罗经国《新编英国文学选读》(第4版)教材-第3章 乔叟时期(1350～1400)【圣才出品】

第3章乔叟时期(1350～1400)

3.1 复习笔记

Ⅰ. Historical background（历史背景）

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. The first was the Hundred Years’ War between England and France, starting from the reign of Edward the Third (1327～1377) and ending during the reign of Henry the Sixth (1421～1471). It was a series of wars fought between the English kings and the French kings for the French throne. The second historical event was the peasant uprising of 1381, during the reign of King Richard the Second. This peasant uprising was the direct result of exploitation and oppression of the peasants by the feudal lords.

在乔叟生活的年代，发生过两件大事，它们的影响力可以在乔叟和朗格兰的作品中见到。第一件大事是英法百年战争，始于爱德华三世统治时期（1327～1377），终于亨利六世时期（1421～1471）。它是英国国王和法国国王为了争夺法国王权而展开的一系列战争。第二件大事是1381理查德二世统治时期的农民起义。这次农民起义是封建领主对农民剥削和压迫的直接产物。

Ⅱ. John Wycliff (1324?～1384)（约翰·威克利夫）

John Wycliff was important because he was one of the first figures who

demanded to reform the church in order to do away with the corruption and rottenness. He wrote many pamphlets in Latin to attack the feudal lords and the church for their abuse of power. He was also important because he was the man who translated the Bible into Standard English. Wycliff’s translation of the Bible was a great contribution to English literature as well as to the English language, for he fixed a national standard for English prose to replace various dialects. His work earned him the title of Father of English prose.

约翰·威克利夫是此时期的重要人物，因为他第一个提出对教会进行改革使其免于腐败和败坏。他写了很多拉丁文小册子来攻击封建领主和教堂对自身权力的滥用。此外他还将圣经翻译成标准英语。他对圣经的翻译不仅对英国文学是巨大的贡献，同时也是对英语语言的巨大贡献，因为他确定了英国散文的国家标准从而代替了各种方言。他的工作为他赢得了“英国散文之父”的称誉。

Ⅲ. William Langland (1330?～1400?)（威廉·郎格兰）

Another long alliterative poem besides Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is Piers Plowman, or The Vision of Piers Plowman which was written by William Langland. He was probably a native of the Malvern Hill areas. The story takes the form of an allegory, but it gives a realistic picture of 14th century England.

除了《高文爵士和绿骑士》之外，还有另一首长篇无韵体诗《农夫皮尔斯》，又叫《农夫皮尔斯的幻想》。兰格伦是土生土长的莫尔文丘陵区人。这个故事采取了一种寓言的格式，但它描绘了一幅14世纪英国的现实主义画卷。

(1) Allegory（寓言）

In simple words, an allegory is 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. It has a primary meaning, 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.

简单说，寓言是一则故事或者是一种描述，其中的人物或者事件具有深层的背后意义，传播道德教义。寓言具有双重意义：表层意义和潜在意义。在寓言中，抽象的品质或思想，像耐心，纯洁，真诚在故事中都被拟人化了。

(2) Piers Plowman（《农夫皮尔斯》）

The story of the poem is about the visions the poet had on a May morning. The poet sees Lady Meed (bribery) who is richly dressed in a scarlet robe and who is about to be married to Falseness. The king proposes marry Meed to Conscience, but Conscience refuses, pointing out the many evils Meed is responsible for. Meed is expelled and Conscience and Reason become king’s counselors. In the second dream, Conscience is preaching to the people and Repentance is moving their hearts. Many make confessions for their sins, including the Seven Deadly Sins. After the confessions, a thousand men come to seek for truth, but no one knows the way. Then Piers Plowman appears and says he must first plow his half acre of land. Some help him to plow but others sit and drink or pretend to be sick and won’t work until hunger compels them. The episode suggests that man should do the task that falls to his lot.