理性和革命时期美国文学学习课件.ppt.ppt

1、Part II The Literature of Reason and RevolutionHistorical IntroductionImportant writersDeclaration of Independence0.01Historical IntroductionlTwo historical eventsl1. The American War for Independence 1775-1783l2. EnlightenmentlTheology dominated the Puritan phase of American writing. Politics was n

2、ow the great subject to command the attention of the best minds. 0.02I. The American War for Independence 1775-1783l1. The writers held vitally important places in the movement for American independence. Freedom was won as much by their fiery and inspiring speeches and writings as by the weapons of

3、Washington and Lafayette (In the American Revolution, Lafayette served as a major-general 少少将将 in the Continental Army under George Washington). The 13 original American states were persuaded to become a single nation by the arguments of statesmen and men of letters.0.03George Washington & Lafayette

4、 0.04I. The American War for Independence 1775-1783l2. Strict rules made by English government hampered the economic development of the colonies. The British wanted the colonies to remain politically and economically dependent on the mother country, which led to the colonies intense strain with Engl

5、and. So the American War for Independence broke out in 1775.0.05I. The American War for Independence 1775-1783l(1) 1775, Lexington, beginning of the Independence War(2) July 4, 1776, Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence(3) 1778, alliance with France, turning point for American army(4) 1778,

6、 English army surrendered(5) 1783, formal recognition by the British government3. The procedures of the establishment of the new nation(1) colonies(2) states(3) federal republic- the United States of America0.06II. Enlightenmentl1. EnlightenmentlThe spiritual life in the colonies during the period w

7、as to a great degree molded by the bourgeois Enlightenment.l(1) Originated in Europe in the 17th centuryl(2) Sources: Newtons theory; deism（自然神自然神教派教派); French philosophy (Rousseau, Voltaire)0.07II. Enlightenmentl(3) Basic principles: lstressing education; stressing Reason (Order) (The age has been

8、called the Age of Reason); employing Reason to reconsider the traditions and social realities; concerns for civil rights, such as equality and social justice; the idea of progress.0.08II. Enlightenmentl2. At the initial period the spread of the ideas of the Enlightenment was largely due to journalis

9、m. All the leaders of the revolution were influenced by the Enlightenment;3. Representatives: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, etc.lThe representatives of the Enlightenment set themselves the task of disseminating knowledge among the people and advocating revolutionary ideas. They

10、also actively participated in the War for Independence.0.09II. Enlightenmentl4. The new nation was set on the basic ideas and principles of the Enlightenment.5. Influence of the Enlightenment l(1) American Enlightenment dealt a decisive blow upon the Puritan traditions and brought to life secular ed

11、ucation and literature.l(2) The secular ideals of the American Enlightenment were exemplified in the life and career of Benjamin Franklin.0.010III. Literaturel1. Call for Americas independence in literaturelAs soon as America became politically and economically independent, the call for its independ

12、ence in literature started to emerge.lIn 1783, Noah Webster declared, “America must be as independent as she is in politics, as famous for the arts as for arms”. Yet throughout the century American literature was largely patterned on the writing of 18th century Englishmen.0.011Noah Webster & His Dic

13、tionary of the English Language 0.012III. Literaturel2. While imaginative literature (富有想象力的文学作富有想象力的文学作品品, ,fiction, mythology, poetry, drama, etc ) in America remained derivative (派生的派生的; ;拷贝的拷贝的) and dependent, the heroic and revolutionary ambitions of the age had created great political pamphlet

14、eering (小册子小册子) and state papers. Essayists and journalists had shaped the nations beliefs with reason dressed in clear and forceful prose.0.013III. Literaturel3. Representative workslThomas Jefferson: Declaration of IndependencelThomas Paine: The American Crisis; Rights of Man; The FederalistlBenja

15、min Franklin: Poor Richards Almanac; The Autobiography0.014Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)lA patriot, diplomat, author, printer, scientist, and inventor in the eighteenth century; one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.0.015 Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) lHe was a jack of all trades;lBorn in

16、 a poor candle makers family in Boston and had no regular education;Became an apprentice to a printer when he was 12;An editor of a newspaper and published lots of essays when he was 16;He went to Philadelphia when he was 17 and became a successful printer and publisher;Found the Junto, a club for i

17、nformal discussion of scientific, economic and political ideas; 0.016I. LifelEstablished Americas first circulating library;lFounded the college University of Pennsylvania; lRetired when he was 42.0.017I. Lifel(1) a businessman;(2) A scientist with lots of inventions and a famous experiment (kite, e

