英国文学1
英国文学史及选读第一册
英国文学史选读第一册Part I The Anglo-Saxon Period(449-1066)The literature: The literature of this period falls naturally into two divisions: pagan(异教徒文学) and Christian(基督徒文学)Form: Alliterative verseThe coming of Christianity meant not simply a new life and leader for England; it meant also the wealth of a new language.Caedmon(开德蒙) wrote a poetic Paraphrase of the Bible.The great epic—The Song of Beowulf : The Song of Beowulf can be justly termed England’s national epic and its hero Beowulf—one of the national heroes of the English people.Part II THE ANGLO-NORMAN PERIOD (1066-1350) Background: the Normans headed by William, defeated the Anglo- Saxon.The literature:The literature is remarkable for its bright, romantic tales of love and adventure. English literature is also a combination of French and Saxon language.Literary work: Sir Gawain and the Green KnightTerm explanation:Romance(传奇): Romance was a type of literature that was very popular in the Middle Ages. It is about the life and adventures undertaken by aknight. It reflected the spirit of chivalry. The content of romance: love, religion, chivalry. It involves fighting and adventures.Part III GEOFFREY CHAUCER (1340?-1400)Geoffrey Chaucer, the “father of English poetry” and one of the greatestnarrative poets of England. Chaucer’s creative work vividly reflected the changes which had taken root in English culture of the second half of the14 century.thChaucer chose the metrical form(格律诗) which laid the foundation of the English tonico-syllabic verse. And also found the London dialect as the English literary language.Works: The Canterbury TalesTerm explanation:Popular Ballads:The most important department of English folk literature is the ballad. Ballads are anonymous narrative songs that have been preserved by oral transmission, usually in 4-line stanzas, with the second and fourth line rhymed. The subjects of ballads are various, as the struggle of young lovers against their feudal-minded families. Bishop Thomas was among the first to take a literary interest in ballads. There are various kinds of ballads: historical, legendary, fantastical, lyrical and humorous. The paramount ballad is Robin Hood and Allin-a-Dale .Comments on Robin Hood: Robin Hood is a partly historical and partlylegendary character. The first mention of Robin Hood in literature is in William Langland’s The Vision of Piers, the Plowman.The character of Robin Hood is many-sided. Strong, brave and clever, he is at the same time tender-hearted and affectionate. His hatred for the cruel oppressors is the result of his love for the poor and downtrodden.Works: Robin Hood and Allin-a-DaleGet up and Bar the DoorSir Patrick SpensPART IV THE RENAISSANCE(1485-1603) an age of drama and lyrical poetryThe 16 century in England was a period of the breaking up of feudal threlations and the establishing of the foundations of capitalism.Term explanation:Renaissance:1) renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the14 century to the 17 century. With the development ofth thbourgeois relationships and formation of the English national statethis period is marked by a flourishing of nation culture known asthe Renaissance. The term renaissance originally indicated arevival of classical(Greek and Roman) arts and sciences after thedark ages of medieval obscurantism(蒙昧主义). The greatest ofthe English humanists were Thomas More and William Shakespeare.2) Theme: the expression of secular values with man instead of Godas the center of the universe. It emphasizes the dignity of man, values of man.3) Two major types: drama and lyrical poetry.It affirms the earthly achievement, man’s desire for happiness and pleasure.Works:1. Thomas More: humanist,utopia (give a profound and truthful picture of the people’s sufferings and put forward his ideal of a future happy society.2. Francis Bacon: scientist and philosopher;his works may be divided onto three classes: the philosophical, the literary, and the professionalessays3. Thomas Wyatt: the first to introduce the sonnet into Englishliterature.4. Edmund Spenser: The Fairy Queen5. John Lyly: Eupheus; gave rise to the term “euphuism”,designating an affected style of court speech.6. Christopher Marlowe: the greatest pioneers of English drama;made bland verse the principal vehicle expression in drama.7. Robert Greene: George Green, the Pinner of Wakefield8. William Shakespeare: one of the first founders of realism, amaster hand at realistic portrayal of human characters andrelations.Hamlet ( Hamlet is considered to be thesummit of Shakespeare’s art. The whole tragedy is permeat edwith the spirit of Shakespeare’s own time. Hamlet is theprofoundest expression of Shakespeare’s humanism and hiscriticism of contemporary life.)PART V THE 17 TH CENTURYTHE PERIOD OF REVOLUTION AND RESTORATIONLiterary characteristics in this period:The 17 century was one of the most tempestuous periods in Englishthhistory. The contradictions between the feudal system and the bourgeoisie had reached its peak and resulted in a revolutionary outburst.(1)The Puritan influence:medieval standard of chivalry, the impossible love and romances perished. The Puritans believed in simplicity of life. They disapproved of the sonnets and love poetry. The Bible became now the one book of thepeople.(2) the exaggeration of the “metaphysical” poetsPoetry took new and startling forms. Prose became somber. The spiritual gloom sooner or later fastens upon all the writers of this age. This so- called gloomy age produced some minor poems of exquisite workmanship, and one great master of verse whose work would glorify any age or people---John Milton.(3) The French influence is most marked in the drama.Rimed couplets instead of blank verse;The unities, a more regular construction, and the presentation rather than individual;The comedies are coarse in language and their view of the relations between men and women is immoral and dishonest.(4) restoration created a literature of its own, that was often witty and clever, but on the whole immoral and cynical. The most popular genre was that of comedy those chief aim was to entertain the licentious aristocrats. John Dryden, critic, poet and playwright was the most distinguished literary figure of that time.John Donne:His prose style, involuted and ornate, cumulative and Ciceronian, is one of the more glorious monuments to the spirit of the early seventeenth century.Song (“ Go and Catch a Falling Star”)A Valediction: Forbidding MourningSonnet: Death be not proudJohn Milton: poet, Puritan, fight for human rights; in 1652 became totally blind.Paradise Lost: it is based on the biblical legend of the imaginary progenitors of the human race---Adam and Eve, and involves God and his eternal adversary, Satan in its plot. It presents the author’s views in an allegoric religious form, and the reader will easily discern its basic idea--- the exposure of reactionary forces of his time and passionate appeal for freedom.Sonnet: On His Blindness\Sonnet: On His Deceased WifeJohn Bunyan: spiritual independence, gave us the only great allegory. He was imprisoned for preaching without a license.The Pilgrim’s Progress: written in old-fashioned, medieval form of allegory and dream.Bunyan speaks in terse, idiomatic prose, and his characters are living men and women.PART VI THE 18 THCENTURY ( an age of prose and novel)THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT IN ENGLANDThe theme: social reality, common people’s life.The enormous amount of eighteenth century writing devoted to transient affairs, to politics, fashions, gossip.Enlightenment: on the whole, was an expression of struggle of the thenprogressive class of bourgeoisie against feudalism. The enlighteners fought against class inequality, stagnation, prejudices and other survivals of feudalism. They attempted to place all branches of science at the service of mankind by connecting them with the actual deeds and requirements of the people. The problem of man comes to the fore, superseding all other problems in literature.1.Joseph Addison, Richard Steele: the publishers of a moralistic journal The Tatler and The SpectatorThese two magazines are the first important recognitions by literature of the special of the special interests of women readers, and also brought literature down to everyday life and kept it clean and wholesome.The essays and stories of Addison and Steele, devoted not only to social problems, but also to private life and adventures, gave an impetus to thedevelopment of the 18 century novel.thSir Roger是Joseph Addison塑造的经典形象。
英国文学1
Caedmon---he is the first known religious poet of England. He is known as the father of English songs. His life story is vividly described in Bede’s The Ecclesiastical History of the English People. His first poem is The Hymn of Praise. He composed many other poems by using the biblical material.Alfred the Great---king of Wessex kingdom. He is another important figure in prose writing of Anglo-Saxon period. He was a well-known translator. He translated some important Latin works into English, among which, the most important is The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. This book records the main happenings of the Anglo-Saxon period. It is the best monument of the Old English prose. Beowulf---It is the oldest poem in the English language. It is the most important specimen of Anglo-Saxon literature, and also the oldest surviving epic in the English language. It consists of more than 3,000 lines. It had been passed form mouth to mouth for hundreds off years before it was written down in the 10th century or at the end of the 9th century. The main stories in the poem are based on the folk legends of the primitive northern tribes. Writing Features---1) It is not a Christian but a pagan poem, despite the Christian flavor given to it by the monastery scribe who wrote it down. It is the product of an advanced pagan civilization. The whole poem presents to us an all-round picture of the tribal society. The social conditions and customs can be clearly seen in the poem. It helps us a lot when we study the primitive society off Europe. So the poem has a great social significance. 2) The use of strong stresses and the predominance of consonants are notable in the poetical lines. Each line is divided into two halves, and each half is made to have two heavy stresses. 3) The use of alliteration is another notable feature of the poem. Three stressed syllables of each line are arranged in alliteration, which makes the whole line even more emphatic.4) A lot of metaphors and understatements are used in the poem.Romance----The romance was the prevailing literary form in the medieval period. It was a long composition, sometimes in verse and sometimes in prose, which described the life and adventures of a noble hero. Its essential features are the following: 1) It lacks general resemblance to truth or reality. 2) It exaggerates the vices of human nature and idealises the virtues. 3) It contains perilous adventures more or less remote from ordinary life. 4) It lays emphasis on supreme devotion to a fair lady. 5) The central character of the romance is the knight who is commonly described as riding forth to seek adventures, or taking part in tournaments, or fighting for his lord in battle. He is devoted to the church and the king. The romance, as a literary genre, prospered for about 300 years (1200-1500). It was written for the upper class, so it had little to do with the common people. Romance cycles: the matter of Britain, the matter of Rome, the matter of France. The master works of romance is Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.The Norman conquest----In October 1066, the Duke of Normandy William the Great led the Norman army to attack England. The two armies met and fought at Hastings. Finally the English army was defeated. William and his men marched speedily into London and William became the king of England. Its consequences---William the Conqueror confiscated almost all the land and gave it to his Norman followers. He replaced the weak Saxon rule with a strong Norman government. So the feudal system was completely established in England. After the Norman conquest, chivalry was introduced into England. The knightly code, the romantic interest in women, tenderness and reverence paid to Virgin Mary were reflected in the literature of that period. English language was made a despised thing as the leading language used by the ruling class and a large number of French words entered the English language. Latin was used by the scholars and clergymen. Three languages existed in England then.William Langland ------his masterpiece is Piers Plowman. Artistic Features of the poem---1) It is written in the form of a dream vision. The author tells the stories under the guise of having dreamed them. 2) The poem is an allegory that relates truth through symbolism. 3) The poet uses indignant satire in his description of social abuses caused by corruption prevailing among the ruling classes, ecclesiastical and secular. 4) The poem is written in alliteration. Social Significance of Piers Plowman----Piers Plowman, the hero of the story, is not a representative of the poor peasants. He is one of the well-to-do peasants. He has no intention of upsetting the feudal order of society, and he accepts the existing social relations. This is the limitation of the poem. In spite of that, Piers Plowman remains a classic in popular literature. It praises the poor peasants, and condemns and exposes the sins of the oppressors. It was very popular in the 14th and 15th centuries. It played an important part in arousing the revolutionary sentiment on the eve of the uprising of 1381 headed by Wat Tyler and John Ball. It gives us a realistic social picture of medieval England. Geoffrey Chaucer-------He is acclaimed not only as the father of English poetry but also as the father of English fiction. His literary career can be divided in to three periods. 1) The first period, about 30 years, including his youth and early manhood, is the period of French influence. In this period, he translated The Romaunt of the Rose, the most popular poem of Middle Ages, from French into English. 2) The second period, about 15 years, covers Chaucer’s active life as a diplomat and man of affairs. In this period, Italian influence seemed to be stronger than the French. The major works were adaptations from Italian writers in this period. His masterwork is Troilus and Criseyde. 