unit 0 introduction美国文学.ppt

Selected Readings in American Literature Introduction What does it mean by American Literature ? Some basic characteristics of American Literature ★Brief Outline of American Literature What does it mean by American literature ? By the literature of the United States, we mean all written and oral literary works produced in that part of the world has become the United States of America. Some basic characteristics of American literature Short history but great achievement Began with oral myths, legends, tales Poetry ,fiction, drama ,essay , all highly developed Female, ethnic (种族的）literature came into centre I. About This Course: ⅰ. Teaching material: Selected Readings in American Literature by Taojie, the third edition ⅱ. Reference book: A Survey of American Literature by Chang Yaoxin; History and Anthology of American Literature (volumn I and II), by Wu Weiren iii. Requirements: Attendance. Presentation. Homework (discussion). Outline Literary Genres American Literary Movements Some Famous Writers in American Literature Literary Genres (文学体裁) Poetry Short Story Novel Drama Some Sayings Musical thought. Thomas Carlyle The best words in the best order. Samuel Taylor Coleridge Poetry is a language that tells us, through a more or less emotional reactions, something that cannot be said. Edwin Arlington Robinson Definition of Poetry Poetry in its simplest definition is organized in units called lines (as sentences) and stanzas (as paragraphs). Poetry emphasizes rhythm, patterns of sound and imagery, and many other possible ways that words can suggest meaning. Poetry has at least four dimensions. It involves the reader’s whole faculties: his intelligence, his senses, his emotions and his imagination, not merely his understanding. Therefore, poetry is a literary genre that communicate experience in the most condensed form. ★ The Components of Poetry Line Poetry is written in sentences just as is prose, and the