英国文学史及选读(Lecture 1)

The Flea
Mark but this flea, and mark in this, How little that which thou denies me is; Me it sucked first, and now sucks thee, And in this flea our two bloods mingled be; Thou know’st that this cannot be said A sin, or shame, or loss of maidenhead, Yet this enjoys before it woo, And pampered swells with one blood made of two, And this, alas, is more than we would do.
Requirements for this course: 1. Class attendance; 2. A wide reading before and after class; 3. Remembering some important facts; 4. Class discussion.
small wingless jumping insect feeding on human and other blood
over-indulge
Oh stay, three lives in one flea spare, Where we almost, nay more than married are. This flea is you and I, ant this Our marriage bed and marriage temple is; Though parents grudge, and you, we are met, And cloistered in the living walls of jet.
Reference books for this class: 1. 陈嘉、宋文林 著 《大学英国文学史》（2卷本），商务印书馆， 1996年。 2. 陈嘉 编《英国文学作品选读》（3卷本），商务印书馆，1981年 版，2003年重印。 3. Margaret Drabble, ed.《牛津英国文学词典》（第6版），外语教学 与研究出版社，2005年。 4. 罗经国 编注《新编英国文学选读》（2卷本），北京大学出版社， 1996年。 5.M. H. Abrams, gen. ed. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. New York and London: Norton, 1993, 2005. (The best reference book) Text book: 吴伟仁 编《英国文学史及选读》（2卷本），外语教学与研究出版 社，1988年版，2005年重印。
5. From the late 8th century to the early 11th century, British isles were constantly invaded by the Danes. Alfred the Great of Wessex (849-899) led the Anglo-Saxon kings to defeat the invaders by uniting their forces.
An Outline of English History from 6 Cent. B.C. to 1485
1. The Celts, the earliest settlers of the British Isles, migrated to the British isles at about 600 B.C. from the upper Rhineland.
habit
violation of what is sacred
Cruel and sudden, hast thou since Purpled thy nail in blood of innocence? Wherein could this flea guilty be, Except in that drop which it sucked from thee? Yet thou triumph’st, and say’st that thou Find’st not thy self nor me the weaker now; ’Tis true; then learn how false fears be; Just so much honour, when thou yield’st to me, Will waste, as this flea’s death took life from thee. Let us go then, you and I, When the evening is spread out against the sky Like a patient etherised upon a table. (From “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T. S. ast Saxon king, with help from William, Duke of Normandy, expelled the Danes from England. As an expression of gratitude for protecting his kingdom, Harold promised William to give his kingdom to him. So, in 1066 Normans under the leadership of William from northern France conquered England. This is known as the Norman Conquest. 2. The Anglo-Saxons were heathens upon their arrival in Britain. In 597 Pope Gregory the Great sent St. Augustine to England to convert the Anglo-Saxons. Within a century all England was Christianized. Churches were established and monks became the most learned in the country. Heathen mythology was gradually replaced by Christian religion. The Norton Anthology of English Literature gives a slightly different datum of the historical periods as follows: 43-ca. 420: Roman invasion and occupation of Britain. Ca. 450: Anglo-Saxon Conquest. 597: St. Augustine arrives in Kent; beginning of Anglo-Saxon conversion to Christianity.
英国文学史及选读
主讲人：刘立辉 （西南大学外国语学院）
History and Anthology of English Literature
What is Literature? Literature is a subject of man, for man, and by man. Man is a product of social relations, in which we can see the relations between man and man, man and nature, man and society, and finally man and God. All these relations can be found in literary works. Literary works, however, are different from works of history and philosophy. Literary works represent the relations by employing language tools. Think of The Dream of Red Mansions (also trans. as The Dream of the Red Chamber or The Story of Stone by 曹雪芹. History records facts which actually occurred, and philosophy does its exploitation in abstract terms. When we read literary works, we enjoy the charm brought forth by language. Literature is closely connected with history. If we know nothing of history, it is impossible for us really to understand a literary work. Now Let’s read John Donne’s short poem “The Flea,” and see what we can get about Donne’s age from the poem.
2. About 400 to 300 B.C. the Brythons (Bretons), one branch of the Celts, came to the British isles and from them came the name Britain. 3. From 55 B. C. to 407 A.D. the British isles were under the rule of Roman empire. Julius Caesar (102-44 B.C.) crossed the Dover Strait in 55 B. C., but Caesar himself only stayed there for a few weeks. Though the Romans built temples, roads, walls, and military camps, they made little influence on the cultural life of Celts. 4. About 450 A.D., Angles, Saxons, and Jutes invaded the British Isles. They settled in England, and drove the Celts into Wales, Scotland, and Ireland.