英国文学——盎格鲁撒克逊时代
盎格鲁撒克逊人的文学作品
盎格鲁撒克逊人的文学作品
盎格鲁撒克逊人的文学作品主要包括史诗、英雄传说、抒情诗和寓言故事等。
1.《贝奥武夫》:这部史诗是英国文学史上最早的重要作品之一。
讲述了勇士贝奥武夫与怪物格伦德尔的激战,弘扬了英雄主义和尊贵的价值观。
2.《库勒谈歌》:这是一首拟史诗抒情诗,描写了一个失去家园和亲人的男子流浪时的内心痛苦和孤独感,抒发了作者对故乡和辛酸经历的思考。
3.《赫拉赫兰德》:这是一首由风格独特的诗句组成的13世纪诗歌,讲述了北欧神话中主神奥丁与乌鸦盖尔梅尔合作的故事。
4.《侯赛因的故事》:这是一首关于家庭生活的寓言故事,描述了一个体贴顾家、重视道德的妇女对待婚姻的态度和社会地位。
5.《女巫猎人手记》:这本书是鲍尔的著作,写了一位医生和治疗师对待女巫疯狂狂热的描写。
这些作品反映了盎格鲁撒克逊人的价值观、宗教信仰以及对人类情感和生活的思考,也构成了英国文学的重要组成部分。
盎格鲁撒克逊文学作品
盎格鲁撒克逊文学作品介绍盎格鲁-撒克逊文学是5至11世纪盎格鲁、撒克逊和朱特三个民族在定居不列颠后所创作的诗歌、故事和传说的总称。
它如同一幅丰富多彩的历史画卷,展现了那个时代的生活、情感和思想。
这些作品以其独特的韵文形式,为我们提供了一个窥探那个时代的窗口。
在盎格鲁-撒克逊文学中,我们可以看到氏族社会的独特风貌。
作品的主题广泛,从庆祝丰收、春天到来、繁殖牲畜等原始的物质生活,到战争、封建制度和基督教的信仰,都得到了生动的展现。
这些作品反映了那个时代人们的生活方式、道德观念和宗教感情,为我们理解那个时代提供了宝贵的资料。
在早期作品中,我们可以看到对英勇和荣誉的崇尚。
例如,《贝奥武甫》这部史诗,讲述了北欧英雄贝奥武甫和他的朋友们解救被怪物侵扰的英格兰的故事。
作品中充满了对英勇和荣誉的崇尚,反映了当时人们对英雄的敬仰和追求荣誉的心理。
同时,盎格鲁-撒克逊文学也展现了封建制度下的权力斗争。
例如,《劫掠英伦》这部作品,描述了朱特王赫里塞和撒克逊王埃塞尔斯坦的战争,反映了封建制度下的权力斗争和领土争夺。
作品中对战争的描绘和对英雄的赞美,都反映了当时社会的价值观和道德观念。
在中世纪,盎格鲁-撒克逊文学的发展达到了巅峰。
这个时期的作品更加丰富多样,出现了许多优秀的诗人和作家,如杰弗雷·乔叟、威廉·莎士比亚等。
他们的作品深刻地反映了当时的社会背景和文化传统,为后来的文学发展产生了深远的影响。
例如,杰弗雷·乔叟的《坎特伯雷故事集》通过一组生动的故事展现了人性的多样性和复杂性。
威廉·莎士比亚的《哈姆雷特》则是一部对人性、复仇和死亡进行深刻思考的作品。
这些作品不仅具有文学价值,同时也为我们理解中世纪英国的历史和文化提供了重要的资料。
总之,盎格鲁-撒克逊文学作品是中世纪英国历史和文化的重要组成部分。
通过对这些作品的解析,我们可以更好地了解当时人们的生活方式、道德观念和宗教感情。
同时,这些作品也是研究英语语言发展的重要资料,对于语言学和文学研究都具有重要意义。
英国文学名著推荐
英国文学名家名著《贝奥武甫》(Beowulf)是英国盎格鲁·撒克逊时期的一首英雄史诗,古英语文学的最高成就,同时标志着英国文学的开始。
史诗的第一部分讲述瑞典青年王子贝奥武甫来到丹麦,帮助丹麦国王赫罗斯加杀死了12年来常来进行夜袭的巨妖格伦德尔及他的母亲;第二部分简述了贝奥武甫继承王位,平安统治50年。
后来,他的国土被一条喷火巨龙蹂躏,老当益壮的贝奥武甫与火龙交战,杀死火龙,自己也受了致命伤。
杰弗里·乔叟(Geoffrey Chaucer ,1340-1400)是英国文学之父亲和前最杰出的作家。
主要作品有《坎特伯雷故事集》等。
作品的主要特点是主题、题材、风格、笔调的多样性及描写人对生活的追求的复杂性。
他的代表作品是《坎特伯雷故事集》(The Canterbury Tales)不仅描绘了31位朝圣者的各个社会阶层,而且也反映了他们各自叙述故事的不同风格,读者广泛,对后世影响很大。
威廉·莎士比亚(William Shakespeare ,1564-1616)是文艺复兴时期英国著名的剧作家和诗人。
他创作了大量的作品,其中包括喜剧、悲剧和历史剧。
他的剧本至今仍在许多国家上演,并为人们所普遍阅读。
莎上比亚的作品文才横溢,创造的喜、怒、哀、乐场面使人印象深刻,历久难忘。
主要作品有四大悲剧:《奥赛罗》(Othello)、《哈姆雷特》(Hamlet)、《麦克白》(Macbeth),《李尔王》(King Lear);四大喜剧:《仲夏夜之梦》(A Midsummer Night’s Dream)、《威尼斯商人》(The Merchant of Venice)、《无事生非》(Much Ado about Nothing)和《皆大欢喜》(As You Like It)等。
此外,历史剧《亨利六世》(Henry VI)三部曲,爱情悲剧《罗密欧与朱丽叶》(Romeo and Juliet)也都很受欢迎。
英国文学史--最全总结中英
盎格鲁撒克逊时代426—1066盎格鲁诺曼时代1066—1350Chaucder乔叟时代 1350—1485莎士比亚时代1564—1636清教徒时代 Puritan 1636—1660古典主义时代 1660—1744约翰逊时代 1744—1785浪漫主义时代1786—1832维多利亚时代 1832—1900现代第一章Anglo-Saxon (426—1066)旧约:上帝创世纪新约:耶稣古英语诗歌分为的世俗的1.Beowulf 史诗(三千行的长诗,关于英雄战绩的故事)2.文字来源于日耳曼系3.基督教的文学:瑞特文的故事Caedmon第二章Angol-Norman(1066—1350)中世纪英语:基督教义,自我拯救1.传奇文学---传奇的兴起Romances1)容:传奇好像现在的长篇,有诗,有散文唯一的描写古代的高贵的英雄所经历的冒险生活和恋爱故事。
2)产生:传奇文学完全是由中世纪的“骑士制度”(Chivalry)所产生的,骑士制度的精神产物就是传奇文学所以他们和平民丝毫没有关系,且平民也绝写不出这一类的文字。
3)分类:不列颠的事迹 the matter of Britain法国的事迹罗马的事迹第三章:乔叟的时代(1350—1458)背景:百年战争(The Hundred’s War)1.Geoffrey Chaucer:文艺复兴以前,英国文学界最伟大的人物。
The Canterbury Tales1)三个阶段:第一时期--早年—模仿法国简短的情歌和寓言第二时期—研究意大利文艺的时期第三时期—在文学上成功的时期,为他自己以国文写作的时期2).近代诗人英文作家中,第一个以浪漫作风写男女日常生活的人3).特点:反对迫害,反对禁欲,文艺复兴的报春者a他在英语上发明音调b他把英国中部的日常言语加以修改,以告成英文与英国文学。
c完美的音律,倾向于音乐化d 创设接近社会生活的作品;眼光思想都很广阔;音乐的眼光第四章:民间文学1.歌谣的来源:歌德Geothe说:民歌的价值,全在直接从“自然“中得到它的原动力。
英国文学史发展历程
英国文学源远流长,经历了长期、复杂的发展演变过程。
在这个过程中,文学本体以外的各种现实的、历史的、政治的、文化的力量对文学发生着影响,文学内部遵循自身规律,历经盎格鲁-撒克逊、文艺复兴、新古典主义、浪漫主义、现实主义、现代主义等不同历史阶段。
下面对英国文学的发展过程作一概述。
一、中世纪文学(约5世纪-1485)英国最初的文学同其他国家最初的文学一样,不是书面的,而是口头的。
故事与传说口头流传,并在讲述中不断得到加工、扩展,最后才有写本。
公元5世纪中叶,盎格鲁、撒克逊、朱特三个日耳曼部落开始从丹麦以及现在的荷兰一带地区迁入不列颠。
盎格鲁-撒克逊时代给我们留下的古英语文学作品中,最重要的一部是《贝奥武甫》(Beowu lf),它被认为是英国的民族史诗。
《贝奥武甫》讲述主人公贝尔武甫斩妖除魔、与火龙搏斗的故事,具有神话传奇色彩。
这部作品取材于日耳曼民间传说,随盎格鲁-撒克逊人入侵传入今天的英国,现在我们所看到的诗是8世纪初由英格兰诗人写定的,当时,不列颠正处于从中世纪异教社会向以基督教文化为主导的新型社会过渡的时期。
因此,《贝奥武甫》也反映了7、8世纪不列颠的生活风貌,呈现出新旧生活方式的混合,兼有氏族时期的英雄主义和封建时期的理想,体现了非基督教日耳曼文化和基督教文化两种不同的传统。
公元1066年,居住在法国北部的诺曼底人在威廉公爵率领下越过英吉利海峡,征服英格兰。
诺曼底人占领英格兰后,封建等级制度得以加强和完备,法国文化占据主导地位,法语成为宫廷和上层贵族社会的语言。
这一时期风行一时的文学形式是浪漫传奇,流传最广的是关于亚瑟王和圆桌骑士的故事。
英国文学史简介
英国文学史简介英国文学源远流长,经历了长期、复杂的发展演变过程。
在这个过程中,文学本体以外的各种现实的、历史的、政治的、文化的力量对文学发生着影响,文学内部遵循自身规律,历经盎格鲁-撒克逊、文艺复兴、新古典主义、浪漫主义、现实主义、现代主义等不同历史阶段。
下面对英国文学的发展过程作一概述。
一、中世纪文学(约5世纪-1485)英国最初的文学同其他国家最初的文学一样,不是书面的,而是口头的。
故事与传说口头流传,并在讲述中不断得到加工、扩展,最后才有写本。
公元5世纪中叶,盎格鲁、撒克逊、朱特三个日耳曼部落开始从丹麦以及现在的荷兰一带地区迁入不列颠。
盎格鲁-撒克逊时代给我们留下的古英语文学作品中,最重要的一部是《贝奥武甫》(Beowulf),它被认为是英国的民族史诗。
《贝奥武甫》讲述主人公贝尔武甫斩妖除魔、与火龙搏斗的故事,具有神话传奇色彩。
这部作品取材于日耳曼民间传说,随盎格鲁-撒克逊人入侵传入今天的英国,现在我们所看到的诗是8世纪初由英格兰诗人写定的,当时,不列颠正处于从中世纪异教社会向以基督教文化为主导的新型社会过渡的时期。
因此,《贝奥武甫》也反映了7、8世纪不列颠的生活风貌,呈现出新旧生活方式的混合,兼有氏族时期的英雄主义和封建时期的理想,体现了非基督教日耳曼文化和基督教文化两种不同的传统。
公元1066年,居住在法国北部的诺曼底人在威廉公爵率领下越过英吉利海峡,征服英格兰。
诺曼底人占领英格兰后,封建等级制度得以加强和完备,法国文化占据主导地位,法语成为宫廷和上层贵族社会的语言。
这一时期风行一时的文学形式是浪漫传奇,流传最广的是关于亚瑟王和圆桌骑士的故事。
《高文爵士和绿衣骑士》(Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,1375-1400)以亚瑟王和他的骑士为题材,歌颂勇敢、忠贞、美德,是中古英语传奇最精美的作品之一。
传奇文学专门描写高贵的骑士所经历的冒险生活和浪漫爱情,是英国封建社会发展到成熟阶段一种社会理想的体现。
英国盎格鲁撒克逊时期
(二)丹麦人在英国的统治(1016-1042年)
★第一位丹麦国王克努特(1016-1035年在位)
郡区:诸多百户区组成。“郡长”:代管王室领地、 负责地方治安、征召民军、主持地方法庭,可从 地方法庭和自治市贸易税中提取三分之一收益。
自治市:独立于郡区之外,自治程度比郡大,全国 共有几十个,以伦敦为首,1042年伦敦人口1.2 万,约克、温彻斯特、林肯次之,居民在5000以 上。全国九成城市属于国王,另外一成属于教会。
《莫儿登》写成于10世纪末,也再现了古老的武 士时代的社会准则。
★宗教诗:《十字架之梦》、《朱迪思》。
2、散文:知名的两位作者是舍博恩主教奥德赫姆和“英 吉利学问之父”比德。
(二)史学
★比德:《英吉利教会史》,以罗马天主教会在 不列颠的传教为主要内容,记载了自597年奥古 斯丁来不列颠传教,到731年的历史。除利用罗 马教廷的资料外,还收集了口头和文字资料。对 了解当时不列颠的社会经济状况、阶级结构等具 有重要的史料价值。比德又被称为“英国历史之 父”。
二、争霸和统一
(一)七国时代(7世纪—870年) 诺森伯利亚、麦西亚、东昂格利亚、威塞克斯、埃塞 克斯、苏塞克斯和肯特。 七国为扩充疆域、争夺霸权征战不已。828年, 威塞克斯国王埃格伯(802-839年在位)统一七国, 被尊为“全英格兰的国王”。
(二)海盗来袭 来自北欧斯堪的纳维亚半岛的维京人(Viking),
“敞田”是一种古老的土地制度,它将土地 分割为许多条条块块,按土地肥力、水源状况等 不同条件,平均分配给许多不同的农民。耕种时, 各人耕种属于自己的地段,称作份地。但这些份 地不仅互相交叉,而且分散在许多不同的地区, 耕种起来非常不便。当这些地段上的农作物收获 以后,各地段的疆界将“敞开”,以供所有农户 放牧牛羊或收割柴草。
英美文学的历史背景与影响
英美文学的历史背景与影响英美文学是指英国和美国的文学作品,它们有着丰富的历史背景和深远的影响。
本文将从历史背景和文学影响两个方面来探讨英美文学。
一、历史背景1. 古代英国文学的起源古代英国文学的起源可以追溯到公元前450年的盎格鲁-撒克逊时期,此时盎格鲁-撒克逊人开始在英国定居。
他们的文学作品主要以口头传输形式存在,包括史诗、民间传说等,如《贝奥武夫》和《杰弗里·乔叟之坎特伯雷故事集》。
2. 文艺复兴时期的英国文学文艺复兴时期是英国文学史上的重要时期,主要集中在16世纪至17世纪,这一时期的作品受到古希腊罗马文化的影响,并追求艺术上的完美和人文主义的思想。
著名的作家包括莎士比亚和培根。
此外,英国文学在这段时期也开始出现宗教改革的影响,如约翰·冯·累因写的宗教诗歌。
3. 工业革命及维多利亚时代的英国文学工业革命对英国文学生了巨大的影响,在18世纪末期到19世纪中期,维多利亚时代英国文学迎来了鼎盛期。
作家们开始探讨社会问题和人性的复杂性,如狄更斯的《雾都孤儿》和勃朗特姐妹的《呼啸山庄》。
4. 美国独立与美国文学的崛起美国的独立战争为美国文学的兴起创造了条件。
美国文学在19世纪逐渐崛起,代表作家如爱默生、梭罗和马克·吐温。
同时,美国的白人和非洲裔文学开始同时存在,其中哈莱姆文艺复兴时期的文学成为美国文学的重要里程碑。
二、文学影响1. 对世界文学的影响英美文学的影响远远超出了英美两国的范围,它对世界文学产生了深远的影响。
莎士比亚的戏剧作品在全球范围广为演出,影响了戏剧、文化和艺术领域。
同时,美国文学作品如《钢铁是怎样炼成的》和《飘》也在全球范围内引起了广泛的关注。
2. 对文化的塑造英美文学承载了丰富的历史和文化,其作品不仅可以反映时代背景和价值观念,更对塑造文化起到了重要作用。
例如,莎士比亚创造了许多深入人心的角色形象和经典台词,如《罗密欧与朱丽叶》中的“情人之死”和《哈姆雷特》中的“生存还是毁灭,这是一个问题”。
(完整word版)英国文学史及选读作者及作品
