2025年英國文學(xué)史深度解析與筆記集成

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AConciseHistoryofBritishLiterature

Chapter1EnglishLiteratureofAnglo-SaxonPeriod

I.Introduction

1.Thehistoricalbackground

(1)BeforetheGermanicinvasion

(2)DuringtheGermanicinvasion

a.immigration;

b.Christianity;

c.heptarchy.

d.socialclassesstructure:hide-hundred;eoldermen(lord)-thane-middle

class(freemen)-lowerclass(slaveorbondmen:theow);

e.socialorganization:clanortribes.

f.militaryOrganization;

g.Churchfunction:spirit,civilservice,education;

h.economy:coins,trade,slavery;

i.feastsandfestival:Halloween,Easter;j.legalsystem.

2.TheOverviewoftheculture

(1)ThemixtureofpaganandChristianspirit.

(2)Literature:a.Poetry:twotypes;b.prose:twofigures.

ILBeowulf.

1.Ageneralintroduction.

2.Thecontent.

3.Theliteraryfeatures.

(1)theuseofalliteration

(2)theuseofmetaphorsandunderstatements

(3)themixtureofpaganandChristianelements

III.TheOldEnglishProse

1.Whatisprose?

2.figures

(1)TheVenerableRede

(2)AlfredtheGreat

Chapter2EnglishLiteratureoftheLateMedievalAgesI.Introduction

1.TheHistoricalBackground.

(1)Theyear1066:NormanConquest.

(2)Thesocialsituationssoonaftertheconquest.

A.Normannoblesandserfs;

B.restorationofthechurch.

(3)The11thcentury.

A.thecrusadeandknights.

B.dominanceofFrenchandLatin;

(4)The12thcentury.

A.thecentralizedgovernment;

B.kingsandthechurch(HenryIIandThomas);

(5)The13thcentury.

A.ThelegendofRobinHood;

B.MagnaCarta(1215);

C.thebeginningoftheParliament

D.EnglishandLatin:officiallanguages(theend)

(6)The14thcentury.

a.theHouseofLordsandtheHouseofCommons-conflictbetweenthe

ParliamentandKings;

b.theriseoftowns.

c.thechangeofChurch.

d.theroleofwomen.

e.theHundredYears*War-starting.

f.thedevelopmentofthetrade:London.

g.theBlackDeath.

h.thePeasants*Revolt-1381.

i.ThetranslationofBiblebyWycliffe.

(7)The15thcentury.

a.ThePeasantsRevolt(1453)

b.TheWarofRosesbetweenLancasterandYorks.

c.theprinting-press-WilliamCaxion.

d.thestartingofTudorMonarchy(1485)

2.TheOverviewofLiterature.

(1)thestoriesfromtheCelticlandsofWalesandBrittany-greatmythsof

theMiddleAges.

(2)GeoffryeofMonmouth—HistoriaRegumBritanniae—KingAuthur.

(3)Wace-LeRomandeBrut.

(4)Theromance.

(5)thesecondhaltofthe14thcentury:Langland,Gawinpoet,Chaucer.

II.SirGawinandGreenKnight.

1.Ageneralintroduction.

2.Theplot.

III.WilliamLangland.

l.Life

2.PiersthePlowman

IV.Chaucer

1.Life

2.LiteraryCareer:threeperiods

(1)Frenchperiod

(2)Italianperiod

(3)masterperiod

3.TheCanterburyTales

A.TheFramework;

B.TheGeneralPrologue;

C.TheTaleProper.

4.HisContribution.

(1)HeintroducedfromFrancetherhymedstanzaofvarioustypes.

(2)HeisthefirstgreatpoetwhowroteinthecurrentEnglishlanguage.

(3)ThespokenEnglishofthetimeconsistedofseveraldialects,and

ChaucerdidmuchinmakingthedialectofLondonthestandardforthe

modernEnglishspeech.

V.PopularBallads.

