On English Literature of Romantic Period英语毕业论文

安徽工业大学英语专业学 年 论 文On English Literature of Romantic Period 专 业 姓 名 成 绩 指 导 教 师 2012年 12月ContentsAbstract.i摘 要.i1 Introduction.12 The Definition and Background of Romanticism.1 21. The definition.1 2.2 The social and historical background.2 2.3 The cultural and literal background.23 The Main Writers and Works of English Romanticism.2 3.1 William Blake.2 3.3 Robert Burns.3 3.3 William Wordsworth.3 3.4 Samuel Taylor Coleridge.4 3.5 Jane Austen.4 3.6 George Gordon Byron.5 3.7 Percy Bysshe Shelley.5 3.8 John Keats.54 The Feature of English Romanticism.5 4.1. A rebellion against neo-classicism.5 4.2 Express on imagination.5 4.3 Supremacy of freedom.5 4.4 Worship of nature.5 4.5 Priorities been given to passion, emotion and feeling.5 5 The influence of English Romanticism.76 Conclusion.7Bibliography.8iOn English Literature of Romantic Period Abstract: William Blake(1757一1827) is regarded as the pioneer of English Romanticism. But it is generally said that Romanticism really began in 1798 with the publication of Wordsworth and Coleridges The Lyrical Ballads, and ended in 1832 with Walter Scotts death. It is regarded as one of the most important thoughts in western modern literature. There were a lot of excellent writers and poets. They have made a great difference on the English literature. On the one hand, romantic literature is the development and the inheritance of the concept of Renaissance Humanism. On the other hand, romantic literature and the following Realism together constitute the two systems of modern western literature, bring up the very prosperity of western literature in 19th century. It has made a profound influence on later modernist and post-modern literature. Key words: English literature Romanticism Romantic literaturer 摘要：维廉布莱克(1757一1827)是英国浪漫主义文学的先驱。但是真正开创英国浪漫主义文学潮流的是华兹华斯、柯勒律治的抒情歌谣集 ，在1832年沃尔特斯科特死亡时结束，浪漫主义是西方近代文学最重要的思潮之一。在此期间，英国涌出了大量的优秀的作家和诗人，他们为英国文学做出了重大贡献。一方面，浪漫主义文学是对文艺复兴时期人本主义理念的继承和发扬；另一方面，浪漫主义文学和随后出现的现实主义共同构成西方近代文学的两大体系，造就19世纪西方文学盛极一时的繁荣局面，对后来的现代主义和后现代主义文学产生了深远的影响。 关键词： 英国文学 浪漫主义 浪漫主义文学ii1. IntroductionDuring the end of 18th century and the beginning of 19th century, the British poetic style had a great change. Robert Burns(1759一1796), a Scottish poet, brought a fresh breath to the British poetry. Romanticism is as a literary concept and a performance of literature just like as Realism. It arose at the early stages of literature development of nations of world. But it is gradually formed as a literary thought wave, a form of literary performance and a certain literary concept. The development of Romantic literature has gone through a long long historical process. If the basic characteristics of romantic literature is expressing the ideals and aspirations in a passionate exaggerated way. And then, it can be said that the literature has already existed in this form in the first literary activity of various ethnic groups. To some degree, Romantic spirit is an important source of literature, and literature has a very close relationship with Romanticism from the outset. 2. The Definition and Background of Romanticism2.1 The definition In the latter half of the 18th century, a new literary movement called Romanticism came to Europe and then to England. It was characterized by a strong protest against the bondage of Neo-classicism. It gave primary concern to passion, emotion and natural beauty. The English Romantic Period is an age of poetry. It prevailed in England from 1798 to 1832.2.2 The social and historical background From the development of society and history, the thought of Romanticism is the direct product of French Revolution. French Revolution not only come into being a gigantic politic influence, but also bring the new trend of thought to the whole European literature. The new city industry and commerce bourgeois flaunted the concept of “freedom, equality, and charity”. The romantic authors who have made a ruined shock to the order of old feudal culture often have been depressed on personality, so that their capability has not been developed, their aspiration and ambition have not been achieved equally. Romantic authors express the characters emotions, actions and tragedies in this contradictious state. British Lake Poets, without exception, were deeply influenced by French Revolution. William Wordsworth thought French Revolution produced and proceeded according to the natural order, but its benefits have delayed. While Robert Southey openly claimed that he was the republican.2.3 The cultural and literal background French and British Utopian Socialism provided a perspective from another point of view. Robert Owen, a British Utopian socialist, had improved consciousness. He put emphasis on class harmony and class mutual love to resolve the incisive social contradiction. The English sentimental literature of 18th century actually was the prototype of Romanticism. Rousseau published two books that electrified Europe - Du Contrat Social and Emile, in which he explored new ideas about Nature, Society and Education. After that, Patriotic clubs societies multiplied in England, all claiming Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. The Romantic Movement expressed a more or less negative attitude toward the existing social and political conditions that came with industrialization and the growing importance of the bourgeoisie. Romanticism constitutes a change of direction from attention to the outer world of social civilization to the inner world of the human spirit.3. The Main Writers and Works of English Romanticism3.1 William Blake(1757-1827)l Famous British poet and painterl Great engraverl Developed own mythology/religionl First major “Romantic ”poet His works:a. Poetical Sketches （诗的素描， 1783）b. Songs of Innocent （天真之歌， 1789）c. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell （天堂与地狱的结合, 1790）d. Songs of Experience （经验之歌， 1794）Features of his poems: Use of simple language Serious, somber themes Lyrical beauty Symbolism Mysticism 3.2 Robert Burns(1759-1796)l The greatest Scottish poet in the 18th centuryl Write poems chiefly in the Scottish dialect Robert Burns is a Scottish poet and writer of traditional Scottish folk songs, whose works are known and loved wherever the English language is read.His works:a. Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect (苏格兰方言诗集， 1786)b. The Tree of Liberty （自由树， 1794）c. Holy Willies Prayer （威利长老的祈祷， 1785）d. My Hearts in the Highlands （我的心在高原，1794）e. A Red Red Rose （一朵红红的玫瑰，1794） 3.3 William Wordsworth(1770-1850)l A major English Romantic poet.l A leader of the romantic movement in England.l Be known as Lake Poets with Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southeyl Worshiper of natureHis works:a. Lyrical Ballads （抒情诗歌谣，1798）b. Ode: Intimations of Immortality （不朽颂，1807）c. The Solitary Reaper （孤独的收割女， 1805）d. The Prelude （序曲， 1798-1839）e. I Wondered Lonely as a Cloud （我好似一朵流云独自漫游，1804）3.4 Samuel Taylor Coleridge(17721834)l The Lake Poetsl English lyrical poet, critic, and philosopherl Utopian SocialistHis works:a. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner （孤舟子咏， 1798）b. Christabel （克丽斯塔贝尔， 1816）c. Kubla Khan （忽汗烈汗， 1816）3.5 Jane Austen（17751817）l English writer, who first gave the novel its modern character through the treatment of everyday life.l Virginia Woolf called Austen the most perfect artist among women.Her works:a. Sense and Sensibility （理智与情感，1811）b. Pride and Prejudice （傲慢与偏见， 1813）3.6 George Gordon Byron（17881824）l a leading figure in Romanticisml the most renowned English-language poet of his dayHis works:a. Children Harolds Pilgrimage b. Don Juan （唐璜，18181823）c. Cain （该隐，1821）3.7 Percy Bysshe Shelley（17921822）l Shelly was critically regarded among the finest lyric poets in the English language.l Shelley was famous for his association with John Keats and Lord Byron.His works:a. The Necessity of Atheism （无神论的必然性， 1811）b. Prometheus Unbound （解放的普罗米修斯， 1819）c. Ode to the West Wind (西风颂，1819) 3.8 John Keats（17951821）l Keatss poetry describes the beauty of the natural world and artHis works:a. Isabella （伊莎贝拉， 1820）b. Ode to a Nightingale (夜莺颂, 1819)4 The Feature of English Romanticism4.1 A rebellion against neo-classicismRomanticism was to some extent a reaction against the Enlightenment and against the 18th-century rationalism and materialism in general. Romantics emphasis was the individual and the subjective viewpoint. They delighted in irrational, imaginative, personal, natural, emotional, visionary, and transcendental elements of experience. In those ways, Romanticism was obviously quite different from Classicism and other traditional way of writing. 4.2 Express on imagination For poems, romanticism means imagination. Romantic literatures use imagination to emphasizing mans goals and hope, to show peoples feelings and emotions.4.3 Supremacy of freedom Romanticism regards individual human interests as the focus for everything in the world. It emphasizes that a society should allow to absolute individual freedom, absolute equality and absolute right among individuals.4.4 Worship of natureEvery natural state and natural form is a symbol of beauty and good no matter whether they are manifested in personal feelings or beautiful landscapes. Romantics worshiped the so-called “noble savage”, such as the Indians in America and Aborigines in Australia and Melanesians in the Pacific islands. For the Romantics, these so-called savages embodies the greatest quality of courage amongst the human race. Based in this heightened awareness of superiority of Nature, Romantics have created unparalleled creative works in painting, music, poetry and philosophy.4.5 Priorities been given to passion, emotion and feeling For romantics, the feelings, intuitions and emotions are more important than reason and common sense. The controversy is one between head thinking and heart feeling. There is a much greater stress on emotions in the writing of the romantic period. Romantics hold that one could find truth through ones feelings. This is just the opposite to the rational theories that Benjamin Franklin followed. Rationalists would say that people can find truth through scientific investigation, but romantics are ready to trust their feelings as an avenue for finding truth and finding what is essential in life They believe that the irrational is important in human experience and that not everything can be explained by reason.5 The influence of English Romanticism Romantic literature one of the major modern Western literature systems, and there is no doubt that it has a great influence on western literature. Romanticists advocate absolute freedom, in other words, Romanticism destroyed neo-classicism which had ruled western literature for several thousand years. It is considered as another Renaissance in the history of western literature. In addition, the romanticists collection of ballad, fairytales and any other folk literatures helped to protect and develop western literature traditions. And modernist literature is based on it.6 ConclusionIn English literature, the group of people which we have talked are considered the key figures of Romanticism.William Blake is regarded as one of the most complex poets. He broke the 18th century doctrine of Neoclassicism and wrote ideal and life with ballads and blank verse. Such as in Songs of Innocent, he described a world full with charity, mercy, sympathy and happiness from childrens eye. Robert Burns wrote traditional Scottish folk songs, his works are known and loved wherever the English language is read.The publication in 1798 of Lyrical Ballads, with many of the finest poems by Wordsworth and Coleridge, is often held to mark the start of the movement. Many of Wordsworth s poems in the Lyrical Ballads were devoted to the position of landless and homeless peasants. He was a passionate lover of nature and his description of lakes and rivers, of meadows and woods, of skies and clouds are exquisite. Coleridges works not only express the features of 19th century Romantic literature, but also suggest his own unique style and excellent poetry. Austens works have a very narrow literary field. Most of her works describe the relationship between men and women in love. Love and marriage provide the major themes in all her novels. Byron, Keats and Shelley all wrote for the stage, but with little success in England. In Ode to the West Wind, Percy Bysshe Shelley expressed his eagerness to enjoy the boundless freedom from the reality. And we have already known that the supremacy of freedom is one of major features of English Romanticism. Shelley expressed it incisive and vivid.So we can find that Romanticism has a great influence on English literature. And it has left us so much good spiritual food that we can see the scene of that age, feeling what the authors feel. It is good for us to have acquaintance with English literature.Bibliography1. Wang Shouren, Selecting Readings in British Literature. ( Third Edition) Beijing: Higher Education Press, 2011.2. William Wordsworth & Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lyrical Ballads. Taylor and Francis, 20053. Ye Shengnian, Western Culture: An Introduction. ( Second Edition) Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2011.4. 鲁春芳， 神圣自然:英国浪漫主义诗歌的生态伦理思想，浙江：浙江大学出版社，2009.5. 王欣， 英国浪漫主义诗歌的形式主义批评，上海：上海外语教育出版社，2011.6. 杨苡/译， 天真与经验之歌，译林出版社，2002.7. 章艳，朱萌等，永生的启示:英国浪漫主义诗歌名篇赏析，湖北：湖北教育出版社，2010. - 8 -