美国文学-第2周课件

ClassdiscussionvAmericanliteratureofearlyperiodissometimescommentedasneither“American”nor“literature”.Doyouagreeordisagree?Why?vApossibleanswervMostcolonialliteratureimitatestheformandtechniqueofthemothercountry.Diaries,histories,journals,letters,commonplacebooks,travelbooks,sermons,inshort,personalliteratureinitsvariousforms,occupiedamajorpositionintheliteratureoftheearlycolonialperiod.Likemostcolonialliterature,EnglishliterarytraditionswerefaithfullyimitatedandtransplantedbyearlyNewEnglandpoets,thoughthereligiouspassionandfrequentbiblicalreferences,aswellasthenewsetting,giveNewEnglandwritingaspecialidentity.vIncontenttheseearlywritingsservedeitherGodorcolonialexpansionorboth.EarlypoetslikeAnneBradstreetandEdwardTaylorwereinfactsomanyservantsofGod.ThatiswhywecansayAmericanliteratureofearlyperiodcouldbecommentedasneither“American”nor“literature”TheLiteratureofColonialAmerica&TheLiteratureofReasonandRevolutionThePeriodofColonialAmerica(1607-1775)HistoricalbackgroundvChristopherColumbusfoundthenewworldinavoyageof1492.vTheearly1600switnessedthebeginningofagreattideofemigrationfromEuropetoNorthAmerica.vThefirstpermanentEnglishsettlementinNorthAmericaatJamestown,Virginiain1607.vInNovember9,1620,theMayflowershiplandsatCapeCod,Massachusetts,with101colonists:theestablishmentofthefirstAmericancolonyvTheNativeAmericanspossessedatragichistoryofsubjugationandbloodshedbythosestrangersfromabroad.PuritanismThefirstsettlerswhobecamethefoundingfathersoftheAmericannationwerequitealotofthemPuritansWhydidPuritanscometoAmerica?-toescapereligiouspersecution-toreformtheChurchofEngland-tohaveanentirelynewchurchPuritanismvPuratanismwasareligiousreformmovementthatarosewiththeChurchofEnglandinthelate16thcentury.vPuritansadheredtothefivepointsofCalvinismvJohnCalvin:atheologian.Puritansbelievedmostdoctrinespreachedbyhim,sotheywerecalledCalvinist.vTotalhereditary/depravityvUnconditionalelectionvLimitedatonement.vIrresistiblegrace.vPerseveranceoftheSaintsPuritanismFivepointsofCalvinismAmericanPuritanismvacodeofvalues,aphilosophyoflife,andapointofview,carriedbyEnglishimmigrats,ispopularlyknownasAmericanPuritanismAmerican PuritansvGodschosenpeoplevTopurifytheirreligiousbeliefsandpractices.vTorestoresimplicitytochurchservicesandtheauthorityoftheBibletotheology.vmorepracticalandtougherbecauseoftheseverefrontierconditionsvPuritanoppositiontopleasureandtheartssometimeshasbeenexaggerated.vReligiousteachingtendedtoemphasizetheimageofawrathfulGod.InfluenceofPuritanismAmericanPuritanismwasoneofthemostenduringshapinginfluencesinAmericanthoughtandAmericanliteratureAgroupofgoodqualitieshardwork,thrift,piety,sobriety(seriousandthoughtful)influencedAmerican.InfluenceofPuritanismItledtotheeverlastingmyth.Americanliteratureisbasedonamyth,thatis,themythofGardenofEden.ThePuritanstyleofwritingwascharacterizedbysimplicity.ComparewithConfuncianismvCaptainJohnSmithvWilliamBradfordvJohnWinthropvAnneBradstreetvEdwardTaylorMajorwritersMajor Writers Captain John Smith（1580-1631）u thefirstAmericanwriterFamous worksu A Map of Virginia with a Description of New England新英格兰叙事(1612)u The General History of Virginia,New England,and the Summer Isles弗吉尼亚通史（1624）PocahontasWilliamBradford(1590-1657)vFirstgovernorofPlymouthandoneofthegreatestofcolonialAmericanvAsignatorytotheMayflowerCompactwhileaboardtheMayflowerin1620.WilliamBradford(1590-1657)vHeservedasthePlymouthGovernorfivetimescoveringabout30yearsbetween1621-1657.vMasterpiece:Of Plymouth Plantation普利茅斯种植园史vOf Plymouth PlantationisregardedasthemostauthoritativeaccountofthePilgrimsandtheearlyyearsoftheColonytheyfounded.Two major poets in colonial period:1.AnneBradstreet2.EdwardTaylor Anne