《英美文學(xué)選讀》應(yīng)考指導(dǎo)

一、教材說明

《英美文學(xué)選讀》是全國高等教育自學(xué)考試英語專業(yè)本科段的必修課程，也是廣大考生比較頭疼的課程。教材大體可以分

為兩個大的部分，文學(xué)發(fā)展史和作家介紹及作品選讀。讓考生頭疼的事情是課本信息量太大，考綱要求的內(nèi)容較

多，學(xué)習(xí)的時候理不出頭緒，也不便記憶。事實上，文學(xué)課有著相當(dāng)強的邏輯性和系統(tǒng)性，只要我們把握住

這一點，這門課程并不難學(xué)，也不難考過。

二、考情分析

2009年，本門課程的考試大綱做了一些調(diào)整，這種調(diào)整在某種程度上減輕和考生的復(fù)習(xí)負擔(dān)，但也同

時考察的內(nèi)容更細，更全。

（-）關(guān)于考核要求的調(diào)整

考核要求中每章概述內(nèi)容不作調(diào)整；“該時期的重要作家”只包含對考核知識點中保留的重要作家的相關(guān)內(nèi)

容的考核。

（-）大綱調(diào)整后的特點

（1）新大綱更加突出了英美各個文學(xué)時期的時代特點。如：文藝復(fù)興時期的戲劇和詩史，浪漫主義時期的詩

歌等。從這個意義上講，命題的重點突出了。

（2）新大綱中考核的作家，都是每一個文學(xué)時期文學(xué)潮流的最具代表性的作家，都是對該時期文學(xué)的發(fā)展起

到?jīng)Q定作用的作家。從這個意義上講，命題的焦點集中了。

（3）新大綱中所保留的作家的作品大多是廣大考生耳熟能詳?shù)淖髌?，從這個意義上講，考試的難度降低了。

三、復(fù)習(xí)方法

（-）概述：

考試大綱調(diào)整以后，可命題的作家的數(shù)量減少了，但命題的深度會增加；同時，由于作家數(shù)量的減少，

這也意味著在每一章的概述部分和作品選讀部分的命題點會增多。

（二）每章概述部分的復(fù)習(xí)重點

在對這部分的復(fù)習(xí)中，重點關(guān)注每一個文學(xué)時期的界定以及其標(biāo)志性事件；另外每一個文學(xué)時期的時代

特點和突出文學(xué)成就也是考查的重點，還有本時期同時存在的文學(xué)流派的特點也是重點內(nèi)容。

（三）每章重點作家的復(fù)習(xí)重點

作家的文學(xué)史上的地位和貢獻；作家的代表作以及代表作的中心大意和所反映的社會現(xiàn)實；作家的寫作

風(fēng)格和寫作特點也是命題的重點。

（四）每章作品選讀的復(fù)習(xí)重點

作品選讀前面的斜體字部分的簡介和概括；作品中的名句；作品選讀中的注釋部分，小說作品中的人物

關(guān)系。

四、結(jié)束語

考綱的實施，從總體上講，命題的重點突出了，密度增加了，深度也拓展了，但是，整體難度不會有太

大的變化。對于考生而言，復(fù)習(xí)的內(nèi)容刪減了，壓力減輕了，考試也就容易了。

在對新考綱解讀完了之后，剩下的事情就是大家去聽后面的串講，認(rèn)真學(xué)習(xí)，通過考試

PartOne:EnglishLiterature

AnIntroductiontoOldandMedievalEnglishLiterature

IUnderstandingandapplication:（理解應(yīng)用）

1.England'sinhabitantsareCelts.AnditisconqueredbyRomans,AngloSaxonsandNormans.The

Anglo-SaxonsbroughttheGermaniclanguageandculturetoEngland,whileNormansbroughttheMediterranean

civilization,includingGreekculture,RomelawandtheChristianreligion.Itistheculturalinfluenceofthesetwo

conqueststhatprovidedthesourcefortheriseandgrowthofEnglishliterature.

2.TheoldEnglishliteratureextendsfromabout450to1066,theyeasoftheNoimanconquestofEngland.

3.TheoldEnglishpoetrythathassurvivedcanbedividedintotwogroups:Thereligiousgroupandthesecular

one

4.Beowulf:atypicalexampleofOldEnglishpoetryisregardedasthenationalepicoftheAnglo-Saxons.Itisan

exampleoftheminglingofnaturemythsandheroiclegends.

