英国文学史一知识点大全

What is “literature”? 1.Literature is broadly defined as any written or spoken material, but the term most often refers to creative works, which are of artistic value.

2.Literature includes poetry, drama, fiction, and many kinds of nonfiction writing, as well as oral, dramatic, and broadcast compositions not necessarily preserved in a written format, such as films and television programs.

3.Literature is the expression of life in words of truth and beauty; it is the written record of man’s spirit, of his thoughts, emotions and aspirations; it is the history and the only history of human soul. It is characterized by its artistic, suggestive and permanent qualities.

4.Literature is the art of language, whose major genres are poetry, fiction, and drama.

Literature is closely connected with history. If we know nothing of history, it is impossible for us really to understand a literary work. What is English literature? Literature produced in England, from the introduction of Old English by the Anglo-Saxons in the 5th century to the present. The works of those Irish and Scottish authors who are closely identified with English life and letters are also considered part of English literature.

Part I The Anglo-Saxon Period 盎格鲁—撒克逊时期 (449-1066)

About the history:(1) The early inhabitants on the island we now called England were Britons (a tribe of Celts). From the Britons, the island got its name Britain (the land of Britons). The Britons were a primitive people living in the tribal society.

(2) In the middle of the 1st century B.C., Roman troops led by Julius Caesar invaded Britain. Then Britain became a Roman province for nearly 400 years. After the fall of the Roman Empire in 410 A.D., the Roman troops withdrew from Britain. About 449, the Teutonic (n.- Teutons ) tribes of Angles, Saxons & Jutes migrated to England from the European Continent, or more specifically from western Denmark & the northwest coast of Germany. They settled down there & soon ruled over the whole of England, enslaving some of the native Celts while driving the others to the hills north & west, to Wales & Scotland & even Ireland across the sea. Thus began the Anglo-Saxon period in English history. (3) The Angles, an important Teutonic tribe, named the new land as Angle-land, afterward shortened into England.

History of the period(笔记） Literature The literature of the Anglo-Saxon period falls naturally into two divisions: pagan and Christian. OR The old English poetry falls into two groups: the pagan represented by

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Beowulf and the religious poetry represented by the works of Caedmon 凯德蒙and Cynewulf.基涅武甫 Caedmon is the first known religious poet of England. He is known as \father of English song\ Anthem赞美诗 取材于Bible故事 The didactic poem the Christ was written by Cynewulf. In the 8th century, Anglo-Saxon prose appeared. The famous prose writers of that period were Venerable Bede 比德\阿尔弗雷德大帝“.father of English Prose”。 Anglo-Saxon Chronicle编年史which is regarded as the best momument of the old English prose.

Alfred the Great -------The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles

Venerable Bede --The Ecclesiastical教会的History of the English people英吉利人教会史（古英语时期散文最高成就） Cynewulf ---------The Christ基督 an unknown scribe -------- The Song of Beowulf Caedmon --------Paraphrase What is an epic(史诗)? Epic is an extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language, like Homer’s Iliad (伊利亚特) & Odyssey（奥德赛）. It usually celebrates the feats of one or more legendary or traditional heroes. The action is simple, but full of magnificence. Today, some long narrative works, like novels that reveal an age & its people, are also called epic. The Song of Beowulf The manuscript was written in about the year 1000, but the poem itself was probably composed some time during the first half of the 8th century, after the Christianization of the whole nation. The historical event described in the poem belongs to the early 6th century.

Though it is regarded today as the national epic of the Anglo-Saxons, the hero and the setting of Beowulf have nothing to do with England, for the story took place in Scandinavia （斯堪的纳维亚(半岛)(瑞典、挪威、丹麦、冰岛的泛称)）.

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The Song of Beowulf is the oldest poem in the English language, and also the oldest surviving epic in the English language. The poem consists of 3182 lines.

Beowulf --- the hero of the story

Hygelac --- Bewulf’s Uncle, king of the Geats, a people in Jutland, Denmark. Hrothgar ---King of the Danes, is in great trouble Grendel --- a terrible monster Grendel’s Mother

Beowulf was originally composed by the pagans.It was later written down by a Christian.it was a pagan epic adapted to the feelings of a Christian world.

Main incidents of the poem: Beowulf’s fight with the monster Grendel in Hrothgar’s hall. Beowulf’s slaying of Grendel’s mother in her lair.

Beowulf’s return in glory to his uncle, and his succession to the throne. Beowulf’s victory in death, fifty years later, over the fire dragon.