VI.ThomasMaloryandEnglishProse

VII.ThebeginningofEnglishDrama.

1.MiraclePlays.

Miracleplayormysteryplayisaformofmedievaldramathatcamefrom

dramatizationoftheliturgyoftheRomanCatholicChurch.Itdevelopedfrom

the10thtothe16thcentury,reachingitsheightinthe15thcentury.The

simplelyriccharacteroftheearlytextswasenlargedbytheadditionof

dialogueanddramaticaction.Eventuallytheperformancewasmovedtothe

churchyardandthemarketplace.

2.MoralityPlays.

Amoralityplayisaplayenforcingamoraltruthorlessonbymeansofthe

speechandactionofcharacterswhicharepersonifiedabstractions-figures

representingvicesandvirtues,qualitiesofthehumanmind,orabstract

conceptionsingeneral.

3.Interlude.

Theinterlude,whichgrewoutofthemorality,wasintended,asitsname

implies,tobeusedmoreasfillerthanasthemainpartofanentertainment.As

itsbestitwasshort,witty,simpleinplot,suitedforthediversionofguestsata

banquet,orfortherelaxationoftheaudiencebetweenthedivisionsofa

seriousplay.Itwasessentiallyanindoorsperformance,andgenerallyofan

aristocraticnature.

Chapter3EnglishLiteratureintheRenaissanceI.AHistoricalBackground

II.TheOverviewoftheLiterature(1485-1660)

Printingpress-readership-growthofmiddleclass-trade-educationfor

laypeople-centralizationofpower-intellectuallife-exploration-newimpetus

anddirectionofliterature.

Humanism-studyoftheliteratureofclassicalantiquityandreformed

education.

Literarystyle-modeledontheancients.

Theeffectofhumanism-thedisseminationofthecultivated,clear,and

sensibleattitudeofitsclassicallyeducatedadherents.

1.poetry

ThefirsttendencybySidneyandSpenser:ornate,florid,highlyfiguredstyle.

ThesecondtendencybyDonne:metaphysicalstyle-complexityand

ingenuity.

ThethirdtendencybyJohnson:reaction------Classicallypureandrestrained

style.

ThefourthtendencybyMilton:centralChristianandBiblicaltradition.

2.Drama

a.thenativetraditionandclassicalexamples.

b.thedramastandshighestinpopularestimation:Marlowe-Shakespeare

Jonson.

3.Prose

a.translationofBible;

b.More;

c.Bacon.

II.Englishpoetry.

1.SirThomasWyattandHenryHoward(courtlymakers)

(1)Wyatt:introducingsonnets.

(2)Howard:introducingsonnetsandwritingthefirstblankverse.

2.SirPhilipSidney——poet,critic,prosewriter

(1)Life:

a.Englishgentleman;

b.brilliantandfascinatingpersonality;

c.courtier.

(2)works

a.Arcadia:pastoralromance;

b.AstrophelandStella(108):sonnetsequencetoPenelopeDvereux一

platonicdevotion.

Petrarchanconceitsandoriginalfeelings-movingtocreativeness—buildingof

anarrativestory;theme-loveoriginality-actofwriting.

c.DefenseofPoesy:anapologyforimaginativeliterature—beginningof

literarycriticism.

3.EdmundSpenser

(1)life:Cambridge-Sidney'sfriend-"Areopagus”-Ireland-

WestminsterAbbey.

(2)works

a.TheShepherdsCalendar:thebuddingofEnglishpoetryinRenaissance.

b.AmorettiandEpithalamion:sonnetsequence

c.FaerieQueen:

1Thegeneralend----Aromanticandallegoricalepic—stepstovirtue.

112booksand12virtues:Holiness,temperancejusticeandcourtesy.

1Two-levelfunction:partofthestoryandpartofallegory(symbolic

meaning)

IManyallusionstoclassicalwriters.

