2015.9英美文化概要1.pptVIP

Lecture 1 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (History) The Fall of the Empire As a result of World War II, most of Britain’s colonies demanded and fought for independence. India and Pakistan became independent in 1947, followed by Burma (Myanmar) and Malaya in 1948. Egypt drove the British army out of the country and the Suez Canal Zone in 1956. In the 1960s, an independence movement swept the entire British Empire. More than 20 countries won their independence. The empire had been replaced by the British Commonwealth of Nations, a loosely organized community of former British colonies. Lecture 1 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (History) The Commonwealth of Nations, or the Commonwealth (formerly The British Commonwealth of Nations) is an intergovernmental organization of 53 member states that were mostly territories of the former British Empire. Lecture 1 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Literature) Can you say something about British Literature ? Can you name some famous writers ? Did you read English Novel before having the course? If not, please read one in the semester in Chinese or in original version. Lecture 1 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Literature) 1. The Early Writing In history, England has been conquered several times. But it was much affected by the Anglo-Saxons and Normans. The Anglo-Saxons brought to England the Germanic language and culture, while the Norman brought a fresh wave of Mediterranean civilization, which includes Greek culture, Roman Law, and Christian religion. It is the cultural influences of these two conquests that provided the source for the rise and growth of English literature. The period of Old English literature extends from about 450 to1066, the year of the Norman conquest of England. Lecture 1 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Literature) 2. Elizabethan Drama There was a general flowering of cultura