美国文学简史笔记常耀信.docx

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美常耀信
AConciseHistoryofAmericanLiterature
Whatisliterature?
Literatureislanguageartisticallyusedtoachieveidentifiableliteraryqualitiesandtoconveymeaningfulmessages.
Chapter1ColonialPeriod
Background:Puritanism
featuresofPuritanism
Predestination:Goddecidedeverythingbeforethingsoccurred.
Originalsin:Humanbeingswereborntobeevil,andthisoriginalsincanbepasseddownfromgenerationtogeneration.
Totaldepravity
Limitedatonement:Onlythe“elect”canbesaved.
Influence
Agroupofgoodqualities–hardwork,thrift,piety,sobriety(seriousandthoughtful)influencedAmericanliterature.
–gardenofEden.
Symbolism:theAmericanpuritan’smetaphoricalmodeofperceptionwaschieflyinstrumentalincallingintobeingaliterarysymbolismwhichisdistinctlyAmerican.
Withregardtotheirwriting,thestyleisfresh,simpleanddirect;therhetoricisplainandhonest,notwithoutatouchofnobilityoftentraceabletothedirectinfluenceoftheBible.
Overviewoftheliterature
typesofwriting
diaries,histories,journals,letters,travelbooks,autobiographies/biographies,sermons
writersofcolonialperiod
AnneBradstreet
EdwardTaylor
RogerWilliams
JohnWoolman
ThomasPaine
PhilipFreneau
JonathanEdwards
life
works
TheFreedomoftheWill
TheGreatDoctrineofOriginalSinDefended
TheNatureofTrueVirtue
ideas–pioneeroftranscendentalism
Thespiritofrevivalism
Regenerationofman
God’spresence
Puritanidealism
BenjaminFranklin
life
works
PoorRichard’sAlmanac
Autobiography
contribution
HehelpedfoundthePennsylvaniaHospitalandtheAmericanPhilosophicalSociety.
Hewascalled“thenewPrometheuswhohadstolenfire(electricityinthiscase)fromheaven”.
Everythingseemstomeetinthisoneman–“Jackofalltrades”.HermanMelvillethusdescribedhim“masterofeachandmasteredbynone”.
Chapter2AmericanRomanticism
Section1EarlyRomanticPeriod
WhatisRomanticism?
AnapproachfromancientGreek:Plato
Aliterarytrend:18cinBritain(1798~1832)
SchlegelBros.
Preview:Characteristicsofromanticism
subjectivity
feelingandemotions,findingtruth
emphasisonimagination
emphasisonindividualism–personalfreedom,noheroworship,naturalgoodnessofhumanbeings
backtomedieval,espmedievalfolkliterature
unrestrainedbyclassicalrules
fullofimagination
colloquiallanguage
freedomofimagination
genuineinfeelings:answertheircallforclassics
backtonature
natureis“breathinglivingthing”(Rousseau)
AmericanRomanticism
Background
Politicalbackgroundandeconomicdevelopment
RomanticmovementinEuropeancountries
Derivative–foreigninfluence
features
Americanromanticismwasinessencetheexpressionof“arealnewexperienceandcontained“analienquality”forthesimplereasonthat“thespiritoftheplace”wasradicallynewandalien.
.
The“newness”ofAmericansasanationisinconnectionwithAmericanRomanticism.
Asalogicalresultoftheforeignandnativefactorsatwork,Americanromanticismwasbothimitativeandindependent.
WashingtonIrving
severalnamesattachedtoIrving
firstAmericanwriter
themessengersentfromthenewworldtotheoldworld
fatherofAmericanliterature
life
works
AHistoryofNewYorkfromtheBeginningoftheWorldtotheEndoftheDutchDynasty
TheSketchBookofGeoffreyCrayon,Gent.(Hewonameasureofinternationalrecognitionwiththepublicationofthis.)
TheHistoryoftheLifeandVoyagesofChristopherColumbus
AChronicleoftheConquestofGranada
TheAlhambra
Literarycareer:twoparts
1809~1832
SubjectsareeitherEnglishorEuropean
Conservativelovefortheantique
1832~1859:backtoUS
style–beautiful
gentility,urbanity,pleasantness
avoidingmoralizing–amusingandentertaining
envelopingstoriesinanatmosphere
vividandtruecharacters
humour–smilingwhilereading
musicallanguage
JamesFenimoreCooper
life
works
Precaution(1820,hisfirstnovel,imitatingAusten’sPrideandPrejudice)
TheSpy(hissecondnovelandgreatsuccess)
LeatherstockingTales(hismasterpiece,aseriesoffivenovels)
TheDeerslayer,TheLastoftheMohicans,ThePathfinder,ThePioneer,ThePrairie
pointofview
,,,,
style
highlyimaginative
goodatinventingtales
goodatlandscapedescription
conservative
characterizationwoodenandlackinginprobability
languageanduseofdialectnotauthentic
literaryachievements
,inasense,theprocessoftheAmericansettlersexploringandpushingtheAmericanfrontierforeverwestward,thenCooper’.
