Chapter5EnglishLiteratureofthe18thCentury一.HistoricalbackgroundPolitics:Afterthetempestuouseventsofthe17thcentury,Englandenteredaperiodofcomparativelypeacefuldevelopment,andbecameaconstitutionalmonarchy.Economy:IndustrialRevolution.Aunprecedentedtechnicalinnovationswhichequippedindustrywithsteam,andnewtools,rapidgrowthofindustryandcommerceinfluencethewayofsociallifeasawhole.Newsocialclass:endingofEnclosureMovement(圈地运动)leadstolandlessfarmersgoingtothecitiesandbecomingworkerswhoownednothingbutlaborandhadtoworklonghoursforlowwages,andtheybecametheindustrialproletariat(无产阶级).Culture:The18centurymarkedthebeginningofanintellectualmovementinEurope,knownastheEnlightenment(启蒙运动),whichwasanexpressionofstruggleofthebourgeoisieagainstfeudalism.Theenlightenersfoughtagainstclassinequality,stagnation,prejudicesandothersurvivalsoffeudalism.Theyattemptedtoplaceallbranchesofscienceattheserviceofmankindbyconnectingthemwiththeactualneedsandrequirementsofpeople.TherepresentativesoftheEnlightenmentinEnglishliteraturewereJosephAddisonandRichardSteele,theessayistsandAlexanderPope,thepoet.IntheirworkstheycriticizedalldifferentaspectsofcontemporaryEngland,discussedsocialproblems,andeventoucheduponmoralityandprivatelife.Theyintendedtoreformsociallifeaccordingtoamorereasonableprinciple,andtheprincipleisforbourgeoisinterests.二.Theliteraryoverview.(1)TheEnlightenment.(2)TheriseofEnglishnovels.theMiddleAges——longromanticnarrativepoems,theElizabethanage——dramastheRestorationandRestoration——didactic(说教)andsatiricalversethe18thcentury——novels(3)Neo-classicism:arevivalintheseventeenthandeighteenthcenturiesofclassicalstandardsoforder,balance,andharmonyinliterature.JohnDrydenandAlexanderPopeweremajorexponentsoftheneo-classicalschool.(4)Satiricliterature.(5)SentimentalismNeo-classicism:Addison,SteelandPopebelongtotheschoolofclassicism.Theclassicistsmodelled(模仿)themselvesonGreekandLatinauthors,andtriedtocontrolliterarycreationbysomefixedlawsandrulesdrawnfromGreekandLatinworks.Theywrotefortherisingbourgeoisietotidyupthecapitalistsocialorder.AlexanderPope(蒲柏)(1)Life:a.Catholicfamily;b.illhealth;c.taughthimselfbyreadingandtranslating;d.friendofAddison,SteeleandSwift.(2)threegroupsofpoems:e.AnEssayonCriticism——(manifestoofneo-classicism)——adidacticpoemwritteninheroiccoupletsandsumsuptheartofpoetry.f.TheRapeofLock(卷发遇劫记)——amock-heroicpoem,inwhichhesatirizedthetriviality(轻浮)andsillinessofthehighsocietywithadelicatewit.g.Translationoftwoepics.Iliad(伊利亚特)andOdyssey(奥德赛)H.EssayonMan.——aphilosophicalpoeminheroiccouplets——aimstoprovethattheschemeoftheuniverseisthebestinspiteofappearanceofevil,andthatourfailuretoseetheperfectionofthewholeisduetoourlimitedvision.Thisideaissummedupinawell-knownline:“Onetruthisclear,whateveris,isright.”(3)Hiscontribution:i.AnoutstandingenlightenerandthegreatestEnglishpoetoftheclassicalschool.j.Hewasamasterintheartofpoetryandheissoperfectinusingheroiccouplets(英雄双韵体)thatnoonehasbeenabletoapproachhim.k.Hewasatbestinsatireandepigramandwasanexampleofconsciousliteraryartist.(4)weakness:lackofimaginationandlyricalgift.Hissatirewasnotalwaysjust,oftencausedbypersonalgrudge.2.AddisonandSteele(1)RichardSteele(斯梯尔):poet,playwright,essayist,publisherofnewspaperTheTatler(《闲谈者》报).(2)JosephAddison(艾迪生):studiesatOxford,secretaryofstate,createdaliteraryperiodical“Spectator”(《旁观者》报)(withSteele,1711)(3)SpectatorClub.(4)Thesignificanceoftheiressays.a.Theirwritingsin“TheTatler”,and“TheSpectator”provideanewcodeofsocialmoralityfortherisingbourgeoisie.b.TheygiveatruepictureofthesociallifeofEnglandinthe18thcentury.c.Intheirhands,theEnglishessaycompletelyestablisheditselfasaliterarygenre(体裁).Usingitasaformofcharactersketchingandstorytelling,theyusheredinthedawnofthemodernnovel.LiteratureofSatire:JonathanSwift(乔纳森·斯威夫特).1.Life:(1)borninIreland;hisfatherdiedbeforehewasborn.(2)studiesatTrinityCollege;detestedtheroutinecurriculum(3)workedasaprivatesecretaryofarenowneddistantrelative;heneverforgotthisbitterexperienceoflivingundertheroofofanoblefamily.Afterwards,hetriedtohelpeveryyoungoftalentwhoseemeddeserving.(4)theDeanofSt.Patrick’sinDublinandafterhewithdrewfromactivepartystrife(党派争斗),realizingthattherewasbutlittledifferencebetweentheTories(特洛伊党)andtheWhigs(辉格党),thetwooppositepartiesoftherulingclasses.2.Works:TheBattleofBooks,ATaleofaTub,Gulliver’sTravels3.Gulliver’sTravels.(格列佛游记)PartI.Satire—theWhigandtheTories,AnglicanChurchandCatholicChurch.ThispartdescribeshisshipwreckinLilliput(小人国)wherethetallestpeopleweresixincheshigh.Hismeekness(温顺)hasgainedpopularityinthecountryandhehelpsthemdefeatanotherLilliputiancountry,hisrefusaltoruinthecountrymakingtheKingnothappy.Atthistime,theQueen’spalaceharem(寝宫)isonfire.Outofemergency,hepiddles(撒尿)onthepalacetoextinguishthefire,whichmakestheQueenannoyed;rumorhasitthattheKingwantstokillhim,soheescapesfromtheLillilput.PartII.Satire—thelegalsystem;condemnationofwar.ThispartdepictshisvoyagetoBrobdingnag,wherepeopletherearesixtyfeetinheight.TheKingregardsEuropea