英美文学汉译选摘 10 -- 美现实主义时期
英美文学选读知识点整理
会意义、语言风格和艺术手法 6. 西奥多·德莱塞的《嘉莉妹妹》创作思想、艺术特色及其代表作的主题结构、艺术手法和人
1. 美国现代时期文学特征 2. 庞德的主要作品及其内容 3. 罗伯特·弗洛斯特的代表作及其主题结构和艺术特色 4. 菲兹杰拉德《了不起的盖茨比》的主题意义及其象征手法 5. 海明威的主要作品及其内容：《老人与海》、《永别了武
第二章 现代主义时期
The Modern Period
1. 美国浪漫主义时期的文学特点 2. 华盛顿·欧文的文学作品 3. 霍桑代表作《小伙子布朗》中的寓言与象征 4. 惠特曼的创作思想及其代表作的主题结构、人物刻画和社会意义——《白鲸》
1. 现实主义和自然主义的概念 2. 文学特点及现实主义者的倾向 3. 马克·吐温的《哈克贝利费恩历险记》创作思想、艺术特色及其代表作的社会意义、语言风
3. 华兹华斯的主要作品及内容 4. 拜伦《致希腊》的主题并用英语
解释其中句子
1. 华兹华斯的诗歌特点 2. 英文解释华兹华斯《我如行云独自游》中的句子
5. 雪莱《西风颂》的主题并用英语 解释其中句子
6.
1. 维多利亚时期的文学特点 2. 狄更斯的主要作品及内容——critical realist
3. 哈代的代表作及写作特点 4. 夏洛特·布朗特的《简·爱》中简·爱的人物分析
器》、《丧钟为谁而鸣》等 6. 福克纳的主要作品及其内容
第一章:古代与中世纪英国文学
1．<<贝尔武夫>>简介及在英国文学史上的意义。 Beowulf《贝奥武夫》：第一部最古老、最长的较完整的文学作品 2．乔叟及其代表作《坎特伯雷故事集》对英国文学做出的贡献。 The Canterbury Tales《坎特伯雷故事集》小说集，描写了各行各业中的人物形象
自考英美文学选读 教材翻译
自考《英美文学选读》教材的中文翻译第一部分：英国文学上古及中世纪英国文学简介自从有人类历史记载以来,英伦三岛遭遇过三次外族入侵。
岛上最早的居民是凯尔特人,此后古罗马人、盎格鲁一萨克森人及法国诺曼底公爵纷至沓来,在英伦三岛各领风骚若干年。
古罗马人的入侵没有在这片土地上留下深远的影响,而后两者则不同了。
盎格鲁一萨克森人将日尔曼族语言及文化根植在岛上,而诺曼底人则带来了地中海文明的清新浪潮,所谓地中海文明包括希腊文化,罗马的法律,以及基督教。
正是这两次外族入侵所附带的文化影响为日后英国文学的兴起与发展提供了富足的源泉。
英国文学史的上古时期起于大约公元450年,止于1066年,即诺曼征服的那一年。
这一时期定盎格鲁一萨克森文明兴盛的时期。
这些日尔曼族部落来自北欧,带来了盎格鲁一萨克森语言,也就是现代英语的原形基础,除此之外,还带来了特别的诗歌传统。
他们的诗歌神韵中集合了粗狂豪勇的气度及悲情哀挽的风格。
总体来讲,流传至今的英国上古诗歌可分为两大类:宗教诗和世俗诗。
宗教诗的主题大多以《圣经》为基础。
比如《创世纪甲本》与《创世纪乙本》以及《出埃及记》都源于《圣经》的《旧约全书》;而《十字架之梦》则以《新约全书》为典故。
在《十字架之梦》这首诗中,耶稣基督被刻画成一位青年战士,勇往直前,拥抱死亡与胜利,而那善良的十字架自身则承受起基督所有的苦难与重负。
除了这些宗教诗歌,上古的英格兰诗人还创作了伟大的民族史诗《贝尔武夫》以及其它众多的短篇抒情诗。
这些世俗诗歌中虽然没有基督教教义,但它们唤起了盎格鲁一萨克森人对环境的严酷及人类命运的不幸的感知。
其中《流浪者,狄奥尔》、《航海者》和《妻子的抱怨》是当时世俗诗中的佼佼者。
诗文中的语气和基调深受北海恶劣气候的影响,生活惨淡无望,诗人的口气中带出大量宿命论的成份,尽管同时也显得勇敢而坚定。
《贝尔武夫》,英国上古诗歌的典型,在今天被誉为盎格鲁一萨克森的民族史诗。
尽管如此,诗中主人公及背景都与英国无关,这首叙事诗讲述的故事发生在北欧斯堪狄那维亚半岛。
美国现实主义时期文学
Naturalism
•apply scientific theory into art
•not adding an amoral attitudeto their woeks
•more pessimistic
N. is evolved from R. when the author's tone in writing becomes less serious and less sympathetic but more detached and pessimistic, N. is an extreme form of R.. It is no more than a different philosophical approach to reality, or to human existence.
WORKS: Sister Carrie 《嘉莉妹妹》 An American Tragedy 《美国的悲剧》 Jenny 《珍妮姑娘》
1871—1945
By Stone
S. What is the distinction ?
Realism •concern of life directly
从根本上说是一个关于美国人的故事是对美国人的诽谤尤其是对美国女孩的侮辱和冒犯同时因为书中老一从根本上说是一个关于美国人的故事是对美国人的诽谤尤其是对美国女孩的侮辱和冒犯同时因为书中老一还还辈人的形象问题所以本书威胁了美国父母对孩子施加影响和表现威信的权力
美国现实主义时期文学
content：
Literary Features
He said that fiction must be "the realism is true to life ,reflecting the possibility of motives. " WORKS:
英美文学选读名篇中英对照 赏析 简介
Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me;The carriage held but just ourselves And Immortality.We slowly drove, he knew no haste, And I had put awayMy labor, and my leisure too,For his civility.We passed the school, where children stroveAt recess, in the ring;We passed the fields of gazing grain, We passed the setting sun.Or rather, he passed us;The dews grew quivering and chill,For only gossamer my gown,My tippet only tulle.We paused before a house that seemed A swelling of the ground;The roof was scarcely visible,The cornice but a mound.Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each Feels shorter than the dayI first surmised the horses' heads Were toward eternity. 我无暇去会死亡爱米莉·伊丽莎白·狄更生我无暇去会死亡，死神便和善地接我前往，我只好放下劳作与闲暇，无法拒绝他的殷勤礼让。
我们一起坐上马车，还有永生陪伴身旁，我们驱车缓缓前行，他悠然自得不慌不忙。
我们经过校园，娱乐的孩子挤满操场，我们经过田野，麦穗张望，我们经过西沉的太阳。
英美文学选读美国部分第二章现实主义时期
英美文学选读中文翻译及重点习题答案美国文学(AMERICAN LITERATURE)第二章现实主义时期(The Realistic Period)一、背景知识 (Background knowledge)1、历史背景 (Historical background)（1）美国内战（1861-1865）（2）达尔文的《进化论》和艾米勒·左拉的实验小说（3）威廉·迪安·豪威尔斯——美国现实主义作品之冠2、文学作品特色 (Characteristics of literary writings)（1）现实主义（2）自然主义（3）地方色彩二、主要作家及其作品 (Major writers and their works)A、马克·吐温（Mark Twain, 1835-1910）1、观点 (Points of view)（1）乐观者与愤世嫉俗者(Optimist & misanthrope)马克·吐温生活在美国西部仍然处于未曾开发的时代，全国性的向西推进的运动正如火如荼。
年轻的他成为潮流中的一员，为新鲜的土地而兴奋，为开拓精神而振奋。
对他来说，生活是光明的，充满了神秘、恐惧和欢愉。
因此，作为太平洋沿岸最伟大的幽默大师，他能够轻松地欢笑。
然而，笑声与幽默持续的时间并不长。
它们逐渐被苦涩的冷嘲热讽所取代。
马克·吐温由一名乐观者变成了一个愤世嫉俗者。
此时的他已对人类与人性产生了怀疑。
一些评论家将这种转变与他晚年生活中的一系列不幸事件联系起来，但最根本的原因在于成熟的他不再根据表面价值来看待事物了；多年的游历生涯使他更多地看到社会生活的阴暗面以及人性中邪恶的角落。
（2）道德观念(Moral outlook)尽管马克·吐温是一位幽默大师，他却没有丝毫的浅薄或轻浮。
他曾说自己是位严肃的作家，并且以这种或那种方式积极地关注着道德观念。
在他的道德准则中，爱情、人道、忠诚、孝顺、责任、勇气和勤奋都是极高的美德。
自考英语本科《英美文学选读》-美国现代时期一天全掌握
自考英语本科《英美文学选读》-美国现代时期一天全掌握The modern period 现代时期the second American Renaissance,the expatriate移居海外movement,the Lost Generation, 迷茫的一代a transformation from order to disorderSeize the day, enjoy the present, 及时行乐spiritual wasteland, collective unconscious,psychoanalysisImagist movement, Jazz Age应用名词解释："迷惘的一代"，意象派诗歌，象征主义，表现主义，意识流"荒原"意识在美国20世纪文学中的反映《地铁站一瞥》《盟约》《河商的妻子》：主题、意象、语言弗洛斯特的自然诗《摘苹果后》《未选择的路》《雪夜停马在林边》：主题、象征与比喻、语言《毛猿》第八场：主题结构、表现主义和象征主义手《了不起的盖茨比》第三章：主题结构、人物刻画、语言风格age:second half of the 19th century to early decades of the 20th centurybackground:(1)the U.S. has become the most powerful country(2)technological revolution(3)a decline in moral standard, a spiritual wasteland, feelings of fear, loss, disorientation and disillusionmentinfluencing ideas:(1)the same as English Modern period: Karl Marx, Darwin,Freud(2)stream of consciousness:modernism's features:literature: convey a vision of social breakdown and moral decaywriter: develop techniques that could represent a break with the past. modernistic works are discontinuity and fragmentation The differences between Modernism America and England(1)American writers emphasize the concrete sensory images or details as the direct conveyor of experience(2)modern fiction employ the first narration or confine the reader to the "central consciousness" or one character‘s point of viewcommon ground: directness, compression, vividness, sparing of wordsThe idea of “seize the day” or “enjoy the present ” was pervasive, as opposed to placing all hope in the future.“及时行乐”的思想十分横行，他们不把希望寄托在将来。
第二章 现实主义时期(美国)
第二部分：美国文学第二章现实主义时期1865年至1914年间的这段时期在美国文学史上称为现实主义时期。
这是一场反映美国精神的美国文学运动，尤其是美国小说。
现实主义是对浪漫主义的一种反动。
它正视现实，远离空想。
现实主义文学又为现代主义文学铺平了道路。
经过内战以后的美国社会为现实主义的兴起和发展提供了肥沃的土壤。
自内战结束到第一次世界大战之间的50年，美国历史上经历了巨大变化，无论是政治、经济、文化，还是宗教。
这一变化规模之大、范围之广，彻底改变了美国社会的性质和观念。
首先，内战给美国的社会价值观带来了很大的影响。
美国已从杰弗逊时期的农业国向工业和商业社会转变。
蛮荒被文明取代。
这场战争还给美国经济带来了明显的变化。
新的组织和管理方法大规模运用，刺激了工业现代化的发展。
1869年第一条横贯大陆的铁路建成。
电力的广泛使用，电话等新的通信工具，给日常生活的诸多方面带来了变革。
各种矿藏的开采有助于国民经济的发展。
在工业生产上的投资增加了四倍以上，工厂的就业率成倍增长，工业产值呈几何级数上升，农业生产也迅速增加。
经济和工业的增长加速了城市的发展。
到第一次世界大战结束时，美国有一半人口集中在十几座城市里。
然而，这些变化也有不利的方面。
工业化和城市化带来了劳动人民的无数痛苦。
在农村，越来越多的农民被迫离开土地，到城里去谋生，造成劳动力过剩，工资偏低。
资本家也不改变工人的劳动条件，致使贫富两极分化。
权利和财富的集中产生了冒险家、巨头，而另一头则是贫民窟。
就思想意识而言，人们处于动摇的状态。
他们怀疑人性和上帝的善。
西部开拓者的精神已经一去不回了。
美国之梦已不复存在，代之而来的就是马克•吐温所称的“镀金时代”。
内战以后的文学界也与以前大不相同。
人们对内战的痛苦记忆、对英雄形象的幻灭和实际生活的无情现实，使得整个民族都反对浪漫主义。
美国人对浪漫主义思想已感厌倦。
新一代作家不满意老一代的浪漫主义思想，产生了新的创作灵感。
他们的特点是对现实生活有浓厚的兴趣，企图对生活的各个方面作出他们的解释，主张客观现实，摒弃主观偏颇、理想主义和浪漫主义的色彩。
自考英语本科《英美文学选读》美国文学史梗概
自考英语本科《英美文学选读》美国文学史梗概一、殖民地时代和美国建国初期最早来自这片新大陆的欧洲移民主要是定居在新英格兰的清教徒和马萨诸塞的罗马天主教徒，二者虽然在教义上有很多不同之处，但他们都信奉加尔文主义：人生在世只是为了受苦受难，而他们唯一的希望是争做上帝的“选民”，死后进天国，相信“原罪”。
这时的文学作品也主要反映了这些思想，和欧洲文学一脉相承。
代表作家：考顿·马瑟，乔纳森·爱德华兹，安妮·布拉兹特里特，爱德华·泰勒。
二、18世纪独立战争胜利后，美国经济社会进入稳步发展时期这一时期是启蒙主义文学运动的时期，主要文学指导思想是“自然神论”（Deism），强调理性，认为“宇宙的运动始于上帝”；自然万物是“神的体现”，人生在世，不再是受苦受难以换取来世的新生，而是要消灭种族、性别和信仰的不平等，建立自己的“人间乐园”。
主要特点：作家多是美国独立战争的积极拥护者和参加者；文学指导思想除了自然神论之外还有“唯理主义”和“新古典主义”，18世纪末还开始萌发了“早期浪漫主义”；文学种类主要有历史、日记和政论，也有诗歌，讽刺小品和劝人向善的故事，18世纪末还产生了话剧。
启蒙运动中出现大量优秀的散文作品，并多出自开国元勋之手，如本杰明·富兰克林，托马斯·潘恩，以及托马斯·杰斐逊。
三、19世纪南北战争时期这一时期的文学先后发展了浪漫主义，现实主义和自然主义。
浪漫主义：18世纪70年代－19世纪30年代是浪漫主义发展的初期，南北战争前30年（1830－1860）为极盛时期，南北战争后10年逐渐衰微并向现实主义过度。
浪漫主义注重“想象”、“激情”和“个性解放”，认为人本质是善良的，铲除邪恶和拯救人类的手段是抛弃一切传统束缚，摧毁一切陈规陋习而回归到“自然的原始状态中去。
超验主义是其一分支，强调“天人合一”，认为上帝、人类和自然都是“超灵”的组成部分。
【VIP专享】第二章现实主义时期
第二章现实主义时期1865年至1914年间的美国文学在美国文学史上称为现实主义时期。
这一时期的美国文学是美国精神的表现,尤其是美国小说。
现实主义是对浪漫主义的一种反动。
正视现实,不尚空想。
现实主义文学又为现代主义文学铺平了道路。
经过内战以后的美国社会为现实主义的兴起和发展提供了肥沃的土壤。
自内战到第一次世界大战的50年,美国历史上经历了巨大变化,无论是政治、经济、文化、还是宗教。
这一巨变彻底改造了美国社会的性质和观念。
首先,内战给该国的社会价值观带来了很大影响。
美国已从杰菲逊时期的农业国向工业化和商业化社会转变。
蛮荒之地得到了文明的开发。
这场战争还给美国经济带来了明显的变化。
新的组织和管理方法大规模运用,促进了工业的现代化。
1869年第一条洲际铁路建成。
电力大量使用,电话等新的通讯给日常生活的诸多方面带来了革命。
各种矿藏的开采有助于国民经济的发展。
在工业生产上的投资得到了四倍以上的回报。
工厂的就业率成倍增长。
工业产值呈几何级数上升,农业生产也迅速上涨。
迅速增长的经济和工业加速了城市化的发展。
美国城市发展如雨后春笋。
到第一次世界大战结束,美国有一半人口都是集中在十几座城市里。
然而,这些变化也有不利的方面。
工业化和城市化带来了劳动人民的无数痛苦。
在农村,越来越多的农民被挤出土地,到城里去谋生,造成劳动力过剩,工资低。
资本家对男女老幼的工人的劳动条件不去改善,致使贫富两极分化。
权利和财富的集中产生了冒险家、巨头。
而另一头则是贫民窟。
就思想意识而言,人们处于动摇的状态。
他们怀疑人性和上帝的善。
西部开拓的精神已经一去不回了。
美国之梦已不复存在,代之而来的就是马克·吐温所称之为的"镀金时代"。
内战以后的文学界也与前大不相同。
入们对内战的痛苦记忆,对英雄形象的幻灭和实际生活的无情现实使浪漫主义无立足之地。
美国人对浪漫主义思想已感厌倦。
新一代作家不满意于老一代的浪漫主义思想,生发了新的创作灵感。
美国文学现实主义时期
美国现实主义时期 1865-1914
• Background 社会历史及思想文 化背景 • Literary features 文学特点 • Representative writers and their works 代表作家及作品
社会历史背景
欧洲资本主义制度的确立