The epic represents the spirit of pagan. Give a brief description of Beowulf: Beowulf, a typical example of old English poetry, is regarded as the greatest national epic of the Anglo-Saxons.

The epic describes the heroic deeds of a Scandinavian hero, Beowulf, in fighting against the monster Grendel, his revengeful mother, and a fire-breathing dragon. The poem conveys a hope that the righteous will triumph over the evil. Features of Beowulf 1.The use of alliteration is one of its most striking features. ( In alliterative verse, certain accented / stressed words in a line begin with the same consonant sound.) 2.The use of compound-words (kennings:古英语中的隐喻语) to serve as metaphors 3.The use of understatements or euphemism. The use of understatements gives an impression of reserve, and at times, a tinge of ironical humor. This quality is often regarded as a permanent characteristic of English. The significance of Beowulf

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It is the longest & finest of extant 现存的 old English poems & the national epic of the English people.

This glorious epic presents us a vivid picture of the life of Anglo-Saxon people and highly praises the brave and courageous spirit of the fighting against the elemental forces. The epic reflects the situations the epoch of pagan tribalism and of the era of the Christianized feudal society.

The epic gives the vivid portrayal of a great national hero, strong and courageous people and his kinfolk.

Character Analysis & Theme

Beowulf sings of the exciting adventures of a great legendary hero whose physical strength demonstrates his high spiritual qualities, i.e. his resolution to serve his country & kinsfolk, his true courage, courteous conduct, and his love of honour. In the poem, Beowulf is strong, courageous, selfless, and ready to risk his life in order to rid his people of evil monsters.

Thematically, this poem shows how the primitive people fight against the forces of the natural world under a wise & mighty leader.

Literary term Epic（史诗）:

1.Epic is one of the ancient types of poetry and plays a very important role in early development of literature and civilization. 2.An epic is a long narrative poem of great scale and grandiose style about the heroes who are usually warriors or even demigods(半人半神). It deals with noble characters and heroic deeds. 3.The epic is polygonal(多边的). It incorporates(结合) myth, legend and folk tale. It reflects national history. Alliteration (头韵)

The repetition of similar sounds, usually consonant or consonant clusters, in a group of words. Sometimes the term is limited to the repetition of initial consonant sounds. When

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alliteration occurs at the beginning of words, it is called initial alliteration; when it occurs within words, it is called internal or hidden alliteration. It usually occurs on stressed syllables.

What are the main chatacteristics of Anglo-Saxon literature?

Anglo-Saxon literature is almost a verse literature in oral form. It could be passed down by word of mouth (口头地) from generation to generation. Its creators for the most part are unknown. It was only given a written form long after its composition.

There are two groups of English poetry in Anglo-Saxon period. The first group was the pagan poetry represented by Beowulf. The second group was the religious poetry represented by the works of Caedmon and Cynewulf. The Anglo-Norman Period The Consequence of Norman Conquest:

The Norman Conquest brought England more than a change of rulers. 1) Politically,a feudalist system was established in England.

2) Religiously,the Rome-backed Catholic Church had a much stronger control over the country.

3) Culturally,Great change also took place in languages. After the conquest, three languages co-existed in England:

a. Old English was spoken only by the common English people; b. French became the official language;

c. Latin was used in church affairs by the clergymen and by scholars in universities.

By the end of the 14th century, when Normans and English intermingled, English was once more the dominant speech in the country. But now it became something different from the old Anglo-Saxon.

II. The Literature of Anglo-Norman Period

The literature which they brought to England is remarkable for its bright, romantic tales of love and adventure, in marked contrast with the strength and somberness of Anglo-Saxon poetry. During the following centuries Anglo-Saxon speech simplified itself by dropping of its Teutonic inflections, absorbed eventually a large part of the French vocabulary, and became the English language. English literature is also a combination of French and Saxon elements.

Romance（1.The literature for the upper class.2.The prevailing form of literature in the feudal England

was the Romance.）

Romance: It was a long composition, sometimes in verse, sometimes in prose, describing the life and adventures of a noble hero. (term) Its essential features are:

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1. It lacks general resemblance to truth or reality.

2. It contains perilous adventures more or less remote from ordinary life. 3. It lays emphasis on supreme devotion to a fair lady.

4. The central character is a knight of noble family described as riding forth to seek adventures, taking part in tournaments(比赛）, of fighting for his lord in battle. He is devoted to the Church and the king. (the knight code)

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is considered the culmination of Romance.