Bradstreet(安妮安妮布拉德斯特里特布拉德斯特里特)(1612-1672)vShewasbornandeducatedinEnglandvShecametoAmericanwithherfatherandhusbandin1630.vShehad8childreninherlifeAnne Bradstreet(安妮安妮布拉德斯特里特布拉德斯特里特)(1612-1672)uthefirstfemaleAmericanpoetuaPuritanpoet,oncecalled“TenthMuse”uMasterpiece:The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in AmericauThe mostfamouspoems“Contemplations”沉思录The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in AmericavPublishedinEnglandin1650asherfirstbook.vBradstreetsfinestpoemsarethoseclosesttoherpersonalexperienceasaPuritanwifeandmotherlivingintheedgeofthewildness.vAnneBradstreetwasnotaninnovativepoet,butherdirectnessandhersincerityaremoving.EdwardTaylor(1642-1729)vheemigratedin1668totheMassachusettsBayColonyinAmerica.vHewasthegreateastPuritanpoetinAmericanColonialPeriod.vMajorworks:Gods Determinations上帝的决定 Preparatory Meditation内省录Main Features of Colonial Poets1.MostofthemwerePuritanpoetsandservantsofGod.2.TheyfaithfullyimitatedandtransplantedEnglishliterarytraditions.Main Features of Colonial Literaturevhumbleorigins.Personalliteratureinitsvariousforms,occupyamajorpositionintheliteratureoftheearlycolonialperiod.vIncontenttheseearlywritingsservedeitherGodorcolonialexpansionorboth.vInform,iftherewasanyformatall,Englishliterarytraditionswerefaithfullyimitatedandtransplanted.Revolutionary Period (1775-1783)The Literature of Reason and RevolutionTheLiteratureofReasonandRevolutionvHistoryBackground1.TheEnlightenmentMovement2.IndependenceWarv1775,Lexington,beginningoftheIndependenceWarvJune4th,1776,ThomasJefferson,Declaration of Independencev1778,alliancewithFrance,turningpointforAmericanarmyv1778,Englisharmysurrenderedv1783,formalrecognitionfromBritaingovernmentTheWarofIndependence(1775-1783)Major writersvBenjaminFranklinvThomasPainevThomasJeffersonvPhilipFreneauvJonathanEdwardsBenjamin Franklin(1706-1790)voneofthegreatestfoundingfathersoftheAmericanNationvBenjaminFranklinwasaspokesmanfortheneworderofthe18thcenturyenlightenmentvararegeniusinhumanhistoryvJackofalltrades:essayist,printer,scientist,postmaster,almanacmaker,orator,statesman,autobiographicalwriterphilosopher,politicaleconomist,ambassador,almosteverythingBenjamin Franklin(1706-1790)vLifevBenjamin Franklin came from a Calvinist background.vHe was born into a poor candle-makers family.He had very little education.He learned in school only for two years.v At 12,he was apprenticed to his elder half-brother,a printer.vAt 16,he began to publish essays under the penname“Mrs.Silence Dogood”.vAt 17,he ran away to Philadelphia to make his own fortune.vIn 1727 he founded the Junto club.FranklinsContributionstoAmericanvPennsylvaniaHospital.vHefoundedanacademywhichledtotheUniversityofPennsylvania.vHe was also remembered for volunteer fire departments,effective street lighting,the Franklin stove,bifocal glasses and efficient heating devices.vAnd for his lightning-rod,he was called“the new Prometheus who had stolen fire from heaven.”vHe was the only American to sign the four documents that created the United States:The Declaration of Independence,The Treaty of Alliance with France,The Treaty of Peace with England,The ConstitutionBenjamin Franklin(1706-1790)vFamousworks*The Autobiography自传*Poor Richards Almanac穷理查德年鉴TheAutobiographyisarecordofself-examinationandself-improvement.Throughtellingasuccessstoryofself-reliance,thebookcelebrates,infact,thefulfillmentoftheAmericandream.The AutobiographyisinthepatternofPuritansimplicity,directness,andconcision.Tone:Optimism The Autobiography of Benjamin FranklinPoorRichardsAlmanacv1.Time:almostaquarterofcenturyv2.Content:Literarypiecessuchaspoemsandessays,agoodmanyadages,commonsensewitticismsv3.Sources:heborrowedthemfromsuchfamouswriterssuchasRabelais,Defoe,SwiftandPopeandtriedtosimplifythesequotationsv4.Examples:Famoussayingssuchas“Losttimeisneverfoundagain”,“Godhelpthemthathelpthemselves”,etc.v5.Function:practical,instructive,andamusingSayingsfromPoor