• 豪威尔斯在提倡现实主义文学方面 有过贡献，后期的作品也接触到一 些社会问题，但在“美国例外论” 的思想影响下，他的主要倾向是维 护资产阶级秩序。在艺术描写方面， 他采用误会套误会的手法，人为地 制造矛盾冲突。他的作品描写细腻， 对话机智，文字流畅，但有时流于 肤浅，缺乏思想深度。
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经过内战后的美国社会为现实主义的兴起和发展 提供了肥沃的土壤。自内战到第一次世界大战的 50年, 美国历史上经历了巨大变化,无论是政治、经济、文 化、还是宗教。这一巨变彻底改造了美国社会的性质 和观念。新一代作家不满意于老一代的浪漫主义思想， 生发了新的创作灵感。他们对现实生活产生了浓厚的 兴趣，企图对生活的各个方面作出他们的解释，主张 客观现实，摒弃主观偏颇、唯心主义和浪漫主义的色 彩。人们的兴趣现在已转到了日常生活的方方面面， 注意到现实的野蛮、肮脏，直接公开描写阶级斗争, 这时的作家已能描写人物在各种条件或环境下的反映， 描述远西(FarWest)、新移民和劳动阶级的斗争,这 些作家受到广大读者的欢迎。这一注意现实生活的创 作倾向形成了美国现实主义时期的文学。
• A World of Chance《机遇》 • Annie Kilburn 《安妮· 吉尔本》 • A Hazard of New Fortunes 《时来运转》
英美文学选读美国现实主义时期大题
英美文学选读-美国-现实主义时期-大题3 Emily Dickinson43. “We passed the School, where Children stroveAt Recess －in the Ring －We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain－We passed the Setting Sun －”Questions:A.Who is the author of this stanza taken from the poem “Becaus e I couldnot stop for Death－?B.What do the underlined parts symbolize?C.Where were “we” heading toward? (034) 4143. A. These lines are taken from a poem written by Emily Dickinson.B. The School, the Fields of Gazing Grain, the Setting Sun symbolizethree stages of one' s life: youth, manhood and old age.C. "We" were riding in a hearse (or a carriage), heading toward Eternity.43. “With Blue— uncertain stumbling Buzz —Between the light — and me —And then the Windows failed — and thenI could not see to see —”Questions:A. Identify the poem and the poet.B. What do “Windows” symbolically stand for?C. What idea does the quoted passage express? (044) 4243. A. Emily Dickinson: (465) “I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died”.B. Eyes, for they are considered as the windows of human soul.C. The last thing the dying person saw and heard was the fly and its buzz.When the eyes failed, the human soul was closed and the person died.(The speaker could not see any of the afterlife or God or angels sheexpected to see.)44.“We passed the School, where Children stroveAt Recess—in the Ring—We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain—We passed the Setting Sun—”Questions:A.Identify the poem and the poet.B.What do“the School,” “the Fields”and“the Setting Sun”stand for respectivel y?(054)44. A. Emily Dickinson; “Because I could not stop for Death－”B. Three stages of life: childhood, adulthood and old age.43. “This is my letter to the WorldThat never wrote to Me —The simple News that Nature told —With tender Majesty”Questions:A. Identify the poet.B. What idea does the poem express?C. Why does the poet use dashes and capital letters in the poem? (104)4443. A. Emily DickinsonB. The poem expresses the poet’s anxiety about her communication with the outside world.C. Dashes are used as a musical device to create cadence and capital lettersas a means of emphasis.43. “ We passed the School, where Children stroveAt Recess- in the Ring-We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain -We Passed the Setting Sun- ”( Fro m Emily Dickinson’s poem Because I could not stop for Death) Questions:A. What does the phrase “Fields of Gazing Grain” symbolize?B. What figure of speech is used in the poem?C. What are Dickinson’s unique writing features?（107）43. A. It symbolizes the mature period.B. PersonificationC. (1) Her poems have no titles. (2) Dashes are used as a musical device. (3) Capital letters are used as a means of emphasis. (4) Irregular and inverted sentence structure is used. (5) Her poetic idiom is noted for its laconic brevity, directness and plainness. (6) Her poems are usually short, personal and meditative.48. The literary school of naturalism was quite popular in the late 19th century. What are the major characteristics of naturalism? (044)48. A. Strongly influenced by social Darwinism, naturalism emphasizes thedetermining power of the crushing forces of environment and heredity.B. Being devoid of the freedom of choice and incapable of shaping theirown destinies, men and women are helpless and insignificant in a coldand indifferent world.C. The naturalistic writers reported truthfully and objectively, with apassion for scientific accuracy and overwhelming accumulation offactual detail.48．Why are naturalists inevitably pessimistic in their view?（084）47. Who are the three dominant figures of the American Age of Realism andwhat are the differences in their understanding of the “truth”? (094)47. A. William Dean Howells, Mark Twain, Henry JamesB. Mark Twain and Howells seemed to have paid more atte ntion to the “life”of the Americans. Howells focused his discussion on the rising middle class and the way they lived; Mark Twain preferred to have his own region and people at the forefront of his stories; Henry James had apparently laid a greater emphas is on the “inner world” of man.47. What are the factors that gave rise to American naturalism? (104)47. A. The impact of Darwin’s evolutionary theory on the American thought.B. The influence of the 19th century French literature on the Americanmen of letters.Mark Twain48. Local colorism is a unique variation of American literary realism. Who is the most famous local colorist? What are local colorists most concerned?（097）48. A. Mark TwainB. Local colorists concerned themselves with presenting and interpretingthe local character of their regions. They tended to idealize and glorify,but they never forgot to keep an eye on the truthful color of local life.They formed an important part of the realistic movement.48. Briefly state Mark Twain’ s magic p ower with language in his novels. (104) 48. A. His words are colloquial, concrete and direct in effect, and his sentencestructures are simple, even ungrammatical spoken languageB. His characters speak with a strong accent, which is true of his localcolorism.C. Different characters from different literary or cultural backgroundstalk differently.Henry James48.What is the most famous theme in Henry James′s fiction? And what is hisfavourite approach in characterization, which makes him different from Mark and W. D. Howells as realists? Give two titles of his works in which this theme and this approach are employed. (034)48. Henry James' s most famous theme is what is generally called "theinternational theme". His novels or short stories of the theme are always set against a larger international background,usually between Europe and America. They center around the conflict of the two cultures,represented by an innocent American and a sophisticated European. James is regarded as the founder of psychological realism for his psychoanalytical approach to his Characters. Daisy Miller, The Portrait of A Lady, The American, The Ambassadors are his representative worksof this kind.Theodore Dreiser47. “In your rocking-chair, by your window dreaming, shall you long, alone. In your rocking-chair, by your window, shall you dream such happiness as you may never feel.” The two sentences are taken from Theodore Dreiser’s novel, Sister Carrie. What idea can you draw from the “rocking-chair”? (044)47. A. The “rocki ng-chair” is a symbol standing for fate. It is like a cradle thatmakes one feel peaceful. It is also like a tide that ever goes on with life, the destiny of which is uncertain.B. At the end of the novel, Carrie sits in the rocking-chair which implies thather future is still uncertain and hard to foresee.48. What's Dreiser' s naturalistic belief? Please discuss the question with Carrie,a character in Sister Carrie as an example. (094)48. A. Dreiser believes that while men are controlled and conditioned by heredity,instinct and chance, a few extraordinary and unsophisticated human beings refuse to accept their fate wordlessly and instead strive, unsuccessfully, to find meaning and purpose for their existence.B. Carrie, as one of such, senses that she is merely a cipher in an uncaringworld yet seeks to grasp the mysteries of life and thereby satisfies herdesires for social status and material comfort, but in spite of he success,she is lonely and dissatisfied.Mark Twain50. Summerize the story of Mark twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in about 100 words, and comment on the theme of the novel. (024)50. A. Mark Twain's novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a Sequa to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.The Story takes place along the Mississippi River before the Civil War in the United States, around 1850.Along the river, floats a small raft, with two people on it; One is an ignorant,uneducated black slave named Jim and the other is little uneducated outcast white boy about the age