5.AftertheNorman'sconquest,threelanguagesco-existedinEngland.Frenchistheofficiallanguagethatis

usedbykingandtheNormanlords.Latinistheprincipaltongueofchurchaffairsandinuniversities.OldEnglish

wasspokenonlybythecommonEnglishpeople.

6.Inthesecondhalfof14thcentury,Englishliteraturestartedtoflourishwiththeappearanceofwriterslike

GeoffreyChaucer,WilliamLangland,JohnGower,andothers

IIRecite:（識記再現(xiàn)）

1.Romance:

?Itusesnarrativeverseorprosetosingknightlyadventuresorotherheroicdeedsisapopularliteraryformin

themedievalperiod.

②Ithasdevelopedthecharacteristicmedievalmotifsofthequest,thetest,themeetingwiththeevilgiantandthe

encounterwiththebeautifulbeloved.

（3）Theheroisusuallytheknight,whosetsoutonajourneytoaccomplishsomemissions.Thereareoften

mysteriesandfantasiesinromance.

?Romanticloveisanimportantpartoftheplotinromance.

Characterizationisstandardized,Whilethestructureislooseandepisodic,thelanguageissimpleand

straightforward.

@Theimportanceoftheromanceitselfcanbeseenasameansofshowingmedievalaristocraticmenandwomen

inrelationtotheiridealizedviewoftheworld.

2.Heroiccouplet:

Heroiccoupletisarhymedcoupletofiambicpentameter.ItisChaucerwhouseditforthefirsttimeinEnglish

inhisworkTheLegendofGoodWoman.

3.ThethemeofBeowulf:

Thepoempresentsavividpictureofhowtheprimitivepeoplewageheroicstrugglesagainstthehostileforces

ofthenaturalworldunderawiseandmightyleader.Thepoemisanexampleoftheminglingofthenaturemyths

andheroiclegends.

4.TheWifeofBathinTheCanterburyTales:

TheWifeofBathisdepictedasthenewbourgeoiswifeassertingherindependence.Chaucerdevelopshis

characterizationtoahigherartisticlevelbypresentingcharacterswithbothtypicalqualitiesandindividual

dispositions.

5.Chaucer'sachievement:

@Hepresentedacomprehensiverealisticpictureofhisageandcreatedawholegalleryofvividcharactersin

hisworks,especiallyinTheCanterburyTales.

②Heanticipatedanewear,theRenaissance,tocomeundertheinfluenceoftheItalianwriters.

③Hedevelopedhischaracterizationtoahigherlevelbypresentingcharacterswithbothtypicalqualitiesand

individualdispositions.

@HegreatlycontributedtothematuringofEnglishpoetry.Today,Chaucer'sreputationhasbeensecurely

establishedasoneofthebestEnglishpoetsforhiswisdom,humorandhumanity.

6.“TheFatherofEnglishpoetry,\

Originally,OldEnglishpoemsaremainlyalliterativeverseswithfewvariations.

?ChaucerintroducedfromFrancetherhymedstanzasofvarioustypestoEnglishpoetrytoreplaceit.

②InTheRomauntoftheRose（玫瑰傳奇），hefirstintroducedtotheEnglishtheoctosyllabiccouplet（八音節(jié)

對偶句）.

?InTheLegendofGoodWomen,heusedforthefirsttimeinEnglishheroiccouplet.

@Andinhismasterpiece,TheCanterburyTales,heemployedheroiccoupletwithtrueeaseandcharmforthe

firsttimeinthehistoryofEnglishliterature.

⑤HisartmadehimoneofthegreatestpoetsinEnglish;JohnDrydencalledhim“thefatherofEnglishpoetry”.

【例題】Theworkthatpresented,forthefirsttimeinEnglishliterature,acomprehensive

realisticpictureofthemedievalEnglishsocietyandcreatedawholegalleryofvividcharacters

fromallwalksoflifeismostlikely.(0704)

A.WilliamLangland'sPiersPlowman

B.GeoffreyChaucer,sTheCanterburyTales

C.JohnGower?sConfessionAmantis

D.SirGawainandtheGreenKnight

【答案】B

【解析】(P4.para.2)

