英美文学时期划分
英美文学主要内容
英美文学作品选读Selected Readings of British LiteratureThis subject is about the historical development of British literature, it describes the lives and careers of the great and major writers, especially their representative works.英国1. 中古英国文学（8世纪-14世纪）2. 文艺复兴时期（14世纪-17世纪中）3. 新古典主义时期（17世纪中-18世纪）4. 浪漫主义时期（18世纪中-19世纪中）5. 维多利亚时期（1836- 1901）6. 现代主义时期（19世纪末-20世纪）Mediaeval times (the 8th ~ 14th century)1)The Anglo-saxon period:About Teutons: before the invasion of Britain, the Teutons inhabited the central part of Europe as far as the Rhine, a tract which in a large measured coincides with the modern Germany. The Jutes, Angles and Saxons were different tribes of Teutons. These ancestors of the English dwelt in Danmark and in the lands extending southward along the North Sea.The literature form of this period falls into two divisions –pagan and Christian. The former represents the poetry which the Anglo-Saxons probably brought with them in the form of oral saga. The latter represents the writings developed under the teaching of the monks. Two important poets in this period are Caedmon and Cynewulf.The Song of Beowulf: the poem can be justly termed England’s national epic, its hero Beowulf is one of the national heroes of the English people. Thematically, the poem presents a vivid picture of how the primitive people wage heroic struggles again the hostile forces of the natural world under a wise and mighty leader.2)The Anglo-Norman period: the literature of this period is remarkable for its bright, romantic tales oflove and adventure, in contrast with the strength and somberness of Anglo-Saxon poetry. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is the representative. Its theme is a series of the tests on faith, courage, purity and human weakness for self-preservation. The story presents a profoundly Christian view of man’s character and his destiny. By placing self-protection before honour, and deceit before his trust in the love of God, Gawain has sinned and fallen and become an image of Adam. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is undoubtedly a romance told with the purpose of portraying ideal character in action.3)Geoffrey Chaucer,the ‘father of English poetry”and one of the greatest narrative poets of England.Chaucer greatly contributed to the founding of the English literary language, the basis of which was formed by the London dialect, so profusely used by the poet. Chaucer’s masterpiece is the Canterbury Tales, one of the most famous works in all literature, which has given us a picture of contemporary English life, its work and play, its deeds and dreams, its fun and sympathy and hearty joy of living such as no other single work of literature has ever equaled. These people include young squire, yeoman, forester, Prioress, miller, ploughman, etc.文艺复兴时期文学The Renaissancethe 16th century in England was a period of breaking up of feudal relations and the establishing of the foundations of capitalism. New social and economic conditions brought about great changes in the development of science and art, this period is marked by a flourishing of national culture known as the Renaissance, which originally indicated a revival of classical (Greek and Roman) arts and sciences after the dark ages of medieval obscurantism (vagueness).In Elizabethan period, English literature developed with a great speed. The most distinctive achievement of Elizabethan literature is drama. Next to drama is the lyrical poetry, remarkable for its variety and freshness and romantic feeling. In the renaissance period, scholars began to emphasize the capacities of human mind and the achievement of human culture. So humanism became the keynote of English renaissance.1. William Shakespeare is one of the most remarkable playwrights and poets in the world. He has also been given the highest praises by various scholars and critics the world over. His greatest tragedies are: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth. His greatest comedies are: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the Merchant of Venice, as you like it and Twelfth Night. In them, he portrayed young people just freed from feudal fetters. He sang of their youth, love and ideal of happiness. They trust in themselves and their efforts are crowned with success. The general spirit is optimism.The Merchant of Venice: A moneyless young man Bassanio loves a rich beauty Portia. He wants to marry to her, so he appeals to his friend Antonio for help. To aid Bassanio in his courtship, he borrows money from Shylock the Jewish usurer. Shylock agrees to lend the money on the condition that if the loan is not paid in three months, he may cut a pound of flesh