Chapter 1英国文学史第一章 英国文学的开始I 种子期(The Seminal Period)II 过渡期III 十四世纪英国三大诗人种子期w 凯尔特人w 布列吞人 (Britons)cf: Britian(不列颠)w 罗马统治w 盎格鲁—萨克逊时期w 奥古斯丁(3)w 《贝奥武甫》罗马统治w 罗马帝国:前27建立--395分裂--476西罗马灭亡--1453东罗马灭亡w 罗马统治:公元前55年 --公元410年,约400年w 罗马统治的影响(1-2)w 罗马撤离的原因(帝国衰弱)盎格鲁—萨克逊时期w 时间(449——1100)w 三个日耳曼部落入侵,亚瑟王时期,语言变化,混战w 北欧海盗(丹麦)入侵,阿尔弗雷德大王,短暂的和平,罗曼征服w 皈依基督教(3-4)Beowulf (4-7)An English Epic《贝奥武甫》:英国的民族史诗简介w 作者:8世纪英格兰佚名诗人w 长度:3182行w 特点:北欧民族历史和异教神话与基督教色彩融合在一起w 形式:古英语头韵体 故事w 两部分组成,场景分别在丹麦和瑞典w 第一部分:高特人(the Geats)的王子贝奥武甫漂洋过海前往丹麦除妖降怪的历险故事w 第二部分:贝奥武甫成功制服火龙,受到致命创伤,不久死去评论w 主要再现了氏族(clan)部落时代除妖降怪的英雄壮举,具有基督教色彩的善与恶、人性与灭绝人性(inhumanity)的历险之间的斗争w 反映了盎格鲁—萨克逊时期的社会、政治、伦理、文化,极其强调勇气与忠诚w 建立起连接过去与现在的桥梁,将诗歌以及其中人物所具有的意义推广到整个社会,使主题得到深化w 民间传说与英雄史诗的结合体。
贝奥武甫的尚武精神也是英吉利民族的一个特征,英国民族史诗过渡期(8—13世纪) w 彼得(Venerable Bede)w 阿尔弗雷德大帝(英国散文之父)w 埃克赛特书(Exeter Book)彼得(Venerable Bede)《英吉利人教会史》(The Ecclesiastical History of the English People,731)代表这一时期用拉丁文写成的散文著作的高峰阿尔弗雷德大帝w 《盎格鲁—萨克逊编年史》,记载从9世纪中叶到1154年的英国历史,从中可以清楚地看出古英语向中古英语的演变w 第一部重要散文著作,简洁明快的散文风格对后世作家产生很大影响埃克赛特书(Exeter Book)英国埃克塞特大教堂图书馆收藏,十世纪手抄本,盎格鲁撒克逊诗歌的集合,盎格鲁撒克逊四本圣书中的一本,《旅行者》、《航海者》位于其中十四世纪英国三大诗人 w 杰弗里·乔叟(1340—1400)w 威廉·兰格兰(1332—1400)w 高文诗人Geoffrey Chaucer 杰弗里·乔叟 w 生平:生活时代,出身,背景,经历w 作品:《公爵夫人之书》,《特洛勒斯与克丽西德》、《坎特伯雷故事》《特洛勒斯与克丽西德》 w 根据薄伽丘的《菲洛斯特拉托》(Il Filostrato)改写w 爱情故事,悲剧更大程度上是社会造成的,而不是个人造成的(12-13)w 对人类心理进行了深刻的研究《坎特伯雷故事》w 30位香客,120个故事,完成20个(22个)加4个残篇(13-18)w 《总序》为所有故事设定了框架,逐个介绍了故事讲述者,介绍了每个人物所讲述故事的动机w 故事很少原创,进行了合理的加工,显示了诗人独特的视角及创造性才 评价w 受但丁、彼得拉克、薄伽丘等人影响,特殊的背景及丰富的个人阅历使其吸收各种不同文化和意识的营养,形成机敏、宽容、多元的思想。
w 诗人之角第一位诗人,英国诗歌之父,对于后来的文艺复兴来说,他等于是英国的荷马,首创英语诗歌的英雄双韵体,对英语诗歌韵律的发展做出重要贡献w 文笔精炼优美,流畅自然,将伦敦方言提升到文学语言的地位,推动了英语民族语言的进程,现代英语从乔叟的中古英语发展而来Chaucer’s language Close to modern English, which is descended from Chaucer’s English. Chaucer raised the language to a higher literary level by writing it with polish and ease. Chaucer was a master of the heroic couplet. His contribution to English versification established the heroic line---five stressed iambic---which has become the surpassing vehicle of English poetry. 威廉·兰格兰(1332—1400)w 作者可能受过良好教育,去过伦敦,在教会工作,没有担任重要工作,有一女儿w 《农夫皮尔斯》有三个文本w 从贫民百姓的角度以梦的形式表达对社会的抗议,涉及宗教道德问题,既是寓言诗,也是讽刺诗,皮尔斯是基督的化身(incarnation of Jesus Christ)w 诗歌指出,诚实劳动和献身宗教才是引领人们走向天堂之路(19-20)w 诗歌语言朴实,意象清新,风格迎合普通百姓 (20)《高文爵士和绿色骑士》(1375—1400)w 高文诗人,2530行,采用古英语诗歌头韵体,英格兰北方方言写成,四部分,堪称英国中世纪文学最出色的诗体传奇w 骑士时代典型的产物,其主题是代表骑士精神的勇敢、忠诚、忠贞等美德w 高文爵士的形象具有高度的概括性,他既要克服大自然的凶险,又要抵挡肉欲的诱惑w 魅力主要在于诗人对中世纪生活的深切感悟,诗中的描述倾注着诗人对大自然的深厚感情IntroductionBeowulf is an Old English heroic epic poem of unknown authorship, dating manuscript from between the 8th and the early 11th century, and relates events described as having occurred in what is now Denmark and Sweden. Commonly cited as one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature, Beowulf has been the subject of much scholarly study, theory, speculation, discourse, and, at 3182 lines, has been noted for its length.The StoryThe poem begins and ends with the funeral of a great king, and it is composed against a background of impending disaster.Beowulf is the central Scandinavian hero. He fights against the monster Grendel, his revengeful mother, and a fire-breathing dragon.The FormBeowulf is a typical example of Old English poetry. The poem was originally in an oral form, sung by the bards吟游诗人 at the end of the 6th century. It was not written down until the 10th century. The lines do not rhyme but alliteration was intensively used. The most striking feature is its feature of “word pictures”语言图像. The artistic achievement of Beowulf ranks itself among the classics that belong to thre tradition of Odyssey 奥德赛and the Aeneid埃涅伊德.CommentThe poem is more than a fairy story of heroes combating monsters. It recaptures the values, beliefs and longings of the Amglo-Saxon people before they came to England. Beowulf is shown not only as a glorious hero but also as a protector of the people. The poem unfolds a vivid picture of an early Danish society, a picture of how the primitive people wage heroic struggles against the hostile forces of the natural world under a wise and mighty leader. The poem mingles nature myths and heroic legends. It reflects a heroic age.The Original Source for the Rise and Growth of English Literature England was conquered by the Romans, the Anglo-Saxons, and the Normans.The latter two conquests much affected England.The Anglo-Saxons brought to England the Germanic language and culture, while the Normans brought a fresh wave of Mediterranean civilization.This civilization includes Greek culture, Roman law, and the Christian religion. The cultural influences of these two conquests provided the source for the rise and growth of English literature.The period of Old English literature is from about 450 to 1066, the year of the Norman conquest of England.The Anglo-Saxons from Northern Europe brought their lang。