of thirteen, called Huckleberry Finn or Huck Finn.The novel relates the story of the escape of Jim from slavery and ,more important, how Huck Finn, floating along with Jim and helping him as best he could, changes his mind ,his prejudice, about Black people, and comes to accept Jim as a man and as a close friends as well.During their journey, they experience a series of adventures:coming across two frauds, the “Duke” and the “King”,witnessing the lynching and murder of a harmless drunkard, being lost in a fog and finally Tom's coming to rescue.B. The theme of the novel may be best summed in a word “freedom”: Huck wants to escape from the bond of civilization and Jim wants to escape from the yoke of slavery. Mark Twain uses the raft's journey down the Mississippi River to express his thematic contrasts between innocence and experience, nature and culture, wilderness and civilization.50.Take Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as an example to illustrate the statement that Mark Twain was a unique writer in American literature. (054)50. A. Mark Twain shaped the world’s view of America and made an extensivecombination of American folk humor and serious literature.B. The novel has become a great contribution to the legacy of American literature.C. The novel is written in a language that is totally different from therhetorical language used by his contemporary writers such as Emerson,Poe and Melville. It is simple, direct, lucid and faithful to the colloquialspeech. This style of colloquial ism is best described as “vernacular”.D. He successfully used local color and historical settings to illustrate andshed light on the contemporary society. That’s why he is known as alocal colorist.E. Mark Twain’s humor is remarkable, too. Most of his works tend to befunny, containing some practical jokes, comic details, witty remarks.etc. Some of them are typical of tall tales. And a great deal of hishumor is characterized by puns, straight-faced exaggeration,repetition, and anti-climax. He uses his humor to criticize the socialinjustice and satirize the decayed romanticism.50. Briefly discuss Mark Twain's art of fiction in terms of the setting, thelanguage, and the characters, etc., based on his novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.50. A. Mark Twain uses the Mississippi Valley as his fictional kingdom, writingabout the landscape and people, the customs and the dialects of one particular region, and is therefore known as a local colorist.B. He creates life-like characters, especially the conventional HuckleberryFinn, who runs away from civilization and stands opposite toconventional morality.C. He uses a simple, direct vernacular language, totally different from anyprevious literary language. It is the kind of colloquial languagebelonging to the lower class, the living local American English.D. He has created a special humor to satirize social injustices and thedecayed convention.Henry James50. Please discuss Henry James’ contribution to American literature in regard to his representative works, themes, writing techniques and language. (104) 5050. A. works: Daisy Miller, The Portrait of A Lady, The Wings of the Dove, The Ambassadors, The Golden Bowl (listing any two of the novels will be enough)B. international themes…C. his psychological emphasis and narrative point of view…D. Language: highly refined and insightful…。
《英美文学选读》论述题汇总
美国文学III. Nathaniel HawthorneMosses from an Old Manse古宅青苔The Snow-Image and Other Twice-Told Tales 雪像和其他故事新编The Scarlet Letter 红字The House of Seven Gables 七个尖角阁的房子The Blithedale Romance 福谷传说The Marble Faun 大理石雕像选文Young Goodman BrownIV. Walt WhitmanLeaves of Grass选文There Was a Child Went Forth, Cavalry Crossing a Ford, Song of MyselfV. Herman MelvilleTypee 泰比Omoo 奥穆Mardi 玛迪Redburn 雷德本White Jacket 白外衣Pierre 皮埃尔Confidence-Man 信心人Moby-Dick 白鲸Billy Budd 比利伯德选文Moby-DickChapter 2 现实主义时期I. Mark TwainAdventures of Huckleberry FinnLife on MississippiThe Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County Innocent Abroad 傻瓜出国记Roughing It 含莘如苦The Adventures of Tom Sawyer The Gilded Age 镀金时代 A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court 亚瑟王宫庭中的美国佬The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson 傻瓜威尔逊The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg 败坏哈德莱堡的人The Mysterious Stranger 神秘的陌生人选文Adventures of Huckleberry Finn II. Henry James The American 美国人Daisy Miller 黛西米勒The European 欧洲人The Protrait of A Lady 贵妇人的画像The Bostonians 波士顿人Princess Casamassima 卡撒玛西公主The Private Life 私生活The Middle Years 中年The Turn of the Screw 螺丝的拧紧The Beast in the Jungle 丛林猛兽What Maisie Knows 梅西所知道的The Wings of the Dove 鸽翼The Ambassadors 大使The Golden Bowl 金碗The Death of a Lion 狮之死选文Daisy Miller III. Emily Dickinson If you were coming in the fall There came a day Summer’s full I cannot live with You I’m ceded-I’ve stopped being theirs 选文This is my letter to the World, I heard a Fly buzz-when I died I like to see it lap the Miles Because I could not stop for death IV．Theodore Dreiserer Sister Carrie 嘉莉妹妹Nigger Jeff 黑人杰夫Old Rogaum and His Theresa 老罗格姆和他的特里萨Jennie Gerhardt珍妮姑娘Trilogy of Desire The Financier 金融家The Genius 天才An American Tragedy 美国悲剧Dreiser at Russia 德莱塞对俄罗斯的观感选文Sister Carrie Chapter 3 现代主义时期II. Robert Lee Frost A Boy’s Will 一个男孩儿的愿望North of Boston 波士顿以北Mountain Interval New Hampshire 新罕布什尔Snowy Evening 雪夜停马在林边West-Running Brook 向西流去的小溪Collected Poems 诗选A Winter Tree 选文After Apple-Picking, The Road Not T aken, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening以IV. F. Scott Fitzgerald This Side of Paradise 天堂的这一边Beautiful and Damned 美丽而遭骂的人The Great Gatsby Tender is the Night 夜色温柔The Last Tycoon 最后一个巨头Flappers and Philosophers 吹捧者与哲学家Tales of the Jazz Age 爵士时代All the Sad Young Men 所有悲惨的小伙子Taps at Reveille 拍打在起床鼓上Babylon Revisited重返巴比伦选文The Great Gatsby V. Earnest Hemingway In Our Time 在我们的时代 A Farewell to Arms 永别了，武器For Whom the Bell Tolls 丧钟为谁敲响The Old Man and the Sea 老人与海Men Without Women 没有女人的男人Death in the Afternoon 午后之死The Snows of Kilimanjaro 开利曼扎罗之雪The Green Hills of Africa 非洲的青山选文Indian Camp (from In Our Time) VI. William Faulkner The Marble Faun 玉石牧神The Sound and the Fury 喧嚣与骚动As I Lay Dying 我弥留之际Light in August 八月之光Absalom, Absalom 押沙龙！押沙龙！Wild Palms 疯狂的手掌The Hamlet 哈姆雷特The Unvanquished 不可征服的Go Down, Moses 去吧，摩西The Fable 寓言The Town 小镇The Mansion 大厦Soldier’s Pay 士兵的报酬英国文学部分Chapter 1 文艺复兴时期III. William Shakespeare Rape of Lucrece 鲁克斯受辱记Venus and Adonis 维纳斯与安东尼斯Titus Andronicus 泰托斯安东尼The Comedy of Errors 错误的喜剧The Two Gentlemen of Veroma 维洛那二绅士The Taming of the Shrew 驯悍记Love’s Labour’s Lost 爱的徒劳Richard II 理查二世King John 约翰王Henry IV, Parts I and II, Henry V Six Comedies: A Midsummer Night’s Dream 仲夏夜之梦The Merchant of Venice 威尼斯商人Much Ado About Nothing 无事无非As You Like It 皆大欢喜Twelfth Night 第十二夜The Merry Wise of Windsor 温莎的风流娘儿们Two Tragedies: Romeo and Juliet 罗米欧与朱丽叶Julius Caesar 凯撒Hamlet Othello King Lear Macbeth Antony and Cleopatra 安东尼与克里佩特拉Troilus and Cressida, and Coriolanus 特洛伊勒斯与克利西达All’ Well That Ends Well (comedy) 终成成眷属Measure for Measure (comedy) 一报还一报Pericles 伯里克利Cymbeline 辛白林The Winter’s Tale 冬天的故事The Tempest 暴风雨Henry VIII The Two Noble Kinsmen两位贵族亲戚选文为Sonnet 18; The Merchant of Venice; Hamlet VI. John Milton Paradise Lost 失乐园Paradise Regain 复乐园Samson Agonistes力士参孙Lycidas 利西达斯Areopagitica 论出版自由Chapter 2 新古典主义时期III. Daniel Defoe Robinson Crusoe 鲁宾逊漂流记Captain Singleton 辛立顿船长Moll Flanders 莫尔弗兰德斯Colonel Jack 杰克上校A Journal of the Plague Year 灾疫之年的日记Roxana 罗克萨那选文Robinson Crusoe IV. Jonathan Swift A Tale of Tub 木桶传The Battle of the Books 书籍的战斗Gulliver’s Travels 格列弗游记 A Modest Proposal 一个小小的建议The Drapier’s Letter s 布商的书信选文Gulliver’s Travels V. Henry Fielding The Coffee House Politician 咖啡屋的政治家The Tragedy of the Tragedies 悲剧中的悲剧The Historical Register for the Year 1736 1736历史年鉴The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews and of his friend Mr. Abraham Adams, Written in Imitation of the Manner of Cervantes The History of Jonathan Wild the Great 大伟人江奈生翻乐德传The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling 汤姆琼斯The History of Amelia 阿米亚选文为Tom Jones Chapter III 浪温主义时期I．