本題考查的是中世紀(jì)時期幾位詩人作品的創(chuàng)作主題和創(chuàng)作范圍。A答案是《農(nóng)夫皮爾斯》及其作者威

廉?蘭格倫他在其作品中描述了他那個時期的宗教與社會問題。C《愛人的告白》，D《高文爵士和他的綠衣

騎士》都是約翰?高厄的作品，屬于時最精美的騎士文學(xué)作品;然而只有喬叟，在英國文學(xué)史上第一次向我

們展示了表現(xiàn)當(dāng)時英國社會的一幅綜合性、現(xiàn)實主義的畫卷,在他的代表作《坎特伯雷故事集》中塑造了一

系列來自社會各階層的生動形象的人物。

本章小結(jié)

本章重點：

Chaucerandhisachievement

本章提示：

本部分內(nèi)容以選擇題考查，所以，復(fù)習(xí)時以識記為主。

Chapter1:TheRenaissancePeriod

GeneralIntroduction

考核要求：

1.識記：

(1)文藝復(fù)興時期的界定

(2)歷史文化背景

2.領(lǐng)會：

(1)文藝復(fù)興運動的意義與影響

(2)文藝復(fù)興時期的文學(xué)特點

(3)人文主義的主張及對文學(xué)的影響

3.應(yīng)用：文藝復(fù)興，人文主義及玄學(xué)詩等名詞的解釋

考點串講：

1.TheRenaissance:

TheRenaissancemarksainnsiIion「romIhemedievalloIhemodernworld.Generalbsitrefers

totheperiodbetweenthe14th&17thcenturies.ItfirststartedinItaly,withthefloweringof

painting,sculpture&literature.FromItalythemovementwenttoembracetherestofEurope.The

Renaissance,whichmeans〃rebirth"or"revival,〃isactuallyamovementstimulatedbyaseriesof

historicalevents,suchas:

①There-discoveryofancientRoman&Greekculture

②Thenewdiscoveriesingeography&astrology,thereligiousreformation&theeconomic

expansion.

③TheRenaissance,therefore,inessenceisahistoricalperiodinwhichtheEuropeanhumanist

thinkers&scholarsmadeattemptstogetridofthoseoldfeudalistideasinmedievalEurope,to

introducenewideasthatexpressedtheinterestsoftherisingbourgeoisie,&torecoverthepurity

oftheearlychurchfromthecorruptionoftheRomanCatholicChurch.

【例題】TheRenaissanceisactuallyamovementstimulatedbyaseriesofhistoricalevents

EXCEPT(0804)

A.therediscoveryofancientRomanandGreekculture

B.thevastexpansionofBritishcoloniesinNorthAmerica

C.thenewdiscoveriesingeographyandastrology

D.thereligiousreformationandtheeconomicexpansion

【答案】B

【解析】(P7.paral)

文藝復(fù)興是歐洲中世紀(jì)和現(xiàn)代社會的分水嶺，它的發(fā)生有著深刻的社會歷史根源，當(dāng)時的社會發(fā)展刺

激了文藝復(fù)興的發(fā)生，如地理天文大發(fā)現(xiàn)，席卷歐洲的宗教改革以及對古希臘，古羅馬文化的發(fā)掘等。

2.Humanism:

HumanismistheessenceoftheRenaissance.Itsprangfromtheendeavortorestoreamedieval

reverencefortheancientauthorsandisfrequentlytakenasthebeginningoftheRenaissanceon

itsconscious,intellectualside,fortheGreekandRomancivilizationwasbasedonsuchaconception

thatmanisthemeasureofallthings.Throughthenewlearning,humanistsnotonlysawthearts

ofsplendorandenlightenment,butthehumanvaluesrepresentedintheworks.Renaissancehumanists

foundintheclassicsajustificationtoexalthumannatureandcametoseethathumanbeingswere

gloriouscreaturescapableofindividualdevelopmentinthedirectionofperfections,andthatthe

worldtheyinhabitedwastheirsnottodespisebuttoquestion,explore,andenjoy.Thus,by

emphasizingthedignityofhumanbeingsandtheimportanceofthepresentlife,theyvoicedtheir

beliefsthatmandidnotonlyhavetherighttoenjoythebeautyofthislife,buthadtheability

toperfecthimselfandtoperformwonders.ThomasMore,ChristopherMarloweandWilliamShakespeare

arethebestrepresentativesoftheEnglishhumanists.

3.TheRenaissanceinEngland:

①Thefirst--thebeginning(1485-1558)---imitationandassimilation

Poetry:Wyatt&Surrey

Theformerintroducedth。PetrarchansonnetintoEngland,whilethelatterbroughtinblank

verse.

