美国文学简史笔记.docx
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美国文学简史笔记.docx
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美国文学简史笔记
AConciseHistoryofAmericanLiterature
Chapter1ColonialPeriod
I.Background:
Puritanism
1.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.Overviewoftheliterature
1.typesofwriting
diaries,histories,journals,letters,travelbooks,autobiographies/biographies,sermons
2.writersofcolonialperiod:
AnneBradstreetEdwardTaylorRogerWilliamsJohnWoolmanThomasPainePhilipFreneau
III.JonathanEdwards
1.ideas–pioneeroftranscendentalism
(1)Thespiritofrevivalism
(2)Regenerationofman
(3)God’spresence
(4)Puritanidealism
IV.BenjaminFranklin
1.contribution
(1)HehelpedfoundthePennsylvaniaHospitalandtheAmericanPhilosophicalSociety.
(2)Hewascalled“thenewPrometheuswhohadstolenfire(electricityinthiscase)fromheaven”.
(3)Everythingseemstomeetinthisoneman–“Jackofalltrades”.HermanMelvillethusdescribedhim“masterofeachandmasteredbynone”.
Chapter2AmericanRomanticism
Section1EarlyRomanticPeriod
I.Preview:
Characteristicsofromanticism
1.subjectivity
(1)feelingandemotions,findingtruth
(2)emphasisonimagination
(3)emphasisonindividualism–personalfreedom,noheroworship,naturalgoodnessofhumanbeings
2.backtomedieval,espmedievalfolkliterature
(1)unrestrainedbyclassicalrules
(2)fullofimagination
(3)colloquiallanguage
(4)freedomofimagination
(5)genuineinfeelings:
answertheircallforclassics
3.backtonature
natureis“breathinglivingthing”(Rousseau)
II.AmericanRomanticism
1.Background
(1)Politicalbackgroundandeconomicdevelopment
(2)RomanticmovementinEuropeancountries
Derivative–foreigninfluence
2.features
(1)Americanromanticismwasinessencetheexpressionof“arealnewexperienceandcontained“analienquality”forthesimplereasonthat“thespiritoftheplace”wasradicallynewandalien.
(2)ThereisAmericanPuritanismasaculturalheritagetoconsider.Americanromanticauthorstendedmoretomoralize.ManyAmericanromanticwritingsintendedtoedifymorethantheyentertained.
(3)The“newness”ofAmericansasanationisinconnectionwithAmericanRomanticism.
(4)Asalogicalresultoftheforeignandnativefactorsatwork,Americanromanticismwasbothimitativeandindependent.
III.WashingtonIrving
1.severalnamesattachedtoIrving
(1)firstAmericanwriter
(2)themessengersentfromthenewworldtotheoldworld
(3)fatherofAmericanliterature
2.style–beautiful
(1)gentility,urbanity,pleasantness
(2)avoidingmoralizing–amusingandentertaining
(3)envelopingstoriesinanatmosphere
(4)vividandtruecharacters
(5)humour–smilingwhilereading
(6)musicallanguage
IV.JamesFenimoreCooper
1.works
(1)Precaution(1820,hisfirstnovel,imitatingAusten’sPrideandPrejudice)
(2)TheSpy(hissecondnovelandgreatsuccess)
(3)LeatherstockingTales(hismasterpiece,aseriesoffivenovels)
TheDeerslayer,TheLastoftheMohicans,ThePathfinder,ThePioneer,ThePrairie
2.pointofview
thethemeofwildernessvs.civilization,freedomvs.law,ordervs.change,aristocratvs.democrat,naturalrightsvs.legalrights
3.style
(1)highlyimaginative
(2)goodatinventingtales
(3)goodatlandscapedescription
(4)conservative
(5)characterizationwoodenandlackinginprobability
(6)languageanduseofdialectnotauthentic
4.literaryachievements
HecreatedamythabouttheformativeperiodoftheAmericannation.IfthehistoryoftheUnitedStatesis,inasense,theprocessoftheAmericansettlersexploringandpushingtheAmericanfrontierforeverwestward,thenCooper’sLeatherstockingTaleseffectivelyapproximatestheAmericannationalexperienceofadventureintotheWest.HeturnedthewestandfrontierasauseablepastandhehelpedtointroducewesterntraditiontoAmericanliterature.
Section2SummitofRomanticism–AmericanTranscendentalism
I.Background:
foursources
1.Unitarianism
(1)FatherhoodofGod
(2)Brotherhoodofmen
(3)LeadershipofJesus
(4)Salvationbycharacter(perfectionofone’scharacter)
(5)Continuedprogressofmankind
(6)Divinityofmankind
(7)Depravityofmankind
2.RomanticIdealismCenteroftheworldisspirit,absolutespirit(Kant)
3.OrientalmysticismCenteroftheworldis“oversoul”
4.PuritanismEloquentexpressionintranscendentalism
II.Appearance1836,“Nature”byEmerson
III.Features
1.spirit/oversoul
2.importanceofindividualism
3.nature–symbolofspirit/God
garmentoftheoversoul
4.focusinintuition(irrationalismandsubconsciousness)
IV.Influence
1.Itservedasanethicalguidetolifeforayoungnationandbroughtabouttheideathathumancanbeperfectedbynature.Itstressedreligioustolerance,calledtothrowoffshacklesofcustomsandtraditionsandgoforwardtothedevelopmentofanewanddistinctlyAmericanculture.