William Blake Poetic Sketches 诗歌扎记The Songs of Innocence 天真之歌The Songs of Experience 经验之歌Marriage of Heaven and Hell 天堂与地狱联姻The Book of Urizen 尤里曾的书The Book of Los 洛斯的书The Four Zoas 四个成熟的个体Milton 弥尔顿选文The Chimney Sweeper (from Songs of Innocence); The Tyger II. William Wordsworth Lyrical Ballads (抒情歌谣集) The Prelude The Excursion Worshipper of Nature (The Sparr,w’s Nest, To a Skylark, T o the Cuckoo, To a Butterfly, I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, An Evening Walking, My Heartn Leaps up, Tintern Abbey) 选文：I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, Composed upon Westminster Bridge, She Dwelt Among the Untrodden Ways, The Solitary Reaper V. Percy Bysshe Shelley The Necessity of Atheism 无神论的必要性Queen Mab: A Philosophical Poem 仙后麦布Alastor, or The Spirit of Solitude 复仇者或隐居者的精神Julian and Maddalo 朱利安与麦达格The Revolt of Islam 伊斯兰的反叛The Cenci 钦契一家The Prometheus Unbound解放了的普罗米修斯Adomais 阿多尼斯Hellas 海娜斯A Defense of Poetry 诗之辩护选文A Song: Men of England; Ode to the West Wind VII. Jane Austen Sense and Sensibility 理智与情感Pride and Prejudice 傲慢与偏见Northanger Abbey 诺桑觉寺Mansfield Park 曼斯菲尔德花园Emma 埃玛Persuasion 劝导The Watsons 屈陈氏一爱Fragment of a Novel 小说的片断Plan of a Novel 小说的计划选文Pride and Prejudice Chapter IV. 维多利亚时期I．Charles Dickens Sketches by Boz 博兹特写集The Posthumous of the Pickwick Club 皮克威克外传Oliver Twist 雾都孤儿Nicholas Nickleby 尼古拉斯尼克尔贝The Pickwick Paper 皮克威克外传David Copperfield 大卫科波菲尔Martin Chuzzlewit 马丁朱尔述维特Dombey and Son 董贝父子A Tale of Two Cities 双城记Bleak House 荒凉山庄Little Dorrit 小杜丽Hard Times 艰难时世Great Expectations 远大前程Our Mutual Friends 我们共同的朋友The Old Curiosity Shop 老古玩店选文为Oliver Twist II. The Bronte Sisters Poem by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell (Charlotte, Emily, Anne) The Professor (Charlotte) 教师Jane Eyre (Charlotte) 简爱Wuthering Heights (Emily) 呼啸山庄Agnes Grey (Anne) 格雷The T enant of Wildfell Hall (Anne)野岗庄园房客选文Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte VI. Thomas Hardy Tess of the D’Urbervilles 苔丝Jude the Obscure 无名的裘德The Dynasts 列后The Return of the Native 还乡The Trumpet Major 号兵长The Mayor of Casterbridge 卡斯特桥市长The Woodlanders 林地居民Under the Greenwood 林间居民Far from the Madding Crowd 远离尘嚣选文Tess of the D’Urbervilles Chapter 5 现代主义时期I. George Bernard Shaw Cashel Byron’s Profession 卡歇尔拜伦的职业Our Theaters in the Nineties 90年代的英国戏剧Widower’s Houses 鳏夫的房产Candida 堪迪达Mrs. Warren’s Profession 沃伦夫人的职业Caesar and Cleoptra 凯撕与克利奥佩特拉St. Joan 圣女贞德Back to Methuselah 回归玛士撒拉Man and Superman人与超人John Bull’s Other Island 约翰布尔的另外岛屿Pygmalion 茶花女Getting Married 结婚Misalliance 不合适的媳妇Fanny’s First Play 范尼的第一部戏剧The Doctor’s Dilemma医生的困境Too True to be Good 难以置信选文Mrs. Warren’s Profession IV. T. S. Eliot The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock 布鲁富劳克的情歌The Waste Land 荒园Murder in the Cathedral 教堂里的谋杀The Family Reunion 家人团聚The Confidential Clerk 机要秘书The Statesmen 政治家The Cocktail Party鸡尾酒会选文The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock V. D. H. Lawrence Sons and Lovers 儿子与情人The White Peacock白孔雀The Trespasser 过客The Rainbow彩虹Women in Love 恋爱中的女人Aaron’s Rod亚伦神仗Kangaroo 袋鼠The Plumed Serpent带羽毛的蛇Lady Chatterley’s Lover St. Mawr 圣摩尔The Daughter of the Vicar 主教的女儿The Horse Dealer’s Daughter贩马人的女儿The Captain’s Doll 般长的娃娃The Prussian Officer 普鲁士军官The Virgin and the Gypsy贞女和吉普塞人Trilogy(A Collier’s Friday Night, 矿工周五的夜晚The Daughter-in-law,儿媳The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyed 守寡的霍尔伊德夫人选文Sons and Lovers《英美文学选读》论述题汇总---按2009 年调整后新大纲IV. Topic Discussion(20 points in all, 10 for each) Write no less than 150 words on each of the following topics in English in the corresponding space on the answer sheet.2009 年4 月英美文学选读试题49. Briefly discuss William Shakespeare's artistic achievements in characterization, plot construction and language.（人物、情节构造、语言特色）50. Briefly discuss Mark Twain's art of fiction in terms of the setting,the language, and the characters, etc.,based on his novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. （《哈克贝利·芬历险记》的小说框架、语言特色、人物塑造）2009 年7 月英美文学选读试题49. Define modernism in English literature. Name two major modernistic British writers and list one major work by each. 现代主义名词解释列出现代主义时期的两位英国作家和他的主要作品50. Briefly discuss the term “The Lost Generation”and name the leading figures of this literary movement (Give at least three). 简述专业名词“迷失的一代” ，最少列出三个特征。
英美文学选读（美）现实主义时期（...
英美文学选读(美)现实主义时期（Selected readings of American and British Literature (American) realism）第二章现实主义时期一。
重难点内容提要1。
现实主义时期美国文学的特点2。
主要作家的创作思想、艺术特色及其代表作品的主题结构、人物刻画、语言风格、思想意义。
3。
分析讨论选读作品，现实主义与自然主义、狄金森诗歌的主题结构和艺术特色、哈克的性格分析及其社会意义。
二找回记忆--重点内容回顾。
（温馨提示：在这一部分，每个用”----“链接起来的都是一个知识点的概说，应用这些”短小的绳子”把已学的知识联系起来，我们要回想并找出他们之间的关系、联系、区别等不同的关系，争取对每一个历史时期都有一个全面的认识，知道每个时期在整个英美文学史上的位置及地位，以及每个作家在这个历史时期甚至在整个文学史上的位置地位。
）一时代概述--浪漫主义时期概述）。
1。
识记内容1）。
时间：独立2）。
背景：内战影响了社会和价值。
系统（a）从农业型向工业化和商品化转变。
B）。
促进科技发展C）。
加快城市化进程D）。
人们开始怀疑人类的本性和上帝的仁慈。
2。
领会内容：美国自然主义：达尔文进化论的影响1）。
接受它的负面影响，并用它来解释文学作品中人物的行为。
2）。
遗传的品质和习惯受社会力量的限制。
3）。
主题：人类的“兽性”，特别是性的欲望4）。
粗鲁的语言5）。
哲学上，真理总是部分地隐藏在个人的视线之外，或超出他的控制范围。
6）。
社会底层的物质来源描绘苦难和贫困。
7）。
自然主义是从现实主义演变而来的。
作者的语气不那么严肃和同情，更讽刺和悲观。
3。
应用内容：1）。
达尔文进化论对美国自然主义的影响一）。
接受它的负面影响，并使用它解释这些人物在文学作品中的行为B）。
遗传的品质和习惯受社会力量的限制。
C）。
主题：人类的“兽性”，特别是性的欲望D）。
粗鲁的语言E）。
哲学上，真理总是部分地隐藏在个人的视线之外，或超出他的控制范围。
英美文学到现实主义
1. The early development of American literatureA. The early development of American literature is slow, as then America was at the period of development withlow living standard.B. The first problem immigrants had to solve was food. It was really hard for them to care for the spiritualenjoyment.C. In 1704, first newspaper got published in America.In 1731, first library was established.In 1752, first professional troupe （剧团）was set up.What was put on the stage were English plays.It was not until 1767 that the first play by American writer was put on the stage.It was after the war of Independence that novels appeared.2. Main literary writers and writings of this periodA.The writings of this period were diaries, travel notes and works of religion.B. Though they could’t be regarded as the birth of American literature, to some extent, they reflected the livingsituation and social customs of the early colonized place, which had played an important role in the cultural life of American people, thus influenced the following American literature.3. Literature of Reason and RevolutionWriters of the periodBenjamin Franklin: The Autobiography; Poor Richard’s Almanac（历书,年鉴）Thomas Paine: Common Sense;Thomas Jefferson: The Declaration of IndependenceThomas Paine（1737-1809）and Common Sense1. Published anonymously by Thomas Paine in January of 1776, Common Sense was an instant best-seller, both in the colonies and in Europe. It went through several editions in Philadelphia, and was republished in all parts of United America. Because of it, Paine became internationally famous.2. Paine's political pamphlet brought the rising revolutionary sentiment into sharp focus by placing blame for the suffering of the colonies directly on the reigning British monarch, George III.3. First and foremost, Common Sense advocated an immediate declaration of independence, postulating a special moral obligation of America to the rest of the world.4. Not long after publication, the spirit of Paine's argument found resonance in the American Declaration of Independence.1. What were Benjamin Franklin’s achievements?2. How could he be so successful?野金银花菲利普·弗瑞诺美丽的金银花，造化令你素裹银妆，你粲然绽放于幽静一角。
自考英语本科英美文学选读美国现实主义一天全掌握
Realistic Period现实主义时期时间：1865-19141. background: the Civil War affected both the social and the value system(1)transformed from an agricultural one to an industrialized and commercialized one(2)stimulated technological development(3)stepped up urbanization(4)people became dubious about the human nature and the charity of GodThe Gilded Age2. American Realistic Period and English Realistic Period(Victorian Period) common ground(1)a great interest in the realities of life, aim at the interpretation of the actualities of any aspect of life(2)what was brutal or filthy, the open portrayal of class struggle(3)common people mostly depicteddifferences(America)(1)native trends in the realistic portrayal of the landscape and social surfaces(2)perfect the dialect style(3)concern about "local colorism", a unique variation of American literary realism3. American Naturalism: influenced by Darwin's evolutionary theory(1)accept the more negative implications of it and use it to explain the behavior of those characters in literary works(2)inherited qualities, and habits confined by social forces are depicted(3)theme: human "bestiality", especially the sexual desire(4)unpolished language(5)philosophically, the truth is always partially hidden from the eyes of the individual, or beyond his control(6)material source from the lower ranks of society portray misery and poverty(7)naturalism is evolved from realism. Author's tone in writing is less serious and sympathetic, more ironic and pessimisticThis new attitude was characterized by a great interest in the realities of life.由于对现实生活产生了浓厚的兴趣，产生了新的创作灵感。
