美国文学史-知识点梳理

PartITheLiteratureofColonialAmericaI．HistoricalIntroductionThecolonialperiodstretchedroughlyfromthesettlementofAmericaintheearly17thcenturythroughtheendofthe18th.ThefirstpermanentsettlementinAmericawasestablishedbyEnglishin1607.(AgroupofpeoplewassentbytheEnglishKingJamesItohuntforgold.TheyarrivedatVirginiain1607.TheynamedtheJamesRiverandbuildtheJamestown.)II．Thepre-revolutionarywritinginthecolonieswasessentiallyoftwokinds:1)Practicalmatter-of-factaccountsoffarming,hunting,travel,etc.designedtoinformpeople"athome"whatlifewaslikeinthenewworld,and,often,toinducetheirimmigration2)Highlytheoretical,generallypolemical,discussionsofreligiousquestions.III．TheFirstAmericanWriterThefirstwritingsthatwecallAmericanwerethenarrativesandjournalsofthesesettlements.Theywroteabouttheirvoyagetothenewland,theirlivesinthenewland,theirdealingswithIndians.CaptainJohnSmithisthefirstAmericanwriter.ATrueRelationofsuchOccurrencesandAccidentsofNoteasHathHappenedinVirginiaSincetheFirstPlantingofThatColony(1608)AMapofVirginia:ADescriptionoftheCountry(1612)GeneralHistoryofVirginia(1624):theIndianprincessPocahontasCaptainJohnSmithwasoneofthefirstearly17th-centuryBritishsettlersinNorthAmerica.HewasoneofthefoundersofthecolonyofJamestown,Virginia.HiswritingsaboutNorthAmericabecamethesourceofinformationabouttheNewWorldforlatersettlers.OneofthethingshewroteaboutthathasbecomeanAmericanlegendwashiscapturebytheIndiansandhisrescuebythefamousIndianPrincess,Pocahontas.IV．EarlyNewEnglandLiteratureWilliamBradfordandJohnWinthropJohnCottonandRogerWilliamsAnneBradstreetandEdwardTaylorV．PuritanThoughts1.TheoriginofpuritanInthemediaevalEurope,therewaswidespreadreligiousrevolution.Inthe16thCentury,theEnglishKingHenryVIII(Atthattime,theCatholicswerenotallowedtodivorceunlesstheyhavethePope'spermission.HenryVIIIwantedtodivorcehiswifebecauseshecouldn'tbearhimason.ButthePopedidn'tallowhimtodivorce,sohe)brokeawayfromtheRomanCatholicChurch&establishedtheChurchofEngland.ButtherewasnoradicaldifferencebetweenthedoctrinesoftheChurchofEnglandandtheCatholicChurch.AgroupofpeoplethoughttheChurchofEnglandwastooCatholicandwantedtopurifythechurch.ThencamethenamePuritans.2.Puritanism--basedonCalvinism(1)predestination:God'selectPuritansbelievedtheyarepredestinedbeforetheywereborn.Nothingornogoodworkcanchangetheirfate.Theybelievedthesuccessofone'sbusinessisthesigntoshowheistheGod'select.SothePuritansworksveryhard,spendverylittleandinvestmoreforthefuturebusiness.Theylivedaveryfrugallife.Thisistheirethics.(2)OrigianlsinandtotaldepravityManisbornsinful.Thisdeterminessomepuritanspessimisticattitudetowardslife.(3)Limitedatonement(thesalvationofaselectedfew)(4)theocracyTheycombinedstatewithreligion.Theirgovernmentisatleastnotaliberalone.ThePuritansestablishedAmericantradition--intolerantmoralism.Theystrictlypunisheddrunks,adultery&heretics.Puritanschangedgraduallyduetotheseverityoffrontierenvironment3.InfluenceonAmericanLiterature(1)ItsoptimismAmericanliteraturewasfromtheoutsetconditionedbythePuritanheritage.ItcanbesaidAmericanliteratureisbasedontheBiblicalmythoftheGardenofEden.Afterthat,manhaveanillusiontorestoretheparadise.Thepuritans,afterarrivingatAmerica,believingthatGodmusthavesentthemtothisnewlandtorestorethelostparadise,tobuildthewildernessintoanewGardenofEden.Firedwithsuchastrongsenseofmission,theytreatedlifewithatremendousamountofoptimism.TheoptimisticPuritanhasexertedagreatinfluenceonAmericanliterature.