LThemes:puritanism,nationalism,humanismandRenaissance

Neoclassicism-aChristianhumanist.

(3)SpenserianStanza.

III.EnglishProse

1.ThomasMore

(1)Life:''Renaissanceman”,scholar,statesman,theorist,prosewriter,

diplomat,patronofarts

a.learnedGreekatCanterburyCollege,Oxford;

b.studieslawatLincolnInn;

c.LordChancellor;

d.beheaded.

(2)Utopia:thefirstEnglishsciencefiction.

WritteninLatin,twoparts,thesecond—placeofnowhere.

Aphilosophicalmariner(RaphaelHythloday)tellshisvoyagesinwhich

hediscoversaland-Utopia.

a.Thepartoneisoi^anizedasdialoguewithmarinerdepictinghis

philosophy.

b.Theparttwoisadescriptionoftheislandkingdomwheregoldandsilver

arewornbycriminal,religiousfreedomistotalandnooneownsanything.

c.thenatureofthebook:attackingthechiefpoliticalandsocialevilsofhis

time.

d.thebookandtheRepublic:anattempttodescribetheRepublicinanew

way,butitpossessesanmoderncharacterandtheresemblanceisinexternals.

e.itplayedakeyroleintheHumanistawakeningofthe16thcenturywhich

movedawayfromtheMedievalotherworldlinesstowardsRenaissance

secularism.

f.theUtopia

(3)thesignificance.

a.itwasthefirstchampionofnationalideasandnationallanguages;it

createdanationalprose,equallyadaptedtohandlingscientificandartistic

material.

b.aelegantLatinscholarandthefatherofEnglishprose:hecomposedworks

inEnglish,translatedfromLatinintoEnglishbiography,wroteHistoryof

RichardIII.

2.FrancisBacon:writer,philosopherandstatesman

(1)life:Cambridge-humanisminParis-knighted-LordChancellor-

bribery-focusingonphilosophyandliterature.

(2)philosophicalideas:advancementofscience一people:servantsand

interpretersofnature—method:achildbeforenature—factsand

observations:experimental.

(3)“Essays”:57.

a.hewasamasterofnumerousandvariedstyles.

b.hismethodistoweighandbalancematers,indicatingtheidealcourseof

actionandthepracticalone,pointingouttheadvantagesanddisadvantagesof

each,butleavingthereadertomakethefinaldecisions,(arguments)

IV.EnglishDrama

1.Ageneralsurvey.

(1)Everymanmarksthebeginningofmoderndrama.

(2)twoinfluences.

a.theclassics:classicalinformandEnglishincontent;

b.nativeorpopulardrama.

(3)theUniversityWits.

2.ChristopherMarlowe:greatestplaywrightbeforeShakespeareandmost

giftedoftheWits.

(1)Life:firstinterestedinclassicalpoetry-thenindrama.

(2)Majorworks

a.Tamburlaine;

b.TheJewofMalta;

c.TheTragicalHistoryofDoctorFaustus.

(3)Thesignificanceofhisplays.

V.WilliamShakespeare

l.Life

(1)1564,Stratford-on-Avon;

(2)GrammarSchool;

(3)QueenvisittoCastle;

(4)marriagetoAnneHathaway;

(5)London,theGlobeTheatre:smallpartandproprietor;

(6)the1stFolio,Quarto;

(7)Retired,son—Hamlet;H.1616.

2.Dramaticcareer

3.Majorplays-men-centered.

(1)RomeoandJuliet-----tragicloveandfate

(2)TheMerchantofVenice.

Goodoverevil.

Anti-Semitism.

(3)HenryIV.

Nationalunity.

Falstaff.

(4)JuliusCaesar

Republicanismvs.dictatorship.

(5)Hamlet

Revenge

Good/evil.

(6)Othello

Diaboliccharacter

jealousy

gapbetweenappearanceandreality.

(7)KingLear

Filialingratitude

(8)Macbeth

Ambitionvs.fate.