模块十：美国现实主义文学
Chapter One IntroductionI. Teaching Contents1. The background of American Realism2. Definition of American Realism3. Principles of American RealismII. The Important Points:1. Realism2. American RealismIII. Difficulties:1. Definition of American Realism2. Principles of American RealismIV . Teaching Methods1. Questioning2. Discussing3. CAI1. Background1) The three conflicts that reached breaking point in this period(1) industrialism vs. agrarian(2) culturely-measured east vs. newly-developed west(3) plantation gentility vs. commercial gentilityIn the Civil War, the industrialized North defeated the agrarian South, and the United States headed toward capitalism. The war led many to question the assumptions shared by the Transcendentalists. It taught men that life was not so good, man was not, and God was not. The war marked a change in the quality of American life, a deterioration of American moral values.2) The 1880’s urbanization: from free competition to monopoly capitalism After the Civil War, commerce took the lead in the national economy. Increasing Part TenThe Age of Realismindustrialization and mechanization of the country soon produced extremes of wealth and poverty. Wealth and power were more and more concentrated in the hands of the few "captains of industry" or "robber barons". The spirit of self-reliance that Emerson had preached became perverted into admiration for driving ambition, a lust for money and power. In the meantime, life for the millions was fast becoming a veritable struggle for survival.3) The closing of American frontierThe frontier had been a factor of great importance in American life. Now that the frontier was about to close and the safety valve was ceasing to operate. The worth of the American dream began to lose its hold on the imagination of the people. Beneath the glittering surface of prosperity there lay suffering and unhappiness. Disillusionment and frustration were widely felt. What had been expected to be a "Golden Age" turned out to be a "Gilded" one.4) What is American Realism?The period ranging from 1865 to 1914 has been referred to as the Age of Realism in the literary history of the United States, which is actually a movement or tendency that dominated the spirit of American literature, especially American fiction, from the 1850s onwards. The American realistic writers paid a great interest in the realities of life and described the integrity (honesty, truthfulness) of human character reacting under various circumstances and pictured the pioneers of the Far West, the new immigrants and the struggles of the working classes.So American Realism was a reaction against Romanticism or a move away from the bias towards romance and self-creating fictions, and paved the way to Modernism. The leading figures were Mark Twain, Henry James, Jack London, Theodore Dreiser, etc.2. Principles of Realism1) Insistence upon and defense of "the experienced commonplace".2) Character more important than plot.3) Attack upon romanticism and romantic writers4) Emphasis upon morality often self-realized and upon an examination of idealism.5) Concept of realism as a realization of democracy.3. Identifying Characteristics Of Realistic Writing1) The philosophy of Realism is known as "descendental" or non-transcendental. The purpose of writing is to instruct and to entertain. Realists were pragmatic, relativistic, democratic, and experimental.2) The subject matter of Realism is drawn from "our experience," - it treated thecommon, the average, the non-extreme, the representative, the probable.3) The morality of Realism is intrinsic, integral, relativistic - relations between people and society are explored.4) The style of Realism is the vehicle which carries realistic philosophy, subject matter, and morality. Emphasis is placed upon scenic presentation, de-emphasizing authorial comment and evaluation. There is an objection towards the omniscient point of view.5) Realistic Complexity and MultiplicityComplexity refers to the interwoven, entangled density of experience; multiplicity indicates the simultaneous existence of different levels of reality or of many truths, equally "true" from some point of view.6) Realistic CharacterizationThere is the belief among the Realists that humans control their destinies; characters act on their environment rather than simply reacting to it. Character is superior to circumstance.7) The Use Of Symbolism And ImageryThe Realists generally reject the kind of symbolism suggested by Emerson when he said "Every natural fact is a symbol of some spiritual fact." Their use of symbolism is controlled and limited; they depend more on the use of images.4. Realistic Techniques1) Settings thoroughly familiar to the writer2) Plots emphasizing the norm of daily experience3) Ordinary characters, studied in depth4) Complete authorial objectivity5) Responsible morality; a world truly reported5. Characteristics of Realistic Period in American literature1) truthful description of life2) typical character under typical circumstance3) objective rather than idealized, close observation and investigation of life “Realistic writers are like scientists.”4) open-ending:Life is complex and cannot be fully understood. It leaves much room for readers to think by themselves.5)concerned with social and psychological problems, revealing the frustrationsof characters in an environment of sordidness and depravityChapter Two Three Giants in Realistic PeriodI. Teaching Contents1. An Introduction to works of Howells, James and Mark Twain2. An Introduction to Howells’ realistic principles3. An Introduction to James’s international theme, literary criticism and style4. The Analysis of Mark Twain’s writing styleII. The Important Points:1.The masterpieces of Howells, James and Mark Twain2.Their aesthetic theories and writing styles, and local colorismIII. Difficulties:1. Howells’ realistic principles2. James’s international theme3. Mark Twain’s writing styleIV. Teaching Methods1. Questioning2. Discussing3. CAI1. William Dean Howells –“Dean of American Realism”Howells wrote a successful campaign biography of Lincoln to help him to win the Presidency. He was a critic of eminent standing and a prolific writer. He helped to mould public taste and became the champion of literary realism in America. He wrote eight critical books and about 1 700 book reviews to spread the credo of realism. As editor and critic Howells was generous in constructive and sympathetic reviews, helping younger and more radical writers to get a hearing. Writers such as Hamlin Garland, Stephen Crane, Frank Norris, Henry James, and Mark Twain all enjoyed his friendly advice and assistance in times of need. Thus he was the dean of his country's literature and became the first president of the American Academy of Arts and Letters(美国艺术文学学院). Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and Oxford all conferred honorary degrees upon him.2. His Realistic Principlesa. Realism is “fidelity to experience and probability of motive”.b. The aim is “talk of some ordinary traits of American life”.c. Man in his natural and unaffected dullness was the object of Howells’s fictionalrepresentation.d. Realism is by no means mere photographic pictures of externals but includes acentral concern with “motives” and psychological conflicts.e. He condemns novels of sentimentality and morbid self-sacrifice, and avoidssuch themes as illicit love.f. Authors should minimize plot and the artificial ordering of the sense ofsomething “desultory, unfinished, imperfect”.g. Characters should have solidity of specification and be real.h. Interpreting sympathetically the “common feelings of commonplace people”was best suited as a technique to express the spirit of America.i. He urged writers to winnow tradition and write in keeping with currenthumanitarian ideals.j. Truth is the highest beauty, but it includes the view that morality penetrates all things.k. With regard to literary criticism, Howells felt that the literary critic should not try to impose arbitrary or subjective evaluations on books but should follow the detached scientist in accurate des cription, interpretation, and classification.3. Worksa. The Rise of Silas Lapham《塞拉斯•拉帕姆的发迹》b. A Chance Acquaintance《偶然相遇》c. A Modern Instance《一个现代例证》d. Criticism and Fiction《批评与小说》4. Features of His Worksa. Optimistic toneb. Moral development/ethicsc. Lacking of psychological depthHenry James1. LifeHenry James was born into a wealthy cultured family of New England. His father was an eminent philosopher and reformer, and his brother was to be the famous philosopher and psychologist. Henry James was one of the few authors in Americanliterary history who did not have to worry about money. His early upbringing was unusual: he was exposed to the cultural influence of Europe at a very early age. Later he met and developed a life-long friendship with William Dean Howells, who became his "moral police." For a while he attended the Harvard Law School, where he read, instead of law, French novelists and critics. He also read intensively George Eliot and Hawthorne. He toured England, France and Italy, and met Flaubert and Turgenev who was then staying in Paris. He settled down in London in 1876 and, except for some visits to America, spent the rest of his life there. In 1915 he became a naturalized British citizen. James was not married.2. Literary career: three stagesa. 