoaclimaxintherenascenceofspring.5Itexhibitshiscalmtrustinthefutureandhisardentbeliefinanewgenerationofmen.Thebookconcludesonaclearnoteofoptimismandhope.CommentsonThoreauHewasbynomeansanescapistorarecluse,butwasintenselyinvolvedinthelifeofhisday.2)Hehadmanyvirtuesbuthedidnotdojusticetohisowntalent,i.e.hewastedhislife.(Emerson’sspeechathisfuneral)3)Hespokeaheadofhistime.HisinfluencegoesbeyondAmerica.Hisstatuewasplacedinthe“HallofFame”inNewYorkin1969.QuestionfordiscussionWhydidhemoveontoWaldenPondonJuly4,theIndependenceDay?

--Itillustrateshisdesiretobeindependentandfindtruthforhimself.RomanticNovelists

NathanielHawthorne(1804—1864)

納撒尼爾.霍桑

HermanMelville(1819—1891)

赫爾曼.麥爾維爾NathanielHawthorneaffectedbyPuritanismandenlightenedbyTranscendentalismpioneerofpsychologicalnovelwroteaboutthedarksideofsocietyandhumannatureusingsymbolismNathanielHawthorneHislifeHisworkHawthorne'spointsofviewandsubjectHawthorne’sartAppreciationofTheScarletLetterHawthorne’sinfluenceHislife

(1)1BorninSalem,Mass.in1804;2WenttoBowdoinCollege,beingfriendsofLongfellowandFranklinPiercein1821;3Livedinsolitudeandseclusionfrom1825to1837;(readwidely,acquaintedwithlocalhistory,andpracticewriting:1sttalein1830;Twice-ToldTalesin1837)4WorkedastheCustomOfficerinBostonforawhile;latersurveyoftheportofSalem;Hislife(2)5Gatheredhismaterialsbyobservingandlisteningtoothersandwrotehisimmortalworks:

MossesfromanOldMansein1846;TheScarletLetterin1850;TheHouseoftheSevenGablesin1851;TheBlithedaleRomancein1852;TheMarbleFaunin1860.6ConsulinLiverpool,Englandfrom1853—1857;7LatertraveledinItaly8Diedin1864;Hiswork

(1)CollectionofShortStories

(2)NovelsCollectionofShortStoriesTwice-ToldTales(1837)

《故事重述》MossesfromanOldManse(1846)

《古屋青苔》TheSnow-ImageandOtherTwice-ToldTales(1851)

《雪人及其它故事重述》NovelsTheScarletLetter

(1850)《紅字》--atreatmentoftheeffectsofsinonthehumanspirit.TheHouseofSevenGables(1851)

《有七個尖角閣的房子》TheBlithedaleRomance(1852)

《福谷傳奇》TheMarbleFaun(1860)《玉石收神》or《玉石雕像》ShortStories1EarthyHolocaust

《大地的燔祭》2YoungGoodmanBrown

《好小伙子布朗》3

TheMinster‘sBlackVeil

《教長的黑面紗》4

TheBirthmark

《胎痣》5

Rappaccini’sDaughter

《拉普齊尼醫(yī)生的女兒》6

TheMaypoleofMerryMount

《歡樂山的五月柱》7

EndicottandtheRedCross

《恩地科特與紅十字》8

Howe’sMasquerade

《豪的面具》9

Dr.Hidegger’sExperiment

《海德格醫(yī)生的實(shí)驗(yàn)》10

TheBosomSerpent

《利己主義》or《胸中的蛇》11

TheArtistoftheBeautiful

《美的藝術(shù)家》12

TheSnowImage

《雪影》Hawthorne'spointsofview

andsubject(1)Heseemedtobehauntedbyhissenseofsinandevilallhislife.Hehada"black"visionoflifeandhumanbeings.Inalmosteverybookhewrote,hediscussedsinandevil.b.ToHawthornesinwillgetpunished.“thewrong-doingofonegenerationlivesintothesuccessiveones”(retribution)c.Hebelievedthatsineducates.d.OnesourceofevilthatHawthornewasconcernedmostisoverreachingintellect.Hisintellectualcharactersareusuallyvillains,dreadfulbecausedevoidoffellowfeeling.Hawthorne'spointsofview

