英美文学术语解释Postmodernism is the expression of thought and culture in art, literature, philosophy and politics in advanced capitalist period、“Post-” of “Postmodernism” is the inheritance and reaction to “modernism”、Postmodernism was originally used by artists and critics in New York in the 1960s and then employed by European theorists in the 1970s、Once this writing entered on the stage of history, it has brought us not only techniques such as parody, fragmentation, pastiche, collage, allegory, irony, playfulness, metafiction, but also intertextuality in history, philosophy, sociology, etc、、英美文学名词解释(2013-06-29 16:58:29)转载▼标签: 转载原文地址:英美文学名词解释作者:kiwi01、Humanism(人文主义)Humanism is the essence of the Renaissance、2> it emphasizes the dignity of human beings and the importance of the present life、Humanists voiced their beliefs that man was the center of the universe and man did not only have the right to enjoy the beauty of the present life, but had the ability to perfect himself and to perform wonders、02、Renaissance(文艺复兴)The word “Renaissance”means “rebirth”, it meant the reintroduction into westerm Europe of the full cultural heritage of Greece and Rome、2>the essence of the Renaissance is Humanism、Attitudes and feelings which had been characteristic of the 14th and 15th centuries persisted well down into the era of Humanism and reformation、3> the real mainstream of the english Renaissance is the Elizabethan drama with william shakespeare being the leading dramatist、03、Metaphysical poetry(玄学派诗歌)Metaphysical poetry is commonly used to name the work of the 17th century writers who wrote under the influence of John Donne、2>with a rebellious spirit, the Metaphysical poets tried to break away from the conventional fashion of the Elizabethan love poetry、3>the diction is simple as compared with that of the Elizabethan or the Neoclassical periods, and echoes the words and cadences of common speech、4>the imagery is drawn from actual life、04、Classcism(古典主义)Classcism refers to a movement or tendency in art, literature, or music that reflects the principles manifested in the art of ancient Greece and Rome、Classicism emphasizesthe traditional and the universal, and places value on reason, clarity, balance, and order、Classicism, with its concern for reason and universal themes, is traditionally opposed to Romanticism, which is concerned with emotions and personal themes、05、Enlightenment(启蒙运动)Enlightenment movement was a progressive philosophical and artistic movement which flourished in france and swept through western Europe in the 18th century、2> the movement was a furtherance of the Renaissance from 14th century to the mid-17th century、3>its purpose was to enlighten the whole world with the light of modern philosophical and artistic ideas、4>it celebrated reason or rationality, equality and science、It advocated universal education、5>famous among the great enlighteners in england were those great writers like Alexander pope、Jonathan swift、etc、06、Neoclassicism(新古典主义)In the field of literature, the enlightenment movement brought about a revival of interest in the old classical works、2>this tendency is known as neoclassicism、The Neoclassicists held that forms of literature were to be modeled after the classical works of the ancient Greek and Roman writers such as Homer and Virgil and those of the contemporary French ones、3> they believed that the artistic ideals should be order, logic, restrained emotion and accuracy, and that literature should be judged in terms of its service to humanity、07、The Graveyard School(墓地派诗歌)The Graveyard School refers to a school of poets of the 18th century whose poems are mostly devoted to a sentimental lamentation or meditation on life、Past and present, with death and graveyard as themes、2>Thomas Gray is considered to be the leading figure of this school and his Elegy written in a country churchyard is its most representative work、08、Romanticism(浪漫主义)1>In the mid-18th century, a new literary movement called romanticism came to Europe and then to England、2>It was characterized by a strong protest against the bondage of neoclassicism, which emphasized reason, order and elegant wit、Instead, romanticism gave primary concern to passion, emotion, and natural beauty、3>In the history of literature、Romanticism is generallyregarded as the thought that designates a literary and philosophical theory which tends to see the individual as the very center of all life and experience、4> The English romantic period is an age of poetry which prevailed in England from 1798 to 1837、The major romantic poets include Wordsworth, Byron and Shelley、09、Byronic Hero(拜伦式英雄)Byronic hero refers to a proud, mysterious rebel figure of noble origin、2> with immense superiority in his passions and powers, this Byronic Hero would carry on his shoulders the burden of righting all the wrongs in a corrupt society、And would rise single-handedly against any kind of tyrannical rules either in government, in religion, or in moral principles with unconquerable wills and inexhaustible energies、3> Byron’s chief contribution to English literature is his creation of the “Byronic Hero”10、Critical Realism(批判现实主义)Critical Realism is a term applied to the realistic fiction in the late 19th and early 20th centuries、2> It means the tendency of writers and intellectuals in the period between 1875 and 1920 to apply the methods of realistic fiction to the criticism of society and the examination of social issues、3> Realist writers were all concerned about the fate of the common people and described what was faithful to reality、4> Charles Dickens is the most important critical realist、11、Aestheticism(美学主义)The basic theory of the Aesthetic movement--- “art for art’s sake” was set forth by a French poet, Theophile Gautier, the first Englishman who wrote about the theory of aestheticismwas Walter Pater、2> aestheticism places art above life, and holds that life should imitate art, not art imitate life、3> According to the aesthetes, all artistic creation is absolutely subjective as opposed to objective、Art should be free from any influence of egoism、Only when art is for art’s sake, can it be immortal、They believed that art should be unconcerned with controversial issues, such as politics and morality, and that it should be restricted to contributing beauty in a highly polished style、4> This is one of the reactions against the materialism and commercialism of the Victorian industrial era, as well as a reaction against the Victorian convention of art for morality’s sake, or a rt for money’s sake、美学运动的基本原则”为艺术而艺术”最初由法国诗人西奥费尔、高缔尔提出,英国运用该美学理论的第一人就是沃尔特、佩特、美学主义崇尚艺术高于生活,认为生活应模仿艺术,而不就是艺术模仿生活、在美学主义瞧来,所有的艺术创作都就是绝对主观而非客观的产物、艺术不应受任何功利的影响,只有当艺术为艺术而创作时,艺术才能成为不朽之作、她们还认为艺术不应只关注一些热点话题如政治与道德问题,艺术应着力于以华丽的风格张扬美、这就是对维多利亚工业发展时期物质崇拜的一种回应,也就是向艺术为道德或为金钱而服务的维多利亚传统的挑战、12、The Victorian period(维多利亚时期)In this period, the novel became the most widely read and the most vital and challenging expression of progressive thought、While sticking to the principle of faithful representation of the 18th century realist novel, novelists in this period carried their duty forward to criticism of the society and the defense of the mass、2> although writing from different points of view and with different techniques, they shared one thing in common, that is, they were all concerned about the fate of the common people、They were angry with the inhuman social institutions, the decaying social morality as represented by the money-worship and Utilitarianism, and the widespread misery, poverty and injustice、3>their truthful picture of people’s life and bitter and stro ng criticism of the society had done much in awakening the public consciousness to the social problems and in the actual improvement of the society、4> Charles Dickens is the leading figure of the Victorian period、13、Modernism(现代主义)Modernism is comprehensive but vague term for a movement , which begin in the late 19th century and which has had a wide influence internationally during much of the 20th century、。