1865~1882: international themeThe American《美国人》Daisy Miller 《黛西米勒》The Portrait of a Lady 《贵妇画像》b. 1882~1895: inter-personal relationships and some playsThe novels and plays were poorly received but he got a better knowledge of literary techniques.c. 1895~1900: novellas and tales dealing with childhood and adolescence, then backto international themeThe Turn of the Screw《螺丝在拧紧》What Maisie Knew 《梅西所知道的》The Ambassadors 《奉使记》The Wings of the Dove 《鸽翼》The Golden Bowl 《金碗》3. James’s international themeJames's fame generally rests upon his novel s and stories with “the inter national theme”. These nove1s are always set against a large international background, usual1y between Europe and America, and centered on the confrontation of the two different cu1tures with two different groups of peop1e representing two different value systems. American personalities of naivety, innocence, enthusiasm, vulgarity, ignorance, unsophistication, freshness, eagerness to learn, freedom, individuality are in contact and contrast with European personalities of over-refinement, degeneration, artificiality, complexity, high cultivation, urbanity. The typical pattern of the conf1ict between the two cultures wou1d be that of a young American man or an American gir1 who goes to Europe and affronts his or her destiny. The unsophisticated boy or girl wou1d be beguiled, betrayed, cruelly wronged at the hands of those who pretend to stand for thehighest possible civilization. Marriage and 1ove are used by James as the focal point of the confrontation between the two value systems, and the protagonist usual1y goes through a painful process of a spiritual growth, gaining knowledge of good and evil from the conflict.4. James’s literary criticism (The theme of “The Art of Fiction”)James's literary criticism is an indispensable part of his contribution to literature. It is both concerned with form and devoted to human values. The theme of his essay “The Art of Fiction” clearly indicates that: the aim of the novel is to present life, so it is not surprising to find in his writings human experiences explored in every possible form: illusion, despair, reward, torment, inspiration, delight, etc. He also advocates the freedom of the artist to write about anything that concerns him, even the disagreeable, the ugly and the commonplace. The artist should be able to "feel" the life, to understand human nature, and then to record them in his own art form.''5. James’s Aesthetic IdeaOne of James's literary techniques innovated to cater for this psychological emphasis is his narrative “point of view.” James avoids the autho rial omniscience as much as possible and makes his characters reveal themselves with his minimal intervention. So it is often the case that in his novels we usually learn the main story by reading through one or severa1 minds and share their perspectives. And we observe people and events filtering through the individual consciousness and participate in his experience. This narrative method proves to be successful in bringing out his themes.James’s realism is characterized by his psychological approach to h is subject matter. His fictional world is concerned more with the inner life of human beings than with overt human actions. His best and most mature works will render the drama of individual consciousness and convey the moment-to-moment sense of human experience as bewilderment and discovery. This emphasis on psychology and on the human consciousness proves to be a big breakthrough in novel writing and has great influence on the coming generations. James is generally regarded as the forerunner of the 20th century "stream-of-consciousness" novels and the founder of psychological realism.6. Style –“stylist”a. Language: highly-refined, polished, insightful, accurateb. Vocabulary: largec. Construction: complicated, intricateJames is not so easy to understand. He is often highly refined and insightful.With a large vocabulary, he is always accurate in word selection, trying to find the best expression for his literary imagination.Therefore Henry James is not only one of the most important realists of the period before the First World War, but also the most expert stylist of his time.Local Colorism1. Background(1) Marked differences existed between different parts of the country.(2) The frontier humorists, who had flourished several decades before the Civil War, had prepared the literary ground for local colorism. The earlier humorists influenced local color writers much.(3) Magazines appeared to let writer publish their works.2. Definition“Local colorism” is a unique variation of American literary rea lism. Generally, the works by local colorists are concerned with the life of a small, well--defined region or province. This kind of fiction depicts the characters from a specific setting or of an era, which are marked by its customs, dialects, costumes, landscape, or other peculiarities that have escaped standardizing cultural influence. Yet for all their sentimentality, they dedicated themselves to minutely accurate descriptions of the life of their regions. They worked from personal experience; they recorded the facts of a unique environment and suggested that the native life was shaped by the curious conditions of the loca1e. Their materials were necessarily limited and topics disparate, yet they had certain common artistic concerns.Tasks of local colorists: to write or present local characters of their regions in truthful depiction distinguished from others, usually a very small part of the world. 3. Development1) Local colorism as a trend first made its presence felt in the late 1860s and earlyseventies. The appearance of Bret Harte's The Luck of Roaring Camp in 1868 marked a significant development in the brief history of local color fiction.2) In the 1870s~1890s, the literary geniuses of different localities rose to join the raceto paint their own section of the country in the best colors available. This period isa spectacular growth of regional literature.3) Not until the turn of the 20th century did local colorist cease to be a dominantfashion.4. Representative WritersGarland, Harte – the west Harte: The Luck of Roaring Camp《咆哮营的幸运儿》Garland: Main-travelled Roads《大路条条》Eggleston – Indiana The Hoosier Schoolmaster《山区校长》Mrs Stowe Old Town Folks《老城的人们》Jewett – Maine 《深深拥有》Chopin – Louisiana Bayou Folk《路易斯安娜移民》, A Night in Acadie《爱克迪之夜》, The Awakening《觉醒》Woolson: Castle Nowhere: Lake-Country Sketches《处处城堡：乡村湖景札记》Mark Twain1. Works"The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," 《卡拉维拉斯县驰名的跳蛙》a frontier tale(1) The Gilded Age 《镀金时代》written in collaboration with Charles DudleyWarner(2) “the two advantages”The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Adventures ofHuckleberry Finn ("all modern American literature comes.")