美国文学史概述及选读复习资料

美国文学复习资料

美国文学复习资料美国文学复习资料美国文学是世界文学宝库中的重要组成部分，它以其独特的风格和丰富的内容吸引着广大读者和研究者。

在这篇文章中，我们将为大家提供一些关于美国文学的复习资料，希望能够帮助大家更好地了解和掌握这一领域的知识。

一、美国文学的起源美国文学的起源可以追溯到17世纪早期的殖民地时期。

当时，由于殖民者来自不同的国家和文化背景，美国文学呈现出多元化的特点。

早期的美国文学作品主要以宗教和探险为主题，其中最著名的作品包括《普利茅斯故事》和《马萨诸塞湾殖民地的历史》等。

随着时间的推移，美国文学逐渐发展壮大。

18世纪的启蒙时代，美国文学开始借鉴欧洲文学的思想和风格，融合了理性主义和启蒙思想。

这一时期的代表作品有本杰明·富兰克林的《自传》和托马斯·潘恩的《常识》等。

二、美国文学的经典作品美国文学的经典作品数不胜数，下面我们列举一些代表作品，供大家参考。

1. 马克·吐温的《哈克贝利·费恩历险记》：这是一部以南北战争时期为背景的小说，通过主人公哈克贝利的冒险经历，揭示了奴隶制度的黑暗面和人性的复杂性。

2. 纳撒尼尔·霍桑的《红字》：这是一部关于道德与罪恶的小说，讲述了一个女性因婚外情而被判刑的故事。

小说通过对社会道德观念的探讨，揭示了人性的复杂性和社会的偏见。

3. 威廉·福克纳的《喧哗与骚动》：这是一部以南方小镇为背景的小说，通过对人物内心世界的描写，探讨了种族、阶级和家庭关系等社会问题。

4. 埃米莉·狄金森的诗歌：狄金森是美国文学史上最重要的女性诗人之一，她的诗作以独特的风格和深刻的思想而著称，对后世的诗人产生了深远的影响。

三、美国文学的主题与风格美国文学的主题多种多样，涵盖了社会、政治、种族、性别、宗教等各个方面。

在风格上，美国文学也呈现出多样性，既有浪漫主义的热情奔放，也有现实主义的冷静客观。

此外，美国文学还有一些独特的风格流派，如南方文学、黑人文学和美国现代主义文学等。

美国文学史复习资料

附：作者及作品（第一、二册）一、殖民主义时期 The Literature of Colonial America1．船长约翰•史密斯 Captain John Smith《自殖民地第一次在弗吉尼亚垦荒以来发生的各种事件的真实介绍》“A True Relation of Such Occurrences and Accidents of Note as Hath Happened in Virginia Since the First Planting of That Colony”《弗吉尼亚地图，附：一个乡村的描述》“A Map of Virginia: with a Description of the Country”《弗吉尼亚通史》“General History of Virginia”2．威廉•布拉德福德 William Bradford 《普利茅斯开发历史》“The History of Plymouth Plantation”3．约翰•温思罗普 John Winthrop《新英格兰历史》“The History of New England”4．罗杰•威廉姆斯 Roger Williams 《开启美国语言的钥匙》”A Key into the Language of America”或叫《美洲新英格兰部分土著居民语言指南》Or “ A Help to the Language of the Natives in That Part of America Called New England ”5．安妮•布莱德斯特 Anne Bradstreet 《在美洲诞生的第十个谬斯》”The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America”二、理性和革命时期文学 The Literature of Reason and Revolution1。

本杰明•富兰克林 Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)※《自传》“ The Autobiography ”《穷人理查德的年鉴》“Poor Richard’s Almanac”2。

美国文学史及选读第一册复习摘要

美文学摘要Puritanism(清教,清教徒主义): doctrines (dɔktrin n. 教条, 教义, 学说), values, features of Am. Puritans, influence on Am. Literature,Features of colonial poetsThe 1st Am. Writer：Captain John SmithKey Points of Enlightenment movement●Originated in Europe in the 17th century●Basic principles: Stressing education; Stressing Reason; Concerns for civil rights●Significance: Accelerating加速social progress; freeing people from the limitations set by prevailing(1．占优势的;主要的2．流行的;普遍的 )Puritanism; Making spiritual preparation for American Revolution Influence on literature:In form: imitating English classical writersIn content: utilitarian ([ju:ˌtɪlɪˌteəri:ən] adj. 1．有效用的;实用的 2．功利(主义)的 n. 功利主义者;实用主义者) tendency (for political or educational purpose)What lessons can we d raw from the poem “the wild honeysuckle”（野金银花）?The wild can also be beautiful. Everyone should take an active attitude toward life. Never avoid challenges for fear of losing something. One can’t achieve anything under the shelter（shelter －简明英汉词典D.J.[ˌʃeltə]n. 1．遮蔽; 保护 2．避难所; 庇护所vt. 掩蔽; 庇护, 保护vi. 躲避, 避难）and protection.Features of American Romanticisma. Imitative: Some of the American Romantic writings were modeled on English and European works. The Romantic Movement proved to be a decisive influence. Without it, the rise of Romanticism would have been impossible. Romanticism writers such as Scott, Coleridge, Wordsworth, Byron all made a stimulating impact on American literature.b. Independent: From the very beginning, American Romanticism exhibited（陈列，展览；显示，显出；展览品，陈列品，在法庭提出的证物）distinct（截然不同的，完全分开的；清晰的，明白的，明显的）features of its own. It originated from（来自，源于…）a mixture of factors which were altogether American rather than anything else. American Romanticism was in essence（本质上，大体上，事实）the expression of a real new experience and contained “an alien（外国的，外国人的，陌生的，性质不同的）quality”. E.g., the American national experience of pioneering（开发，创始）into the west is a rich fund of material for American writers. It is these Romanticism writers that created an indigenous（土生土长的，生来的，固有的）American literature.c. Puritan influence over American Romanticism was clearly noticeable. E.g., the author tended more to moralize（vi论道德，说教）than writers in England.American Transcendentalism（超验主义，先验论；顿悟）Background:In 1836 a little book Nature came out. It was written by Emerson. It was considered “the Manifesto （ˌmænəˌfestəʊ宣言）of Transcendentalism（ˌtrænsenˌdentl超验主义）”.It started with Emerson’s Nature and ended with Whitman’s Leaves of Grass (1855) The Transcendentalists set up a club called “Transcendentalist（trænsen'dentlist] adj. 先验论者的,超越论者的)Club”. They expressed their views published their journal Dial. The center place is New England and Concord( concord －简明英汉词典D.J.[ˌkɔnˌkɔ:d, ˌkɔŋ-]n. 和谐, 一致, 和睦).Major features1) Emphasis on spirit or the Oversoul as the most important thing in the universe2) The individual as the most important element of society3) Nature as symbolic of the Spirit or GodLimitations:1) The shallow (shallow [ˌʃæləu] adj. 1．浅的2．肤浅的) optimism(n. 乐观, 乐观主义) made itimpossible for them to understand human suffering.2) They cut themselves from life and were trapped by empty talk. They stressed too much on human intuition (in tuition [ˌɪntjuˌiʃən] n.1.直觉2.凭直觉感知的知识).3) They failed to provide solution to problem they found.课后部分习题1. Early in the 17th century, the England settlements in Virginia and Massachusetts began the main stream of what we recognize as the American national history.settlers in America included Dutch, Swedes, Germans, French, Spaniards, Italians, and3. The first permanent English settlement in North America was established at Jamestown, Virginia in 1607.4. There was little of the religious ferment（骚乱，动荡）and zeal（热心，热忱，热情）that inspired such a tide of literature to flow Puritan New England.5. The Puritans had come to New England for the sake of religious freedom, while Virginia had been planted mainly as a commercial venture.6.Hard work，thrift（节约，节俭），piety（虔诚，虔敬）and sobriety（清醒，未醉，严肃，节制）were the Puritan values that dominated much of the earliest American writing, including the sermons（布道，说教）,books , and letters of such noted Puritan clergymen as John Cotton and Cotton Mather.True or false: The first American literature was neither American nor really literature.（T）It was not American because it was the work mainly of immigrants from England. It was not literature as we know it---in the form of poetry, essays, or fiction---but rather an interesting mixture of travel accounts and religious writings. The earliest colonial travel accounts are records of the perils（极大危险；危险的事或环境）and frustrations that challenged the courage of America’s first settlers. (P2)1. What are the influences of American Puritanism on American Literature?①Basis of American literaturedreamed of living under a perfect order；worked with courage；hoped to build an Eden of Garden on earth；faced the worst of life with optimism--went into the making of American literatureAll literature is based on a myth--Garden of Eden②Contributing to the development of Symbolism（象征主义）: a technique, widely used。