18、lectricity, thunderstorm); first applied the terms “positive” and “negative” to electrical charges (电荷电荷).l(3) a statesmanAs a representative of the Colonies, he tried in vain to counsel the British toward policies that would let America grow and flourish in association with England. He conducted th

19、e difficult negotiations with France that brought financial and military support for America in the war.0.018I. LifelDeclaration of IndependenceThe Treaty of Alliance with FranceThe Treaty of Peace with EnglandThe Constitution(4) a writerl(5) an embodiment of the “American Dream” 0.019II. Literary c

20、areerlAs an author he had power of expression. His works are well-known for their simplicity, subtle humor and being sarcastic.1. Representative worksl(1) Poor Richards AlmanacModeled on farmers annual calendar; kept publishing for many years; includes many classical sayings, such as:l“A penny saved

21、 is a penny earned.” l“A plowman on his legs is higher than a gentleman on his knees.”0.020Poor Richards Almanac0.021II. Literary careerl(2) The AutobiographylWritten when he was 65;An introduction of his life to his own son;Including four parts written in different times;The first success story of

22、self-made Americans.0.022II. Literary careerlIn The Autobiography we will be able to notice:l1) influence of Puritanism, such as self-examination and self-improvement (timetable, thirteen virtues, life style)2) spirits of the Enlightenment (mans nature is good, rights of liberty, virtues including “

23、order”)0.023II. Literary careerlStyle: simple, clear in order, direct, concise and humorous (“Nothing should be expressed in two words that can as well be expressed in one.”) (influence of Puritanism );First of its kind in literature and set the autobiography as a genre;Popular, still well-read toda

24、y. 0.024II. Literary careerl2. InfluencelHis values and style influenced lots of Americans.lOne of his fellow Americans said, “His shadow lies heavier than any other mans on this young nation.”0.025 Thomas Paine (1737-1809)lRevolutionary War patriot and pamphleteer, born in Thetford, England. Paine

25、emigrated in 1774 to Pennsylvania, where he gravitated (被吸引被吸引; ;趋趋 倾倾 向向) toward those who supported colonial independence.0.026I. Life and career lPaines pamphlet Common Sense appeared in January 1776 and caused an immediate sensation. In it, Paine both supported American independence and attacked

26、 the corruption of the British hereditary (世袭的世袭的) ) monarchy. 0.027I. Life and careerlHe fought in the Revolutionary War and continued to publish, including his 1776 essay The American Crisis. 0.028I. Life and career0.029II. Major worksl1.The Case of the Officers of the Excise (1772)l - his first p

27、amphlet, a petition to Parliament for a living wage for the excise collectorsl2. Common Sense (1776) - signed simply “By an Englishman”, to urge the colonies to declare independence; Pain became forthwith the most articulate (表达表达清楚有力的清楚有力的) spokesman of the American Revolution.0.030II. Major worksl

28、3. The American Crisis (1776-1783)-Paines chief contribution was a series of 16 pamphlets (1776-1783) entitled The American Crisis and signed “Common Sense” which dealt directly with the military engagements to inspire the Continental Army.0.031II. Major worksl4. The Rights of Man (1791 - 92)- an an

29、swer to Burkes Recent Reflections on the French Revolution, which not only championed Rousseaus doctrines of freedom, but also suggested the overthrow of the British monarchy. Paine was indicted for treason and was forced to seek refuge in France.0.032II. Major worksl5. The Age of Reason (1795)l-a d

30、eistic treatise advocating a rationalistic view of religion.l6. Analysis of The American Crisis(17761783)l-a series of pamphlets published in London from 17761783 during the American Revolution. It decried British actions and loyalists, offering support to the patriotic cause. 0.033The American Cris

31、is lThe first of the pamphlets was released during a time when the Revolution still looked an unsteady prospect; the opening sentence was adopted as the watchword (标语标语, ,口号口号, ,格言格言) of the movement to Trenton. 0.034The American CrisislThe famous opening lines are: lThese are the times that try men

32、s souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.lThe pamphlet attempted to bolster morale and resistance among patriots, as well as shame neutrals and loyalists

33、 toward the cause. 0.035Thomas Jefferson (1743 1826)lBorn: 13 April 1743 lBirthplace: Shadwell, Virginia lDied: 4 July 1826 (natural causes) lBest Known As: Author of The Declaration of Independence 0.036 I. Life and careerl1. His mind ranged curiously over many fields of knowledge-law, philosophy,