英国文学史及选读作者及作品一、盎格鲁—撒克逊时期The Anglo-Saxon Period※《贝奥武甫》“The Song of Beowulf”《浪游者》“Widsith”or “The Traveller's Song"《航海家》“Seafarer”二、盎格鲁—诺曼时期The Anglo—Norman Period※《高文爵士和绿衣骑士》“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight ”杰弗里《史记》Geoffrey’s “History”莱亚门《布鲁特》Laysmon’s “Brust”《罗兰之歌》“Chanson de Roland”三、乔叟时期Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?-1400)※《坎特伯雷故事集》“The Canterbury Tales”《玫瑰传奇》“Romance of the Rose”《好女人的故事》“The Legend of Good Women”《声誉殿堂》“The House of Fame"《百鸟会议》“The Parliament of Fowls"《特罗伊勒斯和克莱西德》“Troilus and Gressie"大众民谣Popular Ballads※《罗宾汉和阿林代尔》“Robin Hood and Allin—a—Dale””※《起来,去关门》“Get Up and Bar the Door”※《派屈克·斯宾塞爵士》“Sir Patrick Spens”托马斯·帕西《英诗辑古》Bishop Thomas Percy ”Reliques of Anciet English Poetry”兰格论《农夫皮尔期》“The Vision of Piers,the Plowman”四、文艺复兴时期The Renaissance1.威廉·莎士比亚William Shakespeare(1564—1616)1590《亨利六世》第二部The Second Part of “King Henry Ⅵ”《亨利六世》第三部The Third Part of “King Henry Ⅵ”1591《亨利六世》第一部The First Part of “King Henry Ⅵ”1592《理查三世》“The Life and Death of King Richard Ⅲ”《错误的喜剧》“The Comedy of Errors”1593《泰特斯·安德鲁尼克斯》”Titus Andronicus”《驯悍记》“The Taming of the Shrew”1594《维洛那两绅士》“The Two Gentlemen of Verona”《爱的徒劳》“Love's Labour’s Lost”《罗密欧与朱丽叶》“Romeo and Juliet”1595《理查二世》“The Life and Death of King Richard Ⅱ"《仲夏夜之梦》“A Midsummer Night's Dream”1596《约翰王》“The Life and Death of King John”※《威尼斯商人》“The Merchant of Venice”1597《亨利四世》第一部The First Part of “King Henry Ⅳ”《亨利四世》第二部The Second Part of “King Henry Ⅳ”1598《无事生非》“Much Ado About Nothing”《温莎的风流娘儿们》”The Merry Wives of Windsor”《亨利五世》”The Life of King Henry Ⅴ”1599《尤利乌斯·凯撒》“The Life and Death of Julius Caesar”《皆大欢喜》”As You Like It”1600《第十二夜》“Twelfth Night ,or,What You Will”※1601《哈姆雷特》“Hamlet, Prince of Denmark"1602《特洛伊洛斯与克瑞西达》“Troilus and Cressida"《终成眷属》“All's Well That Ends Well”1604《一报还一报》“Measure for Measure"《奥塞罗》“Othello,the Moore of Venice”1605《李尔王》”King Lear”《麦克白》“The Tragedy of Macbeth" 1606《安东尼和克莉奥佩特拉》“Antony and Cleopatra”1607《科里奥拉鲁斯》”The Tragedy of Coriolanus”《雅典的泰门》“Timon of Athens”1608《佩里克利斯》“Pericles,Prince of Tyre”1609《辛白林》“Cymbeline,King of Britain”1610《冬天的故事》“The Winter’s Tale”《暴风雨》“The Tempest”《亨利八世》“The Life of King Henry Ⅷ”Poems《维纳斯与阿多尼斯》“Venus and Adonis”《露克丽丝受辱记》“Lucrece”※《十四行诗》“Sonnets"2。
英国文学——盎格鲁撒克逊时代PPT课件
Roman Evacuation
Trouble at home (Italy)
Evacuated Britain, leaving fixtures but no central government
Island weak, ripe for invasion
Video break: 3
VideHale Waihona Puke break: 4 & 6
Stowa Dark Ages: Three Elements that Join
Anglo-Saxon Life
NOT barbarians, though often depicted that way
Warfare was the order of the day
Engla land from the Angles
Anglo-Saxon Invasion
Celts put up a fight, then retreated to Wales
Welsh chieftain: Arthur
The Danes Invade
Alfred the Great unified the independent principalities against the invading Danes (Vikings, pirates, from Denmark)
Malory, 15th Century, Le Morte D’Arthur)
Different from Anglo-Saxon (which came later) Full of strong women Enchanted lands where magic and imagination
lecture 1- anglo-saxon period(英国文学盎格鲁撒克逊时期)
The invasion of Anglo-Saxons
Anglo—angul—hook fishermen Saxon—seax—a short sword hardy fighters The ancestors of the present English people King Arthur (a legendary figure) -- Celts
Kenning
A metaphor usually composed of two words the formula for a special object E.g. helmet bearer = ? The world candle = ? Whale road=? Ring giver= ? wave-traveler‖ or ―sea-wood‖ = ?
Preview questions
What is the influence of the Norman Conquest upon English language and literature? What are the essential features of romance in the Medieval English literature? What’s the general idea of the romance ― Sir Gawain and the Green Knight‖? What is Chaucer’s contribution to English language? summarize Chaucer’s literary career. What is the function of the Prologue to ― The Canterbury Tales‖? What is the social significance of ― The Canterbury Tales‖?