3) The third period, covering his last 15 years, is generally known as the English period. His masterpiece is The Canterbury Tales. In this great work, the author gives his reader a picture of English society in Middle Ages. Features of Chaucer’s writing-----Chaucer’s language is vivid and exact. His style is flexible. His prose is easy and informal. He uses mild satire when he deals with people’s foibles and weaknesses. He uses rhyming couplet, which he introduced from France, in writing his major poems. He is the first great writer to use the dialect of London in writing. The social significance of Canterbury Tales----- In The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer draws a true-to-life picture of English feudal society of his day. Taking the stand of the rising bourgeoisie, he affirms man’s right to pursue happiness and opposes the dogma of asceticism preached by the church. As one of the forerunners of humanism, he praises man’s energy, intellect, quick wit and love of life. His tales expose and satirise the social evils of his day. They criticize the degeneration of the noble, the heartlessness of the judge, and the corruption of the church.Popular Ballads----popular ballads are originally dance songs. They are little stories in verse form, which can be sung or recited by the common people. The origin of the English and Scottish ballads is obscure. Usually they are anonymous, and are handed down orally for many generations. They are simple and crude in story and highly condensed and dramatic in presentation. In the 15th century, there were several kinds of ballads: historical, legendary, fantastical, lyrical and humorous. Popular ballads were found all over Europe in that period, but a particularly fertile soil was the border area between England and Scotland, for once many bloody battles were fought between the English and Scots there, such as Robin Hood.Morality play----It is an allegory in dramatic form. It is a dramatization of the battle between the forces of good and evil in the human soul. A well-known example is Everyman.Renaissance -------The original meaning of the word “renaissance” was the “rebirth’ of classical Greek and Latin literature. The term is commonly applied to the historical period which followed the Middle Ages. Renaissance period was thought to be in contrast with the Middle Ages, whichwas considered and inhibited by dogmatic theology. Renaissance was extolled as learned, civilized, broad-minded, progressive, enlightened and free-thinking. Italy is customarily taken as the starting place of Renaissance. Later, the movement spread northward to other European countries—to France, to Germany, to the Low Countries, and lastly to England. English Renaissance started in the late 15th century or the early 16th century. In Renaissance period, great achievements were made by painters, writers, sculptors, architects, scientists, philosophers and astronomers. The famous writers in this period are: Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio in Italy; Erasmus in the Netherlands; Montaigne, Rabelais and the poets of the Pleiad in France; Lope de Vega and Cervantes in Spain; Sir Thomas More, Thomas Wyatt, Edmund Spenser, Philip Sidney, Shakespeare and Francis Bacon in England.Sir Philip Sidney------He is known for three principal works. 1) Arcadia----It is a long prose-verse pastoral romance, written for the entertainment of Sidney’s sister. In this romance, the poet praises the delights of rural life and the love of the young people, and expresses his aspiration for a peaceful and happy life. 2) Astrophel and Stella-----This work is a collection of songs and sonnets. It consists of 108 sonnets and 11 songs. 3) An Apology for Poetry---It is one of the earliest English critical literary essays. It was written to answer a pamphlet called The School of Abuse, an attack on poetry and drama.University wits: a name given to a group of writers who flourished in London in the last 20 years or so of the 16th century. All of members of this group were oxford or Cambridge university graduates, the most notable of them were: Marlowe, Nash, Greene, Lyly, Lodge and Peele. They were famous for writing comedies and tragedies.Edmund Spenser: He is often referred to as “the poets’poet”because of his influence on later poets is considerable. He is generally acknowledged to be the greatest non-dramatic poet of the Elizabethan age. Major work: The Shepherd’s Calendar pastoral poem in twelve books, one for each month a year. The Shepherd in the poem represent the poet and his friends. It is Spenser’s first important poem, which consists of 12 eclogues and is written in different metres. All 12 eclogues, with the exception of the first and the last, are in dialogue form. The theme of love is the dominant one. And the more significant eclogues are those on the theme of religion. The poem demonstrates Spenser’s skilful mastery of a variety of meters and his innovative efforts also showed that the traditional form of pastoral could be adapted to a variety of subjects, moral or heroic. The Faerie Queen is a long poem planned in 12 books, of which he finished only 6. The work was dedicated to Queen Elizabeth. The plan of the whole poem is a stranger in distress appears, claiming help against a dragon or giant. A knight is assigned to each guest, and the 12 books were to describe the 12 adventures of 12 knights who stand for 12 different virtues, as Holiness, Temperance, Chastity, Friendship, Justice and Courtesy. The dominating thoughts of the poem are nationalism, humanism and Puritanism. For The Faerie Queen, Spenser originated a nine-line verse stanza. The verse has 8 iambic pentameter lines followed by a 9th line of 6 iambic feet, with the rhyme scheme abab bcbc c. This verse, the “Spenserian Stanze” is justly famous and has often been used since. (characteristics of Spenser’s poetry:1.a perfect melody. 2. a rare sense of beauty.3.a splendid imagination.4.a lofty moral purity and seriousness.5.a dedicated idealism. In addition to above, Spenser uses strange forms of speech and obsolete words in order to increase his rustic effect.) William Shakespeare The second period: he wrote four histories: RichardⅡ, Henry Ⅳ,par tⅠ&Ⅱ,and Henryⅴ;6 comedies: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Merchant of Venice, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, Twelfth Night and The Merry Wives ofWindsor, and two tragedies: Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar. It is a period of “great Comedies” and mature historical plays. The general spirit of this period is optimism. Meantime, there is sorrow, there is pathos and there is sin; the innocent may suffer, the guilty may go unpunished for a time, and even find good fortune; but virtue, nevertheless, shall have its reward and triumph in the end, and the wrong shall disappear before the force of good. In the historical plays of this period, different phases of English life are shown before us: kings and princes, statesmen and courtiers, the rich citizen life and the life of the tavern, and the adventures of rogues and cheats, as a whole, this period is Shakespeare’s sweet and joyful time, in which he succeeds in portraying a magnificent panorama of the manifold pursuits of people in real life.(great tragedies: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth great comedies: As you like it, Twelfth night, A mid-summer night’s dream, Merchant of Venice ) Features of Shakespeare’s Dramatic Works--- 1) Shakespeare is a realist. He is one of the founders of realism in English literature. His plays are mirrors of his age, reflecting the major contradictions of that time. He described the decaying of the feudal society and the rising of the bourgeois spirit. 2) In his plays, Shakespeare also clearly reflected the contradictions between the rich and the poor. He showed his sympathy to the poor people and disclosed the greed and cruelty of the upper class. 3) The story of Shakespeare’s plays often took place in other countries or in the past instead of in England or in his own age. 4) Shakespeare’s main characters are depicted in typical situations. They are typical characters. Their fundamental traits are revealed their conflicts with their surroundings, in their relations with they fellowmen. 