(2)Puritan'smetaphoricalmodeofperceptionchangedgraduallyintoaliterarysymbolism.PartIITheLiteratureofReasonAndRevolutionI．HistoricalIntroductionWiththegrowth,especiallyofindustry,thereappearedtheintensestrainwithEngland.TheBritishgovernmentdidnotwantcolonialindustriescompetingwiththoseinEngland.TheBritishwantedthecoloniestoremainpoliticallyandeconomicallydependentonthemothercountry.Theytookaseriesofmeasurestoinsurethisdependence.TheypreventedcolonialeconomybyrequiringAmericanstoshiprawmaterialsabroadandtoimportfinishedgoodsatpriceshigherthanthecostofmakingtheminthiscountry.Politically,theBritishgovernmentforceddependencebyrulingthecoloniesfromoverseasandbytaxingthecolonieswithoutgivingthemrepresentationinParliament.However,bythemid-eighteenthcentury,freedomwaswonasmuchbythefieryrhetoricofThomasPaine'sCommonSenseandtheeloquenceoftheDeclarationofIndependenceasbytheweaponsofWashington.Intheseventiesofthe18thcentury,theEnglishcoloniesinNorthAmericaroseinarmsagainsttheirmothercountry.TheWarforIndependencelastedfor8years(1776-1783)andendedintheformationofafederativebourgeoisdemocraticrepublic--theUnitedStatesofAmerica.II．AmericanEnlightenmentItwassupportedbyallprogressiveforcesofthecountrywhichopposedthemselvestotheoldcolonialorderandreligiousobscurantism.Itdealtadecisiveblowuponthepuritantraditionsandbroughttolifeseculareducationandliterature.Thespirituallifeduringthatperiodwastoagreatdegreemouldedbyit.Therepresentativessetthemselvesthetaskofdisseminatingknowledgeamongthepeopleandadvocatingrevolutionaryideas.ThewritersinjectedaninvigoratingveinintotheEnglishlanguageinAmericaastheyaimedatclarityandprecisionoftheirwritings.AttheinitialperiodthespreadoftheideasoftheEnlightenmentwaslargelyduetojournalism.WritingsofEuropewerewidelyreadinAmerica.ThesecularidealsoftheAmericanEnlightenmentwereexemplifiedinthelifeandcareerofBenjaminFranklin.III．BenjaminFranklin(1706-1790)TheAutobiographyPoorRichard’sAlmanacLifeBenjaminFranklincamefromaCalvinistbackground.Hewasbornintoapoorcandle-maker’sfamily.Hehadverylittleeducation.Helearnedinschoolonlyfortwoyears,buthewasavoraciousreader.At12,hewasapprenticedtohiselderhalf-brother,aprinter.At16,hebegantopublishessaysunderthepseudonym“SilenceDogood”.At17,heranawaytoPhiladelphiatomakehisownfortune.Hesethimselfupasanindependentprinterandpublisher.In1727hefoundedtheJuntoclub.Multipleidentities:aprinteraleadingauthorapoliticianascientistainventoradiplomatacivicactivistFranklin’sContributionstoSocietyHehelpedfoundthePennsylvaniaHospital.HefoundedanacademywhichledtotheUniversityofPennsylvania.AndhehelpedfoundtheAmericanPhilosophicalSociety.Franklin’sContributionstoScienceHewasalsorememberedforvolunteerfiredepartments,effectivestreetlighting,theFranklinstove,bifocalglassesandefficientheatingdevices.Andforhislightning-rod,hewascalled“thenewPrometheuswhohadstolenfirefromheaven.”Franklin’sContributionstotheU.S.HewastheonlyAmericantosignthefourdocumentsthatcreatedtheUnitedStates:TheDeclarationofIndependence