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英语专业《文学批评》笔记Plato’sandAristotle’sView:ArtisEssentiallyMimesisArtwaspotentiallydangerousforseveralreasons:A.)Artwasessentiallydeceptive.B.)Artwasmainlyconcernedwithsensualpleasure.C.)Further,Artwaspsychologicallyde-stabilizing.(fortheindividual)(Eth.,Ps.)D.)Artleadstoimmorality.(Eth.)E.)Artwaspoliticallydangerous.(threattothecommongood)(Po.Ps.)Artwasnotpotentiallydangerousforseveralreasons:A.)(Good)Artwasessentiallytruthful.(Ep.)B.)Artwasmainlyconcernedwithsensualpleasure,andthat’saGoodthing.(M,Ep.,Eth.)C.)Artwaspsychologicallyhealthy(fortheindividual)(Eth.,Ps.)D.)Artleadstomoralknowledge.(Eth.)E.)Artwaspoliticallynecessaryandhealthy.(Po.Ps.)Example:fromTheElderEdda《古埃达》,WordsoftheHighOneThecowardbelieveshewillliveforeverIfheholdsbackinthebattle.ButinoldageheshallhavenopeaceThoughspearshavesparedhislimbs.Cattledie,kindreddie,Everymanismortal:ButIknowonethingthatneverdies,Thegloryofthegreatdeed.(ThePoeticEddaisacollectionofOldNorsepoemsfromtheIcelandicmediaevalmanuscriptCodexRegius.13thcentury.)ANALYZE,LITERALMEANING(paraphrase):Thisexcerpttellsusthatonlycowardswouldthinktosavetheirownlivesratherthanfightthebattletotheend.Butsurvivingthus,thecowardwillnothaveanypieceofmind;he'llbetormentedrightintooldage.It'sbettertodie,sinceeverylivingthingismortalanyway.Butthegreatdeedisimmortal.So,it'sbettertodieinbattleandpossiblyachievegreatdeedsratherthanpreservemortallife.INTERPRET,SYMBOLICMEANINGThebattlemaybesymbolicoflifeitself.Justlivinglifemaybeabattlebut,thispoettellsus,onlycowardschoosetoturntheirbackonit.Ifweletlifepassusbyandnotseizethemomentthenwe'llhavenothinginoldagebutregrets.Bettertoperformthe‘greatdeeds’withoutfearofloss.Lifeanddeathalsoequatedwithsuccessandfailure,lovingandlosing,sadnessandhappinessetc.QUESTIONWhatare‘greatdeeds’?Personally,culturally,historically?TextualScholarship/LowerCriticism:APrerequisitetoCriticism定义：Abranchofliterarycriticismthatisprimarilyconcernedwiththeidentificationandremovaloftranscription(抄写)errorsinthetextsofmanuscripts.Goal:toestablishtheauthentictext/toestablishthehistoryofatextintermsofitscreationanditspublishinghistory.Givenamanuscriptcopy,severalormanycopies,butnottheoriginaldocument,thetextualcriticseekstoreconstructtheoriginaltext(theautograph)ascloselyaspossibleTwoTyplesofTraditionalApproaches1.Historical-Biographical(历史传记)Approach•areflectionofitsauthor's/characters'lifeandtimes•aresituatedinspecifichistoricalandbiographicalcontextsfromwhichtheyaregeneratedMencius:知人论世Hecansizeuppeoplebyhissimpledevices(e.g.throughaninterview)andissoalivetothechangesabouthimthatheprovestobeagoodcommentatoronthecurrentsituation.HippolyteAdolpheTaine(1828–1893)•aFrenchcriticandhistorian•three-prongedapproachtothecontextualstudyofaworkofart•memberofL'Académiefrançaise(FrenchAcademy)JohnMilton'sblindnessandOnHisBlindnessTheknowledgeoftheauthor'slifeexperiencescanhelptounderstandanclarifysomefactualreferenceandallusionsinliteraryworks,therebyenrichingareader'sappreciationforthatauthor'swork.•Sotheauthor'sletter,diaries,andessayswerecombedforevidenceofauthorialintentionsinwriting•Closelyconnectedwiththebiographicalapproachistheapproachtoliteraturewiththereferencewiththehistoricalandsocailcontextinwhichtheauthorshadlived.2.Moral-Philosophical(道德哲学)Approachconcernstherelationshipoftheworkandtheuniversetoday--Whatkindoftruthdoesthisworkrevealtous?Plato:moralism,utilitarianismHorace(65-8BC，Romancritic)--TheArtofPoetry:literatureshouldbesweetanduseful,bothenterainingandenlighteningtwokindsofthemesDescriptive(描述的)themes--thetruthsthatworktellsusaboutwhattheworldislikePrescriptive(规范的)themes--thetruthsthattheworktellsusaboutwhatweshoulddo,howweshouldliveTraditionalApproachestoCoyMistress•Genreofthepeom:Whatarewedealingwith?Abriefpoem(notdrama,story,novel)characterizedpromarilybyemotion,imagination,subjectivity•Whatisitabout?Aproposition(命题),graceful,sophisticated,andphilosophical,thoughimpassioned•Whatistheargument?Formallogicdenyingtheantecedent(先行的):ifwehavetimeandspace,yourcoynessisinnocent,butwedon't.•Tone:wit,gaiety(欢乐),charm,polish,sophistication,easeofexpression.Historical-biologicalconsiderations:educated,aPuritan,aParliamentarian,anadmirerofOliverCromwell,awriterofpoliticalsatire,anassistanttoMilton,sohisspeakerislogicalshouldsurprisenoone.humorousandurbane(礼貌的),likecourtlylovewheretheladyiscapableofcrueltyandislikeagoddes.Sohishumorbyservinghertotheendoftheworldaimstomakehersmileandaccepthim.religiousandclassicalbackground:theflood,conversionoftheJew,time'swingedchariot,JoshuacomandingthesuntostandstilltowinabattleagainsttheAmorites(Josh.10:13),Phetoninawingedchariotacrosstheskyanddeath(Ovid,Metamorphose),ZeusbadethesuntostandstillforhislovetoAlcmene.EroticandMetaphysicaltradition:asinmyvegitableloveshouldgrow,Time'sdevouringhisoffsprings(slow-chapped)•Whatisyourinterpretationofthemoralmessageofthispoem?•Canyoudiscernaphilosophytowardlifeinit?Moral-PhilosophicalConsiderations:Commonthemeofcarpiediem(seizetheday),asinHerrick'sTotheVirginsandWaller'sGo,LovelyRoses.SonotaCavalier(骑士),M