美国文学史复习资料(DOC)

附：作者及作品（第一、二册）一、殖民主义时期The Literature of Colonial America1．船长约翰•史密斯Captain John Smith 《自殖民地第一次在弗吉尼亚垦荒以来发生的各种事件的真实介绍》“A True Relation of Such Occurrences and Accidents of Note as Hath Happened in Virginia Since the First Planting of That Colony”《弗吉尼亚地图，附：一个乡村的描述》“A Map of Virginia: with a Description of the Country”《弗吉尼亚通史》“General History of Virginia”2．威廉•布拉德福德William Bradford 《普利茅斯开发历史》“The History of Plymouth Plantation”3．约翰•温思罗普John Winthrop《新英格兰历史》“The History of New England”4．罗杰•威廉姆斯Roger Williams《开启美国语言的钥匙》”A Key into the Language of America”或叫《美洲新英格兰部分土著居民语言指南》Or “ A Help to the Language of the Natives in That Part of America Called New England ”5．安妮•布莱德斯特Anne Bradstreet 《在美洲诞生的第十个谬斯》”The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America”二、理性和革命时期文学The Literature of Reason and Revolution1。

本杰明•富兰克林Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)※《自传》“The Autobiography ”《穷人理查德的年鉴》“Poor Richard’s Almanac”2。

美国文学选读复习

History And Anthology of American Literature (VolumeⅠⅡ)美国文学史及选读1、2PartⅠThe Literature of Colonial America殖民主义时期的文学(at the beginning of 17th century)Part Ⅱ The Literature of Reason And Revolution理性和革命时期文学(by the mid-18th century)1．Thomas Jefferson: Declaration of Independence 独立宣言(1776年18世纪中后期)（仔细阅读知道意思）Benjamin Franklin: The AutobiographyThomas Paine: The American Crisis*一、Benjamin Franklin 本杰明·富兰克林1706-1790Symbol of America in the Age of Enlightenment殖民地时期作家。

独立战争前惟一的杰出的美国作家in the colonial period, the only good American author before the Revolutionary War.1．其还是美国第一位主要作家the first major writer非凡表达能力，简洁明了，有点幽默，还是一位讽刺天才as an author he had power of expression, simplicity, a subtle humor. He was also sarcastic.2．他最好作品收录在《自传》“Autobiography”。

“对这个年青的国家来说，他的损失比其它任何人的都要大“his shadow lies heavier than any other man’s on this young nation.二、Thomas Jefferson托马斯·杰弗逊（1743-1826）1．美国历史上最为广泛影响人物his thought and personality have influenced his countryman more deeply and remained more effectively alive.同富兰克林一样具人道主义精神vigorous humanitarian sympathies.启蒙运动的产物a product of the Enlightenment.2．1776年同约翰·亚当斯、本杰明·富兰克林、罗杰·谢尔曼、罗伯特·R·利文斯顿一起起草《独立宣言》with John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert R Livingston, he drafted the Declaration of Independence.3．1790-1793任华盛顿内阁中第一任国务卿，as the first American secretary of state. 1800起担任两届美国总统。

