第2章诺曼时期(1066～1350)
一、选择题
1. In 1066, _____, with his Norman army, succeeded in invading and defeating England.
A. William the Conqueror
B. Julius Caesar
C. Alfred the Great
D. Claudius
【答案】A
【解析】1066年征服者威廉率领他的诺曼底军队打败英军成为英伦三岛的统治者。
2. Knights of the Round Table are characters serving _____ in legends, which depict chivalry in early literature. （北二外2007研）
A. Sir Lancelot
B. Sir Godwin
C. King Arthur
D. King Henry Ⅷ
【答案】C
【解析】圆桌骑士是中世纪传说中亚瑟王宫廷里最高等的骑士，因聚会的桌子是圆桌而得名。
二、术语解释
1. Romance（北外2011研）
Key: ①It refers to a fictional story in verse or prose that relates improbable adventures of idealized characters in some remote or enchanted settings; or, more generally, a tendency in fiction opposite to that of realism. ②The term now embraces many forms of fiction from the Gothic novel and the popular escapist love story to the scientific romances of H.G. Wells, but it usually refers to the tales of King Arthu r’s knights written in the late Middle Ages. ③Medieval romance is distinguished from epic by its concerning on courtly love rather than warlike heroism. Later prose romances differ from novels in their preference for allegory and psychological exploration rather than realistic social observation, especially in American works like Nathaniel Hawthorn e’s The Blithedale Romance.
2. Arthurian legend
Key: It is a group of tales (in several languages) that developed in the Middle Ages concerning Arthur, semi-historical king of the Britons and his knights. The legend is a complex weaving of ancient Celtic mythology with later traditions around a core of possible historical authenticity.
三、简答题
What are the major subjects that the English romance mainly deals with?
Key: The English romance mainly deals with three major subjects: the “Matter of France”, the “Matter of Rome”, and the “Matter of Britain”.
①The “Matter of France” means a collection of tales about Charlemagne, the mighty ruler of France and neighboring countries around 800 A.D., and his peers and their wars against the Saracens.
②The “Matter of Rome” covers everything from the ancient Romans a nd the Greeks. Alexander the Great, king of Macedonia and conqueror of Greece, Egypt, India and Persian Empire is the favorite hero of this group. Besides this, Trojan War is also dealt with in this group.
③The “Matter of Britain” means the legendary histo ry of Britain. It mainly deals with the exploits of King Arthur and his knights.