盎格鲁撒克逊文化传统
盎格鲁撒克逊文化传统
盎格鲁撒克逊文化是指英国在中世纪时期的一种文化传统,它包括了盎格鲁-撒克逊人在英国的历史、语言、宗教和艺术等方面的传统。
这一文化传统对于英国的历史和文化发展有着深远的影响,也在一定程度上影响了整个西方文明的发展。
在盎格鲁撒克逊文化传统中,最为重要的一部分就是语言。
盎格鲁-撒克逊语是一种日耳曼语言,它对于英语的形成和发展起到了重要的作用。
很多英语的词汇和语法都可以追溯到盎格鲁-撒克逊语,这也使得盎格鲁撒克逊文化传统在英国的文学和语言方面有着深远的影响。
除了语言之外,盎格鲁撒克逊文化传统还包括了宗教和艺术。
在中世纪时期,基督教在英国开始传播,盎格鲁-撒克逊人也逐渐接受了基督教信仰。
这一宗教传统对于英国的文化和社会发展产生了深远的影响,也在一定程度上影响了整个欧洲的宗教文化。
在艺术方面,盎格鲁撒克逊文化传统也有着独特的表现形式。
盎格鲁-撒克逊人擅长制作金属工艺品和编织品,他们的艺术作品在当时就被认为是非常珍贵的,也为后来英国的工艺品制作传统奠定了基础。
总的来说,盎格鲁撒克逊文化传统对于英国和整个西方文明的发展都有着深远的影响。
它不仅在语言、宗教和艺术方面有着独特的贡献,也为后来的文化传统和价值观奠定了基础。
因此,我们应该重视和传承盎格鲁撒克逊文化传统,让它继续在今天的社会中发挥作用。
英国文学史各个时期特点和代表
英国文学史各个时期特点和代表英国文学史各个时期特点和代表简述如下:盎格鲁撒克逊时期的文学有称为古英语文学。
在文学艺术上流行模仿法国的韵文体骑士传奇,其中最著名的也是我们学过的一篇文章高文骑士与绿衣骑士。
这篇文章主要赞颂了骑士的勇敢,诚实,礼貌和荣誉感。
作者运用了多种写作手法,生动的刻画了每个角色形象,细节真实。
除了骑士传奇外,爱国主义和英雄主义也是这个时期的一大文学特点。
我们学过的贝奥武甫就是那个时期最古老,最长的一部比较完整的文学作品。
它反映了武士们对忠诚和勇敢的追求,忠于国王也就是忠于集体。
14世纪后半段时,盎格鲁撒克逊时期的文学逐渐到达顶峰,出现了口头韵体诗。
我们称这个时期的文学为中世纪文学。
当时的人们喜欢探讨人间善恶,讽刺社会丑陋的行为。
因此诗人乔叟写下了坎特伯雷故事集。
我们可以看出中世纪英语文学的特点为:以诗歌为体裁,富有音乐性,韵律丰富;主题视角多元,围绕宗教(多讽刺宗教的腐败堕落),骑士精神,世俗生活展开。
后来英国开始文艺复兴运动,文艺复兴时期的文学最突出的就是诗歌和戏剧。
我们曾经背过的莎士比亚的十四行诗最具有代表性。
他的诗结构非常严谨,他将十四行诗分为两部分,第一部分为三个四行,第二部分为两行,美航十个音节,韵脚为abab,cdcd,efef,gg。
17世纪的英国文学是文艺复兴的延续和发展,我们称这个时期为传统和理性的时代。
这个时期的文学大多模仿古希腊罗马和当时法国的著作,追求理性,艺术形式的完美。
人文主义是当时的文学主流,它在思想上反对神权,封建制度,宣扬人性,赞美现世生活。
著名人物代表玛丽我司通克拉夫特就是当时的你才行政论家,作家和思想家。
她提出的女性并非天生低贱于男性,只有当她们取法足够的教育是才会显露出这一点引发了很多人的思考。
随着资本主义稳定发展,浪漫主义文学开始崛起。
这个时期的文学作品大多表达内心情感,反映普通生活。
华兹华斯的诗是这个时期文学的顶峰之作。
他认为诗必须含有强烈的情感,用平常而真实的语言写成。
英国文学简史
英国文学简史前言I这本书是关于英国文学的大体介绍。
它基于我对英国文学十年的阅读,教育还有研究经历以及我对有用的文学评论要旨的熟悉。
目录第一章古英语(盎格鲁撒克逊)时期—《贝奥武夫》—中世纪英语时期古英语(盎格鲁撒克逊)时期英国文明是世界上最古老的文明之一。
它现存的标志之一就是追溯到公元前1400—1800的巨石阵,那时,人类仍然缠绕在时代的迷雾当中。
这是一堆史前的有纪念意义的石头,象征着相当先进的工程和天文学。
像这样先进的工程和天文学也只能是一个完整先进的文化得一部分,正如人类历史表明,一个先进的文化,不得不作为支流有一个先进的文学,该国家的古人们必须已经拥有他们自己的史前文学。
但是那些可能以口语形式或者其他形式存在的文学除了留下一些碎片和残留物什么都没有留下。
这可能是凯尔特人摧毁的。
凯尔特人很可能是史上记载的第一批大不列颠岛居住者。
这些强有力建立的民族和深受喜爱的人民非常顽强,他们喜爱战争。
他们部落当中的一个,大不列颠在公元前5世纪建立,保持了将近500多年,给这个部落命名为:“大不列颠”,意思是“大不列颠人民的土地”。
凯尔特人遗留下一个传统,就是口头讲述神话和传说的传统,其中亚瑟的传说是重要的一部分。
大约在公元前55年,尤里乌斯·凯撒的罗马士兵来到这里停留了5个世纪,把他们的文明给移植到了这块土地上。
罗马人修建了公路和桥梁,树立了雕塑,在浴池的温泉旁边修建了浴室,里面装有加热系统。
当时凯尔特人和罗马人的文化遗产被公元前5世纪的央格鲁撒克逊侵略者摧毁。
央格鲁撒克逊是德国部落的一支,他们居住在易北河河口,沿着北海。
他们来到北海把凯尔特人驱赶到北部和西部,慢慢地发展他们自己的语言和文化。
央格鲁撒克逊成为古英语,这个地方成为英格兰或者是央格鲁人土地,“央格鲁人的土地。
”这一时期通常是这块土地上的小规模国家之间的战争时期。
公元597年,央格鲁撒克逊开始信仰基督教。
在7世纪的下半世纪,第一位英国诗人凯德盟,开始唱歌。
英国文学考试重点(上下两册)
1、The Anglo-Saxon Period盎格鲁撒克逊时期(strength & somberness)The literature of this period falls naturally into two divisions---pagan 异教and Christian基督教Cynewulf 基涅武甫the author of poem on religious subject 宗教诗Caedmon 凯德蒙the father of English song 用诗歌的形式译圣经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.作者不明Grendel格伦德尔-a monster half-humanThe only existing manuscript of the 10th century and was not discovered until 1705.The whole epic consists of 3182 lines and is to be decided into 2 parts with an interpolation between the two.The forefathers of the Jutes2、The Anglo-Norman Period盎格鲁-诺曼底时期(bright,romantic tales of love and adventure English language became)The three chief effects of the conquest were: 1. the bringing of Roman civilization to England 2. the growth of nationality 3. the new language and literature, which were proclaimed in ChaucerThree classes: the Matter of France, the Matter of Greece and Rome, the Matter of BritainKing Arthur「亚瑟王」Sir Gawain and the Green Knight高文骑士和绿衣骑士3、Geoffrey Chaucer杰弗里•乔叟(首创heroic couplet),the "father of English poetry" and one of the greatest narrative poets of England. It is characteristic that his allegories and symbols are already tinged with realistic images.English tonico-syllabic verseLondon dialectThe Canterbury Tales坎特伯雷故事集(本应有32个香客,128个故事,最终只完成了24个)Prologue总引is a splendid masterpiece of realistic portrayal, the first of its kind in the history of English literature. In this poem Chaucer's realism, trenchant irony and freedom of views reached such a high level of power that it had no equal in all the English literature up to the 16th century. His work is permeated with buoyant free-thinking, so characteristic of the age of Renaissance whose immediate forerunner Chaucer thus became.4、The Renaissance 文艺复兴The term Renaissance originally indicated a revival of classical(Greek and Roman) arts and sciences after the dark ages of medieval obscurantism蒙昧主义They held their chief interest not in ecclesiastical knowledge, but in man, his environment and doings and bravely fought for the emancipation of man from the tyranny of the church and religious dogmas.Thus Wyatt 怀亚特was the first to introduce the sonnet into English literature.Christopher Marlowe made blank verse无韵体诗William Shakespeare was one of the first founder of realism. Hamlet is the profoundest expression of Shakespeare’s humanism and his criticism of contemporary life. “to be or not to be”.Francis Bacon培根his work of three classes: philosophical, literary, professional works. The largest and important works Maxims of the law and Reading on the Statute of Uses. Of Truth & Of studies5、Revolution & RestorationMetaphysical poets玄学诗Restoration(witty and clever, but on whole immoral and cynical)John Milton约翰弥尔顿(文艺复兴之子)his greatest work Paradies lost presents the his views in an allegoric religious form. Paradies lost(12 books marked for its intricate and contradictory composition, based on the bible legend of the imaginary progenitors of the human race, Adam, Eve, Satan)John Bunyan班扬The Pilgrim’s Progress天路历程written in the old-fashion, medieval form of allegory and dream.6、Enlightenment (man)Three main divisions: the reign of so-called classism, the revival of romantic poetry, the beginning of the modest novel. Prose rather than poetry.代表人物Joesph Addison& Richard SteelePope( elaborate heroic couplets) Henry Field and Tobias George Smollet are the real founders of bourgeois realistic novel. The most outstanding personality of the epoch of Enlightenment in England was Jonathan Swift---Gulliver’s Travels. -(Lilliput) Sentimentalism---Laurence Sterne Pre-romanticism“Gothic Novel”Daniel Defoe Robinson Crusoe7、The Romantic PeriodWilliam Blake and Robert Burns represented the spirit of what is usually called Pre-Romanticism.William Wordsworth’s Lyrical BalladsThe most important and decisive factor in the development of literature is economics. It was greatly influenced by the Industrial Revolution and the French Revolution.Thus, a new class, proletariat, had sprung into existence.The Revolution proclaimed the natural rights of man and the abolition of class distinctions.“liberty, equality and fraternity”The Reform Bill of 1832 shifted the center of political power to the middle class.Romanticism beginning with the publication of Wordsworth’s Lyrical Ballads, ending with Walter Scott’s death.The 18th century was distinctively an age of prose.Poetry is the highest form of literary expressionColeridge and Southey, Wordsworth, so-called Lake PoetsThe great literary impulse the age is the impulse of Individualism in a wonderful variety of forms.Byron拜扬(Don Juan)Percy Bysshe Shelley雪莱(To the skylark-waking or asleep; teach me half the gladness)John Keats (Ode on a Grecian Urn-beauty is truth, truth beauty) Walter Scott (the father of Europe historical novel) Jane Austen (pried and prejudice) 8、The Victorian AgeCritical realismThe greatest English realist of the time was Charles Dickens(Oliver Twist雾都孤儿).Another critical realist - William Makepeace Thackeray was a no less severe exposer of contemporary society. Thackeray’s novels mainly contain a satirical portrayal of the upper strata of society.Chartist literature宪章文学, the struggle of the proletariat for its rightsR. Browning, humanismCharlotte Bronte (Jane Eyre简爱) Emily Bronte (Wuthering Heights呼啸山庄)9、The 20th Century LiteratureThe first disturbing factor was imperialism帝国主义Another factor that influenced literature for the worse was a widespread demand for social reform of every kind.Thomas Hardy (Tess of the D’Urebervilles)wrence (Oedipus complex 恋母情结)“art for art’s sake”with Oscar Wilde奥斯卡维尔德Anti-realistic art and literature反现实文学Oscar Wilde is the most conspicuous 颓废派writer and poet of the English decadence.Virginia Woolf & James Joyce are novelist of Stream-of-consciousness。
