大学英语专业英国文学史 考试简答题

PartⅤ The 17th century

The Period of Revolution and Restoration

John Donne

1 What are the characteristics and representatives of the English literature of the revolution period, the metaphysical period and restoration period?

A.The revolution period, Puritans believed in simplicity of life and disapproved of

the sonnets and the love poetry, and they influence in general tended to suppressed literary art.

Representatives：John Milton，John Bunyan

B.The metaphysical （玄学派）period, the style became spiritual gloom. Representatives：Donne and Herbert；John Milton

C．The restoration period, the literary was often witty and clever, but on the whole immoral and cynical.

Representatives：John Dryden

2 In “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning《告别：莫忧伤》”, why does the speaker forbid mourning when his going to pass away and leave his lover? Why and what are the two conceits （比喻）that he uses to describe their perfect love?

A.Although they may leave each other, yet they love is firm and forever, and soul lovers cannot be separated by distance and death. Besides，death is natural just like earthquake.

B. First conceit（like gold to airy thinness beat）, their souls are like gold, it can expand and their love still exit.

Second conceit(as stiff tein com, they are like compasses are two), one moving and anther stay and wait for the companion.

3 In “Death be not proud”(死神莫骄妄), what will happen to us when we die？why does the speaker say that “death should not be proud”? When will death die?

A. It will be rest and sleep flow with much pleasure when we die，and our souls will be released.

B.Because it is a slave of fate, chance, kings and desperate man and death is together with poison,war,sickness and opium or charms. And these things can make us sleep like the death, and the effect is better than death. Death for people is a soul’s delivery, and after death people will feel free and pleased. Although people die, yet they wake eternally, and their souls are exiting forever.

C.When people’s short sleep past, people wake eternally, and death n o longer exist and death will die.

John Milton

1 In what way is John Milton a staunch(坚定的)revolution fighter and a great poet?

A.When he was in Italy, he heard the trouble sprung up in England, and he gave up his plan for travelling and went back to England. After he return to England, he opposed the monarchic party and gave all his energy to the writing of pamphlets小册子dedicated to the people’s liberties.

B.After finishing the university course，he thought he was born to be a poet.So for five years he lived at home in his father’s country house at Horton about 20 miles from London,writing poetry and studying hard,in order better to fit himself for his work.He worked for 7years upon Paradise Lost.And he also wrote Paradise Regained and Samson Agonistes.The three works made him a great poet.

2What is the theme of Paradise Lost ?What is the basic idea of Paradise Lost? Theme:

The basic idea:the exposure of reactionary forces of his time and passionate appeal for freedom.

3 In Paradise Lost, why was Satan punished by God driven out of heaven and at last into hell? What did he want to do for revenge? And what was his reason? What is the allegorical meaning of the poem?

A.Because Satan led the mutinous(反叛的) angels to rise against God himself but in

the battle with the hosts of angels that remained true to God, they were finally defeated.

B.Satan wanted to ruin God’s precious creation (man).

C.So he wanted to tear Adam and Eve away from the influence of God and to make

them instrumental in his struggle against God’s authority.

D.God represents authority and tyranny on earth,he has strong rights to control

anything .

Satan represents the power of revolting against authority and desire for freedom.

3 In the Sonnet On His Blindness, what is the double meaning of “talent”? What is “mine” question? And what is the answer given by patience? What is the theme of the Sonnet?

A.The “talent” means :ability and a kind of currency unit

B.Question is that God does not give us light, and why I will bear it?(‘Doth God

exact day-labor,light denied?’)

C.Patience answers that God does not need gift, and go and climb without rest or

stand and wait is also a service.(‘God doth not need either man’s work or his own gifts;who best bear his mild yoke,they serve him best)

D.Theme:If you have talents,you should make full use of it. and your pain will be

diminished and you will be peaceful and calm.You can use your talent to live a meaningful life.

John Banyan

1 What is “allegory”? In what way is Banyan The Pilgrim’s Progress is allegory? What are the literal meaning and symbolic meaning of the work?

A.Allegory is a tale in verse or prose in which the characters, actions or settings

represent abstract ideas general truth or moral qualities, and a story that has two meanings, literal and symbolic.

B.The literal meaning: Christian’s pilgrimage from the city of Destruction to the

Holy City

The symbolic meaning:religious people,people should follow Christian’s

example.And it reflects the society and culture.

2 In the part Vanity Fair, what is the Vanity Fair? What are sold and brought at