Chapter 1-绿衣骑士.pptVIP

Revision Learning About English Literature By Guo Yingjie(郭英杰) Our views of learning Macroscopic(宏观的) ---- An outline of the English study ---- A view of the historical knowledge 2. Microscopic(微观的) ---- An introduction to a certain writer ---- An analysis of the masterpiece of a writer What have we learned? 1. Macroscopic（宏观的） A. Outline of the English study 7 periods----Old English literary period; Medieval English literary period; Renaissance period; Neo-classical period; Romantic period; Victorian Period; Modern period B. Background knowledge Celts: the original inhabitants Three major invasions made by The Romans in 43(not too much affected) The Anglo-Saxons around 449(Germanic language and culture) and the Normans in 1066(Greek culture, Roman law, the Christian religion) After the three conquests 1. Three languages co-existed: A. French: the official language used by the king and the Norman lords B. Latin: tongue of church affairs (eg. monks ) and in universities C. Old English: by the common people 2. Poetry: The earliest form of literature A. Two divisions: a. Religious (in monasteries) ---Genesis A; The Dream of the Rood; etc. b. Secular (or Pagan)---Beowulf; The Wanderer; The Seafarer; etc B. “Father of English Song”: Caedmon（凯德蒙，“第一个古英语基督教诗人” ）: story of Genesis 3. Three chief and direct effects from Normans A. the bringing of Roman civilization to England B. the growth of nationality, i.e., a strong centralized government C. the new language and literature Note: In 1066, at the battle of Hastings（黑斯廷）, the Normans headed by William, Duke of Normandy, defeated the Anglo-Saxons. Our Focus Today? A microscopic view（微观解读） of TWO representative works of the old English literature: 1. Beowulf 《贝奥武夫》 2. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 《高文爵士和绿衣骑士》 I. About Beowulf《贝奥武夫》 Notes: 1. Originally named The Song of Beowulf 2. A typical example of Old English poetry 3. Regarded today as the national epic of the Anglo-Saxons (E