(9)AntonyandCleopatra.

Passionvs.reason

(10)TheTempest

Reconciliation;realityandillusion.

3.Non-dramaticpoetry

(1)VenusandAdonis;TheRapeofLucrece.

(2)Sonnets:

a.theme:fair,true,kind.

b.twomajorparts:ahandsomeyoungmanofnoblebirth;aladyindark

complexion.

c.theform:threequatrainsandacouplet.

d.therhymescheme:abab,cdcd,efef,gg.

VI.BenJonson

1.life:poet,dramatist,aLatinandGreekscholar,the"literaryking^^(Sons

ofBen)

2.contribution:

(1)theideaof"humor”.

(2)anadvocateofclassicaldramaandaforerunnerofclassicismin

Englishliterature.

3.Majorplays

(1)EveryoneinHisHumor—“humor”;threeunities.

(2)VblponetheFox

Chapter4EnglishLiteratureofthe17thCenturyI.AHistorical

Background

II.TheOverviewofiheLiterature(1640-1688)

1.Therevolutionperiod

(1)Themetaphysicalpoets;

(2)TheCavalierpoets.

(3)Milton:theliteraryandphilosophicalheritageoftheRenaissance

mergedwithProtestantpoliticalandmoralconviction

2.Therestorationperiod.

(1)TherestorationofCharlesIIusheredinaliteraturecharacterized

byreason,moderation,goodtaste,deftmanagement,andsimplicity.

(schoolofBenJonson)

(2)Theidealsofimpartialinvestigationandscientificexperimentation

promotedbythenewlyfoundedRoyalSocietyofLondonforImproving

NaturalKnowledge(1662)wereinfluentialinthedevelopmentof

clearandsimpleproseasaninstrumentofrationalcommunication.

(3)Thegreatphilosophicalandpoliticaltreatisesofthetime

emphasizerationalism.

(4)Therestorationdrama.

(5)TheAgeofDryden.

III.JohnMilton

1.Life:educatedatCambridge-visitingthecontinent—involvedintothe

revolution——persecuted——writingepics.

2.Literarycareer.

(1)The1stperiodwasupto1641,duringwhichtimeheistobeseen

chieflyasasonofthehumanistsandElizabethans,althoughhis

Puritanismisnotabsent.L'AllegreandILPenseroso(1632)arehis

earlymasterpieces,inwhichwefindMiltonatrueoffspringofthe

Renaissance,ascholarofexquisitetasteandrareculture.Nextcame

Comus,amasque.ThegreatestofearlycreationswasLycidas,apastoral

elegyonthedeathofacollegemate,EdwardKing.

(2)Thesecondperiodisfrom1641to1654,whenthePuritanwasin

suchcompleteascendancythathewrotealmostnopoetry.In1641,he

beganalongperiodofpamphleteeringforthepuritancause.Forsome15

years,thePuritaninhimaloneruledhiswriting.Hesacrificedhispoetic

ambitiontothecallofthelibertyforwhichPuritanswerefighting.

(3)Thethirdperiodisfrom1655to1671,whenhumanistandPuritan

havebeenfusedintoanexaltedentity.Thisperiodisthegreatestinhis

literarylife,epicsandsomefamoussonnets.Thethreelongpoemsarethe

fruitofthelongcontestwithinMiltonofRenaissancetraditionandhis

Puritanfaith.TheyformthegreatestaccomplishmentsofanyEnglish

poetexceptShakespeare.InMiltonalone,itwouldseem,Puritanism

couldnotextinguishtheloverofbeauty.Intheseworkswefind

humanismandPuritanismmergedinmagnificence.

3.MajorWorks

(1)ParadiseLost

a.theplot.

b.characters.

c.theme:justifythewaysofGodtoman.

(2)ParadiseRegained.

(3)SamsonAgonistes.

4.FeaturesofMilton'sworks.