美国文学史复习要点手动

美国文学史复习要点手动1.早期美国文学（17世纪-18世纪）-早期美国文学的发展受到清教徒移民和殖民地环境的影响。

-早期作品主题包括宗教信仰、苦难和恐惧。

-著名作家有威廉·布拉德福和乔纳森·爱德华兹。

2.启蒙时期文学（18世纪）-美国启蒙时期的文学受到欧洲启蒙思想的影响。

-作品主题包括理性、自由和平等。

-著名作家有本杰明·富兰克林和汤玛斯·潘恩。

3.罗曼主义时期文学（19世纪早期）-罗曼主义时期美国文学反对启蒙时期的理性主义。

-作品主题包括个人感情、自然和超自然。

-著名作家有华盛顿·欧文和爱默生。

4.特拉华文学（19世纪中期）-特拉华文学是19世纪中期美国文学的重要流派。

-作品主题包括农民和工人的生活以及美国西部探险精神。

-著名作家有赫尔曼·梅尔维尔和华尔特·惠特曼。

5.现实主义和自然主义时期文学（19世纪末-20世纪初）-现实主义和自然主义时期的文学关注社会问题和个人命运。

-作品主题包括工业化、城市化和阶级冲突。

-著名作家有马克·吐温和斯蒂芬·克莱恩。

6.现代主义时期文学（20世纪初-中期）-现代主义时期的文学反对传统形式和价值观。

-作品表现迷失、不安和心理困惑。

-著名作家有欧内斯特·海明威和F·斯科特·菲茨杰拉德。

7.后现代主义时期文学（20世纪中期-现在）-后现代主义时期的文学拒绝一切形式的正统和稳定性。

-作品表现多样化的语言和视觉实验。

-著名作家有托尼·莫里森和大卫·福斯特·华莱士。

美国文学史概述及选读复习资料

美国文学史American Literature in the colonical and Revolutionary:Franklin(本杰明.富兰克林)Freneau 菲利普·费瑞诺Benjamin Franklin(本杰明.富兰克林)1)"Poor Richard's Almanac" 穷人查理德的年鉴(以笔名Richard Sunders)2)“annual collection of proverbs “流行谚语集 (It soon became the mostpopular book of its kind, largely because of Franklin's shrewd humor, and first spread his reputation)3)The Way to Wealth (Father Abraham’s Sermon)致富之道(as the “perface to PoorRichard Improved)4)The Autobiography自传 (18世纪美国唯一流传至今的自传)5)Founded the Junto, a club for informal discussion of scientific, economic andpolitical ideas. 建立了一个秘密俱乐部，讨论的主题是政治、经济和科学等时事方面的问题.6)established America's first circulating library, founded thecollege--University of Pennsylvania. 建立了美国第一个可租借的图书馆，还创办了一所大学——就是现在的宾夕法尼亚大学.7)first applied the terms "positive" and "negative" to electrical charges.8)Writer,printer,publisher,scientist,philanthropist,and diplomat,he was themost famous and respected private figure of his time.The Rising Glory of America蒸蒸日上的美洲；The British Prison Ship英国囚船；To the Memory of the Brave Americans纪念美国勇士-----同类诗中最佳；The Wild Honeysuckle野生的金银花；The Indian Burying Ground印第安人殡葬地(1)poet and political journalist 诗人和政治方面的新闻记者(2)perhaps the most outstanding writer of the post-revolutionary period.(3)has been called the "Father of American Poetry" 美国诗歌之父(4)Imaginative and melancholy treatment of nature and human life,and sharp satire against the British tyranny19th Century American LiteratureWashington Irving(华盛顿.欧文)1．James Fenimore Cooper(詹姆斯.芬尼莫.库珀)2．Nathaniel Hawthorne(纳萨尼尔.霍桑)3．Edgar Allan Poe （埃德加.阿伦.坡）4．Henry Daived Thoreau(亨利.戴维.梭罗)5．Herman Melville(赫尔曼.麦尔维尔)6．Walt Whiteman(沃尔特.惠特曼)The Rise of American RomanticismOne of the most important periods in the history of American literature, stretches from the end of the 18th century to the outbreak of the Civil War(1861-65).It started with the publication of Washington Irving's e The h Sketch Book(1820) and ended with Whitman's s Leaves f of Grass(1855)..Romanticism的特点：frequently shared certain general characteristics, moralenthusiam, faith in the value of individualism andintuitive perception, and a presumption that he naturalworld was a source of corruption.浪漫主义之间大多是相通的，都注重道德，强调个人主义价值观和直觉感受，并且认为自然是美的源头，人类社会是腐败之源。

美国文学史概述及选读复习资料

美国文学史American Literature in the colonical and Revolutionary:1.Benjamin Franklin(本杰明.富兰克林)2.hilip Freneau 菲利普·费瑞诺Benjamin Franklin(本杰明.富兰克林)1)"Poor Richard's Almanac" 穷人查理德的年鉴(以笔名Richard Sunders)2)“annual collection of proverbs “流行谚语集(It soon became the most popular bookof its kind, largely because of Franklin's shrewd humor, and first spread his reputation) 3)The Way to Wealth (Father Abraham’s Sermon)致富之道(as the “perface to Poor RichardImproved)4)The Autobiography自传(18世纪美国唯一流传至今的自传)5)Founded the Junto, a club for informal discussion of scientific, economic and politicalideas. 建立了一个秘密俱乐部，讨论的主题是政治、经济和科学等时事方面的问题.6)established America's first circulating library, founded the college--University ofPennsylvania. 建立了美国第一个可租借的图书馆，还创办了一所大学——就是现在的宾夕法尼亚大学.7)first applied the terms "positive" and "negative" to electrical charges.8)Writer,printer,publisher,scientist,philanthropist,and diplomat,he was the most famousand respected private figure of his time.The Rising Glory of America蒸蒸日上的美洲；The British Prison Ship英国囚船；To the Memory of the Brave Americans纪念美国勇士-----同类诗中最佳；The Wild Honeysuckle野生的金银花；The Indian Burying Ground印第安人殡葬地(1)poet and political journalist 诗人和政治方面的新闻记者(2)perhaps the most outstanding writer of the post-revolutionary period.(3)has been called the "Father of American Poetry" 美国诗歌之父(4)Imaginative and melancholy treatment of nature and human life,and sharp satire against the British tyranny19th Century American LiteratureWashington Irving(华盛顿.欧文)1．James Fenimore Cooper(詹姆斯.芬尼莫.库珀)2．Nathaniel Hawthorne(纳萨尼尔.霍桑)3．Edgar Allan Poe （埃德加.阿伦.坡）4．Henry Daived Thoreau(亨利.戴维.梭罗)5．Herman Melville(赫尔曼.麦尔维尔)6．Walt Whiteman(沃尔特.惠特曼)The Rise of American Romanticism• One of the most important periods in the history of American literature, stretches from the end of the 18th century to the outbreak of the Civil War(1861-65).• It started with the publication of Washington Irving's e T he h Sketch Book(1820) and ended with Whitman's s Leaves f of Grass(1855)..Romanticism的特点：frequently shared certain general characteristics, moral enthusiam,faith in the value of individualism and intuitive perception, and apresumption that he natural world was a source of corruption.浪漫主义之间大多是相通的，都注重道德，强调个人主义价值观和直觉感受，并且认为自然是美的源头，人类社会是腐败之源。

美国文学史及选读

History And Anthology of American Literature (VolumeⅠⅡ)美国文学史及选读1、2PartⅠThe Literature of Colonial America殖民主义时期的文学1.17世纪早期English and European explorers开始登陆美洲。

在他们之前100多年Caribbean Islands,Mexico and other Parts of South America已被the Spanish占领。

2.17th早期English settlements in Virginia and Massachusetts(弗吉尼亚和马萨诸塞)开始了美国历史3.美国最早殖民者(earliest settlers)included Dutch ,Swedes ,Germans ,French ,Spaniards ,Italians andPortuguese (荷兰人，瑞典人，德国人，法国人，西班牙人，意大利人及葡萄牙人等)。

4.美国早期文学主要为the narratives and journals of these settlements采用in diaries and in journals(日记和日志)，他们写关于the land with dense forests and deep-blue lakes and rich soil.5.第一批美国永久居民：the first permanent English settlement in North America was established atJamestown,Virginia in 1607(北美弗吉尼亚詹姆斯顿)。

6.船长约翰·史密斯Captain John Smith他的作品(reports of exploration)17th早期出版，被认为是美国第一部真正意义上的文学作品in the early 1600s,have been described as the first distinctly American literature written in English.他讲述了filled with themes, myths, images, scenes, character and events,吸引了朝圣者和清教徒前往lure the Pilgrims and the Puritans.7.美国第一位作家：1608年Captain John Smith写了封信《自殖民地第一次在弗吉尼亚垦荒以来发生的各种事件的真实介绍》“A True Relation of Such Occurrences and Accidents of Note as Hath Happened in Virginia Since the First Planting of That Colony”.8.他的第二本书1612年《弗吉尼亚地图，附：一个乡村的描述》“A Map of Virginia: with a Descriptionof the Country”.9.他一共出版了八本书，其中有关于新英格兰的历史及描述。

