英国文学知识点总结.docVIP

Part One Early and Medieval English literature Masterpiece: “The Song of Beowulf ” 1. Significance: The national epic of the English people; A folk legend brought to England by Anglo-Saxons from Northern Europe; Passed from mouth to mouth for hundreds of years before written down in the 10th century; The most important and representative work of the Old English (the Anglo-Saxon )literature. 2. Characters:? Beowulf: nephew of Hygelac Hygelac: king of Geats in Jutland ????? Hrothgar: king of the Danes ? Grendel: a monster 3. Plot: (1) Beowulf’s fight with the monster Grendel in Hrothgar’s hall ? ?(2) Beowulf’s slaying of Grendel’s mother in her lair ?? (3) Beowulf’s return to his uncle, and his succession to the throne. ??????? (4) Beowulf’s victory in death, fifty years later, over the fire dragon ? 4. Features: i. Position: The national epic and the first long poem in English . ii. Rhyme: The poem is written in alliterative verse in a line, with 4 accents in a line , three of which show alliteration( beginning with the same consonant sound ) iii. Rhetorics: A figurative language is used , which is called “kenning” or metaphor . iv. Structure: It is written in inverted order with two parts in a line (as pause) The Medieval English Literature I. Romance : (in prose or verse form) a. Subject matter (题材，话题，论题)（See the definition）： The life and adventures of a noble hero , generally a knight b. Theme (主题)（See the definition）：The loyalty to the king and lord . c. Three romance cycles (传奇故事系列) The Matter of France (about Charlemagne and his peers ) The Matter of Rome (about Alexander the Great ) The Matter of Britain(about the adventures of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table) d. The class nature of Romance : It’s written for the upper class Chivalry （骑士精神）is represented to show the quality of the knight : courage , honor , courtesy , loyalty and devotion to the helpless , the weak and women . e. Masterpi