Subject matters: about the matter of Britain (King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table), the matter of France (Emperor Charlemegne and his peers),the matter of Rome (Alexander the great and so forth) The value of romance: Its careful interweaving of one episode with another, the various suspense（悬疑） and surprise as the story unfolds itself, the psychological analysis of the character Sir Gawain has paved the way for the novel writing.

Language style: simple and very straightforward. But nevertheless, the story could not be devoid of defects, for example: sometimes the reader can sense the superstition and supernatural elements.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight : The best Arthurian romance, anonymous, in alliterative verse

Its characters : King Arthur, Sir Gawain, the Green Knight

Knight: originally meant no more than a household servant, living in the lords hall and to serve him in war, and when necessary to fight for the king. Later, the great barons give lands to knights on condition that they should be ready to fight when called upon. Thus, the feudal system of hierarchy was formed. “Knight” has much to do with literature in the Middle Ages.

Knights were at the lowest level of the nobility (upper class); and literature about knights called chivalric literature. The system called chivalry.

The great barons gave land to knights on condition that they should be ready to fight when called upon. Thus a feudal system of hierarchy was formed: the feudal lords with the king, and the church at the top; the knights in the middle, the serfs at the bottom.

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2). The Romance Cycles

a. \“ (adventures of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table) b. the \c. the \

3). The Class Nature of the Romance: had nothing to do with the common people— Romances were composed for the noble, of the Nobel, and in most cases by the poets patronized by the noble.

— loyalty: as loyalty was the corner-stone of feudal morality, without which the whole structure of feudalism would collapse

4). Element of Romance a. Set in a remote place and time

b. Incorporates the marvelous and miracles c. Hero is superior to other men and his environment d. May involve “Testing Plot” 5). Artistic features of Romance a. standardized characterization:Heroes, heroines and wicked stewards can be easily moved from one romance to another. b .loose and episodic structure c. simple and straightforward language

1. About the overall text Arthurian tale of chivalry and courtly love Inner moral testing rather than physical tests three narrative motifs Beheading game temptation

Exchange of gifts

Powerful imagery of Gawain’s clothes/dressing 2. The Green Knight

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He challenges King Arthur’s knights to a New Year’s game.

The Green Knight wants to exchange “one blow for another.”

The stranger will stand for the first blow if the other knight will agree to have his turn in a year and a day.

3. Sir Gawain

Sir Gawain accepts the Green Knight’s challenge.

He honors his word and searches for the knight’s Green Chapel.

Gawain finds a lord and his lady on his quest who offer him shelter on Christmas day. The lord has the lady tempt Sir Gawain three times on the rules of courtly love. Gawain resists--all but one advance.

The Green Knight reveals himself to be the lord and spares Gawain for his honesty.

General Plots of Sir Gawain and the Green Knights

Part One (L.1-490)

It deals with the beheading.

One Christmas, a knight all in green appears at a feast held by King Arthur. The Green Knight invites any of the knights to cut off his head and then meet him a year later at his castle to receive the return cut.

Sir Gawain is the only knight to accept the challenge. He rises and beheads the knight. The body of the Green Knight then picks up the head, riding off on the green horse. This is a Beheading Test, a test of knightly courage. Part Two (L.491-1125)

It tells of the long and arduous trip Gawain makes to the castle. Part Three (L.1126-1996)

It relates the three days he spends in a bargain with the lord.

Sir Gawain comes to the castle and is well received by its lord and lady. The lord invites Sir Gawain to go hunting with him, but the knight prefers to stay at home. The two agree to share in the evening whatever they may have won during the day.

This goes on for three days.

On the first day the lord of the castle hunts for a deer, while Sir Gawain is under the lady’s siege to kiss her. The lord is happy to give half of his trophy in the evening to Sir Gawain in return for his brief kiss on his cheek. The second day ends with the lord giving half a boar for another brief kiss.

When the third evening comes, the lord gets three kisses for half of his fox’s skin, Sir Gawain having withheld the girdle that the lady has forced on him for his safety. This is the chastity Test. Part Four (L.1997-2530)

It wraps up his trip with his final encounter with the Green Knight.

Sir Gawain goes to meet the Green Knight who duly arrives. Sir Gawain bares his head and is ready for the blow. When the Green Knight raises his ax high in the air, Sir Gawain jumps aside. The Green Knight demands a second cut. The second blow does not touch Sir Gawain. With the third blow, however, Sir Gawain receives a slight wound. The Green Knight then reveals himself as the host of the castle. It is now clear that the host and the hostess, who is King Arthur’s half-sister, have worked together to test Sir Gawain’s courage and strength.