,TheTreatyofAlliancewithFrance,TheTreatyofPeacewithEngland,TheConstitutionTheAutobiographyTheAutobiographyofBenjaminFranklinwasprobablythefirstofitskindinliterature.Itisthesimpleyetimmenselyfascinatingrecordofamanrisingtowealthandfamefromastateofpovertyandobscurityintowhichhewasborn,thefaithfulaccountofthecolorfulcareerofAmerica’sfirstself-mademan.TheAutobiographyis,firstofall,aPuritandocument.ItisPuritanbecauseitisarecordofself-examinationandself-improvement.Themeticulouschartof13virtueshesetforhimselftocultivatetocombatthetemptingvices,thestupendousefforthemadetoimprovehisownperson,thebeliefthatGodhelpsthosewhohelpsthemselvesandthateverycallingisaservicetoGod–alltheseindicatethatFranklinwasintenselyPuritan.Then,thebookisalsoaconvincingillustrationofthePuritanethicthat,inordertogetonintheworld,onehastobeindustrious,frugal,andprudent.TheAutobiographyisalsoaneloquentelucidationofthefactthatFranklinwasspokesmanfortheneworderofeighteenth-centuryenlightenment,andthatherepresentedinAmericaallitsideas,thatmanisbasicallygoodandfreebynature,endowedbyGodwithcertaininalienablerightsoflibertyandthepursuitofhappiness.AlookatthestyleofTheAutobiographywillreadilyrevealthatitisthepatternofPuritansimplicity,directnessandconcision.Theplainnessofitsstyle,thehomelinessofimagery,thesimplicityofdiction,syntaxandexpressionaresomeofthesalientfeatureswecannotmistake.Thelucidityofthenarrative,theabsenceofornamentsinwordingandofcomplex,involvedstructuresinsyntax,andthePuritanabhorrenceofparadoxareallgraphicallydemonstratedinthewholeofthebook.Takenasawhole,itissafetosaythatthebookisanexemplaryillustrationoftheAmericanstyleofwriting.IV．ThomasPaine(1737-1809)CommonSenseAmericanCrisisV．ThomasJefferson(1743-1826)TheDeclarationofIndependenceVI．PhilipFreneau(1752-1832)“PoetoftheAmericanRevolution”“FatherofAmericanPoetry”“PioneeroftheNewRomanticism”“Agiftedandversatilelyricpoet”Works“TheWildHoneySuckle”“TheIndianBuryingGround”“ToaCaty-Did”FreneauasFatherofAmericanPoetry:Hismajorthemesaredeath,nature,transition,andthehumaninnature.Allofthesethemesbecomeimportantin19thcenturywriting.LifeExperience►HewasborninNewYork.►At16,heenteredtheCollegeofNewJersey(nowPrincetonUniversity).Hedecidedtodoapostgraduatestudyintheology.Buttwoyearslaterhegaveitup.Whilestillanundergraduate,hewroteincollaborationwithoneofhisfriends(H.H.Brackenridge)apoementitled“TheRisingGloryofAmerica”.►LaterheattendedtheWarofIndependence,andhewascapturedbyBritisharmyin1780.►Afterbeingreleased,hepublished“TheBritishPrisonShip”in1781.►Inthesameyear,hepublished“TotheMemoryoftheBraveAmericans”.►Afterwar,hesupportedJefferson,andcontributedgreatlytoAmericangovernment.►Butafter50yearsold,helivedinpoverty.Andatlasthediedinablizzard.MainWorks►“TheRisingGloryofAmerica”(1772)《美洲光辉的兴起》►“TheHouseofNight”(1779,1786)《夜之屋》►“TheBritishPrisonShip”(1781)《英国囚船》►“TotheMemoryoftheBraveAmericans”(1781)《纪念美国勇士》►“”TheWildHoneySuckle”(1786)《野忍冬花》►“TheIndianBuryingGround”(1788)《印第安人墓地》野忍冬花（黄杲炘译）►美好的花呀，你长得：这么秀丽，却藏身在这僻静沉闷的地方——甜美的花儿开了却没人亲昵，招展的小小枝梢也没人观赏；　没游来荡去的脚来把你踩碎，　没东攀西摘的手来催你落泪。►大自然把你打扮得一身洁白，她叫你避开庸俗粗鄙的目光，她布置下树荫把你护卫起来，又让潺潺的柔波淌过你身旁；　你的夏天就这样静静地消逝，　这时候你日见萎蔫终将安息。►那些难免消逝的美使我销魂，想起你未来的结局我就心疼，别的那些花儿也不比你幸运——虽开放在伊甸园中也已凋零，　无情的寒霜再加秋风的威力，　会叫这花朵消失得一无踪迹。