from Antonia’s body. Unfortunately, Antonio can’t pay the money because his ship doesn’t return on time. Shylock demands his pound of flesh and Antonio is in danger now. At the critical moment, a young doctor of law comes to help him. He asks Shylock to take no more or no less than one pound of flesh and spilling no drop of blood. Shylock can’t do this, so Antonia is saved. The man who saves the life of Antonio is no other than Portia in disguise! Portia: she is one of S hakespeare’s ideal women--- beautiful, cultured, courteous（谦恭）and capable of rising to an emergency. Shylock: he is an avaricious money-lender and a Jew of pride and deep religious instincts. He has suffered much in the hands of the Christians. His revolting bond is counterbalanced by Antonio’s arrogant treatmen t of him. We can see his loud protest against racial discrimination.Hamlet is considered the summit of Shakespeare’s art. The whole story shows how hamlet, who represents good and justice, fights against his uncle in whom all the evil things can be seen. The famous line in the play “to be or not to be” by hamlet is often quoted by people. He is a hero of the renaissance. He loves good and hates evil. He is a scholar, soldier and statesman. His learning, wisdom, noble nature, limitation and tragedy are all representative of the humanists at the turn of the 16th and the 17th century.Othello is a splendid Moorish general in Venice. He marries to a beautiful girl and they live happily together. Iago is a very bad man and he envies his happiness. He tells Othello that his wife betrayed him. He believes him and kills his wife. But at last he knows the truth and regrets very much, so he killed himself. It is a tragedy of humanism and a tragedy of the colored people in a society of racial prejudice. Othello is a great warrior and too noble-minded to suspect those whom he loves. Though his kin is dark, he has great moral beauty. He loves Desdemona dearly because he finds her to be the embodiment of integrity, sincerity and loftiness of mind. Their tragedy shows that noble-minded people maybe led astray by evil forces in an evil society and commit mistakes if they can not distinguish falsehood from truth, and evil from good.King Lear: Lear is the king of Britain and he is a self-wild old man, intends to divide his realm among his three daughters by asking them how much they love him. The two elder daughters win his trust by fine words. But his little daughter Cordelia says she loves him according to her duty, not more or less. Her father is angry and decides to give her nothing.Sonnet: the sonnet is a poem in 14 lines with one or the other rhyme scheme.Francis Bacon:an outstanding prose writer in time. His works may be divided into three classes, the philosophical (the Advancement of Learning), the literary (Essays - Of Truth, Of Death, Of Friendship), and the professional (Reading on the Status of Uses) works.17世纪文学(The Period of Revolution and Restoration)The 17th century was one of the most tempestuous periods in English history. It was a period when absolute monarchy impeded the further development of capitalism in England and the bourgeoisie could no longer bear the sway of landed nobility. The contradictions between the feudal system and the bourgeoisie had reached its peak and resulted in a revolutionary outburst.1. John Milton is the greatest writer of the 17th century. He is often considered the greatest English poet after Shakespeare. In his life and literary career the two dominant historical movements of renaissance and Reformation combine and receive their most intense and intelligent expression. His works include paradise lost, paradise regained and Samson Agonistes. Milton has noble thought and splendid imagery. He is a great stylist. His poetry has a grand style. His poetry is noted for sublimity of thought and majesty of expression. Milton is a great master of blank verse. He is the glorious pioneer to introduce blank verse into non-dramatic poetry. He has used it as the main tool in his masterpiece Paradise Lost. His blank verse is rich in every poetic quality and never monotonous. His works are marked by cosmic themes and lofty religious idealism. Paradise lost is his masterpiece and the greatest English epic. In the poem, god is no better than a selfish despot, who is cruel and unjust in punishing Satan, the rebel. Adam and Eve embody his belief in the powers of man. Satan is the real hero of the poem.2. John Bunyan. The Pilgrim’s Progress.The story starts with a dream in which the author sees Christian the Pilgrim, with a heavy burden on his back, reading the Bibble, from which he learns that the city in which he and his family live