(3) Life on the Mississippi《密西西比河上》(4) A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court《亚瑟王朝里的康涅狄格州美国佬》(5) The Man That Corrupted Hardleybug《败坏了哈德莱堡的人》(6) The Mysterious Stranger《神秘的陌生人》(7) Autobiography contain bitter attacks on the human race(8)Innocents Abroad《傻子出国记》(9)Roughing It《艰难岁月》(10)Pudd'nhead Wilson《傻瓜维尔逊》(11)The Prince and the Pauper《王子与贫民》(12American Claimant《美国申请人》(13)"Disgraceful Persecution of a Boy"《残害一个男童》(14)"Goldsmith's Friend Abroad Again," 《哥德斯密斯的朋友又出国了》(15)"The Treaty with China"《与中国的条约》(16)"To the Person Sitting in Darkness"《致坐在黑暗中的人》(13-16 show MarkTwain’s attitude towards the Chinese)2. Writing Style(1) His use of colloquial language, vernacular language, dialectsOne fact that made Twain unique is his magic power with language, his use of vernacular. His words are col1oquial, short, concrete and direct in effect, and hissentence structures are simp1e, even ungrammatical, which is typical of the spoken 1anguage. And Twain skillfully used the colloquialism to cast his protagonists in their everyday life. What's more, his characters, confined to a particular region and to a particular historical moment, speak with a strong accent, which is true of his 1ocal colorism. Besides, different characters from different literary or cultural backgrounds talk differently, as is the case with Huck, Tom, and Jim. Indeed, with his great mastery and effective use of vernacular, Twain has made colloquial speech an accepted, respectable 1iterary medium in the literary history of the country. His style of language was later taken up by his descendants, Sherwood Anderson and Ernest Hemingway, and influenced generations of letters. T. S. Eliot noted that Twain established a new way of writing valid not only for himself but for others as well, and William Faulkner declared, "Mark Twain was the first truly American writer, and all of us since are his heirs, who descended from him."(2) local colourTwain is known as a local colorist, who preferred to present social life through portraits of the local characters of his regions, including people living in that area, the landscape, and other peculiarities like the customs, dialects, costumes and so on. Consequently, the rich material of his boyhood experience on the Mississippi became the endless resources for his fiction, and the Mississippi valley and the West became his major theme. Mark Twain wrote about the lower-class people, because they were the people he knew so we1l and their 1ife was the one he himself had lived. Moreover he successfully used local color and historical settings to i1lustrate and shed light on the contemporary society.(3) humourMark Twain's humor is remarkable. It is fun to read Twain to begin with, for most of his works tend to be funny, containing some practical jokes, comic details, witty remarks, etc., and some of them are actually tall ta1es. By considering his experience as a newspaperman, Mark Twain shared the popu1ar image of the American funny man whose punning, facetious, irreverenl articles filled the newspapers, and a great deal of his humor is characterized by puns, straight-faced exaggeration, repetition, and anti-climax, let alone tricks of travesty and invective. However, his humor is not only of witty remarks mocking at small things or of farcical elements making people laugh, but a kind of artistic style used to criticize the social injustice and satirize the decayed romanticism.(4) tall tales (highly exaggerated)(5) social criticism (satire on the different ugly things in society)3. The Story of The Adventures of Hucklyberry FinnThe story takes place along the Mississippi River, on both sides of which there was unpopulated wilderness and a dense forest. Along this river floats a small raft, with two people on it: One is an ignorant, uneducated Black slave named Jim and the other is a little uneducated outcast white boy of about the age of thirteen, called Huckleberry Finn, or Huck Finn. The book relates the story of the escape of Jim from slavery and, more important, how Huck Finn, floating along with him and helping him as best he could, changes his mind, his prejudice about Black people, and comes to accept Jim as a man and as a close friend as well. Now Huck Finn comes from the very lowest level of society. His father is the poor town drunkard who would willingly commit any crime just for the pure pleasure of it. Huck Finn is an outcast, with no mother, no home, sleeping in barrels, eating scraps and leavings, and dressed in rags. All of his virtues come from his good heart and his sense of humanity, for most of the things he was taught turned out to be wrong; for example, he was taught that slavery was good and right, and that runaway slaves should be reported, so what Huck has got to do is to cut through social prejudices and social discriminations to find truth for himself. Huck starts by believing that Blacks are by nature lower than whites--inferior animals of sorts in fact. A good illustration is the conversation between him and Aunt Sally after the explosion on the river. Aunt Sally is asking whether anybody has been hurt. "No'm. Killed a nigger" is Huck's reply. And much of the book is concerned with Huck's inner struggle between this attitude (hence his sense of guilt in helping Jim to escape) and his profound conviction that Jim is a human being --one of the best, in point of fact, that he has ever known. At first he cannot see Jim as a proper human being, and less as his equal. Through their escape down the river, he gets to know Jim better and becomes more and more convinced that he is not only a man, but also a good man. Thus he ends up by accepting him not merely as a human being but also asa loyal friend.4. Comparison of the three “giants” of American Realism1. ThemeHowells – middle classJames – upper classTwain – lower class2. TechniqueHowells – smiling/genteel realismJames – psychological realismTwain – local colourism and colloquialismChapter Three American NaturalismI. Teaching Contents1. An Introduction to American Naturalism2. An Introduction to Dreiser and his worksII. The Important Points:1.American Naturalism2.DreiserIII. Difficulties:1. The understanding of the influence of Darwinism and French naturalist writers onAmerican Naturalism2. The distinction between Realism and NaturalismIV. Teaching Methods1. Questioning2. Discussing3. CAIIntroduction1. The Influence of Darwinism on American NaturalismThe impact of Darwin's evolutionary theory on the American thought and the influence of the 19th century French literature on the American men of letters gave rise to yet another school of realism: American naturalism. Darwin, in his The Origin of Species and Descent Of Man, expounded his theory of natural selection. The American naturalists accepted the more negative implications of this theory and used it to account for the behavior of those characters in literary works who were conceived as more or less complex combinations of inherited attributes, their habits conditioned by social and economic forces.2. The influence of French naturalist writers on American NaturalismConsciously or unconsciously the American naturalists followed the French novelist and theorist Emile Zola's(左拉) call that the 1iterary artist “must operate with characters, passions, human and social data as the chemist and the physicist work on inert bodies, as the physiologist works on living bodies.” They chose their subjectsfrom the lower ranks of society and portrayed the people who were demonstrably victims of society and nature. And one of the most familiar themes in American Naturalism is the theme of human “bestiality”, especially as an explanation of sexual desire. For example, Frank Norris, in his McTeague, described the relations of a crude dentist with a superficially refined German-American girl, who, awakened by his desires, is drawn into an animalistic affection.3. What is Naturalism? (or American Naturalism)In literature, the term refers to the theory that literary composition should aim at a detached, scientific objectivity in the treatment of natural man. The movement is an outgrowth of 19th–century scientist thought, following the biological determinism of Darwin’s theo ry, or the economic determinism of Karl Marx. American Naturalism is a more advanced stage of realism toward the close of the 19th century. The American naturalists accepted the more negative implications of Darwin’s theory and used it to account for the behavior of those characters in literary works. They chose their subjects from the lower ranks of society and portrayed the people who were demonstrably victims of society and nature. And one of the most familiar themes in American Naturalism is the theme of human “bestiality”, especially as an explanation of sexual desire. Artistically, naturalistic writings are usually unpolished in language, lacking in academic skills and unwieldly in structure. Philosophically, the naturalists believe that the real and true is always partially hidden from the eyes of the individual, or beyond his control. In a word, naturalism is evolved from realism when the author's tone in