English-literature-I简介和古英语时期英国文学

EnglishLiteratureAnIntroduction1.AboutLiterature2.AnOutlineofEnglishLiterature3.TheMakingoftheNationWhatIsLiteratureThewordliteratureisfromaLatinwordlitteraewhichmeansletters.Literallymeans:thingsmadefromletters.IntheLongmanDictionaryofContemporaryEnglish,Literatureisdefinedas:1)writtenworkswhichofartisticvalue;2)allthebooks,articles,etc.onaparticularsubject;3)printedmaterial,esp.givinginformation.以语言文字为工具形象化地反应客观现实的艺术。ContemporaryChineseDictionaryArethefollowingliteraryworks?anaccountofyesterday’sfootballmatchanadvertisementofsoappowderdialoguesofPlatotravelbookletsWhatIsLiteratureWhatIsLiteratureLiteratureisapermanentexpressioninwordsofsomethoughtsorfeelingsorideasaboutlife&theworld.LiterarygenresNarrative,lyric,dramaticPoetry,prose,drama,fictionGenresareoftendividedintosub-genres.AncientGreecedividedLiteratureintoclassicthreeforms:poetry,drama,andprose.Poetrymaythenbesubdividedintothegenresoflyric,epic,anddramatic.Thelyricincludesalltheshorterformsofpoetry,e.g.,song,ode,ballad,elegy,sonnet.Dramaticpoetrymightincludecomedy,tragedy,melodrama,andmixturesliketragicomedy.LiterarygenresProse:nonfictionalprose,heroicprose,prosepoem,polyphonic有韵律变化的prose,alliterativeprose,prosefictionandvillageproseinRussianliterature.Fiction:realisticfiction(sciencefiction,detectivestories),non-realisticfiction,semi-fiction.TheUsefulnessofLearningLiterature(1)Increasingone’sknowledgeEnglishliteratureisamirrortothesociallifeatdifferentstagesofEnglishhistory.Itisageneralexpressionoftheideas,feelings&aestheticjudgmentsofwritersfromdifferentsocialclasses.Itisalsoadirectorindirect&vividexpressionoftherelationshipamongpeopleofdifferentsocialclasses,betweenpeople&society,people&nature,andthespirit&psychologicalstateofpeoplethemselves.ThereforestudyingEnglishliterature,isoneofthebestwaysforustogetagoodcommandofEnglishknowledge.TheUsefulnessofLearningLiterature(2)Improvingone’slanguageability.Generallyspeaking,allthatisbestinalanguagefindsexpressioninitsliterature.Dictionariestellusaboutthespellings,pronunciations&definitionsofwords.Thecommonestwaytolearnthemeaningofawordistolookitupinadictionary.Butdictionariescannotshowallthesubtleshadesofmeaningofaword.Thebestwaytostudythemeaningofawordisthatoflearningitbetweenthelinesintheworksofmajorwriters.Foranintimateunderstandingofthelanguage,weneedtoreadliteraryworksandtothinkaboutwhatweread.TheUsefulnessofLearningLiteratureAnauthormaycontributeinvariouswaystotheenrichmentofthelanguagehewrites.Hemaydosodirectlybyintroducingnewwordsornewusagesofwords,orindirectlybybringingthoseexistingformsofexpressionintoageneraluseamongpeople.(3)Trainingone’sthinking.(4)Fosteringone’sconnoisseurship(theabilitytoappreciateaworkofart)(5)Exertingafavorableinfluenceonaperson’sfeelingorcharacter(6)Enjoyingoneself.(7)Enablingonetogetmoreeducationortoappearwelleducated.etc.ImportanthistoricalperiodsinEnglishliteratureTheOldEnglishPeriodTheMiddleAgesTheRenaissanceThePeriodofRevolutionandRestoration(17thCentury)TheAgeofEnlightenment(18thcentury)TheRomanticPeriod(theearly19thcentury)TheVictorianAge(thelater19thCentury)20thCentury(ModernismandPost-modernism.)Stonehengeisaprehistoricmonument.Oneofthemostfamoussitesintheworld.Archaeologistsbelievetheiconicstonemonumentwasconstructedanywherefrom3000BCto2000BC.Radiocarbondatingin2008suggestedthatthefirststoneswereerectedin2400–2200BC,whilstanothertheorysuggeststhatbluestonesmayhavebeenerectedatthesiteasearlyas3000BC.StonehengeStonehengeStonehengeatsunsetStonehengeatsunriseFisheyeimageofStonehengeshowingthecircularlayoutTheMakingoftheNationMapofBritonsettlementsinthe4th-century.ThemakingofEnglandWhoweretheearlyinhabitantsintheislandofBritain?Britons,atribeofCeltsWheredidtheCeltscomefrom?PowerfulCeltsincentralandnorthEuropefrom750BCto12BCmainlandCelts(Gauls)andislandCelts(BritonsandGaels)GaelsinScotlandandIrelandspeakingGaelicTheMakingofEnglandfromthefollowingformula,wecanknowthattheEnglishpeopleareofamixedblood:AnglesBritons+Saxons+Danes+Normans=EnglishJutes3famousconquestsintheBritishhistory:(1)TheRomanConquest(55B.C-410A.D.)(2)TheAnglo-SaxonConquest(449A.D.-1066)(3)TheNormanConquest(1066-1485)(1)TheRomanConquestInabout700B.C,theearliestsettlers,Britons(不列冬人）,atribeofCelts,cametotheisland.TheBritonswereprimitivepeople,livinginthetribalsociety.thelegendofKingArthurIn55BCBritainwasinvadedbytheRomansundertheleadershipofJuliusCaesar.ButBritainwasnotcompletelysubjugatedtotheRomanEmpireuntil78A.D.Atthebeginningofthe5thcentury,theRomanEmpirewasintheprocessofdeclining.Andin410A.D,alltheRomantroopswentbacktothecontinentinordertofightagainstGermanicinvaders,thusendedtheRomanoccupationinBritain.WiththeRomanConquesttheRomanmodeoflifecameacrosstoBritainalso.ItwasduringtheRomanrulethatChristianitywasintroducedtoBritain.IIRomanConquestIn55BC,JuliusCaesar,theRomanConqueror,occupiedBritain.In410,RomanEmpirefellintodecline.SignificanceofRomanconquestleftnodeepimpressiononitsnationallife1)Romanmodeoflife:theatresandbathsinthetowns(thecityofBath)