shall be burnt down in a fire. He tries to convince his family and his neighbours of the on coming disaster and asks them to go with him i search of salvation, but most of them simply ignore him. so he starts off with a friend Pliable. Pliable turns back after they stumble into a pit, the Slough of despond. Christian struggles on by himself. Then he is misled by Mr. Worldly Wiseman and is brought back onto the right road by Mr. Evangelist. There he joins Faithful, a neighbor who has set out later but has made better progress. The two go on together through many adventures, including the great struggle with Apollyon, who claims them to be his subjects and refuses to accept their allegiance to God. After many other adventures, they come to the Vanity Fair where both are arrested as alien agitators. They are tried and Faithful is condemned to death. Christian, however, manages to escape and goes on his way, assisted by a new friend, Hopeful. Tired of the hard journey, they are attempted to take a pleasant path and are thn captured by Gelestial City at last. There they enjoy eternal life in the followship of the blessed.The Pilgrim’s Progress is the most successful religious allegory in English language. Its predominant metaphor –life as a journey –is simple and familiar. The objects that Christian meets are homely and commonplace, and the scenes presented are typical English scenes, but throughout details. Here the strange is combined with familiar and trivial joined to the divine, and at the same time, everything is based on universal experiences. Besides, a rich imagination and a natural talent for story-telling also contribute to the success of the work which is at once entertaining and morally instructive.Th secret of its success is probably simple. It is, first of all, not a procession of shadows repeating theauthor’s declamations, but a real story, the first extended story in English. The Puritans may have read it because they found in it true personal experience told with strength, interest humour, in a word, with all qualities that cuch a story should possess. Young people have read it, first, for its intrinsic worth, because the dramatic interest of the story lured them on to the very end; and second, because it was their introduction to true allegory. It was the only book having an story interest in the great majority of English and American home for a full century.18世纪文学(the age of Enlightenment in England)After the tempestuous events of the 17th century, England entered a period of a comparatively peaceful development.Enlightenment: it was an expression of struggle of the bourgeoisie against feudalism. They thought the chief means for bettering the society is enlightenment or education for the people.Realism. The eighteenth century was the golden age of the English novel. The novel of this period spoke the truth about life with an uncompromising courage. What the writers described in their works were social realities and the main characters were usually common men. The writers and philosophers of the Enlightenment held that man is good and noble by nature but many succumb to an evil environment.1. Daniel Defoe has been regarded as the discoverer of the modern novel. Defoe was a very good story-teller. He had a gift for organizing minute details in such a vivid way that his stories could be both credible and fascination. His sentences are sometimes short, crisp and plain, and sometimes long and rambling, which leave on the reader an impression of casual narration. His language is smooth, easy, colloquial and mostly vernacular.Robinson Crusoe was one of the forerunners of the English realistic novel. Crusoe was a sailor, a merchant and a slave-owner. On the voyage to Africa, he met a shipwreck and found himself cast by the sea waves upon the shore of an uninhabited island. He managed the livelihood there by himself. Finally, he was saved and got married in England. At last, he sailed back to the island and established a colony there.2. Jonathan Swift: Gulliver’s travels ; A Modest Proposal3. Joseph Addison. Sir Roger at Church; Sir Roger at the Assizes.3. Henry Fielding The History of Tom Jones4. William Blake songs of innocence, songs of experience- the chimney-sweeper, London and the tiger. It shows the poet’s eyes are open to the evils and vices of the world.5. Robert burns a red, red rose. He wrote poems to express his hatred for the oppression of the ruling class and his love for freedom.