英国文学史 部分题目答案

Think Critically & Air Your Views

3. How were religion and traveling linked in the Middle Ages?

I think religion and traveling were linked mostly by architecture and some paintings about religion. People visited different sites of religion. They helped each other forward.

On Hamlet’s “To Be, Or Not To Be”

2. Which lines in “To be, or not to be” suggest that Hamlet is contemplating suicide? Why does he not take such a drastic step?

“To die: to sleep; No more; and by a sleep to say we end the heartache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to” These line s suggest that Hamlet is contemplating suicide.

At last, he didn’t do it because he didn’t know what would happen after dying. He was afraid if he could be surviving after his death.

On English Renaissance and Humanism

1.What were the characteristics of Renaissance humanism?

Emphasize Human liberation and freedom of thought. Pay more attention to human but not religious authority. Make sure that the value of man is also important.

2.How is humanism reflected in Shakespeare’s works?

In Hamlet, the hero hamlet is influenced by humanism. He has beautiful ideal and hope that all things can be perfect as he thought. But the society is dark. There is a large gap between real life and ideal life.

On Bacon’s“Of Studies”

1. What are the proper attitude and purpose Bacon advices readers to take toward their books?

First, we should have a target. After we have a clear target, we can choose the way to read. Reading can enrich our spirit world. We cannot read book just for benefit.

3. What rhetorical devices did Bacon use in this essay?

Bacon used parallelism and metaphor in this essay. For example, “studies sever for delight, for o rnament, and for ability.” This sentence used parallelism. And “for natural abilities are like natural plants” used metaphor. He also used many other rhetorical devices.