英国文学教学大纲
四、考核要求
(一)17世纪文学概述
1.识记
1)17世纪文学的界定
2)历史文化背景
2.领会
1)17世纪文学的特点
2)弥尔顿的革命史诗和班扬的寓言作品
第五章英国启蒙时期的文学
一、学习目的和要求
通过本章的学习,了解18世纪初期至中叶英国现代文学产生的历史文化背景,认识该时期文学创作的基本特征、基本主张及对当代英国文学发展的影响;了解该时期主要用家的文学生涯、创作意图、艺术特色及代表作品的主题结构、人物刻画的语言风格;读懂所选作品,了解思想内容和写作特色,培养理解和欣赏文学作品的能力。
二、课程内容
(一)英国启蒙时期的文学
1.历史背景及文化背景
1)小说的兴起
2)前期浪漫主义诗歌
(二)主要作家
1.丹尼尔·笛福
1)迪福的生平概述
2)迪福的小说《鲁宾逊漂流记》
2.斯威福特
1)斯威福特的生平概述
2)斯威福特的小说《格利弗游记》
3.亨利·菲尔丁
4.托马斯·格雷
5.威廉姆·布莱克
6.罗勃特·彭斯
三、考核知识点
(一)概述、历史、文化背景
(二)考核要求
1.熟记启蒙时期的主要特点
2.分析小说的写作方法
3.前期浪漫主义诗歌的特点
第五章英国浪漫主义时期的文学
一、学习目的和要求
通过本章的学习了解到浪漫主义的文学特征、英国浪漫主义的标志性事件和代表作家。学会赏析华兹华斯、拜伦、雪莱和济慈等诗人的代表作品,熟悉以上作家的写作风格。掌握简·奥斯丁的代表作品和写作风格。
2.弗朗西斯·培根
1)弗朗西斯·培根的生平
2)弗朗西斯·培根的散文
三、考核知识点
anglo-saxon 写作手法
anglo—saxon写作手法盎格鲁—撒克逊时期(Anglo—SaxonPeriod)1、撒克逊时期主要文学(古英语阶段)历史背景方面,撒克逊时期,无非就是三个部落定居,后来遭到维京人、丹麦人入侵,阿尔弗莱德带领人民击退外敌,解放英国的背景,这里不详述,直接从文学上看。
首先,从文学题材上来看,撒克逊时期的文学主要可以分为异教文学(Pagan)和基督教文学(Christian)还有史诗(Epic),异教文学当中的诗歌主要是撒克逊民族从北欧带过来的,撒克逊民族来自北欧,是无神论的民族,但是相信北欧神话。
他们的诗歌主要是由游吟诗人在宴会上唱给首领和武士听的英雄史诗,其中最著名的就是贝奥武夫(Beowulf),基督教文学则是由精通文学的僧侣们发展起来的,尤其是他们带来了拉丁语,对当时的诗歌和散文影响极大。
至于史诗当时应该是希腊比较繁荣,史诗描写的民族形成过程中战胜各种困难的故事。
其次,从文体上来讲,撒克逊时代的文学主要古英语短诗和古英语散文,诗歌当中除了贝奥武夫这样的英雄史诗,还留存下来一些短诗,其中包括《瓦地尔》、《威德西斯》等等,关于基督教的有很多,比如说凯德蒙、琴涅武甫写的诗歌,凯德蒙是听过僧侣们讲过的圣经故事,以圣经为内容写诗(头韵体),代表作有两篇《创世纪》,琴涅武甫则写圣徒行传,代表作有《十字架之梦》等。
撒克逊时期的散文从8世纪开始出现,散文成就比较高的有比德和阿尔弗莱德(Alfred),比德被称为“英国历史之父”,他的主要作品就是五卷《英国人民宗教史》,关于诗人凯德蒙的传说就源于此。
关于阿尔弗莱德,他是一名传奇的英雄式的国王,九世纪的英国还屡遭丹麦入侵,他带领人民击退敌军,统一王国,此后,阿尔弗莱德大兴教育,召集学者翻译拉丁文著作,复兴文化。
尤其,他本人还主编了《盎格鲁一撒克逊编年史》(TheAnglo—SaxonChronicle),由此他被称为“英国散文之父”,编年史亦可以视作英国散文的开端。
英国文学史盎格鲁撒克逊时期Part I
Part I. English Literature of the Anglo-Saxon Period (449-1066)1.The Historical Background:Before the coming of the Anglo-Saxons, the Celtic tribes lived in what is now Britain. In the middle of the first century B.C., Roman troops led by Julius Caesar invaded Britain, then Claudius conquered it in A.D. 43 and Britain became a Roman province till the beginning of the fifth century. During their rule the Romans built roads, walls, garrisons, villas, etc., and the Celtic became either slaves or unfree cultivators of the land. Then, in early 5th century, as the Germanic races attacked and overran the Roman Empire, the Roman garrisons in Britain withdraw.Not long after that, in the mid-5th century, the tribes of Angles, Saxons and Jutes (later known simply as Anglo-Saxons) migrated to England from the European Continent, or more specifically from western Denmark and the northwest coast of Germany. They settled down there and soon ruled over the whole of England, enslaving some of the native Celts while driving the others to the hills north and west, to Wales and Scotland and even Ireland across the sea. Thus began the Anglo-Saxon period in English history.While still on the Continent, the Anglo-Saxons were in the later stages of tribal society. Their common occupation was agriculture, with a small number of them already set apart as professional soldiers or as hereditary military leaders. Some of these leaders gradually became thanes or the nobility and a few of them rose to be chieftains or even kings. Settlement in Britain hastened the disintegration of tribalism as the tribal chieftains and thanes had the possession of large tracts of land and grew in wealth and power while the free farmers became more and more dependent economically.By the 7th century, seven kingdoms of fairly large territories emerged out of more numerous smaller kingdoms and there were wars among them. Of the seven Mercia and then Northumberland in the north flourished particularly in wealth and culture in the 7th and 8th centuries, and Wessex in the south became a more important centre of military and political power and assumed supremacy in culture and learning in the 9th and 19th centuries. Beginning from late 8th century the Danes came to invade England and for more than a century they made intermittent raids on the eastern coast of Britain and occupied for fairly long periods of time large areas of northeastern England. In late 9th century King Alfred the Great (A.D. 840-901?) of the Kingdom of Wessex successfully led the English people in a protracted war against the invading Danes who were threatening to overrun the whole country. The invaders were repulsed and gradually all the kingdoms in England were united into one.In early 11th century the Danes again came to invade England and under Canute they conquered and ruled over all England for a quarter of a century (A.D. 1017-1042). Then, following the expulsion of the Danes the Normans from Normandy in northern France came to invade England in 1066, and under the leadership of William the Duke of Normandy who claimed the succession to the English throne they succeeded in defeating the English troops and conquering the whole of England. The “Norman Conquest”marked the end of the Anglo-Saxon period.In late Saxon England feudalism assumed definite shape, with the king at the top, then the earls and the thanes, then the freemen and last the serfs. Agriculture developed and trade expanded. Towns came into existence and wealth became more concentrated. With the Norman Conquest feudalism underwent further development.The Anglo-Saxons were heathen upon their first arrival in England. In A.D. 597 the first missionaries led by St. Augustine came to England from Rome and converted King Ethelbert of Kent, and within a century all England was Christianized. Churches were built and the monks were among the most learned in the country. The heathen mythology was gradually replaced by the Christian religion, but heathen concepts of nature and the supernatural persisted for a considerable period of time and often were curiously mixed with Christian views and expressions. This phenomenon found its expression not infrequently in literary works of the Anglo-Saxon period.2.“Beowulf” the National Epic of the Anglo-Saxon:The earliest poetry of the Anglo-Saxons, like that of many other peoples, originated from the collective efforts of the people, usually while they were working or resting from their labors. Then these stories based on history or legend or contemporaneous events would be narrated orally and often sung, during festivities and other occasions, chiefly for entertainment. Some of the more interesting of these narratives would pass from mouth to mouth, from generation to generation, and as they were told by different singers at different times, additions or deletions were introduced in the successive rehandlings of the oral tradition of each epic.With the disintegration of tribal society and the appearance of class divisions, professional narrators or singers of these popular stories emerged. They were known as “scops” or “gleemen” among the Anglo-Saxons, the former being poet-singers who sang poetic tales of their own making while the latter mere retellers of epics already in circulation. At first these “scops” and “gleemen” also served as priests gibing spells or citing incantations on various solemn occasions but later they became simply wandering minstrels traveling extensively from one chieftain’s court to that of another, providing entertainment with their singing. Two of the earliest Anglo-Saxon lyrics extant, “Widsith” (probably of the 7th century) and “Deor’s Lament” (probably of the 8th century), are good literary specimens that illustrate the life and social position of the later “scops” or “gleemen”.Because these popular narratives of the Anglo-Saxons in the earliest times existed originally in oral tradition and few of them seemed to have been handed down in written form, “Beowulf”is possibly the only important single poem of this kind preserved to this day more or less in its entirety and has generally been considered the most monumental work in English poetry of the Anglo-Saxon period.