英国文学 17世纪.docx
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英国文学 17世纪.docx
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PartThree
TheSeventeenthCentury
(1640-1688)
Chapter1:
RevolutionandRestoration
一、SocialBackground
The17thcenturywasoneofthemosttempestuousperiodsinEnglishhistory.ConflictsandclashesappearedbetweentheKingandtheParliament,whichrepresentedthebourgeoisclass.
In1642,acivilwar(Englishrevolution)brokeoutbetweenCharlesIandtheparliament.Atlast,theroyalistsweredefeatedbytheparliamentarmyledbyOliverCromwell(1599-1658).In1649CharlesI(1600-1625-1649)wasbeheaded,andEnglandwasdeclaredtobeacommonwealth.
AfterthedeathofCromwell,theparliamentrecalledCharlesII(1630-1660-1685)toEnglandin1660andmonarchywasrestored,andthenfollowedtheRestorationPeriod.
In1688,thebourgeoisieinviteWilliam,princeofOrange(1650-1689-1702)fromHollandtobekingofEngland.Thisiscalledthe"GloriousRevolution”.ThisbloodlesseventcompletedthebourgeoisierevolutionandmodemEnglandwasfirmlyestablished.
二、TheEnglishRevolutionandPuritanism
TheEnglishrevolutionwascarriedoutunderareligiouscloak.So,EnglishrevolutionalsocalledthePuritanrevolution.ThePuritanMovementaimedtomakemanhonestandtomakemanfree.
Puritanismwasthereligiousdoctrineoftherevolutionarybourgeoisieduringthisperiod.Itpreachedthrift,sobriety,hardwork,butwithverylittleextravagantenjoymentofthefruitsoflabor.Worldlypleasureswerecondemnedasharmful.Thiswaspreciselytheoutlookneededbythebourgeoisiefortheaccumulationofcapital.SointhetriumphofPuritanismunderCromwell,severelawswerepassed,manysimplepleasureswereforbiddenandanausterestandardoflivingwasforceduponanunwillingpeople.TheLondontheaterswereclosedin1642.
ThecriticismismadethatthewildoutbreakofimmortalitywhichfollowedtheRestorationwaspartlyduetotheunnaturalrestrictionofthePuritanera.Thecriticismwasjustbutwemustnotforgetthewholespiritofthemovement.Puritansfoughtforlibertyandjusticeoverthrewdespotismandmademen'slifeandpropertysafefromthetyrannyofrulers.
三、Literatureofthe17thcentury
Englishliteratureoftherevolutionandrestorationwasverymuchconcernedwiththetremendoussocialupheavalsofthetime.
1.LiteratureoftheRevolutionPeriod
Generalcharacteristics
①TheRevolutionPeriodwasoneofconfusioninliteratureduetothebreakingupoftheoldideals.ThePuritansbelievedinsimplicityoflife.Theydisapprovedofthesonnetsandthelovepoetrywritteninthepreviousperiod.Literaturewasasdividedinspiritaswerethestrugglingparties.
②LiteratureinthePuritanAgeexpressedageandsadness.Evenitsbrightesthourswerefollowedbygloomandpessimism.
(3)RomanticardorcannotbefoundinliteratureofthePuritanperiod.
④JohnMilton(1608-1674),whoseworkwouldglorifyanyageandpeople,andinhisworktheindomitablerevolutionaryspiritfounditsnoblestexpression.Forthisreason,thisperiodisalsocalledAgeofMilton.
⑤Themainliteraryformoftheperiodwaspoetry.BesidesMilton,thereweretwoothergroupsofpoets,theMetaphysicalPoetsandtheCavalierPoets.
1)MetaphysicalPoets
TheMetaphysicalPoetsappearedinEnglandataboutthebeginningofthe17thcentury.Theysoughttoshattermythsandreplacethemwithnewphilosophies,newsciences,newworldandnewpoetry.Witharebelliousspirit,theyfavoredinpoetryamorecolloquiallanguage,asinglemindedworkingofonetheme.Besides,theytendedtologicallyreasonthethings,esp.emotions,psychologicallyanalyzetheemotionsofloveandreligion,lovethenoveltyandtheshocking,usethemetaphysicalconceits,andignoretheconventionaldevices.Theworksofthesepoetsarecharacterizedbymysticismincontentandfantasticalityinform.
2)CavalierPoets
AnotherschoolofpoetryprevailingintheperiodwastheCavalierPoets.Mostofthesepoetswerecourtiersandsoldiers.Theysidedwiththekingtofightagainsttherevolution.TherepresentativesofthisschoolareSirJohnSuckling(1609-1642),RichardLovelace(1618-1657),ThomasCarew(1595-1639),andRobertHerrick(1591-1674).
2.LiteratureoftheRestoration
RestorationliteratureisdeeplyinfluencedbyFrenchclassicaltaste.ItisaperiodofFrenchinfluence.
Generalcharacteristics
①Thetendencytovulgarrealisminthedrama.Restorationwriterssoughttopaintrealisticpicturesofacorruptsociety.
②Ageneralformalism.Theyproducedcoarse,lowplayswithoutinterestormoralsignificance.
(3)Thedevelopmentofasimplerandmoredirectprosestyle.
④Theprevalenceoftheheroiccouplet(twoiambicpentameterlineswhichrimetogether)inpoetry.
Chapter2:
Writersinthisperiod
一、JohnMilton(1608-1674)
1.Lifeandliterarycareer
MiltonwasborninLondoninl608.HiseducationbeganatSt.Paul'sschool,thenhewentontodistinguishhimselfatCambridgeUniversity,wherehegraduatedB.A.in1629,andM.A.in1632.