美国文学史复习资料

附：作者及作品（第一、二册）一、殖民主义时期The Literature of Colonial America1．船长约翰•史密斯Captain John Smith 《自殖民地第一次在弗吉尼亚垦荒以来发生的各种事件的真实介绍》“A True Relation of Such Occurrences and Accidents of Note as Hath Happened in Virginia Since the First Planting of That Colony”《弗吉尼亚地图，附：一个乡村的描述》“A Map of Virginia: with a Description of the Country”《弗吉尼亚通史》“General History of Virginia”2．威廉•布拉德福德William Bradford 《普利茅斯开发历史》“The History of Plymouth Plantation”3．约翰•温思罗普John Winthrop《新英格兰历史》“The History of New England”4．罗杰•威廉姆斯Roger Williams《开启美国语言的钥匙》”A Key into the Language of America”或叫《美洲新英格兰部分土著居民语言指南》Or “ A Help to the Language of the Natives in That Part of America Called New England ”5．安妮•布莱德斯特Anne Bradstreet 《在美洲诞生的第十个谬斯》”The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America”二、理性和革命时期文学The Literature of Reason and Revolution1。

本杰明•富兰克林Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)※《自传》“The Autobiography ”《穷人理查德的年鉴》“Poor Richard’s Almanac”2。

美国文学史及作品选读提纲

美国文学史及作品选读提纲第一部分：The Literature of Colonial American考核知识点：a. The first distinctly America literatureb. The first American writer and his first workc. Kinds of literary writings in this periodd. The dominant influence of the Puritan values on the early American writingse. The most important poets in this period: Anne Bradstreet and Edward Taylor考核要求：1．一般识记：The beginnings of American national history and literary history2．识记：Kinds of literary writings in this period；the important writers, literary works and their main ideas3 领会：The dominant influence of the Puritan values on the early American writings第二部分:The Literature of Reason and Revolution考核知识点：a. The historical background about American Revolutionb. The general feature of the 18th-century American literaturec. The most important poet in this period: Philip Freneau考核要求：1．一般识记：The historical background about American Revolution；the life and literary creation of Philip Freneau2识记：The general feature of the 18th-century American literature; the most important poet in this period: Philip Freneau3. 领会：The influence of English literature on American writers4. 应用：The subject matter, themes and poetic style of Philip Freneau’s poetry;第三部分：The literature of Romanticism考核知识点：a. The importance of Washington Irving’s literary creation;b. The general characteristics shared by the Romantic writers;c. The influence of the Transcendentalist Movement on American literature;d. The principal literary forms of this periode. The permanent convention of American literature考核要求：1. 一般识记：historical background of this period; life and literary creation of important writers in this period2. 识记：The importance of Washington Irving’s literary creation; the general characteristics shared by the Romantic writers; the principal literary forms of this period;3. 领会：The influence of the Transcendentalist Movement on American literature; the permanent convention of American literature4. 应用：The subject matter and themes of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow; the characterization and narrative skill displayed in the The Last of the Mohicans; the subject matter, charaterization and symbolic method of The Scarlet Letter and Moby Dick第四部分：The Literature of Realism考核知识点：a. The influence of the westward expansion of American territory on American literature;b. The important women writers and their works in this period;c. The philosophy and method adopted by American realistic writers;d. Mark Twain’s contribution to American literature;e. The characteristic features of the American naturalists;f. The representative writers of American realism:g. The representative writers of American naturalism;h. The most important writers in this period:a) Walt Whitman and his free verse;b) Emily Dickinson and the characteristic features of her poetry;c) Mark Twain and the subject matter and humorous style of his works;考核要求：1.一般识记：The life and literary career of the important writers2.识记：The definition of realism and naturalism; the historical background; important works of the time and their main ideas3.领会：The significance and influence of American realism and American naturalism; the characteristic features of important writers and their works; the characteristics of free verse;4.应用：The subject matter, themes and style of Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself”; the theme and poetic imagery of Emily Dickinson’s poetry; the themes and humorous style of The Adventure of Tom Sawyer; the subject matter, themes and characterization of Sister Carrie第五部分：The Twentieth-Century Literature考核知识点：a. The historical background of the early 20th centuryb. The variety of avant-garde doctrines and literary schools emerging in early 20th centuryc. The leading writers of the modernist literature: Ezra Pound and T. S. Eliot;d. Henry James and his masterpieces;e. Robert Frost and the characteristics of his poetry;f. The writers of “the lost generation” in the 1920s and their great achievements;g. Ernest Hemingway;h. The thriving of American drama in the 1920s and the representative dramatist of the time;i. The Harlem Renaissance in 1920s;j. The characteristic feature of the artists and writers in the Great Depression of the 1930s;k. John Steinbeck and his important works考核要求：1.一般识记：The historical background of the early 20th century ; the life and literary career of the important writers and their literary contributions2.识记: The variety of avant-garde doctrines and literary schools emerging in early 20th century; the great achievements of the writers of “the lost generation”; the Harlem Renaissance in 1920s; the thriving of American drama in the 1920s and the representative dramatist of the time; the important works and their main ideas; the characteristic feature of the artists and writers in the Great Depression of the 1930s;3.领会：The charateristic features of the modernist literature; the characteristic features of the writers of “the lost generation” in the 1920s; the most important writers of the time and their characteristic features; the themes, styles, techniques and significance or influence of the representative works in this period4.应用：The subject matter, themes and style of Robert Frost’s poetry;the themes and technique of T. S. Eliot’s poetry; the themes, characterization and style of Hemingway’s masterpiece For Whom the Bell Tolls。

美国文学选读复习资料

美国文学选读复习资料美国文学选读复习资料美国文学是世界文学宝库中的一颗璀璨明珠，承载着美国历史、文化和社会的精华。

作为文学爱好者和学生，对于美国文学的了解和掌握是必不可少的。

本文将为大家提供一份美国文学选读的复习资料，帮助大家更好地理解和欣赏美国文学的经典之作。

一、美国文学的起源与发展美国文学的起源可以追溯到十七世纪的殖民地时期。

最早的美国文学作品是早期殖民者的日记、教会纪实和历史记录，如《普利茅斯纪事》和《马萨诸塞纪事》。

随着殖民地的发展和美国独立战争的爆发，美国文学逐渐形成了自己的独特风格和主题，如《飘》、《红字》和《汤姆·索亚历险记》等。

二、美国文学的主题与特点美国文学的主题广泛而多样，涵盖了对自由、平等、个人主义和社会正义的探索。

美国文学作品常常关注社会问题和人类命运，如种族歧视、性别平等、战争和社会阶级等。

同时，美国文学也以其写实主义和现实主义的风格著称，力求真实地描绘社会生活和人物形象。

三、美国文学的代表作品1.《钢铁是怎样炼成的》这是美国作家海明威的代表作之一，通过描写一战期间的士兵们的生活和战争的残酷性，展现了人性的脆弱和战争的荒谬。

2.《了不起的盖茨比》这是美国作家菲茨杰拉德的代表作之一，以20世纪20年代的纽约社交圈为背景，描绘了财富、爱情和欲望的交织，对美国梦的追求和破灭进行了深刻的探讨。

3.《杀死一只知更鸟》这是美国作家哈珀·李的代表作之一，通过一个小女孩的视角，揭示了种族歧视和社会不公的问题，以及人性的复杂性和善恶的边界。

4.《老人与海》这是美国作家海明威的另一部代表作品，通过一个老渔夫与大海的搏斗，探讨了生命的意义和人与自然的关系。

5.《傲慢与偏见》这是英国作家简·奥斯汀的作品，虽然不是美国文学，但对美国文学的影响深远。

通过描写女主角伊丽莎白·班纳特的成长和婚姻观念的转变，探讨了社会等级、婚姻和爱情的主题。

四、美国文学的影响与意义美国文学不仅仅是一种艺术形式，更是美国文化和民族精神的重要组成部分。

美国文学史及选读复习笔记(1-2册)