Section2SummitofRomanticism–AmericanTranscendentalism
Background:foursources
Unitarianism
FatherhoodofGod
Brotherhoodofmen
LeadershipofJesus
Salvationbycharacter(perfectionofone’scharacter)
Continuedprogressofmankind
Divinityofmankind
Depravityofmankind
RomanticIdealism
Centeroftheworldisspirit,absolutespirit(Kant)
Orientalmysticism
Centeroftheworldis“oversoul”
Puritanism
Eloquentexpressionintranscendentalism
Appearance
1836,“Nature”byEmerson
Features
spirit/oversoul
importanceofindividualism
nature–symbolofspirit/God
garmentoftheoversoul
focusinintuition(irrationalismandsubconsciousness)
Influence
,calledtothrowoffshacklesofcustomsandtraditionsandgoforwardtothedevelopmentofanewanddistinctlyAmericanculture.
Itadvocatedidealismthatwasgreatneededinarapidlyexpandedeconomywhereopportunityoftenbecameopportunism,andthedesireto“geton”obscuredthemoralnecessityforrisingtospiritualheight.
IthelpedtocreatethefirstAmericanrenaissance–oneofthemostprolificperiodinAmericanliterature.
RalphWaldoEmerson
life
works
Nature
Twoessays:TheAmericanScholar,ThePoet
pointofview
Onemajorelementofhisphilosophyishisfirmbeliefinthetranscendenceofthe“oversoul”.
Heregardsnatureasthepurest,andthemostsanctifyingmoralinfluenceonman,andadvocatedadirectintuitionofaspiritualandimmanentGodinnature.
Ifmandependsuponhimself,cultivateshimselfandbringsoutthedivineinhimself,“theinfinitudeofman”.
Everyoneshouldunderstandthathemakeshimselfbymakinghisworld,andthathemakestheworldbymakinghimself.
aestheticideas
Heisacompleteman,aneternalman.
Truepoetryandtrueartshouldennoble.
Thepoetshouldexpresshisthoughtinsymbols.
Astotheme,EmersoncalleduponAmericanauthorstocelebrateAmericawhichwastohimalonepoeminitself.
hisinfluence
HenryDavidThoreau
life
works
AWeekontheConcordandMerrimackRiver
Walden
APleaforJohnBrown(anessay)
pointofview
HedidnotlikethewayamaterialisticAmericawasdevelopingandwasvehementlyoutspokenonthepoint.
Hehatedthehumaninjusticeasrepresentedbytheslaverysystem.
LikeEmerson,butmorethanhim,Thoreausawnatureasagenuinerestorative,healthyinfluenceonman’sspiritualwell-being.
Hehasfaithintheinnervirtueandinward,spiritualgraceofman.
Hewasverycriticalofmoderncivilization.
“Simplicity…simplify!”
Hewassorelydisgustedwith“theinundationsofthedirtyinstitutionsofmen’sodd-fellowsociety”.
Hehascalmtrustinthefutureandhisardentbeliefinanewgenerationofmen.
Section3LateRomanticism
NathanielHawthorne
life
works
Twocollectionsofshortstories:Twice-toldTales,MossesfromandOldManse
TheScarletLetter
TheHouseoftheSevenGables
TheMarbleFaun
pointofview
Evilisatthecoreofhumanlife,“thatblacknessinHawthorne”
Wheneverthereissin,(causality).
Heisoftheopinionthatevileducates.
Hehasdisgustinscience.
aestheticideas
.
:ThatwaswhatHawthornehadinmindtoachieve.
style–typicalromanticwriter
theuseofsymbols
revelationofcharacters’psychology
theuseofsupernaturalmixedwiththeactual
hisstoriesareparable(parableinform)–toteachalesson
useofambiguitytokeepthereaderintheworldofuncertainty–multiplepointofview
HermanMelville
life
works
Typee
Omio
Mardi
Redburn
WhiteJacket
MobyDick
Pierre
BillyBudd
pointofview
Heneverseemsabletosayanaffirmativeyestolife:Hisistheattitudeof“EverlastingNay”(negativeattitudetowardslife).
