英国文学史第四节第一章

The
Elizabethan Age: the Tudor Dynasty,
1485—1625 the beginning of modern times of Great Britain. the collapse of feudalism in England.
The
Renaissance: 1485—1660
A
time of scientific, historical, religious and artistic
exploration; more attention was paid to probe human psyche.
Drama
and sonnets are two major forms of literature in
Chapter 5 William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Landmark in the history of world literature
Founder of realism, a master to portrait realistic human
characters and relations. April 23, 1564—April 23, 1616
started in Italy, to propose the rebirth of
classical Greek and Latin learning, brought
prosperous arts and sciences; humanism was the
most significant philosophy in England.
Summary
The Middle Ages
The Anglo-Saxon Period (449-1066)
The Anglo-Norman Period (1066-1350)
Popular Ballads (12001700)
PART II
RENAISSANCE/ THE ELIZABETHAN AGE
Representatives:
William Langland (ca 1330-1400) The Vision Concerning Piers the Plowman Robin Hood: the hero that appeared firstly in literature in this book. Strong, brave, clever, tenderhearted, affectionate; hatred for the cruel oppressors and love for the poor and downtrodden.
Professional
works: Maxims of the Law and
Reading on the Statute of Uses
created and preserved by the people and were
widely spread among the ordinary people of England and Scotland.
2. Two characteristics:
incremental repetition（递进重复）; ballad stanza （诗节） 3. Classifications: historical; legendary; fantastical; lyrical; humorous.
Sonnet:
a poem of fourteen lines that follows a strict
rhyme scheme and specific structure.
Blank Verse:
unrhymed iambic pentameter（素诗体）
Iambic pentameter: 五步抑扬格 （e.g. Sonnet 18abab, cdcd, efef, gg）
Three Classes of Works
Philosophical:
Advancement of Learning (1605);
Novum Organum (1620);
Literary:
Essays (Of Truth, Of Death, Of Revenge,
Of Friendship)
Shakespeare than from any other source except
from the Bible.
His
plays are still performed today and his poems
are still read as classical works in world literature.
Chapter 4 Popular Ballads
1.
Definition:
Also named folk ballad: a type of poetry that makes the most direct appeal to all classes of readers and listeners; essentially a narrative poem which tells a story.
ennoble man, and make him realize his
potential and gifts; regards man as brilliant
creators.
An excerpt from Hamlet
What
a piece of work is a man! How noble in
4. Ballads Collectors:
Bishop Thomas Percy (1729-1811): the first to take a literary interest in ballads due to his discovery of copied Middle English manuscript of 17th century. published the manuscript in his Reliques of Ancient English
Chapter 6 Francis Bacon(1561-1626)
Of
noble birth Elected to Parliament at the age of 23 after gradating from the university Lord High Chancellor, the head of the legal system of England Financial corruption and was convicted, deprived of his office and banished from London “the wisest, brightest, meanest of mankind” ----Alexander Pope
Literary Terms
Renaissance:
rebirth, a cultural movement that spanned
roughly the 14th to the 17th century and originated in Italy and then spread to other parts of Europe.


Arrived in London in 1586 when drama was of great
popularity there. Playwright, actor, poet


37 plays(10 histories, 10 tragedies and 17 comedies), 2
narrative poems, 154 sonnets.
Christopher Naval The
power
first colonies on the American mainland—Virginia,
Massachusetts, etc.
In
1599, the East India Company was established.
Achievements in this Period
reason!
How
infinite in faculties! In form and moving how
express and admirable! In action how like an angel! In apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the
Poetry (1765)
Sir
Walter Scott (1771-1832): went to
places where ballads were still been singing and write them down at the dictation of the border people. (numerous ballads were about the age-long struggle between the Scots and the English and there are different versions.)
world! The paragon of animals(77)!
Other Social Events
A new
economic world replaced the feudal society. commerce
Oversea Global
colonization Columbus found the new world
Humanism
A moral and political term that proposes the
worldly existence of man and his all-round
development, his worldly life and happiness.
Hale Waihona Puke Baidu
Anthropocentric, seeks to civilize, dignify and
Most Distinguished Works
Hamlet The
Merchant of Venice
Influence
Most
popular and most respected writer in English
literature.
The
popular saying that we have come from
this period.
University
Wits: a group of educated playwrights such as
John Lyly, Thomas Lodge, Thomas Kyd, Thomas Nashe,
Robert Greene, George Peele, and Christopher Marlow.
Representatives
Thomas
More(1477-1535) : Utopia (1516) Sir Philip Sidney (1554-1586): The Defense of Poetry (1580-1581); Astrophel and Stella (15811582) Edmund Spenser (1552-1599): The Faerie Queene (1596) Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593): The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus (1604) William Shakespeare (1564-1616): Francis Bacon (1561-1626):