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Brief Introduction Position of English literature A splendid history of 1500 years: from AngloSaxon to Contemporary literature Many great writers and masterpieces Full development of poetry, dramas and novels Great contributions to the world literature Brief Introduction Purpose of the course Providing general knowledge of English Literature Improving the ability of artistic and literary achievements Brief Introduction Contents of the course Following the developmental process of English literature Beginning with Anglo-Saxon Period Undergoing Renaissance, Enlightenment, Romanticism, Critical Realism until Modernism History of English literature Module 1 Anglo-Saxon Period 主讲教师：姚丽教授 沈阳理工大学 Anglo-Saxon Period Historical background Anglo-Saxon Literature Historical background The English people–a complicated race The first inhabitants of the island were commonly known as the Celts (凯尔特人). In 55 BC , Julius Caesar (凯撒大帝) invaded the island. Historical background From about the 5th century, the AngloSaxon people came. Germanic tribes: Angles, Saxons and Jutes The nation of the English Heptarchy (七国争雄): fight for supreme power among seven kingdoms Historical background The Vikings (维京人)began their Viking expansion from about 800 to 1100. Vikings: names for Danes, Swedes and Norwegians Reasons for expansion: land shortage, improved iron production, and the need for new markets English people’s resistance led by King Alfred Historical background King Alfred —Alfred the Great (阿尔 弗雷德大帝) • Defeating Viking expansion and the first national hero • Building schools, importing teachers, writing chronicles, encouraging cultural growth • Translating numerous Latin books into English, formulating a legal system Historical background Danish people ruled England for some time. English failing to drive all the enemies out England being divided between English and Danish Danish king Canute becoming the ruler of England With no capable man as successor, English ruling England again Historical background The Norman Conquest (诺曼 征服) took place in 1066. Norman Duke William was known as “William the Conqueror” (征服者威廉). The Battle of Hastings (黑斯廷战役) Far–reaching significance Anglo-Saxon Literature Characteristics Anglo-Saxon Poetry Anglo-Saxon Prose Characteristics Verse literature in oral form Unknown Creators Pagan (异教徒的) poetry Religious poetry Anglo-Saxon prose Anglo-Saxon Poetry Pagan poetry: Beowulf 《贝奥武甫》 Position • The national epic • The oldest surviving epic poem in the English language • The most important work of AngloSaxon literature Anglo-Saxon Poetry Contents •The adventures of a Scandinavian (斯堪的纳维亚)hero called Beowulf in the 6th-century •Basically two-part narrative •Part one: Beowulf’s fight with the sea-monsters Grendel and his mother •Part two: his killing of a fiery dragon and his death. Anglo-Saxon Poetry Main features •Pagan poem •Strong stress and the predominance of consonants •Use of alliteration •Heavy use of metaphors Anglo-Saxon Poetry Religious Poetry In 597, the Italian-born missionary St. Augustine (圣奥古斯丁) introduced Christianity to Britain. The pagan poetry began to be fused with religious spirit. Anglo-Saxon Poetry Caedmon • The first known poet in English literary history • In his dream, an angle telling him to sing of Creation (创世纪) • Writing many poems based on the Biblical stories Cynewulf A minstrel (吟游诗人) and man of learning familiar with the Latin and religious literature Anglo-Saxon Prose Bede A monk and scholar The father of English history Main work: The Ecclesiastical History of the English People 《英吉利人教会史》 Anglo-Saxon Prose King Alfred Main work: Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 《盎格鲁—萨克逊编年史》 The earliest of its kind in Europe Development of a natural style in English Summary Historical background Anglo-Saxon Literature