►朝阳和晚露当初曾把你养育，让你这小小的生命来到世上，原来若乌有，就没什么可失去，因为你的死让你同先前一样；　这来去之间不过是一个钟点——　这就是脆弱的花享有的天年。►Thispoemisdividedintofourstanzas.Eachstanzaconsistsofsixlines,rhyming“ababcc”,andsoundsjustlikemusic.►Inthefirsttwostanzas,Freneaudevotedmoreattentiontotheenvironmentoftheflowerinwhichhefounditthantotheappearanceoftheflower.Heconmentedonthesecludednatureoftheplacewherethehoneysucklegrew,drawingaconclusionthatitwasduetonature'sprotectivenessthattheflowerwasabletoleadapeacefullifefreefrommen’sdisturbanceanddestruction.►Butthenextstanzaimmediatelychangedthetonefromsilentadmirationandappreciationtooutrightlamentationoverthe“future’sdoom”oftheflower–evennaturewasunabletosavetheflowerfromitsdeath.►Andthen,Freneausaid,“ifnothingonce,younothinglose.”Itistrueinpeople’sexistence.Thereisfateforthelifeanddeath.Afterone’sdeath,theonlythinghecantakeawayiswhathebroughtwhenhegavebirthtothisworld.PartIII TheLiteratureofRomanticismI．HistoricalIntroduction fromearly19thcenturythroughtheoutbreakoftheCivilWar 1.nativefactors ItisaperiodfollowingAmericanIndependence.Inthisperiod,democracyandpoliticalequalitybecametheidealsofthenewnation.Americawasinaneconomicboom.Thereisatremendoussenseofoptimismandhopeamongthepeople.Thespiritofthetimeis,insomemeasure,responsiblefortheoutburstofromanticfeeling. 2.foreigninfluence RomanticismemergedinEnglandfrom1798to1832.ItaddedimpetustothegrowthofRomanticisminAmerica.InEnglandthegeneralfeaturesoftheworksoftheromanticsisadissatisfactionwiththebourgeoissociety.BritishRomanticisminspiredtheAmericanimagination.ThusAmericanRomanticismwasinawayderivative.II．AmericanRomanticism:AmericanRenaissance Romanticism(appearedinEnglandinthelastyearsofthe18thcenturyandspreadtocontinentalEuropeandthen)cametoAmericaearlyinthe19thcentury.Itwaspluralistic;itsmanifestationswereasvaried,asindividualistic,andasconflictingastheculturesandtheintellectsfromwhichitsprang.Yetromanticsfrequentlysharedcertaingeneralcharacteristics:moralenthusiasm,faithinthevalueofindividualismandintuitiveperception,andapresumptionthatthenaturalworldwasasourceofgoodnessandman'ssocietiesasourceofcorruption. Itexaltedtheindividual,whichsuitedthenation'srevolutionaryheritageanditsfrontieregalitarianism.Itrevoltedagainsttraditionalartforms,whichgratifiedthosecrampedbythestrictlimitsofneoclassicliterature,painting,andarchitecture.Itrejectedrationalism,whichgladdenedthosewhowereopposedtocool,intellectualreligiouswrappedwiththeremnantsofCalvinism. Romanticwritersplacedincreasingvalueonthefreeexpressionofemotionanddisplayincreasingattentiontothespiritualstatesoftheircharacters.Heroesandheroinesexhibitedextremesofsensitivityandexcitement.Thenovelofterrorbecametheprofitableliterarystaplethatitremainstoday.Writersofgothicnovelssoughttoarouseintheirreadersaturbulentsenseoftheremote,thesupernatural,andtheterrifyingbydescribingcastlesandlandscapesilluminatedbymoonlightandhauntedbyghosts.ApreoccupationwiththedemonicandthemysteryofevilmarkedbytheworksofPoe,Hawthorne,Melville,andahostoflesserwriters. EarlyAmericanromanticismwasbestrepresentedbyNewEnglandpoetsWilliamCullenBryant(1794-1878)andHenryWadsworthLongfellow(1807-1882)inpoetry,andJamesFenimoreCooper(1789-1851)andWashingtonIrving(1783-1859)infiction. Thelater/peakperiodisrepresentedbyRalphWaldoEmerson(1803-1882)andHenryDavidThoreau(1817-1862).III．