History And Anthology of American Literature (VolumeⅠⅡ)美国文学史及选读1、2PartⅠThe Literature of Colonial America殖民主义时期的文学1.17世纪早期English and European explorers开始登陆美洲。

在他们之前100多年Caribbean Islands, Mexico andother Parts of South America已被the Spanish占领。

2.17th早期English settlements in Virginia and Massachusetts(弗吉尼亚和马萨诸塞)开始了美国历史3.美国最早殖民者(earliest settlers)included Dutch ,Swedes ,Germans ,French ,Spaniards ,Italians and Portuguese(荷兰人，瑞典人，德国人，法国人，西班牙人，意大利人及葡萄牙人等)。

4.美国早期文学主要为the narratives and journals of these settlements采用in diaries and in journals(日记和日志)，他们写关于the land with dense forests and deep-blue lakes and rich soil.5.第一批美国永久居民：the first permanent English settlement in North America was established atJamestown,Virginia in 1607(北美弗吉尼亚詹姆斯顿)。

6.船长约翰·史密斯Captain John Smith他的作品(reports of exploration)17th早期出版，被认为是美国第一部真正意义上的文学作品in the early 1600s,have been described as the first distinctly American literature written in English.他讲述了filled with themes, myths, images, scenes, character and events,吸引了朝圣者和清教徒前往lure the Pilgrims and the Puritans.7.美国第一位作家：1608年Captain John Smith写了封信《自殖民地第一次在弗吉尼亚垦荒以来发生的各种事件的真实介绍》“A True Relation of Such Occurrences and Accidents of Note as Hath Happened in Virginia Since the First Planting of That Colony”.8.他的第二本书1612年《弗吉尼亚地图，附：一个乡村的描述》“A Map of Virginia: with a Description of theCountry”.9.他一共出版了八本书，其中有关于新英格兰的历史及描述。

美国文学史及选读复习重点

Captain John Smith (first American writer).Anne Bradstreet；The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America （colonists living）Edward Taylor(the best puritan poet)John Cotton ”the Patriarch of New England” teacher spiritual leader Benjamin Franklin The Autobiography Poor Richard’s Almanack Thomas Jefferson：Political Career Thoughts The Declaration of Independence we hold truth to be self-evidencePhilip Freneau“Father of American Poetry” The Wild Honey Suckle American Romanticism optimism and hopeNationalism Washington Irving“Father of American Literature short story”The first “Pure Writer” A History of New York The Sketch Book marked the beginning of American Romanticism! “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”Rip Van WinkleJames Fenimore Cooper Father of American sea and frontier novels Leather stocking Tales The Last of the Mohicans The Pioneers The Prairie The Pathfinder The DeerslayerEdgar Allan Poe father of detective story and horror fiction Tales of the Grotesque and the Arabesque “MS. Found in a Bottle” “The Murders in the Rue Morgue”“The Fall of the House of Usher”“The Masque of the Red Death”“TheCask of Amontillado”效果论art for arts sake诗歌The Raven 《乌鸦》Annabel Lee 《安娜贝尔•李》To Helen 《致海伦》•Henry Wadsworth Longfellow be honored by having his bust placed in the Poets’ Corner of Westminster Abbey.the first American poet to write the narrative poems.•Works:•Voices of the Night《夜吟》•Ballads and Other Poems《民谣及其他》• A Psalm of Life《人生礼赞》•The Slave’s Dream《奴隶的梦》•The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls《潮起潮落》•My Lost Youth《逝去的青春》•The Song of Hiawatha《海华沙之歌》•The Courtship of Miles Standish《迈尔斯斯坦迪什的求婚》••New England Transcendentalism summit of American •Romanticism.Leaders: Emerson and Thoreau“The Universe is composed of Nature and the Soul.”•Ralph Waldo Emerson New England Transcendentalism. •Nature (论自然) American Scholar （美国学者）Divinity School Address （神学院演说）Representative Men 代表English Traits（英国人的特征）•The Over-Soul (论超灵) Self-Reliance（论自立）•Henry David Thoreau Walden, or Life in the Woods Civil Disobedience•Transcendentalism Emerson Thoreau •Nathaniel Hawthorne Twice-Told Tales Mosses from an Old Manse The Scarlet Letter•The House of the Seven Gables 1851••The Blithedale Romance 1852••The Marble Faun 1860g)“Young Goodman Brown”(Mosses from an Old Manse)g)“The Minister’s Black Veil”（Twice-Told Tales ）g)“Dr. Rappacini’s Daughter” (Mosses from an Old Manse)Herman Melville Typee the whaler Acushnet Omoo Mardi Pierre White Jacket Billy Budd Moby Dick RedburnHenry Wadsworth Longfellow be honored with a bust in the Poet’s corner of Westminster Abbey.Naturalism：自然主义 a new and harsher realism Deterministic 决定论，宿命的pessimism代表作家：Stephen Crane 史蒂芬.克莱恩, Frank Norris 弗朗克.诺里斯, Jack London 杰克.伦敦, Theodore Dreiser 西奥多.德莱塞.Darwinism: 达尔文主义:an evident influence on naturalism, stress the animality of manWalt Whitman Leaves of Grass the first genuine epic poem •Emily Dickinson•Because I could not Stop for Death•I Heard a Fly Buzz—When I Died•My Life Closed Twice before its Close•I Died for Beauty—but was ScarceHarriet Beecher Stowe Uncle Tom’s CabinMark Twainn 1.The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County (1865) (卡拉弗拉斯县的著名跳蛙)n 2.Innocents Abroad (1869)（成功傻子出国记）n 3.Roughing It (1872) （艰苦岁月）n 4.The Gilded Age (with Charles Dudley waenner,1873) （镀金时代）n 5.The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876)（汤姆索耶历险记）The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn realismO. Henry The Gift of the Magi the cop and AnthemHenry James Daisy Miller The Portrait of a Lady 国际化Jack London The Call of the Wild Martin Eden”(autobiographical novel自传体小说)•Theodore Dreiser•Sister Carrie 1900•An American Tragedy 1925 the greatest successful•The Financier 1912•The Titan 1914•The Stoic the protagonist Trilogy of desire欲望三部曲•Dreiser Looks at Russia 1928•F. Scott Fitzgerald•This Side of Paradise (1920)•Flappers and Philosophers (1920)•The Beautiful and Damned (1920)•Tales of the Jazz Age (1922)•The Great Gatsby (1925)•Tender Is the Night (1934)•The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (short story)•Ernest Hemingway representative of “The Lost Generation •The Sun Also Rises(1926)• A Farewell to Arms(1929)•eg. For Whom the Bell Tolls(1937)•eg. The Old Man and the Sea(1952)T. S. Eliot The Waste LandO.Henry the gift of Magi the cop and the AnthemJack London The call of the wild Martin EdenEzra pound in a station of the metroEdwin Arlington Robinson Richard CoryRobert Frost the road not taken stopping by woods on a snowy evening 崇尚自然Carl Sandburg fogWallace Stevens Anecdote of the jarJohn Steinbeck the grapes of wrathWilliam Faulkner the sound and the fury as I lay dying sanctuary light in August Absalom the Hamlet go down Moses50stars 13stripes任期8年New England northeast1492 哥伦比亚发现新大陆。