“Beowulf” probably existed in its oral form as early as the 6th century and was written down in the 7th or 8th century, though the manuscript of the poem now extant dated back to the 10th century. It contains 3183 lines of alliterative verse, being the longest of the early Anglo-Saxon poems preserved. The story in the epic is based on part-historical, part-legendary material brought over to England by the Anglo-Saxons from their original homes on the European Continent. So Beowulf the hero of thepoem and his adventures are placed in Denmark and southern Sweden rather than in England.The poem opens with a brief account of the line of Danish kings down to Hrothgar, Beowulf’s kinsman who builds a splendid hall names Heorot to entertain his followers (lines 1-100 in the poem). A monster by the name of Grendel frequently comes to the hall at night and at one time devours as many as thirty warriors sleeping there, so that the hall is deserted after dark (lines 101-193). The news of Grendel’s ravages finally reaches southern Sweden, where Beowulf, nephew to King Hygelac of he Geats and a man of great strength, hears of it and sails with fourteen companions to lend help to Hrothgar. They reach the Danish coast and are directed by the watchman to Hrothgar’s abode (lines 194-319). There the Danish king tells of his friendship with Beowulf’s father Ecgtheow and Beowulf states the purpose of his coming. Then the cisitors ae invited to a feast (lines 320-497). At the banquet one of Hrothgar’s followers Unferth speaks tauntingly to Beowulf and our hero retorts by relating his successful contest with a certain Breca in swimming (lines 498-606). Thereupon Hrothgar’s queen, Wealhtheow, fills Beowulf’s cup and the hero utters his determination to conquer the monster or die. Soon it grows dark and the king and his retinue depart, leaving Beowulf and his men to guard the hall (lines 607-665).Then the first adventure begins. Before Beowulf and his companions get ready to go to sleep, the former puts off his armour and declares not to use his sword in the coming combat. Soon enough Grendel bursts into the hall and very quickly eats up one of the warriors and comes directly to Beowulf. The hero then engages in a terrific battle with the monster ass the hall rings with the sound of their combat. Eventually Beowulf tears an arm and a shoulder off the monster who runs away, mortally wounded (lines 665-833). The victor displays Grendel’s torn arm and the Danes show their admiration by telling stories of the heroes of the past. Then Hrothgar comes and rewards Beowulf with rich gifts (lines 834-1062). At the feast that follows, Hrothgar’s minstrel sings of old tales (lines1063-1159), and the queen appears and thanks Beowulf and presents him with a valuable necklace which is later worn by Hygelac and becomes the property of the Franks after the latter’s death (lines 1160-1232). Hrothgar and Beowulf now retire while a number of warriors stay on in the hall for the night. Then Grende’s mother comes and carries off Aeschere, the kings’chief councilor (lines1233-1306). Beowulf is sent for and Hrothgar tells him of the tragic event and describes the abode of the monsters and Beowulf promises to avenge Aeschere (lines 1306-1396).The second adventure opens with Beowulf and his companions setting out for a pool and upon arrival he plunges into the water and reaches a cave underneath. There he engages in a long struggle with Grende l’s mother and finally succeeds in killing her with a magic sword of the ancient giants hanging in the cave. He cuts off her head as well as that of her son Grendel lying dead nearby. With these as his booty he returns to the shore of the pool where his companions are still waiting, already in despair about his life (lines 1397-1631). The victors march back to Heorot and are welcomed by Hrothgar who eulogizes the hero but then enters into a lengthy moralizing discourse on the evils of pride (lines 1632-1784). The next day Beowulfbids farewell to Hrothgar who rewards him with further gifts and the visiting warriors embark to return to their native land (lines 1785-1921). Then, after a laudatory account of the virtues of Hygd, King Hygelac’s young wife, we are told of the meeting between Hygelac and Beowulf at which the latter first speaks digressively of the relations between Hrothgar and his daughter Freawaru and son-in-law Ingeld, and then gifts are exchanged between uncle Hygelac and nephew Beowulf (lines 1922-2199). After a lapse of time Hygelac dies and his son succeeds to the throne but is soon killed in battle by the Swedes. Then Beowulf is chosen king and he rules gloriously over the Geats for fifty years (lines 2200-2210).The third and last adventure of our hero takes place in his own country. A dragon has kept guard over a hidden treasure hoarded for many years but suddenly finds part of the hoard stolen by a runaway slave, and in revenge he starts to ravage the land with the fatal blasts of his fiery breath. Beowulf, now an aged king, resolves to fight with the dragon himself (lines 2210-1349). But before the description of the battle, lengthy digressions are introduced. First there are reminiscencesby our hero, as he recalls how at a battle in the land of the Frisians Hygelac lost his life while Beowulf himself escaped by swimming, how upon his return therefrom he refused the throne offered him by Hygelac’s widow-queen Hygd, how young Heardred succeeded his father Hygelac but was soon lain by the Swedish king Onela and finally how Beowulf some time later avenged the death of Heardred by participating in a feud that led to Onela’s death (lines 2349-2396). Then, the main thread of the story is resumed with an account of Beowulf taking with him twelve companions and approaching the shore dwelling of the dragon, but a second digression is inserted as the old king recollects the more remote past of his family history: how one brother of Hygelac’s, Haethcyn, then the king of the Geats, accidentally killed another bother Herebeald, how their father Hrethel died of grief in consequence, how subsequently in a war with the Sweded Haethcyn and the Swedish king Ongentheow, Onela’s father, were both killed, How Hygelac the third brother died among the Frisians, and how there Beowulf killed Daeghrefn a warrior of the Hugas (lines 2397-2509). Then when the main narrative is picked up again, Beowulf orders his men to wait outside while he goes down to the mound of the hoard where the dragon lives. There he is attacked by the dragon and his sword fails him when he uses it to pierce the monster’s scales. Beowulf now falls under the threat of the fiery breath of the dragon and is in great danger, but one of the companions Wiglaf, son of Weoxstan, rushes down to help while the other companions flee into a wood. In the meantime Beowulf strikes at the dragon on the head, but his sword breaks and the dragon seizes him by the neck. In the nick of time Wiglaf succeeds in wounding the dragon and Beowulf kills the monster with his knife (lines 2510-2709). But the old king is himself mortally wounded, and