英国文学史一知识点大全

orders or smaller movements exposing church corruption in the behavior of the clergy, or sale of indulgences (payment for forgiveness of sins).Several characters in the Tales are religious figures, and the very nature of the pilgrimage to Canterbury is deeply religious, making this an outstanding theme of the work.

Character Analysis:

Chaucer’s pilgrim narrators represent a wide spectrum of ranks and occupations. The great variety of tales is matched by the diversity of their tellers; tales are assigned to appropriate narrators and juxtaposed to bring out contrasts in genre, style, tone, and values. These pilgrims exist almost entirely in terms of their profession. Chaucer gives only a few of them character names. Popular Ballads With an oral tradition, popular ballads usually deals with a single episode and their beginning is often abrupt, without any introduction to the characters and background information.

The themes of ballads are various in kind.

And among the ballads published, the Robin Hood ballads are of special significance.

Robin Hood, the famous outlaw welcomed by the poor was a half-historical and half-legendary hero. He and his men lived in the forest, fighting with the oppressors and protecting the poor and the oppressed.

The best known of the earliest collections was given by Bishop Thomas Percy (1729～1811), named Reliques of Ancient English Poetry.

Definition: anonymous narrative songs that have been preserved by oral transmission. It is an important feature in the 15th century and a literature of English people (peasants).

A story told in song, usually in 4-line stanzas with the 2nd and the 4th lines rhymed. Robin Hood Everyone has heard of Robin Hood, Nottinghamshire's most famous son and the world's favorite folk hero. His adventures have been told and retold down the generations, from medieval ballad to Hollywood movie. Robin Hood--- A legendary English outlaw of the 12th century, hero of many ballads, who robbed the rich to give to the poor; a popular model of courage, generosity and justice, as well as of skill in archery, he lived and presided over his band of followers (\

The characteristics of Robin Hood

1）his hatred for the cruel oppressors and his love for the poor and down-trodden

2）strong, brave and clever 3）tender-hearted and affectionate for the poor and down-trodden 4）his pure love for Marian

5）.his simple loyalty to the monarchy

Comment：Robin Hood represents the ideal of the common people of England in the later Middle Ages. He stands for liberty and the rights of the people against unjust laws and the tyranny of the nobles. Part Two The English Renaissance What is Renaissance? 1.The Renaissance (14th – mid-17th century), which means rebirth and revival, is actually a movement stimulated by a series of historical events, such as the religious reformation.

2.The renaissance, therefore, in essence, is a historical period in which the European

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humanist thinkers and scholars tried to get rid of those old feudalist ideas in medieval Europe, to introduce new ideas that expressed the interests of the rising bourgeoisie, and to recover the purity of the early church from the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church(罗马天主教堂). What made the Renaissance?

1)the growth of a more scientific outlook; 2)major development in art and literature; 3)new invention and overseas discoveries; 4)a general assertion of human value; 5)emancipation of the human intellect and power.

The Birthplace of Renaissance 1)Renaissance started in Florence and Venice with the flowering of paintings, sculpture and architecture. 2)The Renaissance gradually reached all parts of Europe and finally modified all phases of social life. It developed new arts such as printing, new conceptions of our earth through geographic discoveries, new national policies as in the cultivation of trade by sea, new church life through the Reformation.

3)It brought inspiration, light and joy to those who delighted in art, learning and adventure. However, the neglected masses of peasants were long in gaining any relief from their miseries. Our growth of knowledge was held back by the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance period helped us learn that knowledge with a great speed indeed.

The Renaissance period is markedly by the rediscovery and study of the classics of ancient Greece and Rome, by challenge feudal obscurantism and religious dogmas, by opposing the tyranny of feudal rules.

The Key Points of Renaissance

1.Renaissance means “rebirth”or “revival”.

2.It is stimulated by a series of historical events, such as religious reformation. 3.European humanist thinkers and scholars tried to: 1) get rid of the old feudalist ideas; 2) introduce new ideas of the bourgeoisie; 3) recover the purity of the early church.

The Renaissance was a time of rebirth. Europeans experienced a reawakening of interest in the classics--government, literature, art, and thought. It was a time of experimentation.

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It was a time of religious upheaval. And it was a time of war.

Economic and intellectual changes during the Renaissance both helped to speed up Western social and cultural development and hence prepared the necessary conditions for rapid progress in political, social and ideological areas of the modern Age. 2. Historical Background:

The Italian Renaissance had placed human beings once more in the center of life's stage and infused thought and art with humanistic values. In time the stimulating ideas current in Italy spread to other areas and combined with indigenous developments to produce a French Renaissance, an English Renaissance, and so on.