(完整word版)美国文学史-知识点梳理

Part I The Literature of Colonial AmericaI．Historical IntroductionThe colonial period stretched roughly from the settlement of America in the early 17th century through the end of the 18th. The first permanent settlement in America was established by English in 1607. （A group of people was sent by the English King James I to hunt for gold. They arrived at Virginia in 1607. They named the James River and build the James town。

)II．The pre-revolutionary writing in the colonies was essentially of two kinds: 1）Practical matter—of—fact accounts of farming，hunting, travel，etc。

designed to inform people ”at home” what life was like in the new world，and，often, to induce their immigration2) Highly theoretical, generally polemical，discussions of religious questions.III．The First American WriterThe first writings that we call American were the narratives and journals of these settlements。

（完整版）美国文学史-知识点梳理

（完整版）美国文学史-知识点梳理Part I The Literature of Colonial AmericaI．Historical IntroductionThe colonial period stretched roughly from the settlement of America in the early 17th century through the end of the 18th. The first permanent settlement in America was established by English in 1607. ( A group of people was sent by the English King James I to hunt for gold. They arrived at Virginia in 1607. They named the James River and build the James town.)II．The pre-revolutionary writing in the colonies was essentially of two kinds:1) Practical matter-of-fact accounts of farming, hunting, travel, etc. designed to inform people "at home" what life was like in the new world, and, often, to induce their immigration2) Highly theoretical, generally polemical, discussions of religious questions. III．The First American WriterThe first writings that we call American were the narratives and journals of these settlements. They wrote about their voyage to the new land, their lives in the new land, their dealings with Indians.Captain John Smith is the first American writer.A True Relation of such Occurrences and Accidents of Note as Hath Happened in Virginia Since the First Planting of That Colony (1608)A Map of Virginia: A Description of the Country (1612)General History of Virgini a (1624): the Indian princess PocahontasCaptain John Smith was one of the first early 17th-century British settlers in North America. He was one of the founders ofthe colony of Jamestown, Virginia. His writings about North America became the source of information about the New World for later settlers.One of the things he wrote about that has become an American legend was his capture by the Indians and his rescue by the famous Indian Princess, Pocahontas. IV．Early New England LiteratureWilliam Bradford and John WinthropJohn Cotton and Roger WilliamsAnne Bradstreet and Edward TaylorV．Puritan Thoughts1. The origin of puritanIn the mediaeval Europe, there was widespread religious revolution. In the 16th Century, the English King Henry VIII (At that time, the Catholics were not allowed to divorce unless they have the Pope's permission. Henry VIII wanted to divorce his wife because she couldn't bear him a son. But the Pope didn't allow him to divorce, so he) broke away from the Roman Catholic Church & established the Church ofEngland. But there was no radical difference between the doctrines of the Church of England and the Catholic Church. A group of people thought the Church of England was too Catholic and wanted to purify the church. Then came the name Puritans.2. Puritanism -- based on Calvinism(1) predestination: God's electPuritans believed they are predestined before they were born.Nothing or no good work can change their fate.They believed the success of one's business is the sign to show he is the God's elect. So the Puritans works very hard, spend very little and invest more for the future business. They lived avery frugal life. This is their ethics.(2) Origianl sin and total depravityMan is born sinful. This determines some puritans pessimistic attitude towards life.(3) Limited atonement (the salvation of a selected few)(4) theocracyThey combined state with religion. Their government is at least not a liberal one.The Puritans established American tradition -- intolerant moralism. They strictly punished drunks, adultery & heretics.Puritans changed gradually due to the severity of frontier environment3. Influence on American Literature(1) Its optimismAmerican literature was from the outset conditioned by the Puritan heritage. It can be said American literature is based on the Biblical myth of the Garden of Eden. After that, man have an illusion to restore the paradise. The puritans, after arriving at America, believing that God must have sent them to this new land to restore the lost paradise, to build the wilderness into a new Garden of Eden. Fired with such a strong sense of mission, they treated life with a tremendous amount of optimism. The optimistic Puritan has exerted a great influence on American literature.(2) Puritan's metaphorical mode of perception changed gradually into a literary symbolism.Part II The Literature of Reason And RevolutionI．Historical IntroductionWith the growth, especially of industry, there appeared the intense strain with England. The British government did not wantcolonial industries competing with those in England. The British wanted the colonies to remain politically and economically dependent on the mother country. They took a series of measures to insure this dependence. They prevented colonial economy by requiring Americans to ship raw materials abroad and to import finished goods at prices higher than the cost of making them in this country. Politically, the British government forced dependenceby ruling the colonies from overseas and by taxing the colonies without giving them representation in Parliament.However, by the mid-eighteenth century, freedom was won as much by the fiery rhetoric of Thomas Paine's Common Sense and the eloquence of the Declaration of Independence as by the weapons of Washington. In the seventies of the 18th century, the English colonies in North America rose in arms against their mother country. The War for Independence lasted for 8 years (1776-1783) and ended in the formation of a federative bourgeois democratic republic -- the United States of America. II．American EnlightenmentIt was supported by all progressive forces of the country which opposed themselves to the old colonial order and religious obscurantism.It dealt a decisive blow upon the puritan traditions and brought to life secular education and literature. The spiritual life during that period was to a great degree moulded by it.The representatives set themselves the task of disseminating knowledge among the people and advocating revolutionary ideas.The writers injected an invigorating vein into the English language in America as they aimed at clarity and precision oftheir writings.At the initial period the spread of the ideas of the Enlightenment was largely due to journalism. Writings of Europe were widely read in America. The secular ideals of the American Enlightenment were exemplified in the life and career of Benjamin Franklin.III．Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)The AutobiographyPoor Richard’s AlmanacLifeBenjamin Franklin came from a Calvinist background.He was born into a poor candle-maker’s family. He had very little education. He learned in school only for two years, but he was a voracious reader.At 12, he was apprenticed to his elder half-brother, a printer.At 16, he began to publish essays under the pseudonym “Silence Do good” .At 17, he ran away to Philadelphia to make his own fortune.He set himself up as an independent printer and publisher. In 1727 he founded the Junto club.Multiple identities:a printera leading authora politiciana scientista inventora diplomata civic activistFranklin’s Contributions to SocietyHe helped found the Pennsylvania Hospital.He founded an academy which led to the University of Pennsylvania.And he helped found the American Philosophical Society.Franklin’s Contributions to ScienceHe was also remembered for volunteer fire departments, effective street lighting, the Franklin stove, bifocal glasses and efficient heating devices.And for his lightning-rod, he was called “the new Prometheus who had stolen fire from heaven.”Franklin’s Contributions to the U.S.He was the only American to sign the four documents that created the United States:The Declaration of Independence,The Treaty of Alliance with France,The Treaty of Peace with England,The ConstitutionThe AutobiographyThe Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin was probably the first of its kind in literature. It is the simple yet immensely fascinating record of a man rising to wealth and fame from a state of poverty and obscurity into which he was born, the faithful account of the colorful career of America’s first self-made man.The Autobiography is, first of all, a Puritan document. It is Puritan because it is a record of self-examination and self-improvement. The meticulous chart of 13 virtues he set for himself to cultivate to combat the tempting vices, the stupendous effort he made to improve his own person, the belief that God helps those who helps themselves and that every calling is a service to God – all these indicate that Franklin was intensely Puritan. Then, the book is also a convincing illustration of thePuritan ethic that, in order to get on in the world, one has to be industrious, frugal, and prudent.The Autobiography is also an eloquent elucidation of the fact that Franklin was spokesman for the new order of eighteenth-century enlightenment, and that he represented in America all its ideas, that man is basically good and free by nature, endowed by God with certain inalienable rights of liberty and the pursuit of happiness.A look at the style of The Autobiography will readily reveal that it is the pattern of Puritan simplicity, directness and concision. The plainness of its style, the homeliness of imagery, the simplicity of diction, syntax and expression are some of the salient features we cannot mistake. The lucidity of the narrative, the absence ofornaments in wording and of complex, involved structures in syntax, and the Puritan abhorrence of paradox are all graphically demonstrated in the whole of the book. Taken as a whole, it is safe to say that the book is an exemplary illustration of the American style of writing.IV．Thomas Paine (1737-1809)Common SenseAmerican CrisisV．Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)The Declaration of IndependenceVI．Philip Freneau (1752-1832)“Poet of the American Revolution”“Father of American Poetry”“Pioneer of the New Romanticism”“A gifted and versatile lyric poet”Works“The Wild Honey Suckle”“The Indian Burying Ground”“To a Caty-Did”Freneau as Father of American Poetry: His major themes are death, nature, transition, and the human in nature. All of these themes become important in 19th century writing.Life ExperienceHe was born in New York.At 16, he entered the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University). He decided to do a postgraduate study in theology. But two years later he gave it up. While still an undergraduate, he wrote in collaboration with one of his friends (H. H. Brackenridge) a poem entitled “The Rising Glory of America”.Later he attended the War of Independence, and he was captured by British army in 1780.After being released, he published “The British Prison Ship” in 1781.In the same year, he published “T o the Memory of the Brave Americans”.After war, he supported Jefferson, and contributed greatly to American government.But after 50 years old, he lived in poverty. And at last he died in a blizzard.Main Works“The Rising Glory of America” (1772) 《美洲光辉的兴起》“The House of Night” (1779,1786) 《夜之屋》“The British Prison Ship” (1781) 《英国囚船》“To the Memory of the Brave Americans” (1781) 《纪念美国勇士》?“”The Wild Honey Suckle” (1786) 《野忍冬花》“The Indian Burying Ground” (1788) 《印第安人墓地》野忍冬花（黄杲炘译）美好的花呀，你长得：这么秀丽，却藏身在这僻静沉闷的地方——甜美的花儿开了却没人亲昵，招展的小小枝梢也没人观赏；没游来荡去的脚来把你踩碎，没东攀西摘的手来催你落泪。