浪漫主义时期The Romantic Period1. William Wordsworth was a major English Romantic poet. His major poets include I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud and The solitary reaper. His poetry is distinguished by the simplicity and purity of its language.2. George Gordon Byron is one of the most excellent representatives of English romanticism. His literary career was closely associated with the struggle and progressive movement of his age. She walks in beauty and Don Juan. Don Juan is a Spanish youth of aristocratic birth. T he long poem describes Don Juan’s adventures in many countries.3. Percy Bysshe ShelleyHis short poems on nature and love form an important part of his literary output. His best love lyrics are Ode to the west wind and to a skylark. “If winter comes, can spring be far behind?” is a famous line in ode tothe west wind.4. John KeatsHis famous works are ode to a nightingale, ode on a Grecian Urn and ode to autumn. Ode is his main form of poetry. He sought to express beauty in all his poems. His leading principle is beauty in truth, truth beauty. His poetry is distinguished by sensuousness and the perfection of form.5. Walter ScottWaverley, Rob Roy and Ivanhoe. He is the first novelist to recreate the past. In his novels, historical events are closely interwoven with the fates of individuals. He is always mindful of the role and fates of the ordinary people.In a sense, his literary career marks the transition from romanticism to realism in English literature of the 19th century.6. Jane AustenHer major works are Pride and prejudice, Emma, sense and sensibility. She was popular all through the 19th century. Pride and prejudice is his masterpiece. The central character is Elizabeth Bennet, one of the daughters in the Bennets. Elizabeth meets a young man Darcy and has prejudice against him because she thinks he has nothing but pride. After many twists and turns, misunderstandings disappear and they are happily united. The plot is simple, but Austen has woven vivid pictures of everyday life of English country society. Her novels show a wealth of humor, wit and delicate satire. Her dialogues are admirably true to life. 维多利亚时期文学The Victorian AgeCritical realism appeared during this period. Dickens is the representative writer. With striking force and truthfulness, he pictured bourgeois civilization, showing the misery of common people. The 19th century critical realists made use of the form of novel for full and detailed representation of social and political events, and one of the fate of individuals and of whole social class.1. Charles Dickens is the greatest representative of English critical realism. He wrote lots of famous works, such as a tale of two cities. David Copperfield, Hard times and.Oliver Twist,Oliver Twist is one of the best works of Dickens. Oliver Twist is an orphan boy. He is born in a workhouse and brought up under cruel conditions. Then he runs to London and meets a gang of thieves. They try to convert Oliver into a thief. He is rescued by a rich man, but the thieves kidnap him, make him join them again. At last, he is saved and adopted by the kind man. His vivid description of the thieves’ den and the underworld of London shows the sympathy for the lower classes. Among the characters of the lower strata, Oliver is the only one who emerges happy and successful in the end. This happy issue shows his optimistic belief in the inevitable triumph of good over evil.2. William Makepeace Thackeray is a representative of critical realism in 19th century. He is a realist, a satirist and a moralist.Vanity fair: the title was taken from Bunyan’s pilgrim’s Progress. The main characters are Amelia and Becky. Amelia is a simple but kind girl and Becky is a craft and resourceful girl. Becky is an orphan and tries to make her way into the upper society. She is a classic example of those who grub money by all means.3. Charlotte Bronte:Jane Eyre is a story about an orphan girl called Jane Eyre. Maltreated by her aunt, she goes to a charity school. Later she becomes a governess of Mr. Rochester. He loves her. Before their wedding, she learns that he has got a mad wife. Shocked by the news, she left him. When she heard that his house is destroyed in a fire and he becomes blind, she returned to him and became his wife. In the novel, Jane Eyre maintains that women should have equal rights with men. Charlotte also aims to criticize the bourgeoisie educational system.4. Emily Bronte:Wuthering Heights it deals with the story of the hero Heathcliff who is a gipsy. He ispicked up by Me. Earnshaw and brought up together with his children. Healthcliff and the daughter Miss Catherine have loved each other since childhood. When he grows up, he joins the army and three years later he becomes a rich man. When he comes back, he finds his lover has been married to another man. Later, he becomes the master of the family and takes revenge upon the