英国文学revision(较全的教案).docVIP

PAGE  PAGE 19 Unit 1 Old English and Middle Ages I. Historical background (450-15th century) the Celts the earliest settlers 3 invasions/conquests Roman (4th to the 6th cen.): politics of self-government, transportation system, cities, Latin language and Christianity English/Anglo-Saxon Conquest ( Angles, Saxons, Jutes) Germanic tribes(tribal –feudal society) / Pagan culture/ Anglo-Saxon Germanic language/ the Pagans Christianized / A mixture of paganism and Christianity] Norman Conquest in 1066 by William, Duke of Normandy from Northern France: further established feudalism, and ended the slave system in 14th cen/ strengthened power of Roman Catholicism powerful Popedom established / coexistence of 3 languages: Latin, the clerical and learned; French, noblemen and royal court; A-S native English/ Celtic dialect (vernacular) (The Dark Age: blind belief of Roman Catholicism and after-life and stagnant philosophical and artistic development.) II. Literature (secular) the Old English (until A-S period) Beowulf, an Epic A. the national epic of Anglo-Saxons B. written 7-8 c C. partly-historical and partly-legendary D. not about England but their homeland in Denmark E. epic form: a long verse narrative on the exploits of a national hero F. the primitive people’s heroic struggle against hostile forces of the natural world under a wise leader G. pagan elements + Christian coloring: “fate”, “God’, “Lord” J. alliteration and Germanic language Middle English (after 1066) Romance: Roman, French matters for subjects: Trojan War, Charlemagne, Roland and the knights; chivalric; English romance: King Arthur and his round-table knights; “Sir Gawain and the Greenknight” (1360-1370), “Le Morte d’Arthur” by Sir Thomas Malory Religious writings and translations (from Hebrew to Latin): Langland’s “Piers the Plowman” C. Poetic form: alliterative poetry metrical poetry III. Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400) Father of English poetry /