罗经国版《新编英国文学简史(上)》第三章

2020/5/11Chaucer/rhythm&meter1I.Historicalbackground1.TheHundredYears’WarbetweenEnglandandFrance(1337---1453)cause:fortheFrenchthroneresult:awakeningofnationalconsciousnessinEnglandFrenchlanguagegraduallyreplacedbythenativetongue2.thepeasantuprisingof1381cause:theexploitationandoppressionofthepeasantsbythefeudallordsleader:spiritualleader:JohnBall2020/5/11Chaucer/rhythm&meter2LiteraryworksJohnWycliff(1324?–1384):fatherofEnglishproseFirstfiguretodemandedtoreformthechurchtodoawaywiththecorruptionandrottennessTranslatedtheBibleintostandardEnglishAgreatcontributiontoEnglishliteratureandEnglishlanguageFixanationalstandardforEnglishinsteadofdialectsWilliamLangland(1330?–1400)Works:TheVisionofPiersPlowmanForm:allegory--isastoryordescriptioninwhichthecharactersandeventssymbolizesomedeeperunderlyingmeaning,andservetospreadmoralteaching.Doublemeaning:Abstractqualitiesorideasarepersonifiedascharactersinthestory2020/5/11Chaucer/rhythm&meter3MedievalLiterature(continued)—Chaucer(1340?—1400)1.Chaucer:somebasicfacts2.Chaucer’smasterpiece:TheCanterburyTales1)Overview;2)Structure;3)Textualstudy:(1)theopeninglinesoftheGeneralPrologue(2)theimageoftheNun4)Scansion韵律分析2020/5/11Chaucer/rhythm&meter4Chaucer:somebasicfactsFullname:GeoffreyChaucerBirth&death:1340?—1400Career:Awiderangeofcareerascourtier,soldier,diplomat,andcivilservantPlaceinBritishliterature:“fatherofEnglishpoetry”andoneofthegreatestnarrativepoetsofEnglandForerunnerofhumanismThefirstrealisticwriterMasteroftheEnglishlanguageThefirsttobeburiedinthePoet’sCornerofWestminsterAbbey2020/5/11Chaucer/rhythm&meter5LiteraryCareer1.Thefirstperiod(the1360s-about1372)HewasinfluencedbytheFrenchpoetryoftheMiddleAgesandhetranslatedworksfromFrench.RomanceoftheRose/TheBookoftheDuchess2.Thesecondperiod(1372-1386)HewasinfluencedbythegreatliteraryfiguresofearlyRenaissanceinItaly,suchasDante.TroilusandCryseydethelongestcoupletpoemTheParliamentofFowlsTheHouseofFame3.Thethirdperiod(1386-1400)HeproducedhisworkfullmaturityfreefromanydominantforeigninfluenceTheCanterburyTales2020/5/11Chaucer/rhythm&meter6TheCanterburyTales:anoverviewTheCanterburyTalesisacollectionofstorieswrittenbyGeoffreyChaucerinthe14thcentury(twooftheminprose,therestinverse).ThetalesaretoldbyagroupofpilgrimsontheirwayfromTabardInninSouthwarktoCanterburytovisittheshrineofSaintThomasBecketatCanterburyCathedral.TheCanterburyTalesarewritteninMedievalEnglish.2020/5/11Chaucer/rhythm&meter7CanterburyTales:anoverviewOnedayinApril,thepoetcomestotheTabardInninthesouthernsuburbofLondon.Bynightfall,29pilgrimsarriveattheinnandtheygetreadytogotoCanterbury.HarryBailey,thehostoftheTabardInn,proposesthateachpilgrimshouldtelltwostoriesonthewaytoCanterburyandtwomoreonthewayback.Thebeststory-telleristobegivenafreesupper,atthecostofalltherest.Thehostofferstogowiththemastheirjudgeandguide.Accordingtotheplan,thereshouldbe120stories,butactually24talesarefinished.2020/5/11Chaucer/rhythm&meter8PortraitofChaucerasapilgrim2020/5/11Chaucer/rhythm&meter9TheCanterburyTales:itsstructureTheCanterburyTalesismadeupofthreeparts:1)TheGeneralPrologue;2)24tales,twoofwhichleftunfinished;3)separateprologuestoeachtalewithlinks,comments,quarrels,etc.inbetween.2020/5/11Chaucer/rhythm&meter10ProloguePrologueprovidesaframeworkforthetales.Itcreatesagalleyofvividcharactersfromallwalksoflife,exceptthehighest(thekingandthetopnobility)andthelowest(theverypoorlabouringfolk),thenassignstoeachofthemappropriatetalesthatshedlightontherespectivenarrator’sdistinctivepersonality.2020/5/11Chaucer/rhythm&meter11Textualstudy:GeneralPrologueThestructureofthegeneralprologue:Lines1-34:anelaborateintroductionLines35-719:portraitsofpilgrimsLines720-821:thehost’ssuggestionofatale-tellingcontestanditsacceptanceLines822-858:thedecisionthattheknighttellthefirsttale2020/5/11Chaucer/rhythm&meter12Textualstudy:GeneralPrologue1.Whatisthestructureoftheopening18lines?Theopening18linesmakeup1sentenceintheoriginal.2.Whatistheimageryexpressedintheselines?spring’srenewalandrebirth3.Whichverbsdescribetheactionofnature?piercing(2),engendering(4),inspiring(5),pricking(11)4.Whatisthemainideaexpressedintheselines?amicrocosmof14th-centuryEnglishsociety;5.Howdoyouappreciatetheselines?2020/5/11Chaucer/rhythm&meter13TheliteraryformsoftalesThesetalescoverallthemajortypesofmedievalliteratureromance:folktale,beastfable,storyofadventure,allegoricaltale,Saint’slife,sermonandalchemicalaccountThewifeofBathlight-hearted,merry,vulgar,talkative2020/5/11Chaucer/rhythm&meter14SocialsignificanceChaucertakesthestandoftherisingbourgeoisie,becauseheaffirmsmenandwomen’srighttopursuetheirhappinessandopposesthedogmaofasceticism.AsaforerunnerofHumanism,hepraisesman’senergy,quickwitandloveoflife.Atthesametime,histalesexposeandsatirethesocialevilsathistime.WeaknessLivinginatransitionalperiod,Chaucerisnotentirelydevoidofmedievalprejudices.Thereisnothingrevolutionaryinhiswriting,thoughhelivedinaperiodofpeasantuprising,sosometimes,hecracksaroughjoke.2020/5/11Chaucer/rhythm&meter15ThesignificanceofTheCanterburyTalesItgivesa