美国文学期末复习资料

美国文学期末复习资料美国文学作为一个重要的学科，涉及的内容很广，题材也很多。

为了帮助大家更好地进行期末复习，本文将为大家提供一些有用的资料和复习方法。

一、美国文学的历史概述美国文学的历史可以分为几个时期：殖民时期、启蒙时期、浪漫主义时期、现实主义时期、自然主义时期、现代主义时期等。

每个时期都有不同的题材和文学流派，需要我们进行详细的了解和掌握。

二、重要的美国文学作品在美国文学中，有很多重要的作品，如《飘》、《百年孤独》、《了不起的盖茨比》、《老人与海》、《麦田里的守望者》等。

这些作品的作者都是文学史上的巨匠，他们的作品对之后的文学创作产生了很大的影响，也是重要的考题。

三、主要的美国文学流派美国文学中有很多流派，如现代主义、后现代主义、现实主义、自然主义、浪漫主义等。

每个流派都有不同的特点和代表作品，需要我们对其进行深入的了解，从而更好地掌握美国文学的发展历程。

四、美国文学中的重要人物美国文学历史上有很多重要的人物，如沃尔特·惠特曼、马克·吐温、欧内斯特·海明威、海伦·凯勒等。

这些人物都是文学史上的重要人物，他们的作品对于美国文学的发展产生了深远的影响。

五、复习方法在复习美国文学的时候，我们可以采取以下几种方法：1. 将美国文学的历史概述、重要作品、主要流派、重要人物等内容进行系统的总结，形成属于自己的笔记。

2. 阅读相关作品，在了解作品的同时，结合自己的理解，形成自己的见解和思考。

3. 参加相关讲座和研讨会，向专业人士请教，深入了解美国文学的相关知识和技能。

4. 做好考试的准备，根据历年考题，进行模拟练习，找到自己的薄弱环节，进行针对性的复习。

总之，在进行美国文学的复习时，我们需要深入了解相关内容，同时养成良好的阅读习惯和思考习惯，不断加强对美国文学的理解和掌握，从而有效提高自己的成绩。

（完整版）美国文学史-知识点梳理

（完整版）美国文学史-知识点梳理Part I The Literature of Colonial AmericaI．Historical IntroductionThe colonial period stretched roughly from the settlement of America in the early 17th century through the end of the 18th. The first permanent settlement in America was established by English in 1607. ( A group of people was sent by the English King James I to hunt for gold. They arrived at Virginia in 1607. They named the James River and build the James town.)II．The pre-revolutionary writing in the colonies was essentially of two kinds:1) Practical matter-of-fact accounts of farming, hunting, travel, etc. designed to inform people "at home" what life was like in the new world, and, often, to induce their immigration2) Highly theoretical, generally polemical, discussions of religious questions. III．The First American WriterThe first writings that we call American were the narratives and journals of these settlements. They wrote about their voyage to the new land, their lives in the new land, their dealings with Indians.Captain John Smith is the first American writer.A True Relation of such Occurrences and Accidents of Note as Hath Happened in Virginia Since the First Planting of That Colony (1608)A Map of Virginia: A Description of the Country (1612)General History of Virgini a (1624): the Indian princess PocahontasCaptain John Smith was one of the first early 17th-century British settlers in North America. He was one of the founders ofthe colony of Jamestown, Virginia. His writings about North America became the source of information about the New World for later settlers.One of the things he wrote about that has become an American legend was his capture by the Indians and his rescue by the famous Indian Princess, Pocahontas. IV．Early New England LiteratureWilliam Bradford and John WinthropJohn Cotton and Roger WilliamsAnne Bradstreet and Edward TaylorV．Puritan Thoughts1. The origin of puritanIn the mediaeval Europe, there was widespread religious revolution. In the 16th Century, the English King Henry VIII (At that time, the Catholics were not allowed to divorce unless they have the Pope's permission. Henry VIII wanted to divorce his wife because she couldn't bear him a son. But the Pope didn't allow him to divorce, so he) broke away from the Roman Catholic Church & established the Church ofEngland. But there was no radical difference between the doctrines of the Church of England and the Catholic Church. A group of people thought the Church of England was too Catholic and wanted to purify the church. Then came the name Puritans.2. Puritanism -- based on Calvinism(1) predestination: God's electPuritans believed they are predestined before they were born.Nothing or no good work can change their fate.They believed the success of one's business is the sign to show he is the God's elect. So the Puritans works very hard, spend very little and invest more for the future business. They lived avery frugal life. This is their ethics.(2) Origianl sin and total depravityMan is born sinful. This determines some puritans pessimistic attitude towards life.(3) Limited atonement (the salvation of a selected few)(4) theocracyThey combined state with religion. Their government is at least not a liberal one.The Puritans established American tradition -- intolerant moralism. They strictly punished drunks, adultery & heretics.Puritans changed gradually due to the severity of frontier environment3. Influence on American Literature(1) Its optimismAmerican literature was from the outset conditioned by the Puritan heritage. It can be said American literature is based on the Biblical myth of the Garden of Eden. After that, man have an illusion to restore the paradise. The puritans, after arriving at America, believing that God must have sent them to this new land to restore the lost paradise, to build the wilderness into a new Garden of Eden. Fired with such a strong sense of mission, they treated life with a tremendous amount of optimism. The optimistic Puritan has exerted a great influence on American literature.(2) Puritan's metaphorical mode of perception changed gradually into a literary symbolism.Part II The Literature of Reason And RevolutionI．Historical IntroductionWith the growth, especially of industry, there appeared the intense strain with England. The British government did not wantcolonial industries competing with those in England. The British wanted the colonies to remain politically and economically dependent on the mother country. They took a series of measures to insure this dependence. They prevented colonial economy by requiring Americans to ship raw materials abroad and to import finished goods at prices higher than the cost of making them in this country. Politically, the British government forced dependenceby ruling the colonies from overseas and by taxing the colonies without giving them representation in Parliament.However, by the mid-eighteenth century, freedom was won as much by the fiery rhetoric of Thomas Paine's Common Sense and the eloquence of the Declaration of Independence as by the weapons of Washington. In the seventies of the 18th century, the English colonies in North America rose in arms against their mother country. The War for Independence lasted for 8 years (1776-1783) and ended in the formation of a federative bourgeois democratic republic -- the United States of America. II．