美国文学史期末

Chapter 1 Colonial Period

American Puritanism Colonial Literature • 1.types of writing

• 2. content—— serving either God or colonial expansion or both • 3. form—— imitating English literary traditions • 4. Writers:

• 1) Captain John Smith: the first American Writer

• 2) Anne Bradstreet: first American woman poet; a Puritan poet

Chapter 2: the 18th Century literature

Jonathan Edwards

• an important figure in “Great Awakening”

• “Great Awakening” ——a serious of religious revivals which occurred in the 1730s and 1740s

Enlightenment

• Basic principles: • Representatives: • Benjamin Franklin

• Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson etc.

Benjamin Franklin

• 1.works

• 1）Poor Richard’s Almanac ——many classical sayings, • 2）Autobiography——first of its kind in literature

Philip Freneau

1) the most important poet in the 18th century “Father of American Poetry” 2) Romantic spirits

Chapter 3:

American Romanticism

the end of the 18th century —— the outbreak of the Civil War Two periods and representatives

• 1. Early period

• Representatives:

• 1) Washington Irving, James Fennimore Cooper • 2) New England poets—— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Major Writers

• 1. Washington Irving ——

• “Rip Van Winkle” , \"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow“ • 2. James Fennimore Cooper ——\"Leatherstocking Tales\"

• 2. Late period:

• Flowering of American literature

• Representatives: Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, Melville,

Whitman, Dickinson, Poe etc.

Transcendentalism

The Summit of American Romanticism Features

• A. Spirit (Oversoul) • B. individuals

• C. nature—— symbol of spirit/God • D. intuition

• E. Brotherhood of man (equal and liberty) Significance of Transcendentalism • A. influenced a large group of writers • B. summit of American Romanticism

• C. marked the independence of American literature

Ralph Waldo Emerson

• Works:

• 1）Nature—— Appearance of Transcendentalism • 2) essays: The American Scholar, The Poet, Self-reliance Henry David Thoreau

• （1）A Week on the Concord and Merrimack River • （2）Walden Late Romanticism • Nathaniel Hawthorne

• Herman Melville

Nathaniel Hawthorne

• Major works • Points of view • His style

Scarlet Letter

• Theme—— the moral, emotional and psychological effects of the sin on people

• Symbolism: Letter A etc.

Herman Melville

• point of view——negative attitude towards life • major themes —— alienation ,etc. • Moby Dick

Edgar Allan Poe

• a unique position in the American literary history • (1) Poems • A. Theory

• 2. short, the aim of beauty, pure poetry ; rhythm.

• B. Famous poems: “The Raven”, “Annabel Lee”, “To Helen” etc. • (2) Short Story

• A. Theory

• 1.brevity, totality, single effect, compression and finality. • B. Features a. Gothic elements

b. deep analysis of human psychology

c. precursor of detective stories and science stories C. Style : traditional, but not easy to read

Romantic Poets I.

Walt Whitman • Leaves of Grass

• famous poems : “Song of Myself” and “O! Captain!” Major themes

• the ideals of equality and democracy • celebration of the common man His Style

• 1) “free verse” • 2) the use of “I” • 3) catalogue technique

• 4) direct, plain and even vulgar language

Emily Dickenson

themes

Captain! My • religion

• death and immortality • love • Nature • free will Her Style

• economy of expression • directness, brevity • capital letters ——emphasis • short

• original images • psychology description