②Thesecond--(thepeak)theElizabethAge(1558-1603)—TheElizabethandrama

Poetry:Spenser&Marlowe

Spenserianstanza:SpenserianstanzawasinventedbyEdmundSpenser.Itisastanzaofnine

lines,withthefirsteightlinesiniambicpentameter&thelastlineiniambichexameter,rhyming

ababbcbcc.

Drama:Marlowe&Shakespeare

TheRenaissancehero:ARenaissanceheroreferstoonecreatedbyChristopherMarloweinhis

drama.Suchaheroisalwaysindividualisticandfullofambition,facingbravelythechallenge

frombothgodsandmen.HeembodiesMarlowe*shumanisticidesofhumandignityandcapacity.

Differentfromthetragicheroinmedievalplays,whoseeksthewaytoheaventhroughsalvation

andgod'swill,heisagainstconventionalmoralityandcontrivestoobtainheavenonearththrough

hisownefforts.Withtheendlessaspirationforpower,knowledge,andglory,theherointerprets

thetrueRenaissancespirit.BothTamburlaineandFaustusaretypicalinpossessingsuchaspirit.

TheElizabethandrama:

ItistherealmainstreamofEnglishRenaissance.

ItcouldbedatedbacktotheMiddleAges.

EnglishmaterialwasputintotheregularformoftheLatincomediesofPlautusandTerence.

TragedieswereinthestyleofSeneca

ThemostfamousdramatistsintheRenaissanceEnglandare:Marlowe,Shdkespoure&BenJackson

③Thethird-furtherdevelopment(1603—1660)

Poetry:JohnDonne&JohnMilton

Metaphysicalpoetry:Theterm''metaphysicalpoetry"iscommonlyusedtonametheworkofthe

17thcenturywriterswhowroteundertheinfluenceofJohnDonne.Witharebelliousspirit,the

metaphysicalpoetstriedtobreakawayfromtheconventionalfashionoftheElizabethanlovepoetry.

ThedictionissimpleascomparedwiththatoftheElizabethanortheNeoclassicperiods,andechoes

thewordsandcadencesofcommonspeech.Theimageryisdrawnfromtheactuallife.Theformis

frequentlythatofanargumentwiththepoet'sbeloved,withGod,orwithhimself.

Drama:BenJackson

Essay:FrancisBacon

HeisthefirstimportantEnglishessayist,isknownforhisessayswhichgreatlyinfluenced

thedevelopmentofthisliteraryform.

HeisalsothefounderofmodernscienceinEngland.

Hiswritingspavedthewayfortheuseofscientificmethod

Thetypicalauthorsduringthisperiod

考核要求：

1.一般識記：重要作家的文學(xué)生涯

2.識記：重要作品及主要內(nèi)容

3.領(lǐng)會：重要作家的創(chuàng)作思想，藝術(shù)特色及其代表作品的主題結(jié)構(gòu)，人物塑造，語言風(fēng)格，藝術(shù)手法，社會

意義等。

4.應(yīng)用：

(1)莎士比亞詩歌的主題，意象

(2)喜劇《威尼斯商人》的主題和主要人物性格分析

（3）哈姆雷特的性格分析

（4）史詩《失樂園》的結(jié)構(gòu)，人物性格，語言特點等的分析

考點串講：

I?WilliamShakespeare

1.Thebibliography

WillianiShakespeareisoneofthemostremarkableplaywrightsandpoetstheworldhaseverknown.

2.Viewpoints

Viewpointsonpolitics:necessityofmightyandjustsovereign,andthecondemntothe

anti-natureandanti-humanismofthefeudalwars一anti-feudalism

Viewpointsonreligion:againstthereligiouspersecutionandracialdiscrimination,against

thesocialinequalityandthecorruptinginfluenceofthegoldandmoney---anti-Catholicism

Viewpointonliterature:literatureshouldbeacombinationofbeauty,kindnessandtruth,and

shouldreflectnatureandreality---humanism

3.Themajorcontributions

①38plays（historicalplays,tragediesandcomedies）

②2narrativepoems:Venus,TheRapeofLucrece

③154sonnets

4.fourstagesforhisplay-creation

?Thefirststage:hisdramaticcareerisoneoftheapprenticeships

fivehistoricalplays:HenryIV,partI,II,andIII;RichardIII;andTitusAndronicus（泰

特斯，提圖斯）.