next generation. It’s a powerful attack on the bourgeoisie marriage system.5. George Eliot: has three remarkable novels: Adam Bede, The mill on the floss, silas marner. The hero of Adam Bede is a village carpenter, an honest young man. He falls in love with a girl, but the girl gives her heart to a selfish squire. Later the girl is put into prison for deserting her own child. Adam and a woman preacher get married.7. Alfred Tennyson was recognized as the greatest poet of Victorian England. His main poetical works include Ulysses; break, break, break; Crossing the Bar. He has a total mastery of the sounds and rhythms of the English language. He has genius for evoking moods and states of mind in his poems. No poet could surpass him at linking descriptions of nature to the state of the mind.8. Robert Browning is realistic, optimistic and believes in the progress of mankind. His contribution to poetry is his dramatic monologues.现代作家—twentieth century literature.In modernist writers concentrate more on the private and subjunctive than on the public and the objective, mainly concerned with the inner being of an individual. The major themes of the modernist literature are the distorted, and ill relationships between man and nature, man and society, man and man, man and himself. 1. John Galsworthy is one of the greatest novelists in the early 20th century. He was born in a wealthy family. After graduation from Oxford, he began to devote himself to literary work. His style is noted for its strength and elasticity. His language is simple, clear and straightforward.The forsyte saga has been regarded as his masterpiece. It includes three novels and two interludes. And the man of propert y marks the peak of critical realism in all Galsworthy’s works. Forsyte is the central figure of the story, who is the man of property. He has married a girl, but pays no attention to her thoughts and feelings, regarding her as a piece of his property. Then his wife loves another who is killed by a car.2. Bernard Shaw was a greatest dramatist in the 20th century. He used stage to criticize the evils of capitalism. He is a critical realist writer and a humorist. His play deals with contemporary social problems. His major plays include widowers’ houses, the apple cart, Major Barbara, Mrs. Warren’s profession and heartbreak house. Widowers’ houses satirizes bourgeois businessmen whose ill-gotten money is squeezed out of poor, suffering people. An English businessman Mr. Sartorius and his daughter meet a young doctor Harry Trench while traveling in Germany. The two youth fall in love with each other and plan to get married. Then Trench finds that his future father-in-law makes his money by renting slum housing to the poor, so he refuses to marry her daughter. Later, Sartorius reveals that Trench's income is as dirty as the money made by Sartorius. At last, Harry and Blanche reunite.3. David Herbert Lawrence was an English author, poet, playwright and literary critic. In his works, he confronts issues relating to emotional health and vitality, spontaneity, human sexuality and instinct. He is best known for his novels Sons and Lovers, the Rainbow, Women in Love and Lady Chatterley's Lover. Within these Lawrence explores the possibilities for life and living within an Industrial setting. In particular Lawrence is concerned with the nature of relationships that can be had within such settings. Though often classed as a realist, Lawrence's use of his characters can be better understood with reference to his philosophy. His use of sexual activity, though shocking at the time, has its roots in this highly personal wayof thinking and being. It is worth noting that Lawrence was very interested in human touch behavior and that his interest in physical intimacy has its roots in a desire to restore our emphasis on the body, and re-balance it with what he perceived to be western civilization's slow process of over-emphasis on the mind.Sons and Lovers is Lawrence’s semi-autob iographical novel. It tells the story of a coal miner’s family with the son Paul as the central character. The thread of the story evolved around Paul’s love for the two girls Miriam and Clara as well as his love for his mother Mrs. Morel.4. James Joyce was born in Dublin. His major novels include: a portrait of the artist as a young man, Ulysses and Dubliners. James Joyce is the founder of stream of consciousness.He tried not merely to describe how a character might think, but also to present a record of the character’s thoughts.5. Thomas Hardy1)The underlying theme of Hardy’s writing is the struggle of man against the mysterious force which rulesthe world, brings misfortune into his life and predetermines his fate. 2) fatalism is strongly reflected in his writings. 