(1)MiltonisoneoftheveryfewtrulygreatEnglishwriterswhois

alsoaprominentfigureinpolitics,andwhoisbothagreatpoetandan

importantprosewriter.Thetwomostessentialthingstoberemembered

abouthimarehisPuritanismandhisrepublicanism.

(2)Miltonwrotemanydifferenttypesofpoetry.Heisespeciallya

greatmasterofblankverse.HelearnedmuchfromShakespeareandfirst

usedblankverseinnon-dramaticworks.

(3)Miltonisagreatstylist.Heisfamousforhisgrandstylenotedfor

itsdignityandpolish,whichistheresultofhislife-longclassicaland

biblicalstudy.

(4)Miltonhasalwaysbeenadmiredforhissublimityofthoughtand

majestyofexpression.

IV.JohnBunyan

1.Life:

(1)puritanage;

(2)poorfamily;

(3)parliamentaryarmy;

(4)Baptistsociety,preacher;

(5)prison,writingthebook.

2.ThePilgrimProgress

(1)Theallegoryindreamform.

(2)theplot.

(3)thetheme.

V.MetaphysicalPoetsandCavalierPoets.

1.MetaphysicalPoets

Theterm"metaphysicalpoetry,,iscommonlyusedtodesignatetheworks

ofthe17thcenturywriterswhowroteundertheinfluenceofJohnDonne.

Pressuredbytheharsh,uncomfortableandcuriousage,themetaphysical

poetssoughttoshattermythsandreplacethemwithnewphilosophies,

newsciences,newwordsandnewpoetry.Theytriedtobreakawayfrom

theconventionalfashionofElizabethanlovepoetry,andfavouredin

poetryforamorecolloquiallanguageandtone,atightnessofexpression

andthesingle-mindedworkingoutofathemeorargument.

2.CavalierPoets

TheothergroupprevailinginthisperiodwasthatofCavalierpoets.They

wereoftencourtierswhostoodonthesideoftheking,andcalled

themselves"sons"ofBenJonson.TheCavalierpoetswrotelightpoetry,

polishedandelegant,amorousandgay,butoftensuperficial.Mostof

theirverseswereshortsongs,prettymadrigals,lovefanciescharacterized

bylightnessofheartandofmorals.Cavalierpoemshavethelimpidityof

theElizabethanlyricwithoutitsimaginativeflights.Theyarelighterand

neaterbutlessfreshthantheElizabethan's.

VI.JohnDryden.

l.Life:

(1)therepresentativeofclassicismintheRestoration.

(2)poet,dramatist,critic,prosewriter,satirist.

(3)changeableinattitude.

(4)Literarycareer-fourdecades.

(5)PoetLaureate

2.Hisinfluences.

(1)Heestablishedtheheroiccoupletasthefashionforsatiric,didactic,

anddescriptivepoetry.

(2)Hedevelopedadirectandconciseprosestyle.

(3)Hedevelopedtheartofliterarycriticisminhisessaysandinthe

numerousprefacestohispoems.

Chapter5EnglishLiteratureofthe18thCentury

I.Introduction

1.TheHistoricalBackground.

2.Theliteraryoverview.

(1)TheEnlightenment.

(2)TheriseofEnglishnovels.

Whentheliteraryhistorianseekstoassigntoeachageitsfavouriteform

ofliterature,hefindsnodifficultyindealingwithourowntime.Asthe

MiddleAgesdelightedinlongromanticnarrativepoems,the

Elizabethansindrama,theEnglishmanofthereignsofAnneandthe

earlyGeorgesindidacticandsatiricalverse,sothepublicofourdayis

enamoredofthenovel.Almostalltypesofliteraryproductioncontinueto

appear,butwhetherwejudgefromthelistsofpublishers,thestatisticsof

publiclibraries,orgeneralconversation,wefindabundantevidenceof

theenormouspreponderanceofthiskindofliteraryentertainmentin

popularfavor.