andsubject(2)e.Hecomplainedabout“thepovertyofmaterials”inAm.Hetookagreatinterestinhistoryandantiquity.f.Becauseof“thepovertyofmaterials”andhisPuritanprudence,hewasconvincedthatromancewasthepredestinedformofAm.narratives,bywhichhemeantanimaginativefictionalpictureofmorallife.g.Hisartiscumulative.Thereareagroupofstorieswhichrelatedthemeofguilt,intellectualpride,suppressedsensuousness,andtheheroismofemotionalliving.Hawthorne’sartHeisgoodatexploringofthecomplexityofhumanpsychology.Hewasanatomistof"theinterioroftheheart".(2)

Onesalientfeatureofhisartishisambiguity.(3)

Theuseofthesupernaturalcanbeseenasahallmarkofhisart.(4)

Heisamasterofsymbolism.

Hawthorne’sinfluenceHewasamajorAm.writernowandthegreatestwriterlivinginthe19thcentury.Hewasregardedasapioneerofpsychologicalnovelandamasterofsymbolism.WiththepublicationofTheScarletLetter,hesecuredhispositionintheliteraryhistoryforever,andheinfluencedmanywritersinhistimeandlatergenerations,suchasHermanMelville,HenryJames,WilliamDeanHowellsandWilliamFaulkneretc.AppreciationofTheScarletLetter1)Outlineofstory2)Analysisofthemaincharacters3)Symbolicmeaningoftheletter“A”4)Evaluationofthenovel5)SimilaritiesbetweenTheScarletLetterandTheGreatGatsby

Analysisofthemaincharactersa.HesterPrynne

海絲特·白蘭b.ArthurDimmesdale

阿瑟·丁梅斯代爾c.RogerChillingworth

羅杰·奇靈沃斯HesterPrynnecourageous,pretty,compassionate,readytohelp,tolerant,charitable,keepdignity;sufferfromshame,tortureandagony;intellectualgrowth,strengthofwill,seekfortruelove;ArthurDimmesdalephysicallyandpsychologicallyfeeble,weak,sensitive,hasastrongsenseofguilt,ascholarlikeyoungman;RogerChillingworthcold-blooded,chilling,psychologicallyperverse,cruel,ugly,old,deformed,mean,alwayswanttorevenge,animageofscienceman.Symbolicmeaningoftheletter“A”“A”atfirstitisatokenofshame,“adultery”;butthenthegenuinesympathyandhelpHesterofferedtoherfellowvillagerschangesitto“Able”.Laterinthestory,theletter“A”appearsinthesky,signifying“Angel”.ItmayalsorepresentAdamic,anarchetypalvicesuggestiveof“originalsin”.

EvaluationofthenovelReadingit,onewonderswhetheritisastoryoflove.Theanswerisyes,butthenno,becausethelovepartofthestoryislongoverbeforethebookbegins.Onewonderswhetheritisastoryofsin.Theanswerisyes,butthenno,forthesinningpartislongoverbeforethebookopens.WhatHawthornewaspredominantlyconcernedwithwasthemoral,emotional,andpsychologicaleffectofthesinonthepeopleingeneralandthosecomplicatedinitinparticular.ItisahymnonmoralgrowthandanattackofthesterncodeofPuritanism.