The host has slightly cut Sir Gawain because he keeps the green girdle. They become good friends., Sir Gawain goes back to the king’s court. 4. Testing Plot

Tester is unrealistic and remote Test is extreme 5. Main Characters

Arthur: King of Camelot Sir Gawain: Representative, not elect Green Knight: Ambiguous nature Green body-supernatural Green and gold equipment-courtly youth Axe-war 6. The Game

Governed by rules Tests important knightly virtues Involves seemingly inevitable death

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7. Code of Chivalry Posses faith in God Loyal to people, principles, and promises Without deceit Upright and Virtuous 8. The Five Virtues Generosity,,Companionableness,Courtesy,Pure mind ,Compassion 9. Confession

Shame and mortification (遗恨 )

Statement of Sin: Gawain admits cowardice, covetousness, and untruth Request for penance (忏悔, 悔过 )

10. Condemnation

Gawain did sin Sin was from love of life, not malice Problem of shifting blame to women

The theme of the story: The story seems to show the testing of faith, courage and purity, and the proving of human weakness for self-preservation. The two motifs provide the poem with unmistakable traits of chivalric romances, plus some strong Christian coloring. The Ballad Literature for the lower class.

A ballad is a story told in song, usually in 4-line stanzas, with the second and fourth lines rhymed. (term) The subjects of ballads are various in kind, as the struggle of young lovers against their feudal-minded families, the conflict between love and wealth, the cruelty of jealousy, the criticism of the civil war, and the matters of class struggle. The most important are the ballads of Robin Hood.

Popular Ballads Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later North America, Australia and North Africa. Geoffrey Chaucer— “The father of English poetry” Historical background in the Age of Geoffrey Chaucer

(1) The Hundred Years War: The result of the war was an awakening of national consciousness in England. And the French language was gradually replaced by English native tongue.

(2) The peasant uprising of 1381: It was the result of the conflict between the peasants and feudal lords. (3) 1360-1400 The summit of Middle English literature

1.Chaucer is the most important poet in the medieval age.

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2.He is the father of English poetry in that he introduces rhymed verse, especially couplet, into Britain to replace alliterative verse formerly prevailing in British poetry and making English the literary language (the first great poet writing in the English language). 3.He is also the founder of English realism because The Canterbury Tales, his masterpiece, provides a panorama of the life in the medieval England.

4.He is the forerunner of humanism for in his masterpiece the keynote is humanism. He praises human intellect, human beauty, human passion and human living environment, and affirms human rights to pursue earthly happiness.

5.He does much in making London dialect the foundation of modern English speech. Chaucer’s Contribution to English Literature and Language

To English Language:1.)He was the first great poet who wrote in English, so he improved the social state of English, thus establishing English as the literary language. 2)He made the dialect of London the standard for the modern English speech.

1. Life:born in a rich wine-merchant’s family with a high social position---------- studied at Oxford and Cambridge --

------in 1357 served as a court page--------in 1357 in English army fighting in France--------in 1367 entered the service of King Edward III and became an ambassador , and his visiting of European countries, esp. Italy brought him with the new tendency of the Renaissance in Italian literature.-----------in 1386, he was elected as member of Parliament but then dismissed because of his enemies’ intrigues . --------- In 1389 he was appointed clerk of the King’s works and the new king Henry IV granted him a pension.------- He died on the 25th of Oct. 1400 and was the first to be buried in the Poet’s Corner of Westminster Abbey. 2. The literary life of Chaucer

3. It can be divided into three stages:

1.）The first period (1360-1372): (Under the influence of French literature) The Romance of Rose 玫瑰罗曼史 The Book of the Duchess公爵夫人之书 2）The second period (1372-1386):

(Under the influence of the Italian literature)

The Parliament of Fowls百鸟会议 The House of Fame声誉之宫 Troilus and Criseyde特罗勒斯与克丽西德

The Legend of Good Women

3）The third stage (1385-1400): The Canterbury Tales坎特伯雷故事集（中世纪第一部现实主义作品）

Chaucer’s creative work vividly reflected the change which had taken root in English culture of the second half of the 14th century. The foundation of the feudal system had already begun to crumble（collapse）. The people’s uprising of 1388 raised the question as to the abolition of feudalism. The glory of the catholic church was on the wane. England

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