美国文学史作家作品简介.doc

American Literature 期末总结-作家作品 北京第二外国语学院 朱婧 PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1 American puritanism Benjamin Franklin Major Works: Franklin’s Autobiography 《自传》Poor Richard’s Almanac 《穷理查历书》 General Characteristics: As an author, Franklin is best known for his philosophy of the practical and the useful. Franklin’s energies were bent toward improving the conditions of this mundane existence. Style: Simple, easy, natural way of relating events Simplicity, practicality, suggestiveness, common sense, were his leading attributes. Anti-Transcendentalists Emerson: Humanity was essentially divine and chose to focus on the positive, Nathaniel Hawthorne Herman Melville, however, revealed the dark side of nature human nature contemplated life on a tragic note, a combination of good evil Nathaniel Hawthorne American novelist, short story writer, philosopher, psychologist central figure in the American Renaissance General Characteristics: Place much attention on mans consciousness of sin, which is a constant theme in many of his tales and novels . Reflecting his tendency to seclude himself from society and to become absorbed in his own thoughts, Hawthorne constantly dealt with mans relations with his fellows and difficulties of individuals cut off from society by their being too sensitive or too aggressive Major Works: The Scarlet Letter The House of Seven Gables Twice-Told Tales Mosses from an Old Manse The Blithedale Romance The Life of Franklin Pierce The Marble Faun Major Themes in Hawthornes Fiction Alienation-a character is in a state of isolation because of self-cause, or societal cause, or a combination of both Initiation-the attempts of an alienated character to get rid of his isolated condition Problem of Guilt-a characters sense of guilt forced by the puritanical heritage or by society Pride-Hawthorne treats pride as evil; He illustrates the following aspects of pride: physical pride (Robin), spiritual pride (Goodman Brown, Ethan Brand), a