(3)Neo-classicism:arevivalintheseventeenthandeighteenth

centuriesofclassicalstandardsoforder,balance,andharmonyin

literature.JohnDrydenandAlexanderPopeweremajorexponentsofthe

neo-classicalschool.

(4)Satiricliterature.

(5)Sentimentalism

ILNeo-classicism.(ageneraldescription)

1.AlexanderPope

(1)Life:

a.Catholicfamily;

b.illhealth;

c.taughthimselfbyreadingandtranslating;

d.friendofAddison,SteeleandSwift.

(2)threegroupsofpoems:

e.AnEssayonCriticism(manifestoofneo-classicism);

f.TheRapeofLock;

g.Translationoftwoepics.

(3)Hiscontribution:

h.theheroiccouplet-finish,elegance,wit,pointedness;

i.satire.

(4)weakness:lackofimagination.

2.AddisonandSteele

(1)RichardSteele:poet,playwright,essayist,publisherofnewspaper.

(2)JosephAddison:studiesatOxford,secretaryofstate,createda

literaryperiodical“Spectator”(withSteele,1711)

(3)SpectatorClub.

(4)Thesignificanceoftheiressays.

a.Theirwritingsin'"TheTatler",and"TheSpectator^^provideanewcode

ofsocialmoralityfortherisingbourgeoisie.

b.TheygiveatruepictureofthesociallifeofEnglandinthe18thcentury,

c.Intheirhands,theEnglishessaycompletelyestablisheditselfasa

literarygenre.Usingitasaformofcharactersketchingandstorytelling,

theyusheredinthedawnofthemodernnovel.

3.SamuelJohnson—poet,critic,essayist,lexicographer,editor.

(1)Life:

a.studiesatOxford;

b.madealivingbywritingandtranslating;

c.thegreatchamofliterature.

(2)works:poem(TheVanityofHumanWishes,London);criticism

(TheLivesofgreatPoets);preface.

(3)Thechampionofneoclassicalideas.

III.LiteratureofSatire:JonathanSwift.

1.Life:

(1)borninIreland;

(2)studiesatTrinityCollege;

(3)workedasasecretary;

(4)thechiefeditorofTheExaminer;

(5)theDeanofSt.Patrick'sinDublin.

2.Works:TheBattleofBooks,ATaleofaTub,AModestProposal,

GullivefsTravels.

3.Gulliver'sTravels.

PartI.Satire-theWhigandtheTories,AnglicanChurchandCatholic

Church.

PartII.Satire——thelegalsystem;condemnationofwar.

PartIII.Satire-ridiculousscientificexperiment.

PartIV.Satire-mankind.

IV.EnglishNovelsofRealistictradition.

1.TheRiseofnovels.

(1)Earlyforms:folktale-fables-myths-epic-poetry-romances

-fabliaux一novella-imaginativenatureoftheirmaterial.(imaginative

narrative)

(2)Theriseofthenovel

a.picaresquenovelinSpainandEngland(16thcentury):Ofor

relatingtoagenreofprosefictionthatoriginatedinSpainanddepictsin

realisticdetailtheadventuresofaroguishhero,oftenwithsatiricor

humorouseffects.

b.Sidney:Arcadia.

c.AddisonandSteele:TheSpectator.

(plotandcharacterizationandrealism)

(3)novelanddrama(17thecentury)

2.DanielDefoe-novelist,poet,pamphleteer,publisher,merchant,

journalist.)

(1)Life:

a.businesscareer;

b.writingcareer;

c.interestedinpolitics.

(2)RobinsonCrusoe.

a.thestory.

b.thesignificanceofthecharacter.

c.thefeaturesofhisnovels.

d.thestyleoflanguage.

3.HenryFielding—novelist.

(1)Life:

a.unsuccessfuldramaticcareer;

b.legalcareer;writingcareer.