fourComedies,including:TheComedyofErrors;TheTwoGentlemenofVerona（維羅納）；TheTaming

oftheShrew（潑婦的馴服）,andLove'sLabor'sLost

②Thesecondstage,hisstylebecamehighlyindividualized,

Fivehistorical:RichardII,KingJohn,HenryIV,partI,II,HenryV

Sixcomedies:AMidsummerNight'sDream,TheMerchantofVenice,MuchAdoAboutNothing,As

Youlike（皆大歡喜）,TwelfthNight,andtheMerryWivesofWindsor（溫莎公爵的快樂情婦）

Twotragedies:RomeoandJuliet,JuliusCaesar

③TheThirdstageisthepeakofhiscreation,includedhisgreatesttragediesandhisso-called

darkcomedies:

Seventragedies:Hamlet,Othello,KingLear,Macbeth,AntonyandCleopatra（克利奧帕特拉）,

TroilusandCressida（特洛伊羅斯和克雷西達）,Coriolanus（科里奧蘭納斯）

Twocomedies:AllJsWellThatEndsWell,MeasureforMeasure

④ThelastperiodofShakespeareysincludeshisprincipalronianlicIragicomedies:

Pericles,Cymbeline,TheWinter,sTale,andTheTempest

Twofinalplays:HenryIII,andTheTwoNobleKinsmen

5.Abouthisdramas

?historicalplays

Shakespeare?shistoryplaysaremainlywrittenundertheprinciplethatnationalunityunder

amightyandjustsovereignisanecessity.

TheIhreehistoryplaysinthereignofHenryVIarethebeginningofShakespeareJsepic

treatmentofEnglishhistory.

?RomanticComedies

Inhisromanticcomedies,Shakespearetakesanoptimisticattitudetowardloveandyouth,and

theromanticelementsarebroughtintofullplay.TheyareTheMerchantofVenice,AMidsummer\ight'

sDream,AsYoulike,TweM'lhNight,butthemostimportantoneisTheMerchanlofVenice.

③Tragedies

ThesuccessfulromantictragedyisRomeoandJuliet,whicheulogizesthefaithfulnessoflove

andthespiritofpursuinghappiness.

ShakespearesgreatesttragediesareHamlet,--thefirstofgreatesttragedies,Othello,King

Lear,Macbeth（麥克白.）

Theyhavesomecharacteristicsincommon

WilliamShakespeare?sfourgreattragediesareHamlet,Othello,KingLearandMacbeth.

Theyhavesomecharacteristicsincommon.Eachportrayssomenoblehero,whofacestheinjustice

ofhumanlifeandiscaughtinadifficultsituationandwhosefateiscloselyconnectedwiththe

fateofthewholenation.

Eachherohashisweaknessofnature:Hamlet,themelancholicscholarprince,facesthedilemma

betweenactionandmind;Othello,sinnerweaknessismadeuseofbytheoutsideevilforce;the

oldkingLearwhoisunwillingtototallygiveuphispowermakeshimselfsufferfromtreachery

andinfidelity;andMacbeth，slustforpowerstirsuphisambitionleadshimtoincessantcrimes.

?Romantictragicomedies

TheTempeslisatypicalexampleofhispessimisticviewtowardshumanlifeandsocietyinhis

lateyear

6.Abouthissonnets

①Lyric:Apoem,usuallyashortone,whichexpressesaspeaker?spersonalthoughtsorfeelings.

Theelegy,ode,andsonnetareallformsofthelyric

②Thetheme:mostofthesonnetsconcernswiththeflyingofthetime,andtheyouth,beauty,

beliefandthelovearealsogone.

7.Shakespeare?swritingcharacteristics

Theprogressivesignificanceofthetheme-humanism

Thesuccessfulcharacterportrayal-women?scharacters

Themasterhandinconstructingtheplot

Theingenuityofhispoetry

Themasteryofhislanguage

8.Aboutselectedreading

①aboutsonnet18

Sonnet18isoneofthemostbeautifulsonnetswrittenbyShakespeare,inwhichhehasaprofound

meditationonthedestructivepoweroftimeandtheeternalbeautybroughtforthbypoetrytothe

oneheloves.

Typicallines:

ShallIcomparetheetoasummer'sday?