Similaritiesbetween

TheScarletLetter

and

TheGreatGatsbyTheScarletLettershowsHawthorne,theliteraryartist,athisbest.IncraftsmanshipperhapsonlyTheGreatGatsbycantouchitinAm.lit.BothworksareakindofculturalallegoryaboutdifferentphasesofAm.culturalhistory;botharestructurallycompactinatinyframearidimpregnatedwithmeaning.HermanMelville--everlastingnayLifeexperienceLiteraryCareer

ThemeandStyleAppreciationofMobyDickLifeexperience(1)1happychildhoodto11;2littleeducation;3workedearly:bankclerk;salesman;farm-hand;schoolteacher;4wenttoseaatabout20asawhaler;Lifeexperience

(2)Three

things

deservementionabouthislife:

1

goingouttosea

2

marriage

3

friendshipwithHawthorneLifeexperience(3)5voraciousreader;6prolificfor8yearsafterhisreturnfromthesea;7laterinhislifewroteotherbooksandsomelongstories;8workedintheCustomHouseinNewYorkforthelast20yearsofhislife;9diedat72inoblivion.LiteraryCareerNovelsabouttheseaareextremelypopularintheearly1840s.Bywritingthesenovels,Melvilleestablishedhisreputationasanadventurewriter.Melville'swritingscanbedividedintotwogroups:

1)Earlyworks2)LaterWorks3)CommentonhisworksEarlyworksNovels:Typee(1846)《泰比》Omoo(1847)《奧穆》Mardi(1849)《瑪?shù)凇?-adventuresamongthepeopleofSouthPacificRedburn(1849)《萊德伯恩》--avoyagetoEnglandWhiteJacket(1850)《白衣》--lifeonaUnitedStatesman-of-warMobyDick(1851)《莫比.迪克》--whaling

Pierre

(1852)《皮埃爾》

LaterWorksNovels:TheConfidence-Man

(1857)《騙子》BillyBudd

(1924)《比利.巴德》Longstories:BenitoCereno

(1856)

《貝尼托.西萊諾》Bartleby

(1856)

《巴比妥》Poem:

Clarel(1876)《克萊爾》CommentonhisworksInhisearlyonesMelvilleismoreenthusiasticabout

settingoutonaquestforthemeaningoftheuniverse,hencetheyaremoremetaphysicalandthemaincharactersareardentandself-dramatizing"I",defyingGod,asbestreflectedinMobyDick.

Inthelaterworks,Melvillebecomesmore

reconciledwiththeworldofman

inwhichonemustlivebytherules.

ThemeandStyle

1)Alienationbetweenmanandman,manandsociety,andmanandnature.CaptainAhabseemstobethebestillustrationofitall.2)rejectionandquest.ThenarratorIshmaelisagoodexample.3)symbolism.Thevoyageitselfisametaphorfor“searchanddiscovery,thesearchfortheultimatetruthofexperience”.4)ambiguity.Throughemployingthetechniqueofmultipleviewinhisnarratives.Appreciationof

MobyDick

GeneralIntroductionPlotsStyleQuestionfordiscussion

GeneralIntroduction

Melvilleisbestknownastheauthorofonebook,MobyDick,whichisoneoftheworld'sgreatestmasterpieces.Itisanencyclopedia

ofeverything,history,philosophy,religion,etc.inadditiontoadetailedaccountoftheoperationsofthewhalingindustry.ButitisfirstaShakespeareantragedyofmanfightingagainstoverwhelmingoddsinanindifferentandevenhostileuniverse.Itisa

symbolicvoyageofthemindinquestofthetruthandknowledgeoftheuniverse,aspiritualexplorationintoman'sdeeprealityandpsychology.Itrevealsthebasicpatternof19th-centuryAm.

life:lonelinessandsuicidalindividualisminaself-styleddemocracy.Stylea.

Theuseofallegoryandsymbolism

b.Theproductionofthefirst

Americanproseepic.c.Language

Theuseofallegoryandsymbolism

InsteadofputtingthebattlebetweenAhabandthewhaleintosimplestatements,heusedsymbols,thatis,objectsorpersonswhorepresentsomethingelse.ThePequodisamicrocosmofhumansocietyandthevoyagebecomesasearchfortruth.Thewhitewhale,MobyDick,symbolizesnature.Itiscomplex,unfathomable,malignant,andbeautifulaswell.ForthecharacterAhab,thewhalerepresentsevil.AhabwillsthewholecrewonthePequodtojoinhiminthepursuitofthebigwhalesoastorootouttheevil,butonlytobedestroyedbyevil,byhisowncons