英美文学名词解释

Heroic couplet: refers to lines of iambic pentameter which rhyme in pairs:aa,bb,cc and so on. The adjective “heroic” was applied in the later 17th century because of the frequent use of such couplets in heroic poems and dramas.It’s commonly used for epic and narrative poetry. This verse form was first introduced by Geoffrey Chaucer in The Canterbury Tales.

Renaissance:it is an intellectual movement sprang first in Italy in the 14th century and gradually spread all over Europe. It indicated a revival of classical arts and sciences after the dark ages of medieval obscurantism/ˌɒbskjʊ'ræntɪz(ə)m/反启蒙主义. Humanism is the essence of Renaissance. The real mainstream of English Renaissance is the Elizabethan drama with William Shakespeare being the leading dramatist.

Humanism: Humanism is the essence of the Renaisssance.It emphasizes the dignity of human beings and the importance of the present life. Humanists believed that man was the center of the universe and man did not only have the right to enjoy the beauty of the present life,but had the ability to perfect himself and to perform wonders.

Blank verse:It is a type of poetry,distinguished by having a regular meter, but no rhyme. In English, the meter most commonly used with blank verse has been iambic pentameter.Christopher Marlowe first made blank verse the principal medium of English drama.

Satire: 1) It’s a kind of writing that holds up to ridicule or contempt the weakness and wrongdoings of individuals, groups or humanity in general.2) The aim of satirists is to set a moral standard for society and they attempts to persuade the reader to see their point of view through the force of laughter.3) Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels is a great satire of the then English society from different aspects.

Metaphysical poetry: It is the poetry wrote in a similar style by John Donne and other 17th century poets.With a rebellious spirit,the metaphysical poets tried to break away from the conventional fashion of the Elizabethan love poetry.It is characterized by wits,”metaphysical conceits”, and an unusual simile or metaphor.

Conceit/kən'siːt/: a conceit is an extended metaphor with a complex logic that governs a poem. By juxtaposing/ˌdʒʌkstə'pəʊz/ images and ideas in a seemingly far-fetched way , a conceit invites reader into a more sophisticated understanding of the objects of comparison.Conceit is extensively employed in John Donne ‘s poetry.

Classicism/'klæsɪsɪz(ə)m/(古典主义运动):A movement in art,literature,or music that reflects the principles manifested in the art of ancient Greece and Rome. Classicism emphasizes the traditional and the universal ,and places value on reason,balance and order. Classicism , with its concern for reason and universal themes, is traditionally opposed to Romanticism, which is concenred with emotions and personal themes.

The Enlightenment Movement:

1.An intellectual movement in the 18th century ,beginning in

France and then spread over Europe.

2.its purpose was to enlighten the whole world with the light

of the mordern philosophical and artistic ideas.