Oneofthemajorthemesofhisisalienation(farawayfromeachother).
Otherthemes:loneliness,suicidalindividualism(individualismcausingdisasteranddeath),rejectionandquest,confrontationofinnocenceandevil,doubtsoverthecomforting19cideaofprogress
style
LikeHawthorne,Melvillemanagestoachievetheeffectofambiguitythroughemployingthetechniqueofmultipleviewofhisnarratives.
Hetendstowriteperiodicchapters.
Hisrichrhythmicalproseandhispoeticpowerhavebeenprofuselycommenteduponandpraised.
Hisworksaresymbolicandmetaphorical.
Heincludesmanynon-narrativechaptersoffactualbackgroundordescriptionofwhatgoesonboardtheshiporontheroute(MobyDick)
RomanticPoets
WaltWhitman
life
work:LeavesofGrass(9editions)
SongofMyself
ThereWasaChildWentForth
CrossingBrooklynFerry
DemocraticVistas
PassagetoIndia
OutoftheCradleEndlesslyRocking
themes–“CatalogueofAmericanandEuropeanthought”
HehadbeeninfluencedbymanyAmericanandEuropeanthoughts:enlightenment,idealism,transcendentalism,science,evolutionideas,westernfrontierspirits,Jefferson’sindividualism,CivilWarUnionism,Orientalism.
Majorthemesinhispoems(almosteverything):
equalityofthingsandbeings
divinityofeverything
immanenceofGod
democracy
evolutionofcosmos
multiplicityofnature
self-reliantspirit
death,beautyofdeath
expansionofAmerica
brotherhoodandsocialsolidarity(unityofnationsintheworld)
pursuitofloveandhappiness
style:“freeverse”
nofixedrhymeorscheme
parallelism,arhythmofthought
phoneticrecurrence
thehabitofusingsnapshots
theuseofacertainpronoun“I”
alooserandmoreopen-endedsyntacticstructure
useofconventionalimage
strongtendencytouseoralEnglish
vocabulary–powerful,colourful,rarelyusedwordsofforeignorigins,someevenwrong
sentences–cataloguetechnique:longlistofnames,longpoemlines
influence
HisbestworkhasbecomepartofthecommonpropertyofWesternculture.
HetookoverWhitman’svisionofthepoet-prophetandpoet-teacherandrecastitinamoresophisticatedandEuropeanizedmood.
HehasbeencomparedtoamountaininAmericanliteraryhistory.
ContemporaryAmericanpoetry,whateverschoolorform,bearswitnesstohisgreatinfluence.
EmilyDickenson
life
works
MyLifeClosedTwicebeforeItsClose
BecauseICan’tStopforDeath
IHeardaFlyBuzz–WhenIdied
Mine–bytheRightoftheWhiteElection
WildNights–WildNights
themes:basedonherownexperiences/joys/sorrows
religion–doubtandbeliefaboutreligioussubjects
deathandimmortality
love–sufferingandfrustrationcausedbylove
physicalaspectofdesire
nature–kindandcruel
freewillandhumanresponsibility
style
poemswithouttitles
severeeconomyofexpression
directness,brevity
musicaldevicetocreatecadence(rhythm)
capitalletters–emphasis
shortpoems,mainlytwostanzas
rhetorictechniques:personification–makesomeofabstractideasvivid
Comparison:
Similarities:
Thematically,theybothextolled,intheirdifferentways,anemergentAmerica,itsexpansion,itsindividualismanditsAmericanness,theirpoetrybeingpartof“AmericanRenaissance”.
Technically,theybothaddedtotheliteraryindependenceofthenewnationbybreakingfreeoftheconventionoftheiambicpentameterandexhibitingafreedominformunknownbefore:theywerepioneersinAmericanpoetry.
differences:
Whitmanseemstokeephiseyeonsocietyatlarge;Dickinsonexplorestheinnerlifeoftheindividual.
WhereasWhitmanis“national”inhisoutlook,Dickinsonis“regional”.
Dickinsonhasthe“cataloguetechnique”(direct,simplestyle)whichWhitmandoesn’thave.
EdgarAllenPoe
Life
Works
shortstories
ratiocinativestories
MsFoundinaBottle
TheMurdersintheRueMorgue
ThePurloine