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Old & Medieval English Literature Old English: 450-1066
Geoffrey Chaucer - the father of English poetry (wisdom, humor, humanity)
A series of historical events:
1. rediscovery of ancient Roman & Greek culture 2. new discoveries in geography & astrology(占星学) 3. the religious reformation & economic expansion
The Renaissance - rebirth or revival
Humanism - the essence of the Renaissance, the dignity of human being & the importance
of the present life
Best representatives: Thomas More, Christopher Marlowe, William Shakespeare
The Elizabethan drama: the real mainstream of English Renaissance Most famous dramatists: Christopher Marlowe, William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson
Edmund Spenser - the poets' poet
5 quality: 1) a perfect melody 2)a rare sense of beauty 3)a splendid
imagination
4)a lofty(高尚的) moral purity and seriousness 5)a dedicated idealism
主角：Arthur - who possess 12 virtues
Gloriana – the Fairy Queen
The theme is not “Arms and the man,” but something more romantic – “Fierce warres
and faithfull loves”
READING: excerpt from The Faerie Queene 仙后 Content: Redcrosse Knight set out on his adventures.
Christopher Marlowe – “University Wits”, the pioneer of English drama Hyperbole(夸张)
Marlowe’s achievement: 1) blank verse无韵诗歌
It is Marlowe who brought vitality(活力) and grandeur(伟大) into the blank verse with
his “mighty lines,” which carry strong emotions.
2) his creation of the Renaissance hero for English drama.(not strong in dramatic
construction.)
→ the pioneer of English drama
3 tragedies:
overpowering king.
non-drama
beautiful lyrics(抒情诗)
READING: 1. excerpt from Dr. Faustus 浮士德博士的悲剧
A play based on the German legend
Content: Faustus is a scholar who has a strong desire to acquire knowledge. By conjuration(念咒文召唤) he call up Mephistophilis, the Devil’s servant. He make a bond(契约) to sell his soul to the Devil in return for 24 years of life in which Mephistophilis to give him everything he desires. Devil’s name is Lucifer.
Dominant moral is human rather than religious 2. The Passionate(热情的) Shepherd to His Love
this short poem is considered to be one of the most beautiful lyrics(抒情诗) in English
literature.
The shepherd(牧羊人) enjoy an ideal country life, cherishing(珍爱) a pastoral(田园的) and pure affection for his love. Strong emotion is conveyed through the beauty
of nature.
William Shakespeare – playwright
& poet (above all writers in the past and in the present time)
1.
2.
Comedies: , Night> … Tragedy: and the spirit of pursuing happiness. 3. Four tragedies - 4. tragicomedies： Achievement: A. exploring the characters’s inner mind. soliloquy(独白) or monologue - fully reveal the inner conflict of the characters contrasts – bring vividness to the characters B. adroit（精巧的） plot construction C. Irony is a good means of dramatic presentation. Disguise is an important device to create dramatic irony. D. the language. READING： 1. Sonnet 18 (14 line) poetry. A nice summer’s day is usually transient(短暂的), but the beauty in poetry can last for ever. 2.excerpt from The Merchant of Venice （不知足的） greed and brutality of the Jew. Double plot:(1) Bassanio ask Antonio for a loan so that he might marriage with Portia (2) Antonio borrow money from Shylock, the Jewish usurer. Shylock make a strange bond that requires Antonio to surrender a pound of his flesh if he fail to repay him within a certain period of time. Portia disguised as a young lawyer instructed to judge the case: Shylock can take his pound of flesh, but there is no mention of blood in the bond. Otherwise, his lands and goods will be confiscated(充公) according to he law of Venice.