Characteristics of Renaissance

Before the fifteenth century clergymen were the only educated class. They were accepted as authority on all subjects. But in the Renaissance men all over Europe began to think for themselves. Many learned men came from the East into Western Europe, bringing literature, arts, and other treasures, after the fall of Constantinople {1453}. They helped very greatly in developing the new thirst for knowledge and the appreciation of human interests, although these men were not the direct cause of the Renaissance as some writers suppose. The birth of new ideas and eagerness in using them grew out of many preceding conditions that slowly developed through the centuries, particularly in the fourteenth century.

Two Features of The renaissance 1）The one is a thirsting curiosity for the classical literature. The Renaissance period is markedly by the rediscovery and study of the classics of ancient Greece and Rome, by challenging religious dogmas, by opposing the tyranny of feudal rules.

2）Humanism was the keynote of the renaissance, reflecting the new outlook of the rising bourgeois class. The humanists advocated the emancipation of man, and they tried to have the new evaluation of man and his powers and fought for equality and justice, opposed feudal tyranny and obscurantism and religious obstinacy.

Humanism is the essence of the Renaissance. It emphasizes the dignity of human beings and the importance of the present life. Humanists voiced their beliefs that man was the center of the universe and man did not only have the right to enjoy the beauty of the present life, but had the ability to perfect himself and to perform wonders. II. English Renaissance 1. The history of English Renaissance: Why did Renaissance come to England so late?

1) Separation from the Continent.

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2) Domestic unrest:self-destruction. (1) The war-like nobles seized the power. (2) The Wars of Roses.

The renaissance in England

Historical Background – from turmoil to peace

a. The War of Roses (1455-1488) and the establishment of the dynasties of Henry VII and VIII—the centralized monarchy.

b. Wool trade and The Enclosure movement “ sheep devoured Men” (Thomas More)

c. King Henry VIII’s reform(1509-1547)– The religious reformation, establishment of the Church of England d. Flourishing in the Elizabethan Age (1558-1603)

e.defeating the Spanish Invincible fleet “Armada” in 1588 and the establishment of the hegemony on the seas. f. The geographical exploration and trade expansion brought about the growth of the cities and the development of the capitalist textile industry.

The Wars of the Roses (1455-1485):

between the houses of York ( white rose emblem) and Lancaster (red rose) for possession of the throne;

In 1485, Henry VII (1485-1509) , who belonged to the Lancaster family, came to the throne & founded the Tudor dynasty都铎王朝 . He was a very strong king and married the daughter of York’s family, completed the self-destruction of nobles as a ruling class

Henry VIII (1509-1547), a learned king, a lover of music & fine arts. He brought the Renaissance into England. He had tremendous influence upon the thinking of the time. Religious Reformation King Henry VIII

Dismissed authority of the popes in Rome

Twice rejected by the Pope. Divorced, made himself the supreme Head of Church of England; broke with the Catholic Church

Formed the Church of England

Royalty：The Tudor:都铎王朝 Henry Ⅶ unified England Henry Ⅷ (1509-1547) Edward VI (1547-1553)

Mary (1553-1558) Elizabeth Ⅰ(1558-1603)

With a few years exception (the reign of Mary), Protestantism was firmly established in England, with only Ireland keeping to Roman Catholicism.

Edwards, Henry Ⅷ ‘s youngest son, succeeded (1547-53), yet died young.

Mary followed. She was responsible for great upheaval. She changed the church to Roman Catholic Church again. Elizabeth ruled from 1558-1603.

The period is the greatest period of English literature. She never married, partly for the political reasons. Extremely learned.

When she came to the throne, England was not in a secure position. The early years of her reign were filled with doubts and fear. In 1588, Spanish invasion of England & the defeat of Spanish Armada

There was an upward surge of England’s greatness, mood of hope and belief of power of England.

The period from 1580 to 1620 was the greatest period. It is also called Elizabethan Age or Shakespearean Age or the Renaissance.

The division of the English renaissance

a. Beginning: the last years of the 15th century---first half of the 16th century b. Flourishing: the Elizabethan Age (1558-1603)

c.Declining: the period of James I (1603-1625) early 17th century

The main artistic styles:

translation: Homer’s Iliad, Montaigne’s Essays

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