5) Shakespeare’s dramatic form fits the content of his plays very well. His plays are not controlled by the rules of the classical unities of time, place and action. A plays covers several days or years. 6) In order to reproduce the manifold images of life, Shakespeare used peculiar combination in his drama: combination of majestic and funny, of poetic and prosaic, of tragic and comic. 7) Shakespeare was a great master of English language. The language of each of his characters fits his position in society and reveals the peculiarities of his character. He commanded a vocabulary larger than any other English writer. 8) Shakespeare is also a great poet. He was skilled in many poetic forms. He could write songs, lyrics, sonnets, couplets, quatrains, and blank verse. Influence------ 1) He is a universal poet. His genius includes all the world of nature and of man. He has been given the highest praise by various scholars and critics all over the world. 2) Shakespeare’s plays have been so widely read and so carefully studied that all English writers of any importance cannot escape form Shakespeare’s influence, either directly or indirectly, either in thought, content, or in poetic form or language. Moreover, he has been known all the world and his works have been translated into many different languages and consequently exerted great influences upon many writers in many countries. 3) As a great artist, Shakespeare was more than the supreme representative of a great era. Ben Jonson’s famous observation that “he was not of an age, but for all time” has stood the test of more than three centuries.Restoration comedy: the kind of drama which prevailed between the restoration of the English monarchy in 1660 and early 18th century. It was chiefly concerned with presenting a society of elegance and stylishness. Its characters were gallants, ladies and gentlemen of fashion and rank, fops, rakes, social climbers and country bumpkins. Witty, urbane and sometimes licentious, it dealt with the intricacies of sexual and marital intrigue and also with adultery and cuckoldry. Wycherley’s The Country Wife and The Plain Dealer; and Congreve’s The Double Dealer and The Way of the World are example.Francis Bacon------ When Bacon published in 1597 his first collection of short Essays, he became the first English “essayist”. His “scientific” style introduced to England a form of writing that was easy to understand, precise in language and diversified in topics. Bacon wrote prose in an age of poetry, when men around him were composing songs, sonnets and plays in verse, his pioneering efforts made essay writing a popular form in England.Bacon’s works-----1) the philosophical works: The Advancement of Learning (In this work, it deals with the accomplishments of science up to his time.) The New Instrument (Bacon describes the method by which knowledge could be universalized,) 2) the literary works of Bacon are his essays. They are noted for their style and striking observations of life. They are the first true English prose classics. 3) the professional works: Essays (among these essays the famous pieces are Of Study, Of Travel, and Of Wisdom) Generally speaking, Bacon’s literary style has three prominent qualities: directness, terseness and forcefulness.。
18世纪英国文学(1)
第二节18世纪英国文学一、概述在世纪初,现实主义小说登上文坛,在长达五十余年的发展中,产生了笛福、斯威夫特、理查逊、菲尔丁、高尔斯密、斯泰恩等一批出色的小说家,它代表18世纪英国文学的最高成就,也使英国文学在整体上达到欧洲同一时期的最高水平。
18世纪中后期,具有感伤主义色彩的墓园诗派出现繁荣局面,哥特式小说也展露异彩。
18世纪后期,彭斯和布莱克的诗歌唱了浪漫主义先声。
启蒙主义是18世纪英国文学的思想主轴。
18世纪英国启蒙文学具有发展的特点。
前期相信理性的绝对权威,力图在现存社会结构内树立美德,创造自由。
英国启蒙文学发生在资产阶级革命之后,它所面临的主要任务是全面确立资本主义社会的伦理规范。
三、现实主义小说与戏剧1、产生背景:(1)哲学基础;(2)印刷技术的改进与廉价读物的出现;(3)大量普通读者出现。
2、丹尼尔·笛福(Daniel Defoe, 1660-1731)及《鲁滨逊漂流记》(Robinson Crusoe, 1719)《鲁滨逊漂流记》写鲁宾逊在海外荒岛的冒险开拓经历,那种试图单枪匹马与未知世界斗争的开拓本能,敢于挑战极限的精神,开天辟地的气魄和勇气宣示了个人英雄主义时代的来临。
3、撒姆尔·理查逊(Samuel Richardson, 1689-1761)有书信体小说《帕米拉》(Pamela, 1739-1740),以及小说《克莱丽莎》(Clarissa, 1747-1748)。
《帕米拉》:贵族B先生、女仆帕米拉。
小说中对阶级关系的处理方式:两个阶层各守其职,以此为基础建立起来稳定的社会结构。
新道德的基础是建立在阶级划分、阶级容忍、阶级合作以及理性基础上的。
小说的书信体结构。
5、亨利·菲尔丁(Henry Fielding, 1707-1754)的主要小说:《大伟人江奈生·魏尔德传》(The Life and Death of Jonathan Wild the Great, 1739-1740)、《约瑟·安德鲁传》(The Adventures of Joseph Andrews and his Friend, Mr. Abraham Adams, 1742)、《汤姆·琼斯》(Tom Jones, 1749)、《亚美丽娅》(Amelia, 1751)等。
英国文学课件1
2. General Prologue
1) general framework a group of vivid sketches of medieval figures from different walks of life (except the highest and lowest)
1. Influenced by Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio The House of Fame (1372—80) Legend of Good Women (1380—86) 2. English period (1387—1400)
III. The Canterbury Tales (1387-1400)
英国文学 British Literature
LITERATURE Novels, plays, and poetry are referred to as literature, especially when they are considered to be good or important. The literature on a particular subject of study is all the books and articles that have been published about it Literature is written information produced by people who want to sell you something or give you advice.
Early and medieval British Literature “Beowulf” ---the national epic of the English people. The Anglo-Saxon Period(10661350) Sir Gawain and Green Knight Popular Ballads Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400)
[英国文学作品]英国文学
[英国文学作品]英国文学英国文学篇(1):10部英国经典小说10. 《名利场》Vanity Fair (William Makepeace Thackeray, 1848)威廉·梅克皮斯·萨克雷,1848年出版这部小说的主角或许就是英国文学史上最知名的非正统派女主角——贝奇·夏普,小说的情节围绕阶级、社会、跻身上流社会以及现代读者听来又熟悉又害怕的金融危机。
《名利场》这些要素全都具备, 讲述那个年代,也讲述着每一个年代。
9. 《科学怪人》Frankenstein (Mary Shelley, 1818)玛莉·雪莱,1818年出版这部先锋作品集科幻和哥特式恐怖于一身,营造了一个难以磨灭的“恶魔”主题,即科学家中的“现代普罗米修斯”,几世纪以来经久不衰。
8. 《大卫·科波菲尔》David Copperfield (Charles Dickens, 1850)查尔斯·狄更斯,1850年出版David Copperfield is populated by some of the most vivid characters ever created. They are as much a part of readers’ world, and their way of thinking about the world, as people they have actually met.《大卫·科波菲尔》人物形象众多,性格鲜活的角色云集。
这些人物角色仿佛是读者所在真实世界的一部分,和读者亲身遇见的人一样,有着相似的世界观。
7. 《呼啸山庄》Wuthering Heights (Emily Bront, 1847)艾米莉·勃朗特,1847年出版《呼啸山庄》“蕴含巨大的心理能量,没有其它书籍能够与之匹敌。
”读者推崇《呼啸山庄》是因为其“层层叠叠的叙述结构”和丰富惊人的想象力,更因为《呼啸山庄》超越了爱情故事本身,展现了我们转瞬即逝的欲望之下“永恒的震撼”。
英国文学简史Part 1 Early and Medieval English Literature
Part on: Early and medieval english literature早期和中古时期的英国文学I.Beowulf <贝奥武夫>Features of Beowulf<贝奥武夫>的特点(1)Certain accented words in a line begin with the same consonant sound.,每一行的重读单词以相同的辅音开始。
(2)Other features of Beowulf are the use of metaphors and of understatements.《贝奥武夫》的另一些特点是隐喻和低调陈述的大量运用。
II The Romance(1)The Content of the Romance传奇文学的内容The most prevailing kind of literature in feudal England was the romance. It was a long composition, sometimes n verse, sometimes in prose, describing the life and adventures of a noble hero. The central character of romances was the knight.封建时期的英国最流行的文学形式是传奇文学。
传奇文学的作品篇幅较长,有时是诗歌的形式,有时是散文的形式,描写贵族英雄的生活和冒险故事。
传奇文学的中心人物是贵族出身的善于使用武器的骑士。
(2)The Romance Cycles传奇文学的类型a.Matters of Britain(adventures of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table)“取材于英国的作品”(亚瑟王和他的圆桌骑士)b.Matters of France(Emperor Charlemagne and his peers)“取材于法国作品”(查理曼大帝和他的贵族)c.Matters of Rome(Alexander the Great and so forth)“取材于罗马的作品”(亚历山大大帝)d.The romance of King Arthur is comparatively the most important for the history of English literature.比较起来亚瑟王的传奇故事是英国文学史中最重要的。
英美文学欣赏最新版教学课件英国文学 Unit 1 William Shakespeare
英美文学欣赏(第四版)
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name; And for that name, which is no part of thee, Take all myself.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date. 狂风把五月宠爱的嫩蕊作践, 夏天出赁的期限又未免太短;
(注解:诗人自答,对朋友的珍爱之情跃然纸上。原因在于:因为狂风会把 五月娇嫩的花蕾摧残,夏天延续的时间又过于短暂。这后两行是为下面作铺 垫。以上四句是诗的第一节,此为起。)
英美文学欣赏(第四版)
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? 我怎么能够把你来比作夏天? (注解:将朋友比作英国气候最宜人的夏季,通俗自然,让人耳目一新。)
Thou art more lovely and more temperate. 你不独比他可爱也比他温婉;
