英国文学part 2-3 教案.ppt

1. The Renaissance 2. William Shakespeare 1. The Renaissance It is a period between the 15th and 17th centuries. It marks a transition from the medieval to the modern world. It first started in Italy, then embraced the rest of Europe. A movement stimulated by a series of historical events: the rediscovery of ancient Roman and Greek culture, the new discoveries in geography and astrology, the religious reformation the economic expansion. Background of Renaissance 1. Wars: 2. The frightful reign of Richard III 3. Henry VIII’s encouragement, (from 1509 to 1547) Definition of Renaissance The Renaissance is a historical period in which the European humanist thinkers and scholars made attempts to get rid of those old feudalist ideas in medieval Europe, to introduce new ideas that expressed the interests of the rising bourgeoisie, to recover the purity of the early church from the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church. Caxton introduced printing into England. Continental literary works were translated and printed in English: Ovid’s Metamorphoses ---- by Golding Homer’s The Iliad ---- by Chapman Montaigne’s Essays ---- by Florio The most important writers (1) 1) Edmund Spencer, “the poets’ poet”: The Shepheardes Calender The Faerie Queene. 2) Christopher Marlowe, one of the “University Wits”: Dr. Faustus ① perfect the blank verse ② create the Renaissance hero for English drama The most important writers (2) 3) William Shakespeare 2. William Shakespeare His life His four periods of dramatic career His major works Shakespeare’s Works Non-dramatic poetry: 2 long poems 154 sonnets Plays 38: History plays Romantic comedies Tragedies Shakespeare’s Sonnets Three groups: