新编英国文学选读复习资料

En glish Lite ra ture a nd the Se le cte d Re a dings

De ve lopm e nt of English Lite ra ture

1 . Ea rly a n d M e die va l English lite ra ture ( -1 4 8 5 )

2 . The English Re na is sa nce (15 5 0 -16 4 2 ? )

3 . Th e 1 7 th Ce ntu ry –Th e Pe riod of Re volu t ion a n d Re stora t ion

4 . The 1 8 th Ce ntu ry –T h e Age of Enlighte nm e nt

5 . Th e Rom a ntic Pe riod (1 7 9 8 -1 8 3 2 )

6 . Th e Victoria n Age (1 8 3 2 -1 9 0 1 )

7 . Th e 2 0 th Ce n t u ry Lit e ra t u re –M o d e rn is m a n d Po s t- M o d e rn is m

Cha pte r 1 Ea rly a nd M e die va l En g lish lite ra ture

一． Ep ic （史诗）

A poe m th a t ce le bra te in the form of a co ntinu ous n a rra t ive the a chie ve m e nts of o ne or m ore he roic pe rsona ge s of history or t ra d it ion.

Am ong the gre a t e pics of the w orld m a y be m e ntione d the Ilia d, Odysse y a nd Ae ne id of cla ssica l.

Be ow ulf

1 . H istorica l Ba ckgro u n d

1)) Thre e Inva s ions:

A.The Rom a n Conq u e st ( 5 5

B. C - 4 10 A. D)

B.The English Conqu e s t ( The Anglo-Sa xon Pe riod)

C.The Norm a n Conq u e st (The Anglo-Norm a n Pe riod)

2)) Tw o W a rs:

A.The Hundre d Ye a rs W a r (1 3 37 -1 4 5 3 )

B.The W a r of th e Rose (1 4 5 5 -1 4 85 )

a . Anglo-Sa xo n Poe t ry : Pa ga n(异教的） &Christia n Be ow ulf /w orks of Ca e d m on a nd Cy ne w u lf.

b. Anglo-Norm a n Poe t ry : Rom a nce

c.Poe try in Age of Cha u ce r：

d.. Popula r Ba lla ds: Ba lla d s of Ro bin

Hood 2 . 评价

1） Be ow u lf is a n a t i o na l e pic（史诗） of English pe o ple .

2） It is the re pre se nta t ive w ork of th e e a rly English lit e ra tu re w ith 3 0 00 lin e s .

3 ） It s w rit e r is u nknow n.

4 ） Be ow u lf is a folk le ge nd brou g ht to Engla nd by the Anglo Sa xon from the ir prim it ive Northe rn Eu rope .

5 ） Be ow u lf w a s pa sse d do w n fro m m o uth to m outh.

6 ）Be ow u lf w a s w rit te n dow n in the 1 0 t h ce n tu ry .

3 . Ch a ra cte rs in th e s to ry :

Be ow u lf: a ne p he w of king of Ge nts, a pe ople in De nm a rk.

Hrothga r: king of De nm a rk.

Gre nde l: a m onste r.

She -m onste r(女妖怪 ): Gre nde l’s m othe r.

Dra go n: a fire dra gon, a m onste r.

4. Ou t line o f Th e Son g o f Be o w u lf

Te u tonic(日耳曼的） h e ro Be ow u lf, the ne phe w of the king of the Ge a t la nd, he lpe d Hrothga r kill the m onste r ha lf-hu m a n ,Gre nd e l a s w e ll a s his viciou s m oth e r. W ith his he roic de e ds, he w a s m a de the king of Scyldings (Sw e d e n) for 5 0 ye a rs.