英国文学史上-The Renaissance

The Renaissance Period

Reference: 1) 16th century, Thomas More, “sheep devoured men”羊吃人的时代

2) At the beginning of the 16th century, absolute monarchy was formed in England. King Henry VIII broke off with the Pope, dissolved all the monasteries修道院and abbeys大修道院in the country, confiscated没收their lands and proclaimed himself head of the Church of England.

3) The absolute monarchy in England reached its summit during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

4) Beginning of the 16th century, Thomas More, a outstanding humanist杰出的人文主义者, wrote Utopia in which he gave a profound and truthful picture of the people’s suffering and put forward his ideal of a future happy society.

5) In the 1st half of the 16th century, there appeared lyrical poems抒情诗by Thomas Wyatt怀亚特. Wyatt was the first to introduce the sonnet into English literature. In the 2nd half of the 16th century lyrical poetry became widespread in England. Famous lyrical and epic poets of the time were Philip Sidney菲利普•锡德尼, Thomas Campion托马斯•坎皮恩and Edmund Spenser埃德蒙•斯宾塞(仙后)

6) Various types of novels were developed in the 16th century. John Lyly约翰•黎里and Thomas Lodge托马斯•洛奇were authors of novels dealing with the court life and gallantry.(宫廷生活和侠士风流)

John Lyly→Euphues: The Antatomy of Wit艳词(首创euphuism绮丽体这一修辞手段) Thomas Deloney托马斯•德洛尼&Thomas Nashe托马斯•纳什→developed the realistic tendencies发展了小说中的现实主义风格(devoted to the everyday life of craftsmen, merchants and other representatives of the lower classes)

7) Drama→the greatest of the pioneers of English drama was Christopher Marlowe克里斯托弗•马洛. He made blank verse the principle vehicle of expression in drama.(把无韵诗作为英语戏剧主要表达方式His work→The Jew of Malta; The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus)

8) A period of drama and poetry. The Elizabethan drama is the real mainstream of the English Renaissance.

9) Three historical events of the Renaissance—rebirth or revival:

①new discoveries in geography and astrology(占星术)

②the religious reformation and economic expansion

③rediscovery of ancient Roman and Greek culture

Definition of important literary terms:

Renaissance:the activity, spirit, or time of the great revival of art, literature, and learning in Europe beginning in the 14th century and extending to the 17th century, marking the transition from the medieval to the modern world.

William Shakespeare 1564~1616 P61

Works: Stage1→1590 The Second Part of King Henry VI

The Third Part of King Henry VI

1591 The First Part of King Henry VI

1592 The Life and Death of King Richard III

The Comedy of Errors

1593 Titus Andronicus泰特斯•安德鲁尼克斯(复仇悲剧)