2. What does it mean when Juliet says “that which we call a rose/By my other name would smell as sweet”?
英美文学欣赏(第四版)
作品欣赏
Sonnet 18.
Sonnet:十四行诗(或音译为 “商籁体”)是一种格律比较严谨的 诗体。它起源于文艺复兴初期,有多 种变体。莎士比亚十四行诗为五音步 抑扬格,每行十个音节,全诗共分三 节,按照a-b-a-b-c-d-c-d-e-f-e-fg-g 格式押韵。最后两行带有警句性 质,总结全诗内容,为点睛之笔。
英国文学名著必读
英国文学名著必读
英国文学有着悠久的历史和丰富的遗产,包括了许多经典名著。
以下是一些必读的英国文学名著。
1. 《傲慢与偏见》–简·奥斯汀所著。
这部小说是英国文学的经典之一,讲述了女主角伊丽莎白·班纳特的爱情故事,也是一部关于社会阶层和婚姻制度的戏剧。
2. 《呼啸山庄》–勃朗特姐妹所著。
这部小说描述了两个家族之间的恶意和复仇,以及热情和爱情的力量。
它是一部关于人性和道德的故事,也是一部英国文学中的经典之作。
3. 《雾都孤儿》–查尔斯·狄更斯所著。
这部小说讲述了孤儿奥利弗的冒险故事,以及他在维多利亚时代的贫困生活和社会不公。
它是一部关于社会和人性的故事,也是一部英国文学中的经典之作。
4. 《战争与和平》–列夫·托尔斯泰所著。
这部小说虽然不是英国文学作品,但是它对英国文学有着深刻的影响。
它是一部关于俄罗斯农民战争和拯救祖国的故事,也是一部关于爱情和家庭的故事。
5. 《鲁宾逊漂流记》–丹尼尔·笛福所著。
这部小说讲述了鲁宾逊在荒岛上生存的故事,以及他如何通过自己的聪明才智和勇气克服困难。
它是一部关于人性和
适应力的故事,也是英国文学中的经典之作。
这些作品代表了英国文学的不同流派和主题,从爱情和社会阶层到冒险和人性等各种领域。
无论你是英国文学爱好者还是新手,这些经典必读作品都值得一读。
British literature 1英国文学
V. Romanticism
* William Wordsworth: ―Lyrical Ballads‖
* Samuel Coleridge: ―The Ancient Mariner‖
* George Gordon Byron: ―Don Juan‖
* Percy Bysshe Shelley: ―Prometheus Unbound‖ * John Keats: ―Ode to a Nightingale‖
* Jonathan Swift: Gulliver’s Travels * Daniel Defoe: Robinson Crusoe * Henry Fielding: Tom Jones * William Blake: The Marriage of Heaven and Hell * Sentimentalism: Oliver Goldsmith: ―The Deserted Village‖ Thomas Gray: ―Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard‖
* other forms: natural science philosophy history law graphic novels/comic books films, videos and broadcast have carved out a niche which often parallels the functionality of prose fiction. iii. Expectation of you 1. To get acknowledged with the history and framework of British literature. 2. To view literature from a literary perspective and accomplish one mid-term essay. 3. To fulfill the assignment after class.
英国文学[1]
Part One Early and Medieval English Literature
二.Beowulf 3.Features of Beowulf d. Synecdoche(提喻):She has just seen 80 winters. Every life has its roses and thorns. e. Understatement(低调陈述):He is no bad singer. f. hyperbole(夸张):Every lovers sees a thousand graces in the beloved object.
Part One Early and Medieval English Literature
四.William Langland 1.Piers the Plowman and its author 2.A Picture of Feudal England 3.Aritisne Early and Medieval English Literature
四.William Langland 3.Aritistic features: ⑴. Piers the Plowman is one of the greatest of English poems. It is written in the form of a dream vision, and the author tells his story under the guise of having dreamed it. ⑵.The poem is also an allegory which uses symbolism to relate truth. ⑶.But, in the main, Piers the Plowman is a realistic picture of medieval England.
