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A Concise History of British Literature
Chapter 1 English Literature of Anglo-Saxon Period
I. Introduction 1. The historical background (1) Before the Germanic invasion (2) During the Germanic invasion a. immigration; b. Christianity; c. heptarchy.
d. social classes structure: hide-hundred; eoldermen (lord) – thane - middle class (freemen) - lower class (slave or bondmen: theow); e. social organization: clan or tribes. f. military Organization;
g. Church function: spirit, civil service, education;
h. economy: coins, trade, slavery;
i. feasts and festival: Halloween, Easter; j. legal system.
2. The Overview of the culture
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(1) The mixture of pagan and Christian spirit. (2) Literature: a. poetry: two types; b. prose: two figures.
II. Beowulf. 1. A general introduction. 2. The content.
3. The literary features.
(1) the use of alliteration (2)
the
use
of
metaphors
and
understatements
(3) the mixture of pagan and Christian elements
III. The Old English Prose 1. What is prose? 2. figures
(1) The Venerable Bede (2) Alfred the Great
Chapter 2 English Literature of the Late Medieval Ages
I. Introduction 1. The Historical Background.
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(1) The year 1066: Norman Conquest.
(2) The social situations soon after the conquest.
A. Norman nobles and serfs; B. restoration of the church. (3) The 11th century.
A. the crusade and knights.
B. dominance of French and Latin; (4) The 12th century.
A. the centralized government;
B. kings and the church (Henry II and Thomas); (5) The 13th century.
A. The legend of Robin Hood; B. Magna Carta (1215);
C. the beginning of the Parliament
D. English and Latin: official languages (the end)
(6) The 14th century.
a. the House of Lords and the House of Commons—conflict between the Parliament and Kings;
b. the rise of towns.
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刘炳善英国文学笔记