WashingtonIrving1.RipVanWinkle Thestory,writtenwhileIrvingwasstayingwithhissisterSarahandherhusbandHenryvanWartinBirmingham,England,issetintheyearsbeforeandaftertheAmericanRevolutionaryWar.AvillagerofDutchdescentescapeshisnaggingwifebywanderingupKaaterskillClovenearhishometownofPalenville,NewYorkintheCatskillMountains.Aftervariousadventures(inoneversionofthetale,heencountersthespiritsofHenryHudsonandhiscrewplayingninepinsatthetopofKaaterskillFalls),hesettlesdownunderashadytreeandfallsasleep.Hewakesup20yearslaterandreturnstohisvillage.Hefindsoutthathiswifeisdeadandhisclosefriendshavediedinawarorgonesomewhereelse.HeimmediatelygetsintotroublewhenhehailshimselfaloyalsubjectofGeorgeIII,notknowingthatinthemeantimetheAmericanRevolutionhastakenplaceandheisnotsupposedtobealoyalsubjectofanyHanoveriananylonger. Thestoryhasbecomeapartofculturalmythology:evenforthosewhohaveneverreadtheoriginalstory,"RipVanWinkle"meanseitherapersonwhosleepsforalongperiodoftime,oronewhoisinexplicably(perhapsevenblissfully)unawareofcurrentevents. RipVanWinklehasbeenseenasasymbolofseveralaspectsofAmerica.Rip,likeAmerica,isimmature,self-centered,careless,anti-intellectual,imaginative,andjollyastheovergrownchild.ThetownitselfsymbolizesAmerica–foreverandrapidlychanging.WashingtonIrvinghasRipsleepthroughhisowncountry’shistory,throughwhatwemightcallthebirthpangsofAmerica,andreturntothe“busy,bustling,disputatious”self-consciouslyadultUnitedStatesofAmerica.Hisconflictsanddreamsarethoseofthenation–theconflictofinnocenceandexperience,workandleisure,theoldandthenew,theheadandtheheart.2.TheLegendofSleepyHollow Thestoryissetcirca1790intheDutchsettlementofTarryTown,inasecludedglencalledSleepyHollow.IttellsthestoryofIchabodCrane,asycophantic,lean,lanky,andextremelysuperstitiousschoolmasterfromConnecticut,whocompeteswithAbraham"BromBones"VanBrunt,thetownrowdy,forthehandof18-year-oldKatrinaVanTassel,thedaughterandsolechildofawealthyfarmer,BaltusVanTassel.AsCraneleavesapartyheattendedattheVanTasselhomeonanautumnnight,heispursuedbytheHeadlessHorseman,whoissupposedlytheghostofaHessiantrooperwhohadhisheadshotoffbyastraycannonballduring"somenamelessbattle"oftheAmericanRevolutionaryWar,andwho"ridesforthtothesceneofbattleinnightlyquestofhishead".Ichabodmysteriouslydisappearsfromtown,leavingKatrinatomarryBromBones,whowas"tolookexceedinglyknowingwheneverthestoryofIchabodwasrelated".AlthoughthenatureoftheHeadlessHorsemanisleftopentointerpretation,thestoryimpliesthattheHorsemanwasreallyBromBonesindisguise. ThecreationofarchetypesisaparticularlysubtlefeatofIrving’sconsummatecraftsmanship.WemayseeinIchabodCraneaprecocious,effectNewEnglander,shrewd,commercial,acity-slicker,whoisratheraninterloper,asomewhatdestructiveforce,andwhocomesalongtoswindlethevillagers.Hisbooklearningturnsonhim,andheisdrivenawayfromwherehedoesnotbelong,sothattheserenevillageremainspermanentlygoodandhappy. BromBones,ontheotherhand,isofaHuckFinn-typeofcountrybumpkin,rough,vigorous,boisterousbutinwardlyverygood,afrontiertypeputouttheretoshiftforhimself. Thus,therivalryinlovebetweenIchabodandBrom,viewedinthisway,suddenlyassumesthedimensionsoftwoethicalgroupslockedinakindofhistoriccontest.Astothestyleofthepiece,itrepresentsIrvingathisbest.Theassociationbetweenacertainlocalandtheinwardmovementofacharacter,theemotionalloadingofalmosteverylineofthestory,theireffectonthefivesenseofthereaderwhoseattentionissofullyengagedandwhofeelssomuchinvolvedinwhatishappening–allthesehaveplacedthisandotherIrvingstoriesamongthebestofAmericanshortstories.3.Irving’sStyle(1)Irvingavoidsmoralizingasmuchaspossible.Hewritessimplytoentertainrathertoenlighten.(2)Heisgoodatsettinghisstoriesinamagicandfantasticatmosphere.Therichnessoftheatmospherecompensatesfortheslimnessofhisplot.(3)Hischaractersarevividandtruetolife.Theytendtolingerinthemindofthereader.(4)Hiswritingisfullofhumorandsatire.(5)twoimportantthemes,i.e.thethemesofchangeandsearchforidentify.ThesethemescapturethespiritofIrving’stimesandreflecthisphilosophicalthinkingoncontemporaryAmericansociallife.IV.JamesFenimoreCooper詹姆斯费尼莫尔库珀(1789--1851)--launchedtwokindsofimmenselypopularstories→theseaadventuretaleandthefrontiersaga TheLeatherstockingTales《皮袜子故事集》，regardas“thenearestapproachyettoanAmericanepic.”（开创了美国文学的一个重要主—文明的发展对大自然和它代表的崇高品德的摧残与破坏）Itscentralfigureinthenovels,NattyBumppo(美国文学的一个重要的原型人物—独立不羁、逃避社会、在大自然中需求完美精神世界的班波). Cooper’sWorks (1)Precaution(1820,hisfirstnovel,imitatingAusten’sPrideandPrejudice) (2)TheSpy(hissecondnovelandgreatsuccess) (3)LeatherstockingTales(hismasterpiece,aseriesoffivenovels) TheDeerslayer,TheLastoftheMohicans,ThePathfinder,ThePioneer,ThePrairie Cooper’sStyle (1)highlyimaginative (2)goodatinventingtales (3)goodatlandscapedescription (4)conservative (5)characterizationwoodenandlackinginprobability (6)languageanduseofdialectnotauthentic LiteraryAchievements HecreatedamythabouttheformativeperiodoftheAmericannation.IfthehistoryoftheUnitedStatesis,inasense,theprocessoftheAmericansettlersexploringandpushingtheAmericanfrontierforeverwestward,thenCooper’sLeatherstockingTaleseffectivelyapproximatestheAmericannationalexperienceofadventureintotheWest.HeturnedthewestandfrontierasauseablepastandhehelpedtointroducewesterntraditiontoAmericanliterature.V.WilliamCullenBryant威廉卡伦布赖恩特(1794-1878)--thefirstAmericantogainthestatureofamajorpoet. ToaWaterfowl《致水鸟》 TheYellowViolet《黄色的堇香花》 VI.EdgarAllenPoe(1809-1849)Americanwriter,knownasapoetandcriticbutmostfamousasthefirstmasteroftheshort-storyform,especiallytalesofthemysteriousandmacabre.TheliterarymeritsofPoe'swritingshavebeendebatedsincehisdeath,buthisworkshaveremainedpopularandmanymajorAmericanandEuropeanwritershaveprofessedtheirartisticdebttohim. ForalongtimeafterhisdeathPoeremainedprobablythemostcontroversialandmostmisunderstoodliteraryfigureinthehistoryofAmericanliterature. Emersondismissedhiminthreewords,“thejingleman.” MarkTwaindeclaredhisprosetobeunreadable. HenryJamesmadetheruthlessstatementthat“anenthusiasmforPoeisthemarkofadecidedlyprimitivestateofdevelopment.” Whitman,whowastheonlyfamousliteraryfigurepresentatthePoeMemorialCeremonyinBaltimorein1875,hadmixedfeelingsabouthim:hedidadmitPoe’sgenius,butitwas“itsnarrowrangeandunhealthy,luridquality”thatmostimpressedhim. T.S.Eliotproclaimedhimacriticofthefirstrank,butchargedhimwith“slipshodwriting.” Poe’sWorks&