英美文学欣赏最新版教学课件英国文学 Unit 1 William Shakespeare
(注解:当这种比蜜还甜的话源源不断地在耳 边倾诉时,相信没有女孩会不动心。)
英美文学欣赏(第四版)
O, be some other name! What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By my other name would smell as sweet. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call’d, Retain that dear perfection which he owes
世》(Richard III, 1592)、《亨利四世》(Henry IV, 1597)等;喜剧 《仲夏夜之梦》(A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream, 1595)、《威尼斯商人 》(The Merchant of Venice, 1596)、《第十二夜》(Twelfth Night, 1600)等;悲剧《罗密欧与朱丽叶》(Romeo and Juliet, 1594)、《汉 姆雷特》(Hamlet, 1601)、《奥赛罗》(Othello, 1604)、《李尔王》 (King Lear, 1605)、《麦克白》(Macbeth, 1605)等;传奇剧《暴风 雨》(The Tempest, 1612)等。
英美文学欣赏(第四版)
An Appreciation of English Literature
Unit 1 William Shakespeare
英美文学欣赏(第四版)
作者简介
威廉· 莎士比亚(William Shakespeare, 1564—1616)是英国文艺复兴 时期最伟大的诗人、剧作家,也被认为是 世界文学史上最伟大的诗人和剧作家。莎 士比亚出生于英国中部艾汶河畔的斯特拉 福镇。幼年在当地文法学校学习,20 多岁 只身到伦敦谋生,在剧团里先做杂工,跑 龙套,后成为剧团的演员、编剧和股东。 他的作品共包括37 部剧本、两首长诗和 154 首十四行诗。晚年,他归居故里,颐 养天年,谢世后葬在家乡。斯特拉福镇现 已成为文学爱好者心目中的圣地。
英美文学选读英国部分第一章文艺复兴时期
英美文学选读中文翻译及重点习题答案英国文学(AMERICAN LITERATURE)第一章文艺复兴时期(The Renaissance Period)二、背景知识(Background knowledge)1、历史文化背景(Historical and cultural background)(1)文艺复兴是从中世纪向近代过渡时期发生在欧洲许多国家的一场思想文化运动。
它是在一些历史因素的合力作用下而引发的,如对希腊罗马古典文化的重新发现,宗教改革运动,地理和自然科学领域的探索,以及资本主义经济的扩张等。
(2)人文主义是文艺复兴的主要特征。
它颂扬人性,强调以“人”为本,宣传个性解放,反对神秘主义和中古神权,反对野蛮和兽性。
(3)16世纪的宗教改革导致了新教的创立。
英格兰同罗马教皇的决裂最初源于国王亨利八世决定与其第一位妻子离婚但遭到教皇否决。
宗教教义的改革则发生在后来的爱德华六世和女王伊丽莎白一世统治期间。
(4)工商业持续发展,中产阶级逐渐壮大,非神职人员获得受教育的机会,王权巩固,宫廷成为文化生活的中心,以及海外扩张和科学探索日益拓展人们的视野,所有这些都为文学提供了新的推动力和发展方向。
威廉·卡克斯顿首次将印刷术介绍到英国,使那里的出版社迅速增加,随之而来的是印刷书籍的繁荣。
2、英国文艺复兴时期文学的特点(Features of English Renaissance literature)(1) 诗歌(Poetry)开创文艺复兴时期一代新的华丽诗风的两个最重要的人物是菲利普·悉尼爵士和埃德蒙·斯宾塞。
在他们的抒情和叙事作品中,展现出一种词藻华丽、精雕细琢的文风。
到16世纪末,出现了两类新的诗歌风格。
第一类以约翰·邓恩和其他玄学派诗人为代表;第二类风格的典范是本·琼森和他所代表的流派。
英国文艺复兴时期的最后一位大诗人是清教作家约翰·密尔顿,他的诗歌具有惊人的震撼力和优雅的韵致,同时传达出深邃的思想。
英美文学欣赏最新版教学课件英国文学 Unit 1 William Shakespeare
作品简介
英美文学欣赏(第四版)
在名城维洛那,有两家门第相当的名门望族— —蒙太古家族(Montague)和凯普莱特家族 (Capulet),累世的宿怨使两家势不两立,经常刀 剑相向,发生流血冲突。两个家族中的一对青年罗 密欧与朱丽叶却相爱了,好心的神父为他们举行了 秘密婚礼。可是,在一场争斗中,罗密欧却失手杀 了凯普莱特家族中的人,遭到放逐。朱丽叶的父母 执意让她嫁给另一个贵族青年。神父设妙计让朱丽 叶喝下一种药液,可以佯死42 个小时,待家人将其 下葬,再让罗密欧赶来相见,两人一同逃走。不幸 的是,罗密欧没有得到这一真实情况。他赶到墓穴, 以为朱丽叶真的死去,便服毒自杀。朱丽叶醒来, 看见罗密欧的尸体,遂用匕首结束了自己的生命。 两个在家族世仇下惨遭牺牲的年轻人以悲壮的殉情, 终于使两家化干戈为玉帛。
天上的眼睛有时照得太酷烈, 给机缘或无常的天道所摧折, 没有芳艳不终于凋残或销毁。
(注解:诗人接着解释道,天上的眼睛有时发出灼热的亮光,它金色的 容颜又常遭乌云遮挡;无论是偶然的原因或是必然的变化,一切美好的 东西总会凋零。此为承,继续第一节的内容,同时极力渲染,将诗人要 表达的意思推向极至。单看sometime, often, every fair fromfair 几个措辞,就感到诗的气势如排山倒海,步步逼近,诗往下,似再无可 写处。)
英美文学欣赏(第四版)
高级实用英语系列教材
英美文学欣赏(第二版)
An Appreciation of English Literature
Unit 1 William Shakespeare • Romeo and Juliet (Act II, Scene II) • Sonnet 18 Unit 2 English Essayists (Ⅰ) Francis Bacon • Of Studies • Of Marriage and Single Life Samuel Johnson • Letter to Lord Chesterfield