as Wiglaf brings the treasure out of the hoard, the king gives his last orders about his own funeral and presents the faithful companion with his armour and necklace and then dies (lines 2709-2842). The cowardly warriors now return and Wiflaf rebukes them and sends a messenger to the people to announce the king’s death. The messenger in his speech foretells the disasters that are to follow Beowulf’s death, recalling the former wars with the Franks, the Frisians and the Swedes andprophesying future strife with these enemies now that the hero is no longer alive to protect his people. Then the people arrive at the scene of the fight and carry away the treasure hoard. Wiglaf repeats Beowulf’s dying instructions, and the dragon is thrown into the sea as a funeral pyre is built on which Beowulf’s body is buried. Over his remains a huge mound is piled up and the dragon’s treasures are placed therein. Twelve warriors ride round the barrow lamenting the death of Beowulf and praising his virtues as a great and good king: “of all kings he was the gentlest and most gracious of men, the kindest to his people and the most desirous of renown”(lines 2842-3183).Except for occasional digressions when the hero recalls past events or when some gleemen sings a tale, “Beowulf”as a poem centres on the narration of the exploits of the heroic figure Beowulf, including his adventures with Grendel and his mother in Denmark and with the dragon in the land of the Geats. In other words, it is a long verse narrative on the theme theme of “arms and the man” and such belongs to the tradition of a national epic in European literature that van be traced back to Homer’s “Iliad” and Vergil’s “Aeneid”.Another characteristic of the epic tradition to be found in “Beowulf”is the part-historical, part-legendary origin of the story. It’s part-historical as quite a number of the characters either appearing or mentioned in the poem are real persons lifted from the pages of history, including King Hrothgar of the Danes (based on “Historia Danica” of Saxo Grammaticus) and King Hygelac of the Geats (based on “Historica Francorum”of Gregory of Tours and “Gesta Regum Francorum”as well as “Liber Monstrorum”), both of whom play rather important roles in the development of the tale. Besides, several digressional episodes in the epic, those about Finn and Hnaef (in the gleeman’s lay) and about Ingeld and Freawaru as well as the one about the wars between the Swedes and the Geats, all have their historical basis. And these historical figures and events place the poem in the historical period of the disintegration of tribal society, when there were tribal wars as well as inter- and intra-family feuds among the rulers. But the hero Beowulf is essentially a legendary figure. His name cannot be found in any historical document, and all that scholarly research can do has been to try to identify him with Beowa, a deity in Northern Mythology known to have killed sea monsters and dragons, or to compare him with Sigmund or his son Sigourd (alias Siegfried) in the “Edda” or “V olsunga Saga” or “Nibelungenlied”, though his relations with Hygelac and the Geat People and with Hrothgar and the Danes all appear to be rather realistic reflections of the social cinditionsof the tribal age during which the poem must have been first conceived and sung. Also, Beowulf’s fights with Grendel and Grende l’s mother and the dragon, all with a distinctly mythical or fabular character, have their parallels in other European legends, and they also illustrate the common desire of the tribal people in ancient times to conquer the mysterious forces of nature that wrought havoc upon human society.There can be little doubt that the development of “Beowulf” as an epic, from its oral tradition to its present written form, took up several centuries. The fact that the locale of the story is set in Denmark and southern Sweden shows all too clearly that the tale was brought over by the Angles, Saxons or more likely Jutes from theirContinental homes upon their immigration to England. Therefore, while the epic contains chiefly reflections of tribal society in a heathen world, there are also many feudal elements in it and some Christian coloring. For instance, while the chief theme of the poem is the primitive people’s struggle against hostile forces of the natural world under a wise and mighty leader and there are gleeman’s tales of tribal wars and inter- and intra-family feuds and of intimate kinsmen’s relationship between the kings and their warriors, yet on the other hand the kings described not only were already hereditary but were possessed of absolute authority to have big halls built and hold feasts there and dispense gifts to his guests and followers. The warriors or thanes were loyal subjects of the king and were ever ready to risk their lives for their sovereign, and they resembled somewhat the feudal knights as they sallied forth on their adventures to kill monsters and dragons in order to relieve the distressed. Also there is in the poem obvious censure here and there of the bloody feuds among the kinsmen in the ruling circles. Even the story of the runaway slave’s robbery of the hoard of gold and of the dragon’s revenge for the loss is a motif that has its many parallels in other old legendary tales in European poetry (e.g., the Nibelungenlied”) and belongs to the feudal age rather than to the earlier days of tribalism.Likewise, the curious mixing in the poem of pagan elements with Christian coloring was the natural result of the epic descending from its original oral form and passing through the hands of a number of different scribes from generation to generation. The most striking example is the frequent reference in the epic to “wyrd”(i.e., fate) as the decisive factor in human affairs, but at other times and in different places there is also the mention of “God” or “Lord” as the omniscient and omnipotent being that rules over the whole universe. Sometimes the poet-singer even interrupts the narrative with uncalled-for interpolations to point to God’s intervention in helping the virtuous and punishing the wicked or to lament the misfortunes of the heathens who were unable to see the invisible power of God everywhere. Direct but rather curious references to Biblical personages are also occasionally to be found, such as identifying the monster Grendel with “the children of Cain”. Also, in Hrothgar’s lengthy passages of moralizing following Beowulf’s conquest of Grendel’s mother and in the not infrequent comments here and there on the brevity and transitoriness of human existence, the influence of Christian religion is quite unmistakable, with its emphasis on moral behavior and on the importance of “future life”above earthly bliss.But, on the whole, the pagan mood is more dominant and tribal life rather than feudal ways seems to be the determining factor for the main structure of the story. However, though the tale deals with happenings on the European Continent, the extant written version of the poem grew up on the English soil and consequently must have absorbed much from the social life and manners of the Anglo-Saxons following their settlement in England, so it is not improper to consider the work as an early national epic of the English people.Anglo-Saxon or Old English, in which “Beowulf” was written, represents the earliest stage in the history of the English language and is very different from modern English. It appears almost like another language altogether and cannot be understoodtoday by English-speaking peoples unless one consults notes and glossary in detail or reads its translation in