《英国文学选读》复习题.doc

Part I: the Anglo-Saxon period (449-1066) 1. Historical background The early inhabitants in the island we now call England were Britons, a tribe of Celts. From the Britons the island got its name —Britain, the land of Britons, who were a primitive people living in the tribal society. After the fall of the Roman Empire (410AD) and the withdrawal of Roman troops, the Teutonic tribes, esp., the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes, conquered the island and called it Angle-land, then England. 2. Literature：The Song of Beowulf The Song of Beowulf = the national epic of the Anglo-Saxons or English people. The Song of Beowulf – Features 1) The use of alliteration — the most striking one. In alliterative verse, certain accented words in a line begin with the same consonant sound. There are generally 4 accents in a line, 3 of which show alliteration, 2) Themes It can be concluded that this poem shows how the primitive people fight against the forces of the natural world under a wise and mighty leader. But it seems that all themes are part of a larger thematic scheme which centers upon the conflict between good and evil. Part II: The Anglo-Norman Period (1066—1350) 1.?Historical background: The Norman Conquest: After the battle of Hastings in 1066, came the French-speaking Normans under Duke William. 1) Three chief effects of the Conquest: B The bringing of Roman civilization The growth of nationality – a strong centralized government The new language and literature 2. Literature — Romance: 1) The literature the Normans brought to England is remarkable for its bright, romantic tales of love and adventure, in remarkable contrast with the strength and somberness of the Anglo-Saxon poetry. 2) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight a) The best of Arthurian romances, anonymous, in alliterative verse b) Theme: A test of man’s virtue and truth Part III: Geoffrey Chaucer (1340—1400) 1. The Canterbury Tales 1) The General Prologue: The tales begin with a general prologue, which provides