(2)works.

(3)TomJones.

a.theplot;

b.characters:Tom,Blifil,Sophia;

c.significance.

(4)thetheoryofrealism.

(5)thestyleoflanguage.

V.WritersofSentimentalism.

1.Introduction

2.SamuelRichardson—novelist,moralist(Onewhoisunduly

concernedwiththemoralsofothers.)

(1)Life:

a.printerbookseller;

b.letterwriter.

(2)Pamela,VirtueRewarded.

a.thestory

b.thesignificance

Pamelawasanewthingintheseways:

a)Itdiscardedthe"improbableandmarvelous“accomplishmentsofthe

formerheroicromances,andpicturedthelifeandloveofordinarypeople,

b)Itsintensionwastoaffordnotmerelyentertainmentbutalsomoral

instruction.

c)Itdescribednotonlythesayingsanddoingsofcharactersbuttheir

alsotheirsecretthoughtsandfeelings.Itwas,infact,thefirstEnglish

psycho-analyticalnovel.

3.OliverGoldsmith—poetandnovelist.

A.Life:

a.borninIreland;

b.asingerandtale-teller,alifeofvagabondage;

c.bookseller;

d.theLiteraryClub;

e.amiserablelife;

f.themostlovablecharacterinEnglishliterature.

B.TheVicarofWakefield.

a.story;

b.thesignicance.

VI.EnglishDramaofthe18thcentury

1.Thedeclineofthedrama

2.RichardBrinsleySheriden

A.life.

B.works:Rivals,TheSchoolforScandals.

C.significanceofhisplays.

a.TheRivalsandTheSchoolforScandalaregenerallyregardedas

importantlinksbetweenthemasterpiecesofShakespeareandthoseof

BernardShaw,andastrueclassicsinEnglishcomedy.

b.Inhisplays,moralityistheconstanttheme.Heismuchconcernedwith

thecurrentmoralissuesandlashesharshlyatthesocialvicesoftheday.

c.Sheridan'sgreatnessalsoliesinhistheatricalart.Heseemstohave

inheritedfromhisparentsanaturalabilityandinbornknowledgeabout

thetheatre.Hisplaysaretheproductofadramaticgeniusaswellasofa

well-versedtheatricalman.

d.Hisplotsarewell-organized,hischaracters,eithermajororminor,are

allsharplydrawn,andhismanipulationofsuchdevicesasdisguise,

mistakenidentityanddramaticironyismasterly.Wittydialoguesand

neatanddecentlanguagealsomakeacharacteristicofhisplays.

Chapter6EnglishLiteratureoftheRomanticAge

I.Introduction

1.HistoricalBackground

2.LiteraryOverview:Romanticism

CharacteristicsofRomanticism:

(1)Thespontaneousoverflowofpowerfulfeelings

(2)Thecreationofaworldofimagination

(3)Thereturntonatureformaterial

(4)Sympathywiththehumbleandglorificationofthecommonplace

(5)Emphasisupontheexpressionofindividualgenius

(6)ThereturntoMiltonandtheElizabethansforliterarymodels

(7)Theinterestinoldstoriesandmedievalromances

(8)Asenseofmelancholyandloneliness

(9)Therebelliousspirit

II.Pre-Romantics

1.RobertBurns

(1)Life:FrenchRevolution

(2)Featuresofpoetry

a.BurnsischieflyrememberedforhissongswrittenintheScottish

dialect.

b.Hispoemsareusuallydevoidofartificialornamentandhaveagreat

charmofsimplicity.

c.Hispoemsareespeciallyappreciatedfortheirmusicaleffect.

d.Hispoliticalandsatiricalpoemsarenotedforhispassionatelovefor

freedomandfierysentimentsofhatredagainsttyranny.

