2 chapter three William Langland(朗格兰)

• 《农夫皮尔斯》的艺术成就和思想内涵 远远超过了文学的范围。14世纪末英国 农民起义的领袖就曾引用该作品中的诗 句来作为革命口号。从14至16世纪的宗 教改革运动中，许多代表人物都曾直接
或间接地提到过这部作品。因此无论在
文学、历史和宗教等研究领域中，它都 是一部必读的作品。
Geoffrey Chaucer(13401400)
• The Hundred Years’ War (England and France)(p.24-25)
• The peasant uprising of 1381(King Richard Ⅱ)(p.24-25)
John Wycliff(1324-1384)
John Wycliff was important because:
the Social and Literary Significance of Piers Plowman
① It’s a realistic picture of medieval England, better than any historical record. It praises the poor peasants, and condemns and exposes the sins of the oppressors, and thus it played an important part in arousing the revolutionary sentiment on the eve of the Rising of 1381 headed by Wat Tyler and John Ball.
• He was the first man who
translated the Bible into standard
English. His work earned him the title of Father of English Prose. (p.26)
• Reformation :
• A 16th-century movement in Western Europe that aimed at reforming some doctrines and practices of the Roman ‘Catholic Church and resulted in the establishment of the Protestant churches.
• He was one of the first figures who demanded to reform the church in order to do away with corruption and rottenness. (p.26) He was called the “Morning star of the Reformation”.
• The Italian Period(1372 -1386)
e.g. Troilus and Cryseyde The Parliament of Fowls The House of Fame
The British Period(1386 --- 1400) (Mature Period)
e.g. The Canterbury Tales
sometimes credited with being the first author to ‘demonstrate the artistic legitimacy of the native English language, rather than French or Latin.
• Chaucer was born around 1340 in London. His father and grandfather were both London wine merchants; historical evidence indicates that Chaucer's family was well-to do. Chaucer's father had connections which enabled his son to become a page at court. In 1359, he joined the army, took part in the Hundred Years’ War and was taken prisoner. He returned to England in 1360.
Historical Background
Two important historical events happened during the century in which Chaucer lived and their influence can be detected in the writings of Chaucer and Langland.
deceive oneself
all tricks have been exhausted
• Introduction of Piers the Plowman(p.27)(p.28)
• Significance of Piers the Plowman
• Pride • Avarice • Lechery • Anger • Gluttony • Envy • Sloth
• Around 1366, he was married to a maid of honour to the queen. For the next ten years he was sent to the Continent on diplomatic missions. At that time he came into ‘contact with medieval continental poetry. Chaucer wrote poetry as a diversion from his job as Controller of the Customs for the port of London. In his day, Chaucer was not known as a writer but as an accomplished man of affairs who just wrote poetry in his spare time.
• 乔叟的诗歌创作分为三个时期：①法国影响时 期（1360～1372）：主要翻译并仿效法国诗 人的作品，创作了《悼公爵夫人》，用伦敦方
言翻译了法国中世纪长篇叙事诗《玫瑰传奇》 等。②意大利影响时期（1372～1386）：诗 人接触了资产阶级人文主义的进步思想。这一
• 朗格兰，威廉：(1332?-1400) 英国 诗人，被认为是中古宗教寓言诗, 《耕者皮尔斯 》的作者。
Allegory
• A literary, dramatic, or pictorial device in which characters and events stand for abstract ideas, principles, or forces, so that the literal sense has or suggests a parallel, deeper symbolic sense.
Chaucer’s Literary Career
• The French Period(1360-1372)
e.g. The Romaunt of the Rose --- a free translation
His chief works during this time: the Book of the Duchess.
• ② Though it was wrห้องสมุดไป่ตู้tten in the period of
Norman Conquest, it firmly persisted in the old British literary tradition, and carried it forward with more flexible rhythm and more lively oral speech. It is an allegorical poem in unrhymed alliterative verse, regarded as the greatest Middle English poem prior to Chaucer.
• ③ Its influence was wide-spread and long-lasting. It was very popular throughout the fourteenth and the fifteenth centuries. A number of other satires were written shortly after it, partially or wholly in imitation.
• 寓言，讽喻：一种文学、戏剧或绘画的 艺术手法，其中人物和事件代表抽象的 观点、原则或支配力，从而使表面含义 含有或表达一种对等的，但更深刻的象 征意义. (p.26)
• take a part for the whole
• wait for windfalls
bully people by flaunting one's powerful connections
• 乔叟（约1340～1400）英国诗人。伦敦酒商 的儿子。十几岁起进入宫廷当差。1359年随 爱德华三世的部队远征法国，被法军俘虏，不 久赎回。乔叟与宫廷往来密切，当过廷臣、关 税督察、肯特郡的治安法官、郡下议院议员。 他曾因外交事务出使许多国家和地区，到过比 利时、法国、意大利等国，有机会遇见薄伽丘 与彼特拉克，这对他的文学创作产生了很大的 影响。乔叟在庇护者失宠期间，被剥夺了官位 和年金，经济拮据。他曾写过打油诗《致空囊》 给刚登基的亨利四世，申诉自己的贫穷。 1400年乔叟逝世，安葬在伦敦威斯敏特斯教 堂的“诗人之角”。
Chapter Three
the Age of Chaucer(13501400)
Outline
• Historical background
• Main figures of this period( John Wycliff, William Langland)
• Geoffrey Chaucer and the Canterbury Tales
• 农夫皮尔斯》是一部用中古英语西中部方言 写的押头韵的寓言长诗，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。作者通 过这一寓言批判了僧俗各界的寄生性和社会 上贿赂公行、追逐财利的现象，肯定了国王 的作用，希望他能凭理性和良心治国。作者 在这里还用寓言的形式说明要获得真理必须 首先通过诚实的劳动。他对贫苦的劳动者表 示极大的同情，反对怠惰和寄生生活，但他 要求劳动者恪守本分，不同意他们要求增加 工资。
• 宗教改革：16世纪西欧旨在改革罗马天 主教某些教义和作法的改革运动，最终 造成新教的建立
William Langland(朗格兰)
• English poet who is regarded as
the authorship of Piers Plowman,
a medieval religious allegory.
the Life of Chaucer
• Geoffrey Chaucer was an English author, poet, philosopher, courtier, and diplomat. Chaucer is best known as the
author of The Canterbury Tales. He is