Twentieth Century Literature
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ⅠDefine the following terms
pufa Modernism
Modernism窗户的英文 in English literature prevailed during the 20s and 30s of the 20th century. It was a movement of experiments in new technique in writing. Modernism takes the irrational philosophy and the theory of psycho-analysis as its theoretical ba. The modernist writers concentrate more on the private and subjective, mainly concerned with the inner being of an individual. Therefore they pay more attention to the psychic time than the chronological one. The major themes of the modernist literature are the distorted, alienated and ill relationships between man and nature, man and society, man and man, and man and himlf
Stream of Consciousness
Stream of consciousness is a psychological term indicating the flux of conscious and subconscious thoughts and impressions moving in the mind at any given time independently of the person’s will.
In late 19th century, the literary device of “interior monologue”luo是什么意思 was originated in France as an application of modern psychological knowledge to literary creation. In the 20th century, under the influence of Freudpython怎么读’s theory of psychological analysis, a number of writers adopted the sourcream“stream of consciousnessglobex” method of novel writing. The striking feature the novelists is their depiction of the characters’ mental and emotional reactions to external events, rather than events themlves.
ⅡFill in the blanks
1. Abroad with Frieda, Lawrence finished ____, the autobiographical novel at which he had been working off and on for years.
busy
2. ____is the most outstanding stream of consciousness novelist.
Ⅲ Give a brief analysis of Tess’ tragedy in Tess of the D’Urbervilles
Tess of the D’Urbervilles
Themes
⏹ The novel is a fierce criticism of the hypocritical morality of the society and the cruel and inhuman exploitation of the capitalists who invaded the English country and destroyed the peasantry from the root. Tess, a beautiful, innocent, sweet-natured and hard-working country girl, is easily taken in and abud by the hypocritical rich, constantly suppresd by the social conventions, brutally exploited by the inhuman capitalists, and eventually executed by the unfair legal system. She is a typical victim of the society. Poverty of the family, inhumanity, injustice and hypocrisy of the society decide her tragedy. The two men-the one who takes away her virginity and purity, the other who takes away her love but derts her on the very wedding night—though apparent rivals, join their forces in bringing about her final destruction. Hers is a personal tragedy; it can also be a social one.
⏹ On the other hand, there is a strong naturalistic tendency in the novel. Fate plays an important role in Tess’ tragedy. In a way, Tess ems to be led to her final destruction step by step by fate. Coincidence adds one “wrong” to another until she is caught up in a dead end. So, it is necessary to understand the ending remark of the author: “Justice was done, and the President of the Immortals had ended his sport with Tess.”
The Victorian Age
ⅠFill in the blanks
1. In the 19th century English literature, a new literary trend ____ appeared after the Romantic poetry.让生命充满爱
2. ____ was the greatest reprentative of English Critical realism.
3. Charlotte Bronte’s masterpiece is ____; Emily Bronte’s masterpiece is ____.
ⅡDefine the following term
Critical Realism
Critical Realism
The critical realism of the 19th century flourished in the fourties and in the beginning of the fifties. The realists first and foremost t themlves the task of criticizing capitalist society from a democratic viewpoint and delineated the crying contradictions of bourgeois reality.The greatness of the English realists also lies in their profound humanism which is revealed in their sympathy for the labouring people.
ⅢAnswering the questions
1. Give a brief analysis of the features of Dickens’ novels.
Characteristics of Dickens’ Novels
1) The wide spreading of critical realism.
2) The spirit of democracy and humanism.
3) The construction of plot in Dickens’ novels is
pretty complicated.
Besides the main core of the story, there are always more than one minor clues that are usually very looly mingled with each other.
4)Charles Dickens is a master story-teller. His language could, in a way, be compared with Shakespeare's. His humor & wit em inexhaustible. Character-portrayal is the most outstanding feature of his works. His characterizations of child (Oliver Twist, etc.), some grotesque people (Fagin, etc.) & some comical people (Mr. Micawber, etc.) are superb. Dickens also employs exaggeration in his works. Dickens's works are also characterized by a mixture of humor & pathos.