Thouartmorelovelyandmoretemperate:

Thetheme:Immortality,Beautyandlove

②aboutTheMerchantofVenice

Majorcharacters:

Bassanio:-ayoungVenetiancourtPortia,accepted

Antonio:-amerchantofVenice,allmoneyinventedinships,atsea,returnnotontime

Shylock:--theJewishusurer（放高利貸者）

Portia:一standingforthegreatbeauty,witandloyalty

Mainplot:

Bassanio,ayoungVenetian,wouldliketotraveltoBelmonttowoothebeautifulandwealthy

heiressPortia.HeapproacheshisfriendAntonio,amerchant,forthreethousandducatsneededto

subsidizehistravelingexpendituresasasuitorforthreemonths.AsallofAntonio,sshipsand

merchandisearebusyatsea,AntonioapproachestheJewishmoneylenderShylockforaloan,andthe

rewardofbreakingthereturningoathisapoundoffreshfromAntonio'sbody.

Courthappening:unsuccessfulpersuading,nomoreandnolessthanonepoundofflesh,spilling

nodropofblood

Theanalysistothepersonalities:

Antonio:-faithfultofriend,

Shylock:-一greedy,brutalandinhuman

Portia:-beautiful,wittyandloyal

Theme:traditionalthemeoftheplayistopraisethefriendshipbetweenAntonioandBassanio,

toidealizePortiaasaheroineofthegreatbeauty,witandloyalty,andtoexposethegreedand

brutalityoftheJew.

Typicallines:

""Superfluitycomessoonerbywhitehairs,butcompetencyliveslonger.(Acti.Sc.2.)

“ThedevilcanciteScriptureforhispurpose.(Acti.Sc.3.)

“Mislikemenotformycomplexion,theshadow'dliveryoftheburnish,dsun.”(Actii.Sc.

1.)

〃Inthetwinklingofaneye.”(Actii.Sc.2.)

“Allthatglistersisnotgold.z/(Actii.Sc.7.)

③aboutHamlet

TheMajorcharacters:

Hamlet:thetitlecharacter,isthesonofthelateking,forwhomhewasnamed.Hehasreturned

toElsinoreCastlefromWittenberg,wherehewasauniversitystudent.

Claudius:istheKingofDenmark,electedtothethroneafterthedeathofhisbrother,King

Hamlet.ClaudiushasmarriedGertrude,hisbrother，swidow.

Gertrude:istheQueenofDenmark,andKingHamlet'swidow,nowmarriedtoClaudius.

theGhost:appearsintheexactimageofHamlet'sfather,thelateKingHamlet.

Majorplot:

HamletfeelsaresponsibilitytoavengehisfatherJsmurderbyhisuncleClaudius,butClaudius

isnowthekingandthuswellprotected.Moreover,Hamletstruggleswithhisdoubtsaboutwhether

hecantrusttheghostandwhetherkillingClaudiusistheappropriatethingtodo.

ThepersonalityofHamlet:Brave,justifiedandcleverbutindecisive

ViewsofHamlet

PerhapsthemoststraightforwardviewseesHamletasseekingtruthinordertobecertainthat

heisjustifiedincarryingouttherevengecalledforbyaghostthatclaimstobethespiritof

hisfather.ThemoststandardviewisthatHamletishighlyindecisive,

OthersseeHamletasapersonchargedwithadutythatheknowsandfeelsisright,yetis

unwillingtocarryout.Inthisview,allofhiseffortstosatisfyhimselfofKingClaudius'guilt,

orhisfailuretoactwhenhecan,areevidenceofthisunwillingness,andHamletberateshimself

forhisinabilitytocarryouthistask.

Theme:Theimpossibilityofcertainty;thecomplexityofaction;themysteryofdeath;the

nationasadiseasedbody

motifs:Incestandincestuousdesire;earsandhearing;deathandsuicide;darknessandthe

supernatural;misogyny

Symbols:Theghost(thespiritualconsequencesofdeath);Yorick,sskull(thephysical

consequencesofdeath)

TypicalLines:

“Tobeornottobe,thatisaquestion”

Whatarethequestions:

Whetherbelievetheghost'swordsornot

Whetherkillhisuncleornot

Whatshouldhedo,dieorlive

II.JohnMilton

1.Personalintroduction

①Milton'slife

BorninpuritanfamilyinLondon,

Motherinterestedinreligionandlocalcharity,

Fatherawell-to-doscrivenerandmusician

②EducatedatCambridge

Graduated:studyandwritingofpoetry

Begantravelingabroadin1638,returnedLondontowritepamphletsandtractstosupportthe

revolution

③In1649Latinsecretarycorrespondingforeigngovernment

@In1652wentblindcompletelyandincurablyat43duetohardworkdayandnight

⑤KingCharlesIIrestoration:Keepingwritingagainstkingship

Arrestedandfinedandreleased

Leftinpeacetoproducehispoeticworks

In1674diedpeacefullyinasmallhouse

ThegreatestEnglishpoetafterShakespeare,polemicist(辯論家)

2.Literatureachievements

Milton'sliteraryachievementscanbedividedintothreegroups:theearlypoeticworks,the

middleprosepamphlets&thelastgreatpoems.

①EarlyPoetry

Lycidas(利西達斯)isacollectionofelegiesdedicatedtoEdwardking,afellowundergraduate

ofMilton'satCambridge,whowasdrownedintheIrishSea.Thepoembeginswithgrief&afeeling

ofimmaturity;thenthegriefisdeepenedbythesenseofirrecoverablelossinthesilencingof

ayoungpoet.Withthisbittersenseofloss,Miltonaskswhythejust&goodshouldsuffer.These

emotionsswelltoapassionatecallfortheconsolationofart.Thepoemmovesfromasadapprehension

ofdeath,throughregret,topassionatequestioning,rage,sorrow&acceptance.Thefeelingsbegin

inalowkeybutmoveontothelargequestionsofdivinejustice&humanaccountability.Theclimax

ofthepoemistheblisteringattackontheclergy,i.e.the"Shepherds,“whoarecorruptedby

self-interest.

②MiddlePeriod&ProsePamphlets

③LaterYears&MajorPoetry

AftertheRestorationin1660,Miltonwasimprisoned.Hisreleasewasbroughtaboutmainly

throughtheeffortsofhisfriends,notablythepoetAndrewMarwell,afterthattimehedevoted

himselftohis3majorpoeticalworks:ParadiseLost(1667),ParadiseRegained(1671),&Samson

Agonistes(1671).Amongthethree,thefirstisthegreatest,indeedtheonlygenerallyacknowledged

epicinEnglishliteraturesinceBeowulf;&thelastoneisthemostperfectexampleoftheverse

dramaaftertheGreekstyleinEnglish.

ParadiseRegained

Mainplot:showhowmankind,inthepersonofChrist,withstandsthetempterandisestablished

oncemoreinthedivinefavor.

Theme:Christ'stemptationinthewilderness

SamsonAgonistes

Milton'slastimportantworkwasthemagnificentpoeticdramaSamsonAgonistes,whichpresents

theBiblicalstoryofSamsonintheformofaGreektragedy.Theblind&sufferingSamsonisstrongly

reminiscentofMiltonhimself.

ThethemeofSamsonAgonistesisamorevital&personalone.ThepictureofIsraeTsmighty

champion,blind,alone,afflictedbythoughtlessenemiesbutpreservinganobleidealtotheend,

isafittingclosetothe1ifeworkofthepoethimself.Thepoet'saimwastopresentinEnglish

apuretragedy,withallthepassion&restraintwhichmarkedtheoldGreekdramas.Thewholepoem

stronglysuggestsMilton'spassionatelongingthathetoocouldbringdestructiondownuponthe

enemyatthecostofhisownlife.Inthissense,SamsonisMilton.

3.Aboutselectedreading

ThegreatestworkofMilton,Milton'smasterpiece.

TheonlygenerallyacknowledgedepicinEnglishliteraturesinceBeowulf;

Alongepicdividedinto12books.

ThestoryistakenfromtheOldTestament

Thethemeisthe“FallofMan”.

Mainplot:Inheaven,SatanledarebellionagainstGod.Defeated,heandhisrebelangels

werecastintoHell.However,Satanrefusedtoaccepthisfailure,vowingthat“allwasnotlost”.

ThepoemgoesontotellhowSatantookrevengebytemptingAdamandEvo,thefirsthumanbeings

createdbyGod,toeatfruitfromthetreeofknowledgeagainstGod'sinstructions.Fortheir

disobedience,AdamandEveweredrivenoutofParadise.Theyweresorryforwhattheyhaddone

andprayedtoGod.Inthelast