modern English. It was closely related to Old Low German and therefore it is highly-inflected like other Germanic languages. “Beowulf” was written in alliterative verse, employing the device of alliteration instead of the use of rhymes or blank verse that was common to the English poems beginning from the Middle English period. In the practice of alliteration, words beginning with the same consonants alliterate with each other within each line, or a word beginning with a vowel alliterates with another word beginning with the same or another vowel. Each line of verse may contain an indefinite number of words or syllables but generally has four stresses, with a pause between the second and the third stresses, thus breaking the line into two parts. Alliteration invariably falls upon the stressed syllables, but not all four of the stresses in a line need to alliterate, usually two or three of them alliterate, with at least one from each half-line. The first three lines of the original poem are given here as specimen, with their translation into modern English provided below: Hwaet! We Gar-Dena in gear-dagumPeod-cyninga prym gefranon,Hupa aeth lingas ellen fremedon.(Lo! We Spear-Danes in days long pastOf warrior kings’glory have heard,How the princes wrought deeds of prowess.)One peculiar characteristic of style in “Beowulf”is the frequent use of compound-words to serve as indirect metaphors that are sometimes very picturesque. These are known as “kennings”, such as: “swan-road”, “whale-path”or “seal-bath”used to refer to the sea; “wave-tra veler”, to indicate a ship; “shield-bearer”, “battle-hero”or “spear-fighter”as substitute for the word “soldier”; “sword-clashings”or “edge-clash”to describe battlings or fights; “ring-mail”, “limb-sark” or “breast-net” as equivalent to armour.“Beowulf”towers above all other literary works written in Anglo-Saxon, chiefly because it is a powerful poem about a people’s hero written in true epic style, and not so much because the other extant writings of the period are mediocre or fragmentary. Beowulf is not simply a man of great military prowess but he is forever eager to help others in distress and in his last adventure with the dragon he shows himself a worthy leader ready to sacrifice his own life for the welfare of his people. Setting aside the supernatural elements pervading the poem as an inevitable limitation of the tribal-feudal age, “Beowulf” deserves to be ranked among the great heroic poems of northern Europe though it has not been as well known as the “Nibelungenlied”. In artistic form the epic tells the tale in a leisurely way, full of elaborations in legendary details, and the verse rises at places to heights of poetic grandeur, particularly in the descriptions of the hero’s nobility of character and in the narrations of his courageous batttlings with malevolent foes.。
盎格鲁撒克逊文学作品
盎格鲁撒克逊文学作品
【原创实用版】
目录
一、盎格鲁撒克逊文学作品概述
二、盎格鲁撒克逊文学作品的特点
三、盎格鲁撒克逊文学作品的影响
正文
一、盎格鲁撒克逊文学作品概述
盎格鲁撒克逊文学作品是指在盎格鲁撒克逊人统治时期的英国创作的文学作品。
这一时期从 5 世纪持续到 11 世纪,期间涌现出了许多优秀的文学作品,如《贝奥武甫》、《盎格鲁撒克逊编年史》等。
这些作品主要以盎格鲁撒克逊语写成,是研究这一时期英国历史、文化、宗教和社会的重要资料。
二、盎格鲁撒克逊文学作品的特点
1.盎格鲁撒克逊文学作品以盎格鲁撒克逊语为主要语言,这使得它们在语言和词汇上具有鲜明的民族特色。
2.盎格鲁撒克逊文学作品的主题多围绕着英勇的战士、忠诚的友谊和勇敢的冒险展开,体现了盎格鲁撒克逊民族的尚武精神和对英勇行为的崇尚。
3.盎格鲁撒克逊文学作品在形式上具有较强的民间性质,很多作品以口头传统为主要传播方式,反映了这一时期英国民间的文化生活。
三、盎格鲁撒克逊文学作品的影响
盎格鲁撒克逊文学作品对后世英国文学产生了深远的影响。
在 11 世纪诺曼征服英格兰后,盎格鲁撒克逊文学作品逐渐被拉丁文和法语文学所取代。
然而,在 14 世纪,随着英国民族意识的觉醒,盎格鲁撒克逊文学
作品开始受到重视,并成为英国文学史上的重要组成部分。
这些作品不仅影响了英国文学的风格和主题,还对英国的语言、文化、历史和宗教产生了深远的影响。
同时,盎格鲁撒克逊文学作品也对其他欧洲文学产生了一定的影响,如德国的《尼伯龙根之歌》等。
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The Spread of Christianity
Christianity
Irish and Continental missionaries converted Anglo-Saxon kings and the people followed Provided a common faith and a common system of morality Linked England to Europe
Roman Evacuation
Trouble at home (Italy) Evacuated Britain, leaving fixtures but no central government Island weak, ripe for invasion
Video break: 3
Bards: Entertainers/Historians
Scops Skilled storytellers Equal in stature to warriors; creating poetry just as important as hunting, fishing, farming, or loving
Anglo-Saxon Success
Fame and success gained only through LOYALTY to the leader Success measured in gifts from the leader
Anglo-Saxon Life
Dominated by need to protect People lived close to animals in single-family homesteads around common area or a warm, fire-lit chieftan‟s hall Wooden stockade fence around all Arrangement brought closeness to leader and followers Rule by consensus
Celtic Mythology
Arthur – legendary Celtic warrior; became embodiment of English values (Sir Thomas Malory, 15th Century, Le Morte D‟Arthur) Different from Anglo-Saxon (which came later) Full of strong women Enchanted lands where magic and imagination rule
Anglo-Saxon Invasion
Celts put up a fight, then retreated to Wales Welsh chieftain: Arthur
red the Great unified the independent principalities against the invading Danes (Vikings, pirates, from Denmark) Plundered and destroyed a path through the country before settling in northeast and central England Battle continued until 1066 (over 150 years), when William, Duke of Normandy, defeated them all
Anglo-Saxon Religion
More concerned with ethics than mysticism – with the earthly virtues of bravery, loyalty, generosity, and friendship
Video break: 7
Monks
Recorded works of oral tradition in the language of the people: Old English Recorded principal works in Latin, the language of the Church Copied manuscripts by hand in scriptorium (a covered walkway); oiled paper or glass kept out some weather
Video break: 4 & 6
Stowa Dark Ages: Three Elements that Join
Anglo-Saxon Life
NOT barbarians, though often depicted that way Warfare was the order of the day Law and order was the responsibility of the leader
Video break: 1 & 2
The Dark Ages Roman Britain
Roman Invaders
55 B.C. Julius Caesar began invasions and claimed Britain for Rome Claudius settled Britain in earnest about 100 years later
Christian Monasteries
Centers of learning Culturally and spiritually coexisted with the heroic ideals and traditions of the Anglo-Saxon religion Preserved some of the older traditions by recorded works of popular literature
Anglo-Saxon Religion
Religion persisted despite influx of Christianity Dark, fatalistic religion from Germany Like Norse/Scandinavian mythology Odin: god of death, poetry, and magic; called Woden (Woden‟s Day: Wednesday) Dragon: significant figure; guardian of the grave, and “death the devourer”
and often fogged in
with thatched cottages, quaint stone churches, and mysterious stone ruins
British Influence on America
Common
law Parliamentary Government Literature Language
British Literature
Introduction
The British Isles
Look at the maps on page 4 & 87 of your text.
The Anglo-Saxon Period
449-1066
Ancient World
isolated
rain-drenched green dotted
Strummed harp Told stories of heros Fame in poetry: defense against death
Language
Latin remained the language of „serious‟ study King Alfred‟s Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a history of England, helped English gain respect as a language of culture
Celts
Early
inhabitants Tall, blonde warriors Group within group: Brythons (sounds like….)
Celtic Religion
Animism – from Latin word for “spirit” Everything had spirits: rivers, trees, stones, ponds, fire, thunder Spirits had to be constantly satisfied Druids, priests, acted as intermediaries between gods and people Ritual dances, rites: Stonehenge?
Roman Contributions
Armies to defend Britain against further invasions Network of roads (some still in use) Defensive wall 73 miles long (Hadrian‟s Wall) Public baths Brought Christianity and Celtic religion began to vanish