3) Hardy has a strong sense of humor and often describes nature with charm and impressiveness.Tess of the D’Urbervilles, His masterpieces are Tess of the D’Urbervilles, the major of Casterbridge, far from the madding crowed and Jude the obscure. Tess is a poor dairymaid who has been seduced by Alec D’Urbervilles, a wealthy villain, and gives birth to a child. Later she falls in love with a man called Clare. On their wedding night, she confesses to her husband that she has been seduced and given birth to a child. He husband can not accept the fact and goes abroad. Some years later, he comes back and wants Tess to come back to him. Tess murders her seducer and is arrested and hanged. The tragedy of Tess is an exposure of the wicket oppressors represented by Alec.The son’s veto。
英美文学
威廉· 莎士比亚
• William Shakespeare • 英国文学史上最杰出的戏 剧家，欧洲文艺复兴时期 最重要、最伟大的作家， 全世界最卓越的文学家之 一 • 《罗密欧与朱丽叶》《哈 姆雷特》《李尔王》《麦 克白》《奥赛罗》《威尼 斯商人》《驯悍记》
欧· 亨利
• O Henry • 欧· 亨利与契诃夫和莫泊桑并 列世界三大短篇小说巨匠， 曾被评论界誉为曼哈顿桂冠 散文作家和美国现代短篇小 说之父 • 代表作《麦琪的礼物》、 《警察与赞美诗》、《最后 一片叶子》、《二十年后》
文学
literature
英国文学史
英国文学主要分五个阶段： 上古及中世纪的英国文学， 新古典主义时期， 浪漫主义时期， 维多利亚时期， 现代时期。
马克吐温
• • • • Mark Twain 美国作家、演说家 代表作品有 小说《百万英镑》、 《哈克贝利· 费恩历 险记》、《汤姆· 索 亚历险记》
专业的英美文学史概览
专业的英美文学史概览英美文学史是研究英国和美国文学发展的学科，通过对文学作品及其创作背景的研究，探索文学的发展脉络和影响力。
本文将概览英美文学史的主要阶段和代表作品，以及相关的文学运动和重要作家。
一、古典时期（古希腊罗马时期）古希腊和古罗马时期是英美文学发展的重要起点，为后世文学作品提供了丰富的灵感和创作元素。
古希腊的两大史诗《伊利亚特》和《奥德赛》，以及古罗马的《埃涅阿斯纪》等作品，描绘了英雄神话和动人的传奇故事，对后世文学产生了深远的影响。
二、中世纪文学中世纪文学主要包括英国的亚瑟王传说和民间传说，以及宗教文学等。
其中，亚瑟王传说的代表作品包括吉奥弗里·乔叟的《坎特伯雷故事集》和托马斯·马洛里的《亚瑟王与圆桌骑士》，描绘了勇士和骑士的传奇故事，反映了中世纪人们对理想和骑士精神的追求。
三、文艺复兴时期文艺复兴时期是英美文学发展的重要转折点，标志着人文主义思想的兴起和艺术创作的巅峰。
威廉·莎士比亚是这一时期最杰出的作家之一，他的戏剧作品如《哈姆雷特》、《罗密欧与朱丽叶》等，以其深刻的人物描写和丰富的情感表达，成为后世戏剧的经典代表。
四、启蒙时代启蒙时代是18世纪英美文学的重要时期，代表作家包括约翰·洛克、乔纳森·斯威夫特等。
他们通过文学作品，倡导理性、自由和人权等思想，对当时社会产生了深刻的影响。
其中，《格列佛游记》是斯威夫特最著名的作品之一，通过对格列佛的冒险旅程和对社会问题的讽刺，展现了作者对人性的思考和社会的批判。
五、浪漫主义运动19世纪初的浪漫主义运动在英美文学史上具有重要地位，代表作家包括威廉·华兹华斯、塞缪尔·泰勒·柯勒律治和华盛顿·欧文等。
浪漫主义文学追求个人内心的情感和感受，崇尚自然和幻想，批判工业化和现代社会的冷漠。
华兹华斯的《抒情诗集》和柯勒律治的《侏罗纪祭》等作品，表达了浪漫主义作家对自然和人性的深刻关怀。
英美文学的历史与发展
英美文学的历史与发展英美文学是指英国和美国的文学作品，追溯至英国的中世纪文学，至今经历了数个世纪的发展，并逐渐形成独特的风格和特点。
本文将探讨英美文学的历史与发展，并介绍几位重要的英美文学家和他们的代表作品。
一、中世纪文学英美文学的历史可以追溯至中世纪，该时期的英国文学受到了宗教和骑士文化的影响。
著名的作品包括乔叟的《坎特伯雷故事集》，该作品通过描绘一群朝圣者的故事，展现了当时社会各阶层的形象，并探讨了宗教、道德和人性的问题。
二、文艺复兴时期文艺复兴时期是英美文学的重要阶段，这一时期的作家受到古希腊罗马文化的启发，并开始研究人类的本质和人类关系。
莎士比亚是这一时期的重要代表，他的作品《哈姆雷特》、《罗密欧与朱丽叶》等成为经典，并对后世剧作产生了深远的影响。
三、17世纪的清教徒文学17世纪是英美文学中的一个重要转折点。
清教徒运动影响了当时的文学创作，约翰·米尔顿的《失乐园》被视为是英美文学史上最重要的作品之一。
该作品探讨了人类的堕落和原罪，并呼吁自由与正义。
四、浪漫主义时期浪漫主义时期是英美文学的又一重要阶段，这一时期的作家强调想象力、个人情感和对自然界的热爱。
威廉·华兹华斯和塞缪尔·泰勒·柯勒律治是该时期的代表作家，他们的作品反映了对自然与人类关系的思考，以及对社会问题的关注。
五、现代主义与后现代主义20世纪以来，现代主义和后现代主义对英美文学产生了深远的影响。
这一时期的作家追求形式上的创新，并对现实进行批判性的探讨。
T·S·艾略特的《荒原》和弗吉尼亚·伍尔芙的《至灯未灭》都是这一时期的重要作品，它们以其独特的叙事方式和思考角度引起了广泛的关注。
六、当代文学当代英美文学呈现出多样化和多元化的特点，作家们对文学的形式和内容进行了全新的探索。
托尼·莫里森的《亲爱的》和菲利普·罗斯的《美国牧歌》等作品引起了广泛的争议和讨论。
英语八级英美文学整理
美国文学第一阶段独立革命之前（十七世纪中期之前）（before the revolution of independence）第一节美国本土文学（美国印第安传统文学）印第安传统文学的主要内容和形式：在各种典仪上咏颂的祝词，在劳作中吟唱的歌曲，时代交口相传的部落神话故事和英雄故事，刻写在山河岩壁上的象形史诗。
第二节北美殖民时期文学（十六世纪末-----十七世纪中）（colonial settlement）这一时期的文学作品主要是一些英国的殖民地官员或者传道士、冒险家们以日记或游记等形式记录的新大陆的风土人情、自然景色和民间生活等。
John Smith 约翰·史密斯《关于弗吉尼亚的真实叙述》A True Relation of Virginia（被认为是美国文学史上的“第一部作品”）第三节请教思想的表述（Puritanism）他们的作品主要是以传布清教主义思想的布道文为主第二阶段独立革命时期（十七世纪中期-------十八世纪末）（around the revolution of independence）独立革命前后的美国文学，标志着北美文学产生后的第一次大转折该期文学特色：充满浓烈的政治性和思辨性。
主题多为爱国主义及对于独立民主自由的热切呼唤。
Benjamin Franklin 本杰明·富兰克林《穷查理历书》Poor Richard’s Almanac《自传》The AutobiographyThomas Paine 托马斯·潘恩《常识》Common Sense 《美国危机》The America Crisis《人的权利》Rights of Human《理性时代》The Age of ReasonPhilip Freneau 菲利普·弗伦诺（18世纪最杰出的美国诗人，被誉为“the poet of the American revolution）《英国囚船》The British Prison Ship 《美国的荣耀蒸蒸日上》The Rising Glory of America《印第安人殡葬地》（lyric）The Indian Burying Ground 《野金银花》The Wild Honey Suckle第三阶段浪漫主义时期（18世纪末---19世纪中后期）（American Romanticism）该时期主题多为传统文化与现代文明之间的冲突、“对久远与遥远故事的兴趣”以及对死亡、潜意识的剖析等。
英美文学时期划分
美国文学
北美殖民地时期文学
一、科顿•马瑟（1663-1728）
二、乔纳森•爱德华兹（1703-1758）
三、安妮•布拉德斯特里特（1612-1672）
独立革命前后的文学
一、托马斯•潘恩（1737-1809）
二、本杰明•富兰克林（1706-7190）
三、菲力浦•弗瑞诺（1752-1832）
浪漫主义时期
一、华盛顿•欧文（1783-1859）
二、詹姆斯•费尼莫尔•库柏（1789-1851）
三、拉尔夫•华尔多•爱默生（1803-1882）超验主义Transcendentalism
四、纳森尼尔•霍桑（1804-1864）象征主义（Symbolism）
五、亨利•大卫•梭罗（1817-1862）超验主义Transcendentalism
六、埃德加•爱伦•坡（1808-1849）象征主义（Symbolism）
七、赫尔曼•梅尔维尔（1819-1891）象征主义（Symbolism）
八、华尔特•惠特曼（1819-1892）象征主义（Symbolism）
九、爱米莉•狄金森（1830-1886）
十、亨利•沃兹沃斯•朗费罗（1807-1882）
十一、约翰•格林利夫•惠蒂埃（1807-1896）十二、哈丽特•比彻•斯托（1811-1896）
十三、弗雷德里克•道格拉斯（1817-1895
现实主义时期
现代时期。
英语专业八级 人文知识
专八考试人文知识考试内容的总结涉及到三个方面的内容:英美文学,英语语言学和英语国家概况。
其中英美文学包括英国文学和美国文学。
英国文学主要分为六个时期:1. Old and Medieval English Literature(中古英国文学)。
2. The Renaissance Period(文艺复兴时期)。
3. The Neoclassical Period(新古典主义时期)。
4. The Romantic Period(维多利亚时期)。
