英国文学名词解释.doc

英国文学整理之静候佳音 PAGE PAGE 41 Terms Part 1: Early and Medieval English Literature Anglo-Saxon = 1 \* GB3 ①The term Anglo-Saxon is used by some historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Britain beginning in the early 5th century and the period from their creation of the English nation up to the Norman Conquest. = 2 \* GB3 ②The Anglo-Saxon era denotes the period of English history between about 550 and 1066. = 3 \* GB3 ③The term is also used for the language, now known as Old English, that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in England (and part of southeastern Scotland) between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century. Old English period (the Anglo-Saxon period) = 1 \* GB3 ①The Old English period, extended from the invasion of Celtic England by Germanic tribes in the first half of the 5th century to the conquest of England in 1066 by the Norman French. = 2 \* GB3 ②Only after they had been converted to Christianity in the 7th century did the Anglo-Saxons, whose earlier literature had been oral, begin to develop a written literature. Chronicle(编年史) = 1 \* GB3 ①Generally a chronicle is a historical account of facts and events ranged in chronological order, as in a time line. = 2 \* GB3 ②Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events, the purpose being the recording of events that occurred, seen from the perspective of the chronicler. = 3 \* GB3 ③The most important English chronicles are the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, started under the patronage of King Alfred in the 9th century and continued until the 12th century. Gleeman (吟游诗人) = 1 \* GB3 ①A gleeman was a wandering minstrel, bard, or other poet common in medieval Europe but extinct today. = 2 \* GB3 ②They were a lower class than jesters or jongleurs, because they did not have steady work, but roamed about making their living instead. kenning (隐喻表达法) = 1 \* GB3 ①In old English poetr