英语专业期末专八考试美国文学讲义.docVIP

PAGE PAGE 5A Short History of American literatureContents:1. The Colonial and Revolutionary Period (1620-1820)2. The Romantic Period (1820-1865)3. The Age of Realism (1865-1890)4. The Age of Naturalism (1890-1914)5. The Period between the Wars (1914-1945)6. The Postwar Era (1945- )Required Reading:A Survey of American Literature by Chang Yaoxin 《美国文学简史》，常耀信，南开大学出版社，2003年第2版。Supplementary Readings《美国文学史及选读》（上下册）吴伟仁，外研社，1990年第2版。《美国文学选读》（上下册）常耀信，南开大学出版社，1991年第2版。《新编美国文学史》刘海平，王守仁，上海外语教育出版社，2000年第1版。Assessment:1. Class Attendance (15%)2. Class Participation (5%)3. Homework (20%): Time due: June 164. Final Exam (60%)Introduction to Literature1. fiction: setting, character, point of view, plot, theme, language and stylenovel novelette short story 2. drama: dialogue, character, plot, theme comedy: play that aims to amuse and that ends happily tragedy: play with a sad ending tragicomedy: type of play with both tragic and comic elements 3. poetry: meter, rhythm, rhyme, figures of speech, structure, theme : tell stories and describe actions : a long narrative poem about the deeds of one or more great national heroes, or a nation’s past history; also called heroic poem ② : (1) a story told in a song, usu. in 4-line stanzas, with the second and fourth lines rhymed; (2) composed by common people during a long period of time and handed down from mouth to mouth; (3) an important form of the Medieval folk literature; (4) simple, plain language ③ : (1) As a popular literary form in the Middle Ages, it’s a narrative poem or prose about the life and adventures of a noble hero. (2) The hero is the knight, setting out on a journey to accomplish some goal—to protect the church and the poor, to rescue a maiden, to meet a challenge, or to obey a knightly command. (3) The content is usu. about romantic love, chivalry and religion. (4) The language and style are simple and straightforward. : express the thoughts and feeling