美国文学史及作品选读课件.ppt

1、Lecture 1 The Literature of the Colonial America and of Reason and Revolution1ppt课件Teaching Objectives and Requirements1 Make the students know clear about American Puritanism and its influence on American Literature.2 Help the students to know about the main literary form,content and theme in Colon

2、ial America and the representative writers of this period.3 Help the students know about the American history of Independence War and the representatives in the period of Reason and Revolution,especially their influence on American Literature.4 Make the students have a good understanding of Jonathan

3、 Edwards and Benjamin Franklin.5 Make sure the students understand clearly about Benjamin Franklins Autobiography and its influence on the latter Americans.2ppt课件1 Literature of the Colonial America(1607-1765)2 Literature of Reason and Revolution(1765-End of 18th C)3ppt课件1.1 Historical Background In

4、 1492,Christopher Columbus found the new continent called America.Spanish(the first town on the new continent)Dutch(New York city)French(French:lots of peoples mother tongue in North America);English(first settled in Jamestown of Virginia in 1607)In1620,the famous“May Flower”shipped 102 Puritans to

5、Plymouth.4ppt课件1.2 Puritan ThoughtPuritanism:the practices and beliefs of the Puritans Puritans:Calvinists.Puritans wanted to“purify the church”to its original state.To be a Puritan:religionthe most important thing;living for glorifying God;believing predestination,original sin,total depravity,limit

6、ed atonement5ppt课件 Life style of Puritans:pious austere of taste diligent thrift rigid sense of morality self-reliant6ppt课件 American Puritanism:the practices and beliefs of the American Puritans American Puritans were originally members of a division of the Protestant Church,who came into existence

7、in the reigns of Queen Elizabeth and King James I.They were a group of serious,religious people,advocating highly religious and moral principles.They wanted to purify their religious beliefs and practices.They came to America out of various reasons.7ppt课件 They were idealists,believing the church sho

8、uld be restored to complete“purity”and dreaming that they would build the new land to an Eden on earth.They accepted the doctrine of predestination,original sin,total depravity,and limited atonement through a special infusion of grace from God.But in the grim struggle for survival after their arriva

9、l in America,they became more and more practical.American Puritans lives were extremely disciplined and hard.They drove out of their settlements all those opinions that seemed dangerous to them.8ppt课件 As a culture heritage,American Puritanism did have a profound influence on the early American mind.

10、It also had an enduring influence on American literature.It was one of the most enduring shaping influences in American thought and American literature.It had become,to some extent,so much a state of mind,so much a part of the national cultural atmosphere,rather than a set of tenets.9ppt课件Influence

11、of American Puritanism on literature Basis of American literature:the dream of building an Eden of Garden on earth Being instrumental in calling into being a literary symbolism(meaning using symbols in literary works.The symbol means something representing or standing for abstract deep meaning.):lot

12、s of American writers liked to employ symbolism in their works Style:simple,fresh and direct10ppt课件1.3 Colonial Literature General features:Humble origins:diaries,histories,letters etc.In content:serving either God or colonial expansion or both In form:imitating English literary traditions11ppt课件 Re

13、presentatives Captain John Smith:the first American Writer,A Description of New England(P16)William Bradford:The History of Plymouth Plantation(P16-17)John Winthrop:The History of New England,A Model of Christian Charity 12ppt课件 Anne Bradstreet:first American woman poet;a Puritan poet;once called“Te

14、nth Muse”;her first collection of poems,“The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America”was the first book written by a woman to be published in the United States;her poems mainly about religious experience,family life and early settlers lives;her work also serves as a document of the struggles of a Pur

15、itan wife against the hardships of New England colonial life,and in some way is a testament to plight of the women of the age;her most famous poems“Contemplations”(P17)13ppt课件 Roger Williams:one of the greatest Puritan dissenters;begins with the history of religious toleration in America,and the his

16、tory of the separation of church and state.Edward Taylor:the best of the puritan poets;a meditative poet;most of his work treated religious themes,with poems based directly on the Psalms back14ppt课件2 Literature of Reason and Revolution(1765-End of 18th C)2.1 Historical Background2.2 Representatives