5. The Victorian Period(维多利亚时期)。
6. The Modern Period(现代时期)。
美国文学主要分为四个时期:1. The Literature Around the Revolution of Independence(独立革命前后的文学)。
2. American Romanticism(美国浪漫主义文学)。
3. American Realism(美国现实主义文学)。
4. American Modernism(美国现代主义文学)。
语言学,考生不光要知道语言的本质还要掌握语音学,音位学,形态学,句法学,语义学和语言学的知识。
关于英语国家概况,英语专业的学生都会开设英美概况这门课程,但是专八考试的中需要考生了解的是英语国家概况,不光包括英国和美国,还有其他一些说英语的地区,包括爱尔兰概况,加拿大概况,澳大利亚概况和新西兰概况。
了解了专业八级考试人文知识的内容以后,下一步我们要做的就是好好学习,抓紧时间去掌握这些必需的知识了。
祝愿大家都能适应新的考试题型,都能考出理想的成绩。
1. A Tale of Two Cities was written by Charles Dickens.2. Phonology: The study of speech sounds in language or a language with reference to their distribution and patterning and to tacit rules governing pronunciation. 音位学；在语言或一门语言中，对有关其分类和模式以及为大家所默认的发音规则的研究音韵学，音系学3. Syntax: The study of the rules whereby words or other elements of sentence structure are combined to form grammatical sentences. 句法，研究词或其它句子成分如何联合起来形成合乎语法的句子规则的学科4. Semantics: The study or science of meaning in language forms.语义学，以语言形式表示意思的研究或科学5. acronym :首字母组合词，首字母缩略词，比如，NA TO, UNESCO, BASIC,它们可以连拼，但VOA是Initialism。
了解美国文学史分期,简述各期 文学创作特点 (120字左右
了解美国文学史分期,简述各期文学创作特点(120字左右1、第一阶段：殖民时期（约1607-1765）这一时期大约从1607年JohnSmith船长带领第一批移民在北美大陆建立第一个英国殖民地Jamestown到1765殖民地人们愤怒抗议英国政府颁布的印花税法。
2、第二阶段：启蒙时期与独立战争时期（1765-18世纪末）这是北美人民争取独立、建立美利坚和中和国的时期。
18世纪30年代，在欧洲启蒙主义和自然神论等哲学思潮的影响下，上帝的作用大大削弱，清教徒们掀起一场“大觉醒”运动。
18世纪末期，北美大陆的政治形势发展很快，从1765年英国殖民者第一次反对英国政府的印花税到1789年美国联邦政府成立，文学作品主要围绕着革命的必要性、革命的前途和方向、政府的形式与性质等问题。
3、浪漫主义时期（1800-1865）19世纪初，美国完全摆脱了对英国的依赖，以独立国家的身份进入世界政治舞台。
民族文学开始全面繁荣，逐渐打破英国文学在美国的垄断局面。
这时期作家们跟英国浪漫主义作家一样，强调文学的想象力和感情色彩，反对古典主义的形式和观点，歌颂大自然，崇尚个人和普通人的思想感情，并且寻根问祖，发幽古之思情。
特别是以爱默生为代表的超验主义（Transcendentalism）的倡导, 这些作家们主张人能超越感觉和理性而直接认识真理，摒弃以神为中心的清教教义。
4、现实主义时期（1865-1918）南北战争（1861-1865）以后到第一次世界大战爆发，美国完成了从农业社会到工业社会的转化，社会面貌和经济生活开始发生急剧的变化。
工业化带来了蓬勃兴旺的发展，同时也带来了政治日趋腐败，政界丑闻屡见不鲜，是人们重新认识新的生活和新开发的土地。
于是乡土文学得到了很大的发展。
5、现代主义时期（1918-1945）自20世纪开始，美国文学进入新的时代。
第一次世界大战对美国人的思想和精神面貌产生极大的影响。
人们对于自由民主的信念开始动摇，普遍感到迷茫，甚至绝望。
英美文学史名词解释
英美文学史名词解释
英美文学史是研究英国和美国的文学发展及其作品的学科。
在这个领域中，有许多重要的名词需要解释和拓展。
以下是其中几个关键的名词解释：
1. 古典主义：指的是17世纪至18世纪初期的文艺复兴时期，以古希腊和古罗马文化为基础的艺术和文学风格。
这一时期的作品强调对古典文学的借鉴，追求理性、秩序和对称。
2. 浪漫主义：指的是18世纪末至19世纪初期的文学和艺术运动，强调个人情感、幻想和对自然的热爱。
浪漫主义作品追求超越现实的境界，注重情感表达和个人体验。
3. 现实主义：19世纪中期至20世纪初期的文学流派，强调对现实生活的描写和分析。
现实主义作品试图通过真实和客观的方式呈现社会问题和人类经验，反映现实世界的复杂性。
4. 自然主义：19世纪末至20世纪初期的文学流派，强调环境和遗传对人性的影响。
自然主义作品探讨人类行为和性格的原因，强调环境和遗传因素对人们的决定性作用。
5. 现代主义：20世纪初期至中期的文学运动，突破传统的文学形式和观念。
现代主义作品倾向于使用非线性结构、流派交叉和意识流等实验性的写作技巧，探
索意识、时间和现代社会的复杂性。
除了这些名词，还有许多其他重要的概念和作品，如文艺复兴、启蒙运动、维多利亚时代、现代派诗歌、战争文学等。
研究英美文学史可以帮助我们了解不同时期的文学发展和作品背后的思想、价值观和文化背景。
英美文学时期划分
美国文学
北美殖民地时期文学
一、科顿•马瑟（1663-1728）
二、乔纳森•爱德华兹（1703-1758）
三、安妮•布拉德斯特里特（1612-1672）
独立革命前后的文学
一、托马斯•潘恩（1737-1809）
二、本杰明•富兰克林（1706-7190）
三、菲力浦•弗瑞诺（1752-1832）
浪漫主义时期
一、华盛顿•欧文（1783-1859）
二、詹姆斯•费尼莫尔•库柏（1789-1851）
三、拉尔夫•华尔多•爱默生（1803-1882）超验主义Transcendentalism
四、纳森尼尔•霍桑（1804-1864）象征主义（Symbolism）
五、亨利•大卫•梭罗（1817-1862）超验主义Transcendentalism
六、埃德加•爱伦•坡（1808-1849）象征主义（Symbolism）
七、赫尔曼•梅尔维尔（1819-1891）象征主义（Symbolism）
八、华尔特•惠特曼（1819-1892）象征主义（Symbolism）
九、爱米莉•狄金森（1830-1886）
十、亨利•沃兹沃斯•朗费罗（1807-1882）
十一、约翰•格林利夫•惠蒂埃（1807-1896）十二、哈丽特•比彻•斯托（1811-1896）
十三、弗雷德里克•道格拉斯（1817-1895
现实主义时期
现代时期。
英美文学选读四大史诗
英美文学选读四大史诗英国文学：上古和中世纪时期(公元450年—14世纪下叶)《贝奥武甫》英国上古时期盎格鲁撒克逊的民族史诗，杰弗雷·乔叟其首创的英雄双韵体为以后的英国诗人所广泛采用，被誉为“英国诗歌之父”。
作品：《坎特伯雷故事集》文艺复兴时期(14世纪到17世纪中叶)埃德蒙·斯宾塞(1552－1599)著名诗人主要作品：《仙后》，《牧人月历》，《情诗小唱十四行诗集》、《婚前曲》、《祝婚曲》克里斯托弗·马洛(1564—1593)诗人，剧作家，革新了中世纪的戏剧，在舞台上创造了反映时代精神的巨人性格和“雄伟的诗行”，主要作品:《浮士德博士的悲剧》，《帖木儿大帝》，《马耳他岛的犹太人》威廉·莎士比亚(1564—1616)世界上最杰出的戏剧家和诗人之一，一生创作了38个剧本，154首十四行诗及两首长诗。
主要作品：《亨利六世》(上，中，下)、《理查三世》、《仲夏夜之梦》、《威尼斯商人》、《罗密欧与朱丽叶》四大悲剧:《哈姆雷特》、《奥赛罗》、《李尔王》、《麦克白》弗朗西斯·培根（1561—1626）英国文艺复兴时期代表人物，著名的散文家、唯物主义哲学家，实验科学的创始人，是近代归纳法的创始人，又是给科学研究程序进行逻辑组织化的先驱。
主要作品:《新工具》、《学术的进步》、《新大西岛》《培根随笔》约翰·邓恩（1572—1631），英国玄学派诗人、教士，为T·S艾略特所推崇，主要作品:《歌与十四行诗》、《圣十四行诗》约翰·弥尔顿(1608—1674）英国诗人、政论家。
主要作品：《失乐园》、《复乐园》《力士参孙》新古典主义时期(1660年英国斯图亚特王朝复辟—1798年华兹华斯与柯勒律治合作出版《抒情歌谣集》)约翰·班扬英国著名作家、布道家。
主要作品：《天路历程》《灵魂城圣战》《恶人传》《奔走天路》《绝望者的盼望》《自省》《丰盛的恩典》亚历山大·蒲柏启蒙运动时期新古典主义的代表，著名诗人，主要作品：《夺发记》、《愚人志》、《人论》《与阿布斯诺博士书》丹尼尔·笛福（1660—1731）英国作家，主要作品：《成为异教徒的途径》，《地地道道的英国人》，《鲁滨逊漂流记》(此书是他60岁才开始动笔的) 乔纳森·斯威夫特英国著名文学家、讽刺作家、政治家主要作品：《书的战争》《格列佛游记》，《一只桶的故事》、《一个温和的建议》亨利·菲尔丁（1707-1754)英国小说之父，创造了散文体喜剧史诗。
英美文学发展史归纳总结
英美文学发展史归纳总结英美文学发展史可以追溯到17世纪，经历了数百年的演变和发展。
在这段时间里，英美作家创造了许多经典的文学作品，影响了世界各地的文化和艺术。
本文将概括总结英美文学发展史的重要里程碑和主要特点。
1. 宗教与殖民时期英美文学发展史的起点可以追溯到17世纪初的殖民时期。
当时的英国殖民者，主要是清教徒，带着宗教信仰来到美洲。
他们在殖民地建立了宗教社区，并创作了许多宗教文学作品，如《晓谕令》和《殖民新英格兰的宝藏》等。
这些作品强调对上帝的虔诚和个人敬畏，体现了清教徒的宗教信仰。
2. 哥伦布时代哥伦布发现新大陆后，许多探险家和旅行家开始记录他们的经历和发现。
这段时期被称为哥伦布时代，是英美文学发展史上的重要时期。
旅行家如约翰·史密斯和威廉·布拉德福在他们的作品中描述了新大陆的风景和文化，向欧洲读者展示了一个前所未见的世界。
3. 华盛顿·欧文和美国文学的诞生19世纪初，华盛顿·欧文成为美国文学的奠基人之一。
他以短篇小说集《河畔的传说》和《伊金刚的故事》等作品为人所知。
欧文的作品揭示了美国的历史和民间传说，塑造了许多著名的虚构角色，如睡美人和猛士伊金刚。
他被认为是美国短篇小说的鼻祖，对后来的美国作家产生了深远的影响。
4. 哈莱姆文艺复兴时期20世纪20年代，哈莱姆区成为美国黑人文学和文化的中心。