2.Itadvocatedidealismthatwasgreatneededinarapidlyexpandedeconomywhereopportunityoftenbecameopportunism,andthedesireto“geton”obscuredthemoralnecessityforrisingtospiritualheight.
3.IthelpedtocreatethefirstAmericanrenaissance–oneofthemostprolificperiodinAmericanliterature
V.RalphWaldoEmerson
1.pointofview
(1)Onemajorelementofhisphilosophyishisfirmbeliefinthetranscendenceofthe“oversoul”.
(2)Heregardsnatureasthepurest,andthemostsanctifyingmoralinfluenceonman,andadvocatedadirectintuitionofaspiritualandimmanentGodinnature.
(3)Ifmandependsuponhimself,cultivateshimselfandbringsoutthedivineinhimself,hecanhopetobecomebetterandevenperfect.ThisiswhatEmersonmeansby“theinfinitudeofman”.
(4)Everyoneshouldunderstandthathemakeshimselfbymakinghisworld,andthathemakestheworldbymakinghimself.
2.aestheticideas
(1)Heisacompleteman,aneternalman.
(2)Truepoetryandtrueartshouldennoble.
(3)Thepoetshouldexpresshisthoughtinsymbols.
(4)Astotheme,EmersoncalleduponAmericanauthorstocelebrateAmericawhichwastohimalonepoeminitself.
3.hisinfluence
VI.HenryDavidThoreau
1.pointofview
(1)HedidnotlikethewayamaterialisticAmericawasdevelopingandwasvehementlyoutspokenonthepoint.
(2)Hehatedthehumaninjusticeasrepresentedbytheslaverysystem.
(3)LikeEmerson,butmorethanhim,Thoreausawnatureasagenuinerestorative,healthyinfluenceonman’sspiritualwell-being.
(4)Hehasfaithintheinnervirtueandinward,spiritualgraceofman.
(5)Hewasverycriticalofmoderncivilization.
(6)“Simplicity…simplify!
”
(7)Hewassorelydisgustedwith“theinundationsofthedirtyinstitutionsofmen’sodd-fellowsociety”.
(8)Hehascalmtrustinthefutureandhisardentbeliefinanewgenerationofmen.
Section3LateRomanticism
I.NathanielHawthorne
1.pointofview
(1)Evilisatthecoreofhumanlife,“thatblacknessinHawthorne”
(2)Wheneverthereissin,thereispunishment.Sinorevilcanbepassedfromgenerationtogeneration(causality).
(3)Heisoftheopinionthatevileducates.
(4)Hehasdisgustinscience.
2.aestheticideas
(1)Hetookagreatinterestinhistoryandantiquity.Tohimthesefurnishthesoilonwhichhismindgrowstofruition.
(2)HewasconvincedthatromancewasthepredestinedformofAmericannarrative.Totellthetruthandsatirizeandyetnottooffend:
ThatwaswhatHawthornehadinmindtoachieve.
3.style–typicalromanticwriter
(1)theuseofsymbols
(2)revelationofcharacters’psychology
(3)theuseofsupernaturalmixedwiththeactual
(4)hisstoriesareparable(parableinform)–toteachalesson
(5)useofambiguitytokeepthereaderintheworldofuncertainty–multiplepointofview
II.HermanMelville
1.pointofview
(1)Heneverseemsabletosayanaffirmativeyestolife:
Hisistheattitudeof“EverlastingNay”(negativeattitudetowardslife).
(2)Oneofthemajorthemesofhisisalienation(farawayfromeachother).
Otherthemes:
loneliness,suicidalindividualism(individualismcausingdisasteranddeath),rejectionandquest,confrontationofinnocenceandevil,doubtsoverthecomforting19cideaofprogress
2.style
(1)LikeHawthorne,Melvillemanagestoachievetheeffectofambiguitythroughemployingthetechniqueofmultipleviewofhisnarratives.
(2)Hetendstowriteperiodicchapters.
(3)Hisrichrhythmicalproseandhispoeticpowerhavebeenprofuselycommenteduponandpraised.
(4)Hisworksaresymbolicandmetaphorical.
(5)Heincludesmanynon-narrativechaptersoffactualbackgroundordescriptionofwhatgoesonboardtheshiporontheroute(MobyDick)
RomanticPoets
I.WaltWhitman
1.themes–“CatalogueofAmericanandEuropeanthought”
HehadbeeninfluencedbymanyAmericanandEuropeanthoughts:
enlightenment,idealism,transcendentalism,science,evolutionideas,westernfrontierspirits,Jefferson’sindividualism,CivilWarUnionism,Orientalism.
Majorthemesinh
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