英国文学第一课第二讲坎特伯雷故事乔叟
3. In 1359–60 he was with the army of Edward III in France, where he was captured by the French but ransomed.
4. By 1366 he had married Philippa Roet, who was a lady-in-waiting to Edward III's queen.
The Tales Include:
The General Prologue The Knight's Tale The Miller's Prologue and Tale The Reeve's Prologue and Tale The Cook's Prologue and Tale The Man of Law's Prologue and Tale The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale The Friar's Prologue and Tale The Summoner's Prologue and Tale The Clerk's Prologue and Tale The Merchant's Prologue and Tale The Squire's Prologue and Tale
英国文学练习一
Exercise OneI. Fill in the following blanks.1 Angles , Saxons and Jutes usually known as Anglo-Saxons are the first Englishmen. Language spoken by them is called the Old English, which is the foundation of English language and literature.2. Beowulf is the oldest poem in the English language, and also the oldest surviving epic in the English language.3. In the 14th century, the two most important writers are Geoffrey Chaucer and William Langland , whose masterpiece is Piers the Plowman.4. The prevailing form of Medieval English literature is the romance .5. The Canterbury Tales contains in fact a general Prologue and only 24 tales, of which two are left unfinished. The pilgrims gathered at Tabard Inn and are on their way to the place named .6. Chaucer is acclaimed as “The father of English poetry.”7. Chaucer died on the 25th of October, 1400, and was buried in Westminster Abbey . He was the first to be buried in the Poets’Corner of this place.II. Choose the best answer or answers for each statement.( A ) 1. In 1066, ( ), with his Norman army, succeeded in invading and defeating England.a. William the Conquerorb. Julius Caesarc. Alfred the Greatd. Claudius ( C ) 2.The Canterbury Tales is Chaucer's greatest work and the greater part of it was written in ( ) couplets.a. freeb. blankc. heroicd. prose( B ) 3.The ( ) provides a framework for the tales in The Canterbury Tales, and it comprises a group of vivid pictures of various medieval figures.a. Knight's taleb. Prologuec. Pardoner's taled. Wife of Bath's tale( A ) 4. Beowulf is an ( ).a. epicb. playc. essayd. drama( D ) 5. William Langland’s Piers the Plowman is written in the form of a ( ) vision.a. epicb. balladc. letterd. dream( B) 6. The most famous cycle of English ballads centers on the stories about a legendary outlaw called ( ).a. Morte d’Arthurb. Robin Hoodc. Wife of Bathd. Piers the Plowman( D ) 7. In the 14th century, the most important writer (poet) is ( ).a. William Langlandb. Wycliffec. John Gowerd. Geoffrey Chaucer( A ) 8. The theme of ( ) to king and lord was repeatedly emphasized in Medieval romances.a. loyaltyb. revoltc. mockeryd. parody( B ) 9. Geoffrey Chaucer is well-known for his literary work ( ), a collection of stories told by a group of pilgrims.a. Beowulfb. The Canterbury Talesc. Piers the Plowmand. Ballads( D ) 10. Wife of Bath is a character created by ( ).a. William Langlandb. Wycliffec. John Gowerd. Geoffrey Chaucer( D ) 11. Choose the English term for “长篇小说”.a. taleb. short storyc. novellad. novel( B ) 12. Choose the English term for “短篇小说”.a. epicb. short storyc. novellad. novel( A ) 13. Choose the English term for “史诗”.a. epicb. short storyc. novellad. novel( C) 14. Choose the English term for “英雄双行体” .a. coupletb. stream of consciousnessc. heroic coupletd. Spenserian sonnetII. Answer the following questions.1. What is the function of the Prologue to The Canterbury Tales?The General Prologue is usually regarded as the greatest portrait gallery in English literature. It is largely composed of a series of sketches differing widely in length and method, and blending the individual and the typical in varying degrees. The purpose of the General Prologue is not only to present a vivid collection of character sketches, but also to reveal the author’s intention in bringing together a great variety of people and narrative materials engaged in a common endeavor, to set the tone for the story telling--- one of jollity which accords with the tone of the whole work: that of grateful acceptance of life, to make clear the plan for the tales, to motivate the telling of tales and to introduce the pilgrims and the time and occasion of the pilgrimage. The pilgrims are people from various parts of England. They serve as the representatives of various sides of life and social groups. Each of the pilgrims or narrators is presented vividly in the prologue. Ranging in status from a knight to a humble plowman, the pilgrims are a microcosm of 14th century English society. On the other hand, there is also an intimate connection between the tales and the Prologue, both completing each other. The Prologue provides a framework for the tales.2. Summarize Chaucer’s literary career.3. What is the social significance of The Canterbury Tales?。
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1. Chapter One The Anglo-Saxon Period (450 —— 1066)1. Historical backgroundThe Celts 〉the Brythons.The Iron Age.The ceremonies of May Day and the cult of mistletoe.From 55 BC to 407 AD, the Roman Empire, a slave society.London was founded.Little influence on the cultural life of the Celts,Town with names ending in “chester” or “caster”.De Bello Gallico by Julius Caesar and Germania by Publius Cornelius Tacitus450 AD, the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes.“angul” means a hook; “seax” means a short sw ord.Around 500 AD, the Celtic King Arthur fought against Cerdic, the founder of the kingdom of Wessex. Camelot, King Arthur’s capital.Later 8th, the Danes, or the Vikings.King Alfred the Great of Wessex (849-899)Harold, the last Saxon King 〉William the Duke of Normandy.597, Pope Gregory the Great sent St. Augustine to England and the first converted king was King Ethelbert of Kent.2. Northumbrian School and Wessex literature——two highlights in the development of the Anglo-Saxon literature.Monasteries and abbeys in the kingdom of Northumbria.Caedmon in the 7th turned the stories in the Bible into verse form——Paraphrase. Inspired by God.The Venerable Bede (673-735), wrote in Latin The Ecclesiastical History of the English People from Caesar to 731. It was Bede who told about the story of Caedmon.The reign of King Alfred (871-899)First, Latin books into West Saxon dialect. It is said that King Alfred translated the history of Bede.Second, the launching of The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, from Caesar’s conquest to 1154. Third, created a style of Anglo-Saxon prose which was not obscure.3. Anglo-Saxon poetryThe earliest is Widsith and the last is Maldon.BeowulfAs early as the 6th in oral formWritten down in the 8th.The manuscript preserved dates back to the 10th and in Wessex dialect.One datable fact in the poem is a raid on the Franks by Gelac in 520.3183 lines.Danish King Hrothgar built a hall called Heorot.Grendel for 12 years.Beowulf, nephew to King Hygelac of the Geats. With 14 companions.Hrothgar's friend Aeschere killed by Grendel's mother.Killing Grendel’s mother with a magic sword in the cave.One of the 12 companions, Wiglaf, helped Beowulf kill the dragon.Physical strength demonstrates his high spiritual qualities.A mixture of paganism and Christian elements.Old English Poetry:1. The technical structure:1) Every line consists of two clearly separated half lines between which is a caesura. The two parts of the line are united by alliteration, a form of initial rhyme, which is the repetition of the same sound or sounds at the beginning of two or more words that are next to or close to each other.2) Every half line consists of two feet and each foot is made up of an accented syllable and a varying number of unaccented syllables.3) Generally there are 3 alliterations per line, two in the first half line and one on the first foot of the second half line.2. The scop also used a figurative language called “kenning”, a metaphor usually composed of two words, which becomes the formula of a special object: “helmet bearer” for “warrior.”3. The use of repetition and variation. Same idea expressed more than once by synonyms.2. Chapter Two The Norman Period (1066-1350)1. Historical background1066, the battle of HastingsThe Normans, also descendants of Scandinavian marauders, having seized a wide part of northern France.Accelerated the