资源描述：
《英美文学史britishliterature》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在应用文档-天天文库。
1、ABriefIntroductiontoLiterature1.Definition①inletters(liter-:aLatinroot,meaningletter)eitherbewrittendownorbepassedfrommouthtomouthwritten/oralliterature②ofartisticvalue2.4GenresinLiterature①Poetry(theoldestgenre)Comparison:poetry:rhymed+image/implication(meaningful)verse:inrhymedlang
2、uageOldEnglishPoetry:Beowulf(anepic,containing3182lines)(epic→nottherecordofhistory;alongnarrativepoem；dealwithlegendaryorhistoricaleventsofsignificance;containahero)MedievalEnglishPoetry:GeoffreyChaucer,TheCanterburyTales②Drama(the2ndgenre)3kindsofdramas:comedy(optimistic),tragedy(p
3、essimistic),tragi-comedycomedy→aimtoamuse&endhappilytragedy→concernedwithharshness&injusticeoflifetragi-comedy→blend,usu.aseriousstorywithahappyending③Essay(the3rdgenre)Comparison:essay:literarygenreprose:language→notrhymed/rhymeless4kindsofessaysaccordingtothepurposeandmethodinturni
4、ngoutanEnglishessay:Narration,Description,Exposition,Argumentation④Fiction(theyoungestgenre)Ⅰ.OldEnglishLiterature(450-1066A.D.)1.HistoryBeforeenteringuponthestudyofEnglishliterature,itisnecessarytoknowsomethingabout9theEnglishpeople.TheEnglishpeopleareofamixedblood.Theearlyinhabitan
5、tswereBritons,atribeofCelts.ItwasfromtheBritonsthattheislandgotitsnameofBritain,thelandofBritons.SincehistoricaltimesEnglandhasbeenconqueredthreetimes.ItwasconqueredrespectivelybytheRomans,theEnglish,andtheNormans.3Conquests:①theRomanConquestTheRomanshadruledEnglandforalmost4centurie
6、s,buttheyhadleftnotsomuchinfluence.WhentheRomanEmpiredeclined,itstroopsleftEnglandandthusendedtheRomanoccupationinBritain.②theEnglishConquestBritainwasinvadedbyswarmsofpirates.Theywere3tribesfromNorthernEurope:theAngles,theSaxons,andtheJutes.The3tribesmixedintoawholepeoplecalledEngli
7、sh,andthe3dialectsspokenbythemnaturallygrewintoasinglelanguagewhichiscalledAnglo-Saxon,orOldEnglish,whichisquitedifferentfromtheEnglishweknowtoday.→theOldEnglishPeriod③theNormanConquestTheFrench-speakingNormanscamein1066.WilliamwascrownedaskingofEngland.（William,theConqueror）Afterthe
8、conquest,3la