writing becomes less serious and less sympathetic but more detached, ironic and more pessimistic. It is no more than a different philosophical approach to reality, or to human existence. Notable writers of naturalistic fiction were Frank Norris, Sherwood Anderson, and Theodore Driser.4. The Distinction between Realism and NaturalismNaturalism is evolved from realism when the author's tone in writing becomes less serious and less sympathetic but more detached, ironic and more pessimistic. It is no more than a different philosophical approach to reality, or to human existence. The distinction lies, first of all, in the fact that Realism is concerned directly with what is absorbed by the senses; Naturalism, a term more properly applied to literature, attempts to apply scientific theories to art. Second, Naturalism differs from Realism in adding an amoral attitude to the objective presentation of life. Naturalistic writers, adopting Darwin’s biological determinism and Marx’s economic determinism, regard human behavior as controlled by instinct, emotion, or social and economic conditions, and reject free will. Third, Naturalism had an outlook often bleaker than that ofRealism, and it added a dimension of predetermined fate that rendered human will ultimately powerless.Theodore DreiserTheodore Dreiser is generally acknowledged as one of America's literary naturalists. He possessed none of the usual aids to a writer’s career: no money, no friend in power, no formal education worthy of mention, no family tradition in letters. With every disadvantage piled upon him, Dreiser, by his strong will and his dogged persistence, eventually burst out and became one of the important American writers.1. Dreiser’s life and writingTheodore Dreiser was born in Terre Hante, Indiana, into a poor and intensely re1igious family. He had a very unhappy chi1dhood. Dreiser had some education at a Catholic school in Terre Hante, and later went to a public school of Warsaw, Indiana, and then spent a year at Indiana University. Dreiser read voraciously by himself. He immersed himself in Dickens and Thackeray, read widely Shakespeare, and tasted Bunyan, Fielding, Pope, Thoreau, Emerson, and Twain, but his true literary influences were from Balzac, Charles Darwin and Herbert Spencer. From the age of fifteen, Dreiser began to work on his own, earning a meager support by doing some odd jobs. He had longed to become a writer, so he went up to Chicago afterwards and made a beginning by placing himself with one of Chicago's newspapers, where he learned by experience. Later on, he slowly groped his way to authorship. During the last two decades of his 1ife Dreiser turned away from fiction and involved himself in political activities and debating writing. He joined the Communist Party shortly before his death in 19452. His major works(1) Sister Carrie 《嘉莉妹妹》(2) Jennie Gerhardt《珍妮姑娘》(3) “Trilogy of Desire” The Financier《金融家》, The Titan《巨人》, The Stoic《斯多葛》(4) The Genius《天才》a c1assic story of a “misunderstood artist,” was oncecondemned for “obscenity and blasphemy,”remained unpublished unti1 1923.(5) The American Tragedy《美国悲剧》(it was banned in Boston in 1927)(6) The Bulwark《堡垒》3. Comments1) Dreiser’s literary naturalismWith the publication of Sister Carrie, Dreiser became one of the most significant American writers of literary naturalism. As a genre, naturalism emphasized heredity。
不同时期的英国现实主义文学与美国现实主义文学
不同时期的英国现实主义文学与美国现实主义文学一、概述现实主义文学思潮是西欧资本主义制度确立和发展时期的产物，由于资本主义制度种种弊病的暴露，由于人们的浪漫热情和“理想王国”的幻想破灭了，于是形成了一种冷静务实的社会心理。
现实主义文学就是这种尖锐复杂的阶级矛盾和社会心理在文学上的反映。
在思想方面，辩证法、唯物主义哲学、空想社会主义学说以及自然科学的新成就，都对现实主义文学的兴起产生了不同的影响。
现实主义文学继承了古希腊以来的文学优良传统，而十八世纪的启蒙文学又为十九世纪现实主义的勃兴做了直接准备。
现实主义文学的基本特征是：①反映生活的真实性；②强烈的暴露性和批判性；③人道主义思想；④描写典型环境中的典型性格。
现实主义文学作品具有以下几个特点：细节真实，有真实的细节描写，用历史的、具体的人生图画来反映社会生活，现实主义作品是以形象的现实性和具体性来感染人的，因此能使读者如入其境，如见其人。
形象典型，通过典型的方法，对现实的生活素材进行选择、提炼、概括，从而深刻地揭示生活的某些本质特征。
方式客观，作者要通过对现实生活的客观，具体的描写，从作品的场面和情节中自然地体现出作者的思想倾向和爱憎感情，而不要作者自己或借人物之口特别地说出来。
去尽谎言，现实主义属于纯文学之一种。
而谎言去尽之谓纯，所以作为纯文学的最重要表现手段的现实主义，必须去尽政治谎言、道德谎言、商业谎言、维护权贵阶级谎言、愚民谎言等。
纯文学化，排除文学外的其他目的（包括政治、商业、道德及阶级维护）。
由于种种原因，美国的文学发展较晚，因而19 世纪以前我们只讨论英国现实主义文学。
二、十九世纪以前的英国现实主义文学在英国文学史上，乔叟当为现实主义的先驱。
在《坎特伯雷故事集》中，其现实主义的特点已相当突出。
在这部书中，乔叟一反过去骑士传奇、宗教传说或民间传说等浪漫的表现手法，将作品的重点从描述离奇的冒险、浪漫的爱情以及对来世的追求转到描述世俗世界的各个阶层的世俗生活上来，将现实主义引入文学创作中。
自考《英美文学选读》(美)浪漫主义时期(1)-2
自考《英美文学选读》（美）浪漫主义时期（1）-2(三)应用内容1. The American Puritanism and its great influence over American moral values，as is shown in American romantic writings.(1) American PuritanismPuritanism is the practices and beliefs of the Puritans. (The Puritans were originally members of a division of the Protestant Church，who came into existence in the reigns Queen Elizabeth and King James Ⅰ。
The first settlers who became the founding fathers of the American nation were quite a few of them Puritans. They came to America out of various reasons，but it should be remembered that they were a group of serious，religious people，advocating highly religious and moral principles. As the word itself hints，Puritans wanted to purify their religious beliefs and practices. They felt that the Church of England was too close to the Church of Rome in doctrine form of worship，and organization of authority.) The American Puritans，like their brothers back in England，were idealists，believing that the church should be restor ed to complete “purity”. They accepted the doctrine of predestination，original sin and total depravity，and limited atonement through a special infusion of grace from God. But in the grim struggle for survival that followed immediately after their arrival in America，they became more and more practical，as indeed they had to be. Puritans were noted for a spirit of moral and religious earnestness that determinated their whole way of life. Puritans’’’’’’’’ lives were extremely disciplined and hard. They drove out of their settlements all those opinions that seemed dangerous to them，and history has criticized their actions. Yet in the persecution of what they considered error，the Puritans were no worse than many other movements in history. As a culture heritage，Puritanism did have a profound influence on the early American mind and American values. American Puritanism also had a conspicuously noticeable and an enduring influence on American literature. It had become，to some extent，so much a state of mind，so much a part of the national cultural atmosphere，rather than a set of tenets.(2) One of the manifestations is the fact that American romantic writers tended more to moralize than their English and European counterparts. Besides，a preoccupation with the Calvinistic view of origina1 sin and the mystery of evil marked the works of Hawthorne，Melville and a host of lesser writers.2. New England TranscendentalismNew England Transcendentalism is the mot clearly defined Romantic literary movement in this period. It was started in the area around Concord，Mass. by a group of intellectual and the literary men of the United States such as Emerson，Henry David Thoreau who were members of an informal club，i. e. the Transcendental Club in New England in the l830s. The transcendentalists reacted against the cold，rigid rationalism of Unitarianism in Boston. They adhered to an idealistic system of thought based on a belief in the essential unity of all creation ，the innate goodness of man，and the supremacy of insight over logic and experience for the revelation of the deepest truths. The writings of the transcendentalists prepared the ground of their contemporaries such as Walt Whitman，Herman Melville，and Nathaniel Hawthorne.The main issues involved in the debate were generally philosophical，concerning nature，man and the universe. Basically，Transcendentalism has been defined philosophical1y as “the recognition in man of the capacity of knowing truth intuitively，or of attaining knowledgetranscending the reach of the senses.” Emerson once proclaimed in a speech，“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” Other concepts that accompanied Transcendentalism inc1ude the idea that nature is ennobling and the idea that the individual is divine and，therefore，self-re1iant.3. American Romanticists differed in their understanding of human nature.To the transcendentalists such as Emerson and Thoreau，man is divine in nature and therefore forever perfectible; but to Hawthorne and Melville，everybody is potentially a sinner，and great moral courage is therefore indispensab1e for the improvement of human nature，as is shown in Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter.。