英语国家概况 PPT

Marriage group:
The Oxford clerk’s tale of the patient Griselda The wife of Bath’s tale of an Arthurian knight The franklin’s tale of Arveragus and Gorigem
The legend of King Arthur and his Round Table knights
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Note for explanation:
Romance Romance, alliterative and metrical, constitute the bulk of the literary works in England in the three centuries after 1066. the word romance here refers to some verse narrative that sings of knightly adventures or other heroic deeds, and usually emphasizes the chivalric love of the Middle Ages in Europe.
Historical background:
1. The settlement of Anglo-Saxon people since the mid-5th century 2. A process of political unification of the Ireland of England (wars inside and outside)
Topic 1 for research: On Beowulf VS Chinese mythology and Greek mythology
6. Kennings
Note for explanation:
Alliteration: Words beginning with the same consonants alliterate with each other within Each line, or a word beginning with a vowel alliterates with another word beginning with the same or another vowel. Each line generally has four stresses with a pause between the second and the third, thus breaking the line into two parts. Alliteration invariably falls upon the stressed syllables. “in gear dagum”
3. The Canterbury Tales
Leabharlann Baidu
The Canterbury Tales
1. Frame story as indebtedness to Boccaccio General prologue, 24 stories, separate prologues, links 2. Diversity in characterization in literary genres in themes: social criticism, rising burgesses’ rising sense of self-importance, women’s status, marriage,….. 3. Art of technique Humor mixed with satire Language: London-based English Heroic couplet
1. The life of Chaucer (1340-1400)
Variety of his occupation
2. Three stages of literary career
Indebtedness to Italian Renaissance The House of Fame: Chaucerian Humor The legend of Good Women: heroic couplet Troylus and Criseyde: chivalric romance A transitional poet from mediaeval to Renaissance age
A worthy woman from beside Bath city Was with us, somewhat deaf, which was a pity. In making cloth she showed so great a bent She bettered those of Ypres and of Ghent In all the parish not a dame dared stir Towards the altar steps in front of her And if indeed they did, so wrathe was she As to be quite put out of charity. Her kerchiefs were of finely woven ground, I dared have sworn they weighed a good then pound, The ones she wore on Sunday, on her head. Her hose were of the finest scarlet red And gartered tight; her shoes were soft and new. Bold was her face, handsome, and red in hue. A worthy woman all her life, what’s more She’d have five husbands, all at the church door, Apart from other company in youth; No need just now to speak of that, forsooth.
literary convention of vision and allegory; a satire; social reformer The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales
Unit One
A Brief Introduction to English Literature of The Anglo-Saxon Period 5 A.D. ~ 11 A.D. and Middle Ages (5 A.D. ~ 15 A.D.)
The Anglo-Saxon Period (5 A.D. ~ 11 A.D.)
• Wars inside and outside: the Hundred Years’ War with France(1337); Bleak death(1349); peasant risings in succession(eg:1381); War of the Rose
• Emerging political force of burgesses
The Anglo-Saxon Period (5 A.D. ~ 11 A.D.)
Historical background: Early literary forms: poetry and prose
1. Oral tradition: scops and gleeman 2. Christian poetry: Gaedmon and Cynewulf 3. Latin prose: The Ecclesiastical History of the English People by Bede National epic: Beowulf
Mainstream Comments:
1. Epic tradition: “man and arms”; part-historical and partlegendary
2. A faithful reflection of late tribal society in a heathen world 3. Feudal elements and Christian colouring 4. Old English 5. Alliteration
Folk literature and religious literature
• The History of the Kings of Britain by Geofrey of Monmouth in Latin • Fabliau: a medieval French traditional literary form • Satires A short story in verse relating some comic • Lyrics on love or nature incidents of ordinary life. • Alliterative or metrical romances
•
Kenning: Compound words to serve as indirect metaphors that are sometimes very picturesque. “Swan-road”, “whale-path”, “seal-bath” “Wave-traveler” “Shield-bearer”, “spear-fighter” “Sword-clashings”, “edge-clash”
4. King Alfred the Great and his contribution: translation, development of English, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
The Anglo-Saxon Period (5 A.D. ~ 11 A.D.)
Historical background: Early literary forms: poetry and prose Epic tradition and Beowulf
•
Middle Ages (mid-11 A.D. ~ 15 A.D.)
Historical background:
Mid-11 A.D. ~ mid-14 A.D: feudalism in the upward momentum From Mid-14 A.D.: deteriorating and declining of feudalism 15 A.D.: transition from feudalism to capitalism • French culture implantation • Chivalry reflected in chivalry romance • Major social conflicts: serfs VS feudal barons; feudal barons VS kings
•
• Themes:
1. The matter of Britain 2. The matter of France: Charlemagne and his knight 3. The matter of Rome
English literature from the mid-14 A.D.
• The earliest English version of the Bible translated by John Wycliffe • Piers the Plowman by William Langland: medieval •
3. A process from late stage of tribalism to early stage of feudalism
4. Christianization: the mix of heathen concepts with Christian coloring reflected in literary works of this period