34、government, architecture, education, religion, science, agriculture, mechanics-and whatever he touched, he enriched in some measure. 0.037 I. Life and careerl2. He was the third president of the United States (18011809), the principal author of The Declaration of Independence (1776), and one of the

35、most influential Founding Fathers for his promotion of the ideals of Republicanism in the United States. High points of his presidency include the Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon and the exploration of the west by Lewis and Clark (18041806). 0.038 I. Life and careerl3. As a political philosopher, J

36、efferson was a man of the Enlightenment and knew many intellectual leaders in Britain and France. He idealized the independent yeoman farmer as an exemplar of republican virtues, distrusted cities and financiers, and favored states rights and a strictly limited federal government. Jefferson supporte

37、d the separation of church and state and was the author of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (1779, 1786). 0.039 I. Life and careerlHe was the eponym（名祖名祖;命名来源命名来源）of Jeffersonian democracy and the co-founder and leader of the Democratic-Republican Party, which dominated American politics f

38、or a quarter-century and was the precursor of the modern-day Democratic Party. Jefferson served as the wartime Governor of Virginia (17791781), first United States Secretary of State (17891793) and second Vice President (17971801). 0.040 I. Life and careerl4. A polymath (学识渊博的人学识渊博的人), Jefferson ach

39、ieved distinction as, among other things, a horticulturist (园艺学家园艺学家), statesman, architect, archaeologist (考古学家考古学家), paleontologist (古生物学者古生物学者), author, inventor and founder of the University of Virginia. 0.041II. The Declaration of IndependencelThe Declaration of Independence was an act of the S

40、econd Continental Congress, adopted on July 4, 1776, which declared that the Thirteen Colonies in North America were Free and Independent States and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved. 0.042II. The Declaration of Independen

41、celThe document, formally entitled The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America, explained the justifications for separation from the British crown, and was an expansion of Richard Henry Lees Resolution (passed by Congress on July 2), which first proclaimed independence. An eng

42、rossed (正式写成的正式写成的) copy of the Declaration was signed by most of the delegates on August 2 and is now on display in the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C. .0.043II. The Declaration of IndependencelThe Declaration is considered to be the founding document of the United

43、States of America, where July 4 is celebrated as Independence Day and the nations birthday. lJohn Hancock, as the elected President of Congress, was the only person to sign the Declaration of Independence on July 4. It was not until the following month on August 2 that the remaining 55 other delegat

44、es began to sign the document. 0.044II. The Declaration of IndependencelThe following statements have become world-famous since then:lWe hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are

45、Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. 0.045II. The Declaration of Independencel我们认为下面这些真理是不言而喻的：我们认为下面这些真理是不言而喻的：造物者创造了平等的个人，并赋予他们造物者创造了平等的个人，并赋予他们若干不可剥夺的权利，其中包括生命权、若干不可剥夺的权利，其中包括生命权、自由权和追求幸福的权利。自由权和追求幸福的权利。0.046II. The Declaration of IndependencelThat to secure these rights, Governments are i

46、nstituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing

47、its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.0.047II. The Declaration of Independencel为了保障这些权利，人们才在他们之间建立政为了保障这些权利，人们才在他们之间建立政府，而政府之正当权力，则来自被统治者的同府，而政府之正当权力，则来自被统治者的同意。任何形式的政府，只要破坏上述目的，人意。任何形式的政府，只要破坏上述目的，人民就有权利改变或废除它，并建立新政府；新民就有权利改变或废除它，并建立新政府；新政府赖

48、以奠基的原则，得以组织权力的方式，政府赖以奠基的原则，得以组织权力的方式，都要最大可能地增进民众的安全和幸福。都要最大可能地增进民众的安全和幸福。 0.048 Philip Freneau (1752 - 1832)lPhilip Morin Freneau (1752-1832) was an American poet, essayist, and journalist. Remembered as the poet of the American Revolution and the father of American poetry, he was a transitional fig

49、ure in American literature.0.049 I. Life and career His political and satirical poems have value mainly for historians, but his place as the earliest important American lyric poet is secured by such poems as “The Wild Honeysuckle,” “The Indian Burying Ground,” and “Eutaw Springs.”0.050I. Life and ca

50、reer Freneau was perhaps the most outstanding writer of the post-Revolutionary period. l1. His poems are :lstrongly lyrical; lwith clear imagery; lneoclassical in form, and romantic in spirit. l2. Philip Morin Freneau was a deistic ( (自然神论的自然神论的) ) optimist.0.051Deismlcf. Deism (自然神论自然神论, , 自然神教派自然神