1、lecture 4the 17th centuryenglish literatureteaching objectives and requirements1 help the students know some information about the historical background and the literary characteristics of the 17th century. 2 make the students know something about john donne and metaphysical poetry. 3 help the stude

2、nts have a good understanding of john milton and the excerpt of paradise lost. 4 make the ss know about john bunyan.contents1 a brief introduction of the 17th century4 john bunyan2 metaphysical poets and metaphysical poetry 3 john milton and his paradise lost 1.1 historical background1.2 literary ch

3、aracteristics the 17th century was one of the most tempestuous periods in the history. this century witnessed at least two revolutions: puritan revolution (1640-1660) and glorious revolution (1688). because of these two revolutions, the political system in england underwent somewhat great changes. h

4、istorical background first, after the puritan revolution there established a kind of military dictatorship under which the people suffered greatly. second after the glorious revolution, there brought to england a constitutional monarchy, within which the kings power was greatly restricted. the gener

5、al features of the age are the transition and the spirit of doubt and scientific analysis. transition here means the transition from the absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy, the transition from agricultural to manufacturing, the transition of the state itself from organic garden to the join

6、t stock company, the transition to modern society, and the transition of secularization.backliterary characteristics1. the puritans disapproved of the sonnets and the love poetry written in the previous period. 2. in 1642 the theatres were closed.3. the bible became now the one book of the people. t

7、he puritan influence in general tended to suppress literary art. 4. the most important poet was john milton and there were two literary schools of poets, the school of metaphysical and the school of cavaliers. 5. the prevalent mood that enveloped literary works was one of gloom, pessimism, decadence

8、, and frivolity. back2.1 metaphysical poets 2.2 metaphysical poetry john donne gorge herbert andrew marvell richard crashaw henry vaughan abraham cowley john clevelandback the term “metaphysical poetry” is commonly used to name the work of the 17th century writers who wrote under the influence of jo

9、hn donne. metaphysical poetry is characterized by verbal wit and excess, ingenious structure, irregular meter, colloquial language, elaborate imagery, and metaphysical conceits and a drawing together of dissimilar ideas. features of metaphysical poetry : 1) the diction is simple and echoes the words

10、 and cadences of common speech; 2) the imagery is drawn from the actual life; 3) the form is frequently that of an argument with the poets beloved, with god, or with himself. has gained new recognition because of their seriousness of art, their spirit of revolt, and their realism, and it has greatly

11、 influenced the modernist poetry of the 20th century. back3.1 john milton3.2 paradise lost at twelve, milton wrote a poem, from which we can find him already a scholar in spirit:(milton is considered as the third greatest english poet after chaucer and shakespeare, and the greatest to come out of th

12、e 17th century. he is the master of blank verse, the first to use blank verse in non-dramatic works.)when i was yet a child, no childish play to me was pleasing; all my mind was set serious to learn and know, and thence to do what might be public good; myself i thought born to that and, born to prom

13、ote all truth, all righteous things. 當我還是小孩時， 我不喜歡兒戲，我只一心一意認真地學習與實踐 于大眾有益的事情 我想自己是為此而生的 為推進真理和正義而生的。 john milton backparadise lost the theme: the poem was to justify the ways of god to man, i.e., to advocate submission to the almighty. but after reading it one gets the impression that the main idea

14、of the poem is a revolt against gods authority. it has been noticed by many critics that the picture of god surrounded by his angels, who never think of expressing any opinions of their own, resembles the court of an absolute monarch, while satan and his followers, who freely discuss all issues in c

15、ouncil, bear close resemblance to a republican parliament. this alone is sufficient to prove that miltons revolutionary feeling made him forsake religious orthodoxy. throughout the epic, milton shows a puritans revolt against the established doctrine of the catholics and the anglican church by inter

16、preting the story in the bible freely for himself. the image of satan: satan is the real hero of the poem. like a conquered and banished giant, he remains obeyed and admired by those who follow him down to hell. he is firmer than the rest of the angels. though defeated, he prevails, since he has won

17、 from god the third part of his angels, and almost all the sons of adam. though wounded, he triumphs for the thunder which hit upon his head and left his heart invincible. though feebler in force, he remains superior in nobility, since he prefers independence to happy servility, and welcomes his def

18、eat and his torments as a glory, a liberty, and a joy. satan is the spirit questioning the authority of god.back1) the pilgrims progress2) the life and death of mr. badman 3) the holy war bunyans works it is a prose allegory depicting the pilgrimage of a human soul in search of salvation. it has two

19、 parts. the first part deals with christians pilgrimage to the celestial city, through which he realized his own salvation. the second part deals with his wife and childrens salvation through their pilgrimage. though the pilgrims progress has generally been read and appreciated as a religious book, