英国文学 Henry Fielding.ppt

Samuel Johnson(1709-1784) An English writer who made lasting contributions to?English literature?as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and?lexicographer. He has been described as arguably the most distinguished man of letters in English history.“ He is also the subject of the most famous single work of biographical art in the whole of literature:?James Boswells?Life of Samuel Johnson. The most influential?dictionaries?in the history of the English language. 15 April 1755 His later works included essays, an influential annotated edition of?William Shakespeares plays, and the widely read tale?Rasselas. In 1763, he befriended?James Boswell, with whom he later travelled to Scotland; Johnson described their travels in?A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland. Towards the end of his life, he produced the massive and influential?Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets, a collection of biographies and evaluations of 17th- and 18th-century poets. Johnsons birthplace?in Market Square,?Lichfield Elizabeth Tetty Porter, Johnsons wife His necessary attendance while his play was in rehearsal, and during its performance, brought him acquainted with many of the performers of both sexes, which produced a more favourable opinion of their profession than he had harshly expressed in his Life of Savage. With some of them he kept up an acquaintance as long as he and they lived, and was ever ready to shew them acts of kindness. He for a considerable time used to frequent the Green Room, and seemed to take delight in dissipating his gloom, by mixing in the sprightly chit-chat of the motley circle then to be found there. Mr. David Hume related to me from Mr. Garrick, that Johnson at last denied himself this amusement, from considerations of rigid virtue; saying, Ill come no more behind your scenes, David; for the silk stockings and white bosoms of your actresses excite