(3)Significanceofhispoetry

HispoetrymarksanepochinthehistoryofEnglishliterature.They

suggestedthatthespiritoftheRomanticrevivalwasembodiedinthis

obscureploughman.Love,humor,pathos,theresponsetonature-allthe

poeticqualitiesthattouchthehumanheartareinhispoems,which

markedthesunriseofanotherday-thedayofRomanticism.

2.WilliamBlake

(1)life:FrenchRevolution

(2)works.

1SongsofInnocence

1SongsofExperience

(3)features

a.sympathywiththeFrenchRevolution

b.hatredfor18thcenturyconformityandsocialinstitution

c.attitudeofrevoltagainstauthority

d.strongprotestagainstrestrictivecodes

(4)hisinfluence

Blakeisoftenregardedasasymbolistandmystic,andhehasexerteda

greatinfluenceontwentiethcenturywriters.Hispeculiaritiesofthought

andimaginativevisionhaveinmanywaysprovedfarmorecongenialto

the20thcenturythantheyweretothe19th.

III.RomanticPoetsofthefirstgeneration

1.Introduction

2.WilliamWordsworth:representativepoet,chiefspokesmanof

Romanticpoetry

(1)Life:

a.lovenature;

b.Cambridge;

c.tourtoFrance;

d.Frenchrevolution;

e.Dorathy;

f.TheLakeDistrict;

g.friendofColeridge;

h.conservativeafterrevolution.

(2)works:

a.theLyricalBallads(preface):significance

b.ThePrelude:abiographicalpoem.

c.theotherpoems

(3)Featuresofhispoems.

a.Theme

Aconstantthemeofhispoetrywasthegrowthofthehumanspirit

throughthenaturaldescriptionwithexpressionsofinwardstatesofmind.

b.characteristicsofstyle.

Hispoemsarecharacterizedbyasympathywiththepoor,simple

peasants,andapassionateloveofnature.

3.SamuelTaylorColeridge:poetandcritic

(1)Life:

a.Cambridge;

b.friendwithSoutheyandWordsworth;

c.takingopium.

(2)works.

1ThefallofRobespierre

1TheRimeoftheAncientMariner

1KublaKhan

1BiographiaLiteraria

(3)BiographiaLiteraria.

(4)Hiscriticism

Hewasoneofthefirstcriticstogiveclosecriticalattentiontolanguage.

Inbothpoetryandcriticism,hisworkisoutstanding,butitistypicalof

himthathiscriticalworkisveryscatteredanddisorganized.

IV.RomanticPoetsoftheSecondGeneration.

1.Introduction

2.GeorgeGordonByron

(1)Life:

a.Cambridge,publishedpoemsandreviews;

b.atourofEuropeandtheEast;

c.leftEngland;

d.friendwithShelley；

e.workedinGreece:nationalhero;

f.radicalandsympatheticwithFrenchRevolution.

(2)Works.

1DonJuan

1WhenWeTwoParted

1SheWalksinBeauty

(3)ByronicHero.

ByronintroducedintoEnglishpoetryanewstyleofcharacter,whichas

oftenbeenreferredtoas“ByronicHero"of"satanicspirit”.People

imaginedthattheysawsomethingofByronhimselfinthesestrange

figuresofrebels,pirates,anddesperateadventurers.

(4)Poeticstyle:loose,fluentandvivid

3.PercyByssheShelley:poetandcritic

(1)Life:

a.aristocraticfamily;

b.rebelliousheart;

c.Oxford;

d.IrishnationalliberationMovement;

e.discipleofWilliamGodwin;

f.marriagewithHarriet,andMarry;

g.leftEnglandandwanderedinEUrope,diedinItaly;

h.radicalandsympatheticwiththeFrenchrevolution;

i.FriendwithByron

(2)works:twotypes-violentreformerandwanderer

(3)Characteristicsofpoems.

a.pursuitofabettersociety;

b.radianbeauty;

c.superbartistry:imagination.

(4)DefenseofPoetry.

4.JohnKeats.

(1)Life:

a.from