Chapter 6 Literature 英语国家概况 英国文化选修课 教学课件.ppt

CONTENT The Old English Period and Middle English Period (450-1500) 1.1 General Knowledge In practice, works of literature fall into four categories or genres: narrative fiction drama poetry non-fiction prose 1.1 General Knowledge  The two kinds of narrative fiction you will read most often are short stories and novels. Myths (神话), parables (寓言), romances (传奇), and epics (史诗) are also part of the genre. 1.2 The Old English Period Old English: the epic Beowulf A folk legend brought to England by the Anglo-Saxons from their continental homes. It had been passed down by word of mouth before it was written down in the 10th century. 1.3 The Middle English Period With the Norman Conquest in 1066, Britain entered the Middle Ages (1066-1485). Middle English: The Canterbury Tales (1387-1400) Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?-1400) The Renaissance (1500-1660)  Renaissance is characterized by admiration of the Greek and Latin classic works. sonnet (十四行诗) drama The drama types are tragedy, comedy and farce (滑稽剧) . 2.2 William Shakespeare (1564-1616) 2.2 William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English playwright William Shakespeare was born in that house on Henley Street in Stratford-upon-Avon in April 1564. Shakespeare’s father, John, purchased the building in two stages, in 1556 and 1572. Today, Shakespeare’s birthplace is a museum, furnished as it might have been in Shakespeare’s time. It also houses an exhibit on Shakespeare’s life. Comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1595) The Merchant of Venice (1598) As You Like It (1599) Twelfth Night (1601) 2.2 William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Historical plays Richard III (1591) Henry IV (1597) Antony and Cleopatra (1606) 2.2 William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Tragedies Hamlet (1601) Othello (1604) King Lear (1605) Macbeth (1606) Romeo and Juliet (1595) /works.html 2.2 William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Jaques: All the worlds a stage,And all the men and women merely players;They have their exits and t