HisfirstworkisanodeOntheMorningofChristsNativity(1629).
AfterleavingCambridge,heretiredfornearlysixyearstohisfather'scountryhouseinHorton,wherehedevotedhistimechieflytofurthermasteryofthewholerangeoflanguages,literature,science,theology,andmusic.Duringthisperiod,MiltonwroteL"Allegro(1632),IlPenseroso(1632),Lycidas(1638),Comus(1634).
In1638heleftEnglandtocompletehiseducationwithtwoyearsoftravelinEurope,France,SwitzerlandandItaly.Whenhereturnedhomein1639,Englandwasonthevergeofacivilwar.Hesoonplungedhimselfintothestruggleandgaveallhisenergiestothewritingofpamphletsdedicatedtothepeople'sliberty.
MiltonwasmarriedtoMaryPowellinJune1642,butthemarriageprovedtoanunhappyone.SoforseveralyearsMiltonissuedpamphletsinwhichhearguedthatallEnglishmenshouldhavetherighttogetadivorce.In1644,hepublishedAreopagitica,asadeclarationofpeople'sfreedomfrompress.
AftertheRevolutionsucceeded,MiltonbecameLatinSecretarytothecouncilofForeignAffairsin1649.HewroteanumberofpamphletsdefendingtheEnglishrevolution,suchasDefenceoftheEnglishPeople(1651),andSecondDefenceoftheEnglishPeople(1654).UntiltheendoftheCommonwealth,thereweretwoleadersinEngland,Cromwellthemanofaction,andMiltonthemanofthought.
Miltonwentblindin1652,doubtlesslyduetothesevereeyestrainbroughtonbyceaselessreadingandLatincomposition.WiththeRestorationofthemonarchyin1660,Miltonnotonlywasconfronted,butalsowasimprisonedandthreatenedwithexecution.Throughtheinterventionofsomefriendswhocarriedsomeinfluencewiththenewroyalgovernment,Miltonwasletoffwithafineandsomelossofproperty.Shortlyafterward,livinginblindnessandvirtualseclusionfromallbutthemembersofhisimmediatefamily,MiltonbeganhismasterpieceParadiseLost.BeforehisdeathMiltonpublishedtwootherworksonagrandscale,ParadiseRegainedandSamsonAgonistes.Bothappearedin1671;neitherisassuccessfulasParadiseLost.Miltondiedin1674.
2.MajorWorks
OntheMorningofChrist'sNativity《基督诞生晨颂》(1629)
L'Allegro《快乐的人》(1632)
IlPenseroso《沉思的人》(1632)
Comus《科玛斯》(1634)
Lycidas《利西达斯》(1638)
Areopagitica《论出版自由》(1644)
DefenceoftheEnglishPeople《为英国人民辩护》(1651)
SecondDefenceoftheEnglishPeople《为英国人民再辩护》(1654)
ParadiseLost《失乐园》(1665)
ParadiseRegained《复乐园》(1671)
SamsonAgonistes《力士参孙》(1671)
3.AboutParadiseLost
1)BriefSurvey
ParadiseLostisMilton'smasterpiece,andthegreatestEnglishepic.Itisalongepicin12books,writteninblankverse.ThestoriesweretakenfromtheOldTestamentthecreation;therebellioninHeavenofSatanandhisfellow-angels;theirdefeatandexpulsionfromHeaven;thecreationoftheearthandofAdamandEve;thefallenangelsinhellplottingagainstGod;Satan'stemptationofEve;thedepartureofAdamandEvefromEden;andthepossiblesalvation.
2)ThemeandCharacterization
Thepoem,onthesurface,wasntojustifythewaysofGodtoman",i.e.topreachsubmissiontotheAlmighty.Butunderthesurface,themainideaofthepoemistheheroicrevoltagainstGod'sauthority.
InthepoemGodisnobetterthanaselfishdespot.IthasbeennotedbymanycriticsthatthepictureofGodsurroundedbyhisangelsresemblesthecourtofanabsolutemonarch.WhiletherebelSatanwhorisesagainstGodand,thoughdefeated,stillseeksforrevenge.SatanandhisfollowerswhofreelydiscussallissuesincouncilbearcloseresemblancetoarepublicanParliament.Thisepicexpressesthereactionaryforcesofhistimeandshowspassionateappealforfreedom.
ThethemeisalsoaboutthefallofMen:
man'sdisobedienceandthelossofParadise.Buthavingdone「AdamandEvegetfreedom.TheyembodyMilton'sbeliefinthepowersofman.TheircravingforknowledgedeniedthembyGod,asMiltonstresses,addsaparticularsignificancetotheircharacter.Itisthislongingforknowledgethatopensbeforemankindawideroadtoanintelligentandactivelife.
WhatmakesParadiseLostapowerfulpoemispreciselythewayinwhichtheBiblicalpastispulledintothepresentinanintriguingway.Runningthroughthepoemarethekeypoliticalquestionsoffreedomandchoice.FromtheperspectiveofSatanandhisfollowers,rebellionagainstGodwasinevitable.Therevoltmayhavefailed,butithasleftthemtheirfreedom.Thefinalimageofthepoemisprofoundlyforward-looking,animageofgainthroughloss.AsAdamandEvegohandinhandoutofEden,thelossofParadiseisseenasthegainofafutureforhumanityonearth.
3)TheImageofSatan
ThefinestthinginParadiseLostisthedescriptionofhell,andSatanistherealheroofthepoem.Asa
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