Richards AlmanacvApennysavedisapennyearnedvAnounceofpreventionisworthapoundofcure.vCreditorshavebettermemoriesthandebtors.vAwordtothewiseissufficient.vHethatgoesa-borrowinggoesa-sorrowing.vGodhelpsthemwhohelpthemselves.vEarlytobed,andearlytorise,makesaManhealthy,wealthy,andwise.vDiligenceistheMotherofGoodLuck.vOnetodayisworthtwotomorrow.vAsmallleakwillsinkagreatship.ThomasPaine(1737-1809)vborninEnglandvin 1774,at the age of 37,recognized byFranklinbecauseofhispeculiartalents,andmadehiswaytoPhiladelphia,whereheeditedthePennsylvaniaMagazineownedandpublishedbyFranklinvin1776,hisfamouspamphletCommon SensecameoutvthemostarticulatespokesmanoftheAmerican Revolution,his chief contributionwasaseriesofsixteenpamphletsentitledThe American CrisisFamousWorksofThomasPainevCommon Sense(1776)urgedanimmediatedeclarationofindependencevThe American Crisis(Dec.1776-April1783),aseriesof16pamphletsinsupportoftheRevolutionaryWarvThe Rights of Man(1791-2),adefenseoftheFrenchRevolutionagainsttheattacksofEdmundBurkeTheAphoristicStyle(格言风格)vAlthoughPaineslanguageissimpleandblunt,hecomposessomesentenceswithextracare,achievingwhatiscalledanaphoristicstyle.Thesearememorablestatementsinthemselves:Whatweobtaintoocheap,weesteemtoolightly”;“Tyranny,likehell,isnoteasilyconquered.”IneachcasePainecutsandpolishedthesentencetomakeitstandout.Philip Freneau (1752-1832)vHewasborninNewYork.vAt16,heenteredtheCollegeofNewJersey(nowPrincetonUniversity).vIn1771hedecideddoapostgraduatestudyintheology.Buttwoyearslaterhegaveitup.vLaterheattendedtheWarofIndependence,andhewascapturedbyBritisharmyin1780.vAfterbeingreleased,hepublished“TheBritishPrisonShip”in1781.vInthesameyear,hepublished“TotheMemoryoftheBraveAmericans”.vAfterwar,hesupportedJefferson,andcontributedgreatlytoAmericangovernment.vButafter50yearsold,helivedinpoverty.Andatlasthediedinablizzard.Philip Freneau (1752-1832)“fatherofAmericanpoetry.”poetoftheAmericanRevolution,themostaccomplishedpatriotpoet,thefirstAmerican-bornpoet,“Agiftedandversatilelyricpoet”Hisvoiceisoneofdemocracyandindependence.MuchofhispoetryfocusedonAmericasfuturegreatness,andonothersubjectslikethebeautiesofthenaturalworld.Hehasbeenregardedasapioneerofromanticspirit.Famous Works“The Rising Glory of America”(1772)美洲光辉的兴起“The British Prison Ship”(1781)英国囚船“To the Memory of the Brave Americans”(1781)纪念美国勇士“The Wild Honey Suckle”(1786)野金银花“The Indian Burying Ground”(1788)印第安人墓地vItisconsideredoneoftheauthorsfinestnaturepoems.vThepoemwaspublishedinhisPoems(1786)andwasvirtuallyunreadinthetimewhenhewasliving.vInthepoemthepoetexpresseshiskeenawarenessofthelivelinessandtransienceofnaturecelebratingthebeautyofthefrailforestflower,thusshowinghisdeeplovefornature.vThepoemwaswritteninsix-lineiambictetrameterstanzasrhymedonababcc pattern.vThepoemissaidtoanticipatethenineteenth-centuryromanticuseofsimplenatureimagery.TheWildHoneysuckleFairflower,thatdostsocomelygrow,Hidinthissilent,dullretreat,Untouchdthyhoneydblossomsblow,Unseenthylittlebranchesgreet:Norovingfootshallcrushtheehere,Nobusyhandprovokeatear.ByNaturesselfinwhitearrayd,Shebadetheeshunthevulgareye,Andplantedheretheguardianshade,Andsentsoftwatersmurmuringby;Thusquietlythysummergoes,Thydaysdecliningtorepose.Smitwiththosecharms,thatmustdecay,Igrievetoseeyourfuturedoom,Theydied-norwerethoseflowersmoregay,TheflowersthatdidinEdenbloom;Unpityingfrosts,andAutumnspowerShallleavenovestigeofthisflower.FrommorningsunsandeveningdewsAtfirstthylittlebeingcame:Ifnothingonce,younothinglose,Forwhenyoudieyouarethesame;Thespacebetween,isbutanhour,Thefraildurationofaflower.