American EnlightenmentIt was supported by all progressive forces of the country which opposed themselves to the old colonial order and religious obscurantism.It dealt a decisive blow upon the puritan traditions and brought to life secular education and literature. The spiritual life during that period was to a great degree moulded by it.The representatives set themselves the task of disseminating knowledge among the people and advocating revolutionary ideas.The writers injected an invigorating vein into the English language in America as they aimed at clarity and precision oftheir writings.At the initial period the spread of the ideas of the Enlightenment was largely due to journalism. Writings of Europe were widely read in America. The secular ideals of the American Enlightenment were exemplified in the life and career of Benjamin Franklin.III．Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)The AutobiographyPoor Richard’s AlmanacLifeBenjamin Franklin came from a Calvinist background.He was born into a poor candle-maker’s family. He had very little education. He learned in school only for two years, but he was a voracious reader.At 12, he was apprenticed to his elder half-brother, a printer.At 16, he began to publish essays under the pseudonym “Silence Do good” .At 17, he ran away to Philadelphia to make his own fortune.He set himself up as an independent printer and publisher. In 1727 he founded the Junto club.Multiple identities:a printera leading authora politiciana scientista inventora diplomata civic activistFranklin’s Contributions to SocietyHe helped found the Pennsylvania Hospital.He founded an academy which led to the University of Pennsylvania.And he helped found the American Philosophical Society.Franklin’s Contributions to ScienceHe was also remembered for volunteer fire departments, effective street lighting, the Franklin stove, bifocal glasses and efficient heating devices.And for his lightning-rod, he was called “the new Prometheus who had stolen fire from heaven.”Franklin’s Contributions to the U.S.He was the only American to sign the four documents that created the United States:The Declaration of Independence,The Treaty of Alliance with France,The Treaty of Peace with England,The ConstitutionThe AutobiographyThe Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin was probably the first of its kind in literature. It is the simple yet immensely fascinating record of a man rising to wealth and fame from a state of poverty and obscurity into which he was born, the faithful account of the colorful career of America’s first self-made man.The Autobiography is, first of all, a Puritan document. It is Puritan because it is a record of self-examination and self-improvement. The meticulous chart of 13 virtues he set for himself to cultivate to combat the tempting vices, the stupendous effort he made to improve his own person, the belief that God helps those who helps themselves and that every calling is a service to God – all these indicate that Franklin was intensely Puritan. Then, the book is also a convincing illustration of thePuritan ethic that, in order to get on in the world, one has to be industrious, frugal, and prudent.The Autobiography is also an eloquent elucidation of the fact that Franklin was spokesman for the new order of eighteenth-century enlightenment, and that he represented in America all its ideas, that man is basically good and free by nature, endowed by God with certain inalienable rights of liberty and the pursuit of happiness.A look at the style of The Autobiography will readily reveal that it is the pattern of Puritan simplicity, directness and concision. The plainness of its style, the homeliness of imagery, the simplicity of diction, syntax and expression are some of the salient features we cannot mistake. The lucidity of the narrative, the absence ofornaments in wording and of complex, involved structures in syntax, and the Puritan abhorrence of paradox are all graphically demonstrated in the whole of the book. Taken as a whole, it is safe to say that the book is an exemplary illustration of the American style of writing.IV．Thomas Paine (1737-1809)Common SenseAmerican CrisisV．Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)The Declaration of IndependenceVI．Philip Freneau (1752-1832)“Poet of the American Revolution”“Father of American Poetry”“Pioneer of the New Romanticism”“A gifted and versatile lyric poet”Works“The Wild Honey Suckle”“The Indian Burying Ground”“To a Caty-Did”Freneau as Father of American Poetry: His major themes are death, nature, transition, and the human in nature. All of these themes become important in 19th century writing.Life ExperienceHe was born in New York.At 16, he entered the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University). He decided to do a postgraduate study in theology. But two years later he gave it up. While still an undergraduate, he wrote in collaboration with one of his friends (H. H. Brackenridge) a poem entitled “The Rising Glory of America”.Later he attended the War of Independence, and he was captured by British army in 1780.After being released, he published “The British Prison Ship” in 1781.In the same year, he published “T o the Memory of the Brave Americans”.After war, he supported Jefferson, and contributed greatly to American government.But after 50 years old, he lived in poverty. And at last he died in a blizzard.Main Works“The Rising Glory of America” (1772) 《美洲光辉的兴起》“The House of Night” (1779,1786) 《夜之屋》“The British Prison Ship” (1781) 《英国囚船》“To the Memory of the Brave Americans” (1781) 《纪念美国勇士》?“”The Wild Honey Suckle” (1786) 《野忍冬花》“The Indian Burying Ground” (1788) 《印第安人墓地》野忍冬花（黄杲炘译）美好的花呀，你长得：这么秀丽，却藏身在这僻静沉闷的地方——甜美的花儿开了却没人亲昵，招展的小小枝梢也没人观赏；没游来荡去的脚来把你踩碎，没东攀西摘的手来催你落泪。