英国文学选读unit1

• The Language then • Following the Norman conquest saw the introduction of medieval French culture, including modes of customs, manners, literature, and especially the Norman-French language into England on a large scale. For almost 200 years after 1066 three languages---native English, Norman-French and Latin, existed side by side in England. The native English language, which descended from Anglo-Saxon or Old English was the common speech of the ordinary people. While the Norman lords used French. Latin was used among the scholars in churches and courts. English language gradually underwent profound and extensive changes. Not only were thousands of words borrowed but many old forms of native English words disappeared and the formal grammar was considerable simplified. The language in this transitional stage from Old English to modern English, is generally known as Middle English.
• The early history of England • The Roman Conquest (55B.C. ---- 410A.D.) • Before the middle of the first century B.C. the original Celtic tribes lived in what is now Britain. In 55 B.C. Roman troops led by Julius Caesar invaded the island. Then in 43 A.D., Claudius conquered it. In 78 A.D., Britain was completely subjected to the Roman Empire and it became a Roman province. And the Celts became either slaves or cultivators of the land. The Roman occupation also brought Christianity to Britain. Nearly 400 years of Roman rule in Britain ended in 410 A.D.
英国文学选读 教学课件
Unit1 Geoffrey Chaucer (I343-1400)
The Canterbury Tales
Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400)
Geoffrey Chaucer, considered by many to be both the father of modern English poetry and the father of the modern English novel, also distinguished himself in his lifetime as a civil servant and diplomat under three kings of England. When he was taken prisoner by the French, the King himself contributed to his ransom. When, in later years, the King wished to reward Chaucer for his services to the crown, he was granted-among other favors-the right to demand a daily jug of wine from the pantry of the royal butler. Toward the end of his career, he became a knight of the shire for Kent.
• The Danes Invasion • For more than 100 years beginning in the late 8th century, the Danes invaded and occupied large area of north-eastern England. In the late 9th century, King Alfred the Great of a kingdom in the south led the English people in the fight against the invading Danes. The invaders were driven back. The Danes invaded England again in the early of the 11th century. The conquered and ruled throughout parts of England for about a quarter of a century. Then follow9inmg the expulsion of the Danes, the Norman invaded England in 1066. It marked the end of the Anglo-Saxon Period and the beginning of the Norman Conquest.
• The Norman Conquest (1066---1350) • The Normans invaded England in 1066. The defeated the English troops and William, the Duke of Normandy, was crowned as King of England. • The Norman Conquest of the Anglo-Saxon England accelerated the development of the feudalism in England. Only after the conquest did England truly become feudalist society. There were distinct class distinctions. The ruling class consisted of the king and his feudal noblemen, barons, knights, bishops, who held the most land. Great wealth and supreme power. The peasants were exploited cruelly, but they dared not to say anything and do anything. • Since 1330s with the breaking out of the war between England and France, a disease called Black Death which swept over the country and caused the a third of death and the passing of laws by parliament which supported the ruling class and oppressed the people of lower class there came great revolts. Since then English feudalism were declining.
• The English conquest or the AngloSaxon Period (410---1066) • After the withdrawal of the Roman troops, a tribe of Teuton, called Jutes, landed on the land. Following them came the other two Teutonic tribes, the Angles and the Saxsons. The occupied different parts of Britain, enslaving some of the native inhabitant. They established small kingdoms and wars broke out among them. Gradually the Angles spread over the east midland and flourished. They built the kingdom of the East Angles. Small kingdoms were combined to form a single larger kingdom: England, and people were called English. The AngloSaxon dialect is what we now call Old English.