Terms of English literature英国文学名词解释

英语专业英国文学名词解释,每个名词解释大概100词左右

Terms of English literature

1. Epic

An epic is a long oral narrative poem that operates on a grand scale and deals with legendary or historical events of national or universal significance. Epic poems are not merely entertaining stories of legendary or historical heroes; they summarize and express the nature or ideals of an entire nation at a significant or crucial period of its history. Many epics were drawn from an oral tradition and were transmitted by song and recitation before they were written down. Beowulf is the greatest national Epic of the Anglo-Saxons.

2. Romance

The romance was the prevailing form of literature in the Middle Ages. It was a long composition, either in verse or in prose, describing the life and adventures of a noble hero (usually a knight). It lacks general resemblance to truth or reality, exaggerates the vices of human nature and idealizes the virtues and contains perilous adventures more or less remote from ordinary life. The central figure of the romance is the knight. He seeks adventures, taking tournaments, or fighting for his lord. He is devoted to the church and the king. Romances can be divided into three groups according to their subjects: Matter of France (Charles the Great), Matter of Rome (Alexander the Great) and Matter of Britain (King Arthur and his Round Table knights).

3. Renaissance

The rise of bourgeoisie showed its influence in cultural life. The result is an intellectual movement called the Renaissance, or the rebirth of literature. Renaissance sprang in Italy and spread to France, Germany and lastly to England. It revived the study of Roman and Greek classics and marked the beginning of the bourgeois revolution. Two features were striking of this movement. One is the thirst for classical literature and the other one is humanism. Its influence was felt in literature, philosophy, art, music, politics, science, religion and other aspects of intellectual enquiry.

4. Humanism

Humanism was the keynote of the Renaissance. It put human beings into the center of the world. People ceased to look upon themselves as living only for God and a future world. They began to admire human beauty and human achievement. Man is no longer the slave of the external world. He can mould the world according to his desires, and attain happiness by removing all external checks. Thomas More, Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare are the best representatives of the English humanists.

5. Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. With 37 plays, 154 sonnets and 2 long narrative poems, he has established his giant position in world literature. His four comedies are A Middle-Summer’s Dream, Much ado about Nothing, As You Like It and The Twelfth Night and his four