英国文学6

Importance




An outstanding enlightener, the greatest poet in the first half of the 18th century Brought Neo-classicism to its climax A technician in English verse, second to Shakespeare, Milton, equal to Wordsworth. In writing heroic couplets, no one has been able to approach him. As a representative of the Enlightenment, Pope was one of the first to introduce rationalism to England and strongly advocated neoclassicism, emphasizing the works should be judged by classical rule of order.
Ode The Ode is a lyric poem of some length that honors an individual, a thing, or a trait dealing with a lofty theme in a dignified manner. The form dates back to classical times and is originally intended to be sung at festivals or in plays.
All the same I Intend to go on being A cat that like to Gallop about doing good So Now with my bald head I go, Chopping the untidy flowers down, to and fro.
Narrative Poem A narrative poem tells a story in verse. Three traditional types of narrative poems include ballads, such as Robin Hood; epics, such as Beowulf; and metrical romances, such as sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
Alexander Pope (1688-1744)
Born in London Roman Catholic faith Feeble and sickly from childhood A highly sensitive and bitterly quarrelsome man Strong will to learn and read widely “赏我诗者有友而无妻, 缪斯陪伴了这一生的病体”
Pictorialism Pictorialism is an important poetic device characterized by efforts to achieve striking visual effects. Among its features are irregularity of line, contrast or enchantment of light, color and images.
An Essay on Criticism: Part II
Alexander Pope
A little learning is a dangerous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, And drink largely sobers us again. Fir’d at first sight with what the Muse imparts, In fearless youth we tempt the heights of Arts, While from the bounded level of our mind, Short views we take, nor see the lengths behind, But more advanc’d, behold with strange surprise New, distant scenes of endless science rise!


Sonnet
A sonnet is a 14-line lyric poem with a single theme. Sonnets vary but are usually written in iambic pentameter, following one of two traditional patterns: the Petrarchan or Italian sonnet and the Shakespearean or English sonnet.

Free verse
Free verse is poetry not written in a regular rhythmical pattern or meter. Instead of having metrical feet and lines, free verse has a rhythm that suits its meaning and that uses the sounds of spoken language in lines of different lengths.
Comments


wenku.baidu.com
The high priest and magistrate of the Age of Reason Style: Highly polished verse, perfect use of heroic couplet: lines of iambic pentameter that rhyme in pairs (aa, bb, cc…) tone and purposes: didactic or satirical

Essay on Criticism


744 lines three parts criticizes the lack of true taste of literary criticism states the need to turn to nature as the best guide for critical judgments
Neoclassicism


Classical tendency which dominated the literature of the early period The result of a reaction against the fires of passions which had blazed in the late Renaissance It found its artistic models in the classical literature of the ancient Greek and Roman writers like Homer, Virgil, Horace, Ovid, Etc. Stress on the classical artistic ideals of order, logic, proportion, restrained emotion, accuracy, good taste and decorum
Related Literary Terms
Poetry



Narrative poetry: ballads, epics, metrical romances Dramatic poetry: dramatic monologues, dramatic dialogues Lyrics: sonnets, odes, elegies, love poems


Lyric Poem
A lyric poem expresses the observation and feelings of a single speaker. Unlike a narrative poem, it presents an experience or a single effect, but it does not tell a full story. Types of lyrics include the elegy, the ode, and the sonnet. The lyric, flourished in the songs and sonnets of the renaissance, was revived by the Romantic poets, and remained the most common poetic form in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Limitation

Pope lacks lyrical gift, artificial and obscure. His satire is not always just. But Blake considered his works as elegant formalism while Byron thought highly of him.

Blank verse
Blank verse is poetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter lines. Because blank verse sounds much like ordinary spoken English, it is often used in drama and poetry.

Such elegant styles were found in almost all the writings of the period, especially in those of John Dryden, Alexander Pope, Jonathan Swift, Joseph Addison, Henry Fielding, etc.
So pleas’d at first, the tow’ring Alps we try, Mount oé the vales, and seem to tread the sky; r Th’ eternal snows appear already past, And the first clouds and mountains seem the last; But those attained, we tremble to survey The growing labors of the lengthen’d way, Th’ increasing prospect tires our wand’ring eyes, Hills peep oé hills, and Alps on Alps arise! r