在这个时期，许多黑人作家如朗·邓恩和卡伦·霍纳等开始发表作品，并形成了哈莱姆文艺复兴的浪潮。
这些作家通过小说、诗歌和戏剧反映了黑人的社会经历和文化认同，挑战了当时的种族隔离和歧视。
5. 现代主义文学运动20世纪初，英美文学界出现了一股现代主义的文学运动。
这一运动以托马斯·哈代、弗吉尼亚·伍尔芙和T·S·艾略特等作家为代表，注重对内心世界的描绘和对传统文学形式的颠覆。
现代主义作品强调个人的体验和对现实的怀疑，追求形式上的创新和复杂性。
英美文学按时期分类表格
Victorian Period
1.Historical background: Darwin’s《The Origin of Species》《The Descent of Man》
Realism: interest in detail; reflect reality; prefer a straightforward and matter-of-fact manner of narration; focuses on common people; adopts a critical tone; interests in the problems of the individual conscience
Wasfamous for his mastery of thedramatic monologue form.
George Eliot
Masterpiece《Middlemarch》
Thomas Hardy
《The Return of the Native》《The Mayor of Casterbridge》《Tess of the D’Urbervilles》《Jude the Obscure》
《A Dictionary of the English Language》
Alexicographer.词典编撰者
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
《The Rivals》《The School for Scandal》
The only importantEnglishdramatist.
2. The Enlightenment Movement is a furtherance of the Renaissance.
英语专业考研攻略之英美文学三步走-精选资料
英语专业考研攻略之英美文学三步走俯瞰全景，绘制蓝图文学即人学。
文学同人类社会发展相辅相成，都具有时期性和过程性，每段时期的文学都有其特点，并涌现出一批活跃的作家，因此不妨把英国文学与美国文学分别以其发展的各个时期和每个时期所对应产生的文学运动或流派作为复习整理的主线，对英美文学的发展史先有一个整体认识。
英国文学可以分为中古时期、文艺复兴时期、复辟时期、启蒙主义时期、浪漫主义时期、维多利亚时期、现代时期（后现代主义等很少考察，感兴趣的同学可以阅读一些文学史料，简要了解）这七个阶段。
美国文学则可以分为早期（主要指约翰?史密斯，安妮?布拉德斯特里特等作家所处时代）、浪漫主义时期（有时也被称为美国的文艺复兴时期）、现实主义时期、自然主义时期、现代时期这五个主要阶段。
我们可以依次将主要作家及其代表作品对应到各个时期，制作记忆图表，作家作品的总结应紧密结合目标院校规定的参考书目。
另外，正确书写作家名字、作品名称以及各个时期的名称也十分重要，以免丢失不必要的分值。
除了记忆作品的英文名称外，还需留意名家名著的普遍的中文翻译方法，对于应对考察文学翻译的院校很有帮助。
熟读作品，回归文本在研究生入学考试中，往往会有这种题型："To wage by force or guile eternal war,Irreconcilable to our grand Foe."Q: Who is the"grand Foe"the speaker isreferring to ？A.SatanB.GodC.The SerpentD. Adam 答案：（B）上题中并没有直接指出该句来源于哪部作品。
考查考生是否平时熟读文学作品，是否对文学作品的主旨，词句的意思真正了解，在阅读时是否从“泛读”上升到“精读”。
功底较好的同学就会很容易看出，该诗句选自弥尔顿的经典之作《失乐园》。
我们应该如何阅读文学作品，或者说在考研复习时，我们应该关注文学作品的哪些方面呢？应关注文学的三种主要形式，即小说、诗歌、戏剧。
英美文学发展史
英美文学- 中世纪时期古英语文学英格兰岛的早期居民和其他部族,没有留下书面文学作品。
5世纪时，原住北欧的三个部落——盎格鲁、撒克逊和朱特——侵入英国，他们的史诗《贝奥武甫》传了下来。
诗中的英雄贝奥武甫杀巨魔、斗毒龙，并在征服这些自然界恶势力的过程中为民捐躯。
它的背景和情节是北欧的，但掺有基督教成分，显示出史诗曾几经修改，已非原貌。
按照保存在一部10世纪的手抄本里的版本来看，诗的结构完整，写法生动，所用的头韵、重读字和代称体现了古英语诗歌的特色。
6世纪末,基督教传入英国，出现了宗教文学。
僧侣们用拉丁文写书，其中比德所著的《英国人民宗教史》(731年完成)既有难得的史实,又有富于哲理的传说，受到推崇，并译成了英文。
此后，丹麦人入侵，不少寺院毁于兵火，学术凋零。
9世纪末,韦塞克斯国王阿尔弗雷德大力抗丹，同时着手振兴学术，请了一批学者将拉丁文著作译为英文，并鼓励编写《盎格鲁—撒克逊编年史》，这是用英国当地语言写史的开始。
中古英语文学1066年诺曼人入侵，带来了欧洲大陆的封建制度，也带来了一批说法语的贵族。
古英语受到了统治阶层语言的影响,本身也在起着变化,12世纪后发展为中古英语。
文学上也出现了新风尚，盛行用韵文写的骑士传奇，它们歌颂对领主的忠和对高贵妇人的爱，其中艺术性高的有《高文爵士与绿衣骑士》。
它用头韵体诗写成，内容是古代亚瑟王属下一个“圆桌骑士”的奇遇。
14世纪后半叶，中古英语文学达到了高峰。
这时期的重要诗人乔叟的创作历程，从早期对法国和意大利作品的仿效，进到后来英国本色的写实，表明了英国文学的自信。
他的杰作《坎特伯雷故事集》用优美、活泼的韵文，描写了一群去坎特伯雷朝圣的人的神态言谈；他们来自不同阶层和行业,各人所讲的故事或雅或俗,揭示了多方面的社会现实。
同时，还有教会小职员兰格伦写的头韵体长诗《农夫皮尔斯》(一译《农夫彼得之梦》)，用梦幻的形式和寓意的象征，写出了1381年农民暴动前后的农村现实，笔锋常带严峻的是非之感。
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第五章 现代时期
19世纪末到20世纪初,欧洲的自然科学与社会科学都有长足的发展,物质财富大量增加。当自由资本主义进入垄断型经济时期,社会化大生产与生产资料私有制之间的矛盾便愈发激化,导致接连不断的经济危机与大范围失业,贫富分化走向极端。
美国文学
第一章 浪漫主义时期
浪漫主义时期开始于十八世纪末,到内战爆发为止,是美国文学史上最重要的时期。华盛顿•欧文出版的《见闻札记》标志着美国文学的开端,惠特曼的《草叶集》是浪漫主义时期文学的压卷之作。浪漫主义时期的文学是美国文学的繁荣时期,所以也称为“美国的文艺复兴。” 这一时期大多数美国文学作品中,普遍强调文学的想象力和情感因素,注重生动的描写、异国情调的表达、感官的体会和对超自然力的描述。
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。
第三章 现代时期
20世纪初是社会意识严重危机的时候。在国际大背景下爆发的一连串的战争给美国人民的生活及文学创作带来很大影响。20世纪初期可以说是精神的荒原。一战给人们带来的就是文明被破坏,社会被搞乱,个人无望无助。人们心怀恐惧,意志涣散,无所事事。19世纪中叶到20世纪头十年,在社会科学和自然科学里新理论新思想大量涌现。在艺术上则有影响欧洲和美国的现代派创作。
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。
第二章 新古典主义时期
介于1660年英国斯图亚特王朝复辟与以华滋华斯和科勒律治1798年合作出版的《抒情歌谣集》为创始标志的浪漫主义时期之间的英国文1798年,标志为华滋华斯与柯勒治的《抒情歌谣集》的出版,终于1832年,标志为沃特•斯哥特的去世及议会第一个改革提案的通过。
这一时期,除了达尔文主义对文学仍有影响以外,德国的卡尔•马克思和奥地利的弗罗伊德(Sigmund Freud)对文学也产生了很大影响。马克思是一位社会学家,他认为人们一切行为的根本原因是经济,经济生活的主要特点就是根据生产关系把社会划分为对抗的阶级。
美国20世纪的文学运动,也可说是美国第二次文艺复兴,就是移居国外的运动。一次大战爆发时,许多年轻人志愿参加战争以使战争结束,但结果是参加现代战争并不是他们以为的那样光荣。由于他们已厌倦美国那种轻浮、贪婪的生活,于是开始写作他们的战争亲历记。这批年轻人成了美国文学,尤其是现代文学中的杰出作家。他们就是移居法国巴黎,与欧洲小说家一起尝试用新的方式表达思想。这批作家后来被美国作家斯坦恩(Gertrude Stein)称为“迷惘的一代”。
第一章 文艺复兴时期（十四世纪到十七世纪中叶）
文艺复兴标志着一个过渡时期,即中世纪的结束和现代社会的开始。一般来说,文艺复兴时期是从十四世纪到十七世纪中叶。它从意大利兴起,伴随着绘画、雕塑和文学领域的百花齐放,而后文艺复兴浪潮席卷了整个欧洲。文艺复兴从本质上是欧洲人文主义者竭力摒弃中世纪欧洲的封建主义,推行代表新兴城市资产阶级利益的新思想,并恢复早期宗教的纯洁性的一系列运动。
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。《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。这部史诗还是将自然界神话与英雄传奇相结合的典型例子。历史上的诺曼征服开启了英国的封建主义时期,
在诺曼征服(1066年)之后,英国文学进入了中世纪时期,这个时期持续了大约四个世纪。民间通俗文学在这个时期占据了重要的位置,它为读者准确而生动地展示了当时人们的各种生活。此外,中世纪文学还大量反映了中世纪基督教的教义原则,这些教义都与人类自救有关。 骑士抒情诗也是中世纪盛行的文学形式,
第四章 维多利亚时期
从时间上讲,维多利亚文学时期恰好与维多利亚女王1836年至1901年执政期相吻合,这一时段是英国历史上最光辉灿烂的时段。这种世纪末伤感在唯美主义者奥斯卡•王尔德(1854-1900)与沃尔特•培特(1839-1894)的作品中有很好的体现。这些唯美主义文学家都极力推崇"为了艺术而艺术"的观点。科学技术的大发展与各个领域的新发现打破了人们过去坚定的宗教信仰,宗教大厦开始坍塌。达尔文的《物种起源》(1859〉与《人类的进化》(1871)都是动摇了传统信仰的理论基。诗人丁尼生在长诗《悼念》中就明确表述了自己对宗教与上帝的怀疑。狄更斯、卡利尔、拉斯金及许许多多有社会责任感的作家们都极力批驳实用拜金主义,尤其是它对文化道德的贬低及对人类情感的漠然。