17、in the period of Reason and Revolution15ppt课件 Enlightenment(启蒙运动启蒙运动):Originated in Europe in the 17th century(1680)Resources:Newtons theory;deism（P28）;French philosophy(Rousseau,Voltaire)Basic principles:stressing education;stressing Reason(Order);employing Reason to reconsider the traditions and s

18、ocial realities;concerns for civil rights,such as equality and social justice16ppt课件Significance:accelerating social progress;freeing people from the limitations set by prevailing Puritanism;making spiritual preparation for American RevolutionRepresentatives:Benjamin Franklin,Thomas Paine,Thomas Jef

19、ferson etc.Influence on literature In form:imitating English classical（古典主义）writers In content:utilitarian tendency(for political or educational purpose)17ppt课件 American Revolution:1775,Lexington,beginning of the Independence War June 4th,1776,Thomas Jefferson,Declaration of Independence 1778,allian

20、ce with France,turning point for American army 1778,English army surrendered 1783,formal recognition from Britain governmentback18ppt课件 Worked as a minister and was an important figure in“Great Awakening”(a serious of religious revivals which occurred in the 1730s and 1740s on North America continen

21、t)Lived and meditated in solitude;wrote some books(The Great Doctrine of Original Sin Defended,The Freedom of Will,The Nature of True Virtue)(P29)2.2.1 Jonathan Edwards(17031758)19ppt课件 Influenced by the new ideas of Enlightenment,such as empiricism A pious Puritan His sense of Gods overwhelming pre

22、sence in nature and in soul anticipated the Transcendentalism.(P32)First modern American and the countrys last medieval man20ppt课件2.2.2 Benjamin Franklin(1706-1790)LifeJack of all trades：A scientist with lots of inventions and a famous experiment(kite,electricity,thunderstorm)A famous statesman(the

23、only American who once signed all the four documents that created the new country)(P33)An example who made American Dream come true 21ppt课件 Literary works：Poor Richards Almanac穷查理的年历穷查理的年历 Modeled on farmers annual calendar;kept publishing for many years;includes many classical sayings,such as“A pen

24、ny saved is a penny earned.”(P34)22ppt课件 The Autobiographyfirst of its kind in literature：Writing when he was 65 An introduction of his life to his own son Including four parts written in different time Telling readers today what life was in 18th century America,a reflection of 18th century idealism

25、 The preeminent work that mythologizes a hero of the American revolution The only enduring token that enshrines all the facets of Franklins diverse nature Presenting Americans today with a great hero from the past who helped establish the tradition of American Dream A good example of why Franklin is

26、“the first American”23ppt课件 Puritanisms influence a puritan document:a record of self-examination and self-improvement(timetable,thirteen virtues,life style);a convincing illustration of the Puritan ethic(being industrious,frugal and prudent)Enlightenment spirits an eloquent elucidation of the fact

27、that Franklin was spokesman for enlightenment and that he represented in America all its ideas Style:simple,clear in order,direct and concise Popular,still well-read today,his values and style influenced lots of Americans24ppt课件2.2.3 Other Representatives Thomas Paine(1737-1809):American Crisis and

28、Common Sense Thomas Jefferson(1743-1826):Declaration of Independence Philip Freneau(1752-1832)：The most important poet in the 18th century.“Father of American Poetry”.“The poet of the Revolution”The symbol of America in the Age of Enlightenment 25ppt课件 The most notable representative of dawning Amer

29、ican nationalism in literature His poems presented Romantic spirits but his form and taste were mainly influenced by Classicism Most famous poems:“The Wild Honey Suckle”and“The Indian Burying Ground”26ppt课件Reflection Questions and AssignmentsReflection Questions：1 How did Franklin and his writings h

30、elp the formation of the American Dream?2 What figures of speech are used in“The Declaration of Independence”?3 Analyze and discuss the theme,rhyme scheme and some difficult dictions in“The Wild Honey Suckle”.Assignments：1 Discuss the influence of Puritanism in American literature,with emphasis on the elements of Puritan thought in the works of the colonial writers.2 Compare Jonathan Edwards and Benjamin Franklin.27ppt课件28ppt课件