32常耀信美国文学简史

-1-AConciseHistoryofAmericanLiteratureWhatisliterature?Literatureislanguageartisticallyusedtoachieveidentifiableliteraryqualitiesandtoconveymeaningfulmessages.Chapter1ColonialPeriodI.Background:Puritanism1.featuresofPuritanism(1)Predestination:Goddecidedeverythingbeforethingsoccurred.(2)Originalsin:Humanbeingswereborntobeevil,andthisoriginalsincanbepasseddownfromgenerationtogeneration.(3)Totaldepravity(4)Limitedatonement:Onlythe“elect”canbesaved.2.Influence(1)Agroupofgoodqualities–hardwork,thrift,piety,sobriety(seriousandthoughtful)influencedAmericanliterature.(2)Itledtotheeverlastingmyth.Allliteratureisbasedonamyth–gardenofEden.(3)Symbolism:theAmericanpuritan’smetaphoricalmodeofperceptionwaschieflyinstrumentalincallingintobeingaliterarysymbolismwhichisdistinctlyAmerican.(4)Withregardtotheirwriting,thestyleisfresh,simpleanddirect;therhetoricisplainandhonest,notwithoutatouchofnobilityoftentraceabletothedirectinfluenceoftheBible.II.Overviewoftheliterature1.typesofwritingdiaries,histories,journals,letters,travelbooks,autobiographies/biographies,sermons2.writersofcolonialperiod(1)AnneBradstreet(2)EdwardTaylor(3)RogerWilliams(4)JohnWoolman(5)ThomasPaine(6)PhilipFreneauIII.JonathanEdwards1.life2.works(1)TheFreedomoftheWill(2)TheGreatDoctrineofOriginalSinDefended(3)TheNatureofTrueVirtue3.ideas–pioneeroftranscendentalism(1)Thespiritofrevivalism(2)Regenerationofman(3)God’spresence(4)PuritanidealismIV.BenjaminFranklin1.life2.works(1)PoorRichard’sAlmanac(2)Autobiography3.contribution(1)HehelpedfoundthePennsylvaniaHospitalandtheAmericanPhilosophicalSociety.(2)Hewascalled“thenewPrometheuswhohadstolenfire(electricityinthiscase)fromheaven”.(3)Everythingseemstomeetinthisoneman–“Jackofalltrades”.HermanMelvillethusdescribedhim“masterofeachandmasteredbynone”.-2-Chapter2AmericanRomanticismSection1EarlyRomanticPeriodWhatisRomanticism?AnapproachfromancientGreek:PlatoAliterarytrend:18cinBritain(1798~1832)SchlegelBros.I.Preview:Characteristicsofromanticism1.subjectivity(1)feelingandemotions,findingtruth(2)emphasisonimagination(3)emphasisonindividualism–personalfreedom,noheroworship,naturalgoodnessofhumanbeings2.backtomedieval,espmedievalfolkliterature(1)unrestrainedbyclassicalrules(2)fullofimagination(3)colloquiallanguage(4)freedomofimagination(5)genuineinfeelings:answertheircallforclassics3.backtonaturenatureis“breathinglivingthing”(Rousseau)II.AmericanRomanticism1.Background(1)Politicalbackgroundandeconomicdevelopment(2)RomanticmovementinEuropeancountriesDerivative–foreigninfluence2.features(1)Americanromanticismwasinessencetheexpressionof“arealnewexperienceandcontained“analienquality”forthesimplereasonthat“thespiritoftheplace”wasradicallynewandalien.(2)ThereisAmericanPuritanismasaculturalheritagetoconsider.Americanromanticauthorstendedmoretomoralize.ManyAmericanromanticwritingsintendedtoedifymorethantheyentertained.(3)The“newness”ofAmericansasanationisinconnectionwithAmericanRomanticism.(4)Asalogicalresultoftheforeignandnativefactorsatwork,Americanromanticismwasbothimitativeandindependent.III.WashingtonIrving1.severalnamesattachedtoIrving(1)firstAmericanwriter(2)themessengersentfromthenewworldtotheoldworld(3)fatherofAmericanliterature2.life3.works(1)AHistoryofNewYorkfromtheBeginningoftheWorldtotheEndoftheDutchDynasty(2)TheSketchBookofGeoffreyCrayon,Gent.(Hewonameasureofinternationalrecognitionwiththepublicationofthis.)(3)TheHistoryoftheLifeandVoyagesofChristopherColumbus(4)AChronicleoftheConquestofGranada(5)TheAlhambra4.Literarycareer:twoparts(1)1809~1832a.SubjectsareeitherEnglishorEuropeanb.Conservativelovefortheantique(2)1832~1859:backtoUS-3-5.style–beautiful(1)gentility,urbanity,pleasantness(2)avoidingmoralizing–amusingandentertaining(3)envelopingstoriesinanatmosphere(4)vividandtruecharacters(5)humour–smilingwhilereading(6)musicallanguageIV.JamesFenimoreCooper1.life2.works(1)Precaution(1820,hisfirstnovel,imitatingAusten’sPrideandPrejudice)(2)TheSpy(hissecondnovelandgreatsuccess)(3)LeatherstockingTales(hismasterpiece,aseriesoffivenovels)TheDeerslayer,TheLastoftheMohicans,ThePathfinder,ThePioneer,ThePrairie3.pointofviewthethemeofwildernessvs.civilization,freedomvs.law,ordervs.change,aristocratvs.democrat,naturalrightsvs.legalrights4.style(1)highlyimaginative(2)goodatinventingtales(3)goodatlandscapedescription(4)conservative(5)characterizationwoodenandlackinginprobability(6)languageanduseofdialectnotauthentic5.literaryachievementsHecreatedamythabouttheformativeperiodoftheAmericannation.IfthehistoryoftheUnitedStatesis,inasense,theprocessoftheAmericansettlersexploringandpushingtheAmericanfrontierforeverwestward,thenCooper’sLeatherstockingTaleseffectivelyapproximatestheAmericannationalexperienceofadventureintotheWest.HeturnedthewestandfrontierasauseablepastandhehelpedtointroducewesterntraditiontoAmericanliterature.Section2SummitofRomanticism–AmericanTranscendentalismI.Background:foursources1.Unitarianism(1)FatherhoodofGod(2)Brotherhoodofmen(3)LeadershipofJesus(4)Salvationbycharacter(perfectionofone’scharacter)(5)Continuedprogre