feudalism in England.Large tracts of land by the king, barons, knights and the church.A peasant uprising in 1381.2. Middle EnglishFor 3 centuries after the Norman conquest, two languages were used side by side in England: Latin and French.Words and expressions from Latin and French and Greek in the 14th.Inflectional forms dropped and grammar simplified.3. Religious literatureThe issue of personal salvation.Moral and spiritual responsibilities of individual rather than his ethical and social responsibilities.Conventional theme: homiletic paraphrases of the Gospels4. Romance and the influence of French literatureThrough French literature the introduction of Italian literature.Chief breeding ground was the aristocratic society in France in the 12th and early 13th and was introduced into England in the second half of the 13th and the 14th.In subject matters, romance naturally falls under three categories.1) The matter of France: the exploits of Charlemagne the Great and Roland, a national hero in the 8th, Chanson de Roland.2) The matter of Rome: Alexander the Great and the siege of Troy.3) The matter of Britain: the Arthurian legend, Sir Gawain, Launcelot, Merlin, the Holy Grail, the death of King Arthur.Sir Gawain and the Green KnightWritten about 1375-1400.About 2500 lines.Four “fyttes”.Green ChapelFirst day, a deer; second day, a boar; the third day a fox. A girdle. —〉the Order of GarterA true knight should not only dedicate himself to the church but also should possess the virtues of great courage, of fidelity to his promise, and of physical chastity and purity.It contained several element which prepared for a new culture.A vivid portrayal of the hero and a fine analysis of his psychology.A well unified and exciting plot full of climaxes and surprises.The three hunting scenes and the three bedchamber scenes are closely related with each other.A mixture of Anglo-Saxon poetry, the musical effect of which depends on the alliterated initial syllables and French poetry, the musical effect of which depends onthe fixed number of accented and unaccented syllables in a verse line. Paragraphs of long alliterative lines of varying length are followed by a single line of two syllables, called “the bob”, and a group of four-stressed lines called “the wheel”, i.e., a set of short lines forming the concluding part of a stanza.3. Chapter Three The Age of Chaucer (1350-1400) Historical backgroundChaucer and William Langland (1330?-1400?) and the writer of Sir Gawain were contemporaries.But he deserves a period of his own.Two historical events which their influence can be detected in the writings of Chaucer and Langland: The Hundred Years’ War from the reign of Edward III (1327-1377) to the reign of Henry VI (1421-1471), or from 1337-1453; the peasant uprising of 1381, the reign of King Richard II.The Hundred Years’ War for the French throne.The first seven English kings were in fact living in France.Starting from King Henry III, England became the principal concern of the English kings.An awakening of national consciousness in England. No longer vassals to the French but claimed that they had the right to succeed the French throne. And the French language was gradually replaced by the native tongue.Peasant uprising. John Ball: “When Adam delved and Eve span / Who was then the gentlemen?”From Kent to London under the leadership of Wat Tyler.William Langland and another writer John Wycliff (1324?-1384) expressed people’s hatred for the church and the government.John Wycliff (1324?-1384)One of the first figures who demanded to reform the church.Translated the Bible into standard English. Fixed a national standard for English prose to replace various dialects. Father of English prose.Many pamphlets in Latin to attack the feudal lords and the church. Opposed to the claim of the Pope to the English throne. Civil authority had the right to deprive the church of the p roperty if it proved unworthy of people’s trust. The views were taken over by the peasants in their uprising.William Langland (1330?-1400?)Piers Plowman, or The Vision of Piers Plowman, another alliterative poem besides Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Giving a realistic picture of the 14th century England.The form of allegory, a story or description in which the characters and events symbolize some deeper underlying meaning, and serve to spread moral teaching. An allegory has a double meaning. A primary or surface meaning, and a secondary meaning, or underlying meaning. In an allegory, abstract qualities or ideas, such as patience, purity or truth, are personified as characters in the story.The visions the poet had on a May morning.A high tower —— TruthA deep dungeon —— the Father of FalsenessPeople from all walks of life, laymen and religious people.Gluttony.Lady Meed (bribery) to be married to Falseness but protested by Theology. The king proposed to marry her to Conscience but failed. Meed is expelled and Conscience and Reason become king’s counsellers.Conscience preaching to the people and Repentance moving their hearts, including the Seven Deadly Sins.People came to seek for truth but no one knows the way. Then Piers Plowman appears. This episode suggests that man should do the task that falls to his lot. Geoffrey Chaucer (ca. 1340-1400)Born in a wine merchant family with rising fortunes.Grew up in London.1357, a page at court.1359, joined the army in the Hundred Year’s War and was taken prisoner.1360, returned to England and married a maid of honour of the queen.For the next ten years in the Continent on diplomatic missions.1382, Controller of Customs at the port of London.1386, PM from KentJohn of Gaunt (Duke of Lancaster. 1340-1399. English soldier. The fourth son of Edward III, he ruled England during his father's last years and in the beginning of Richard II's reign.) as his patron.〉A great variety of occupations and experiences as well as close observation of life made him familiar with the lives of various classes.Died on Oct 25, 1400, the Poet’s Corner in WestminsterAbbey.Works divided into 3 periods, corresponding to the 3 periods of his life.(1) 1360-1372, wrote under the influence of the French literature, even translated French poems himself. Poem The Book of the Duchess, much of conventional romance elements in it.(2) 1372-1386, under the influence of the Italian literature. Troilus and Cryseyde, adapted from a long poem by Boccaccio, the writer of The Decameron. The Parliament of Fowls and The House of Fame.(3) the last 15 years of his life. The Canterbury Tales between 1387 and 1400. A general prologue and 24 tales that are connected by “links”.Tarbard Inn. 29 pilgrims to St. Thomas Beckett’s tomb at Can terbury.The host is Harry Bailey. Expected to tell 120 tales, i.e. each person tells 4 tales.The significance of The Canterbury Tales(1). A comprehensive picture of Chaucer’s time. The gentle class; the burgher class, the wife of Bath included, who has married five times; the professionals. All persons connected with the church are drown with touches of gentle irony and mild satire, with the exception of the poor parson. His satire can be the bitterest in the portrayal of the pardoner and the summoner. In this sense Chaucer himself is “the smyler with the knyf under the cloke.”Each character not only a representative of his or her class but also has an individual character of their own.(2). The dramatic structure of the poem has been highly commended by critics. Unlike The Decameron, it is cleverly woven together by links between the stories. Most of the stories are related to the personalities of the tellers, the personalities of each character, his or her private life and habits, his or her mood and social status are revealed in the prologue and in the story he or she tells, as well as by their behaviour along the road and their remarks on the way.Most important is the part played by the host Harry Hailey.(3). Chaucer’s humour: a characteristic feature of the English literature.(4). Contribution to the English language: wrote in the London dialect of his day. He was at one moment serious and another light-hearted and full of fun and sometimes he could be very poetical. He proved that the English language is a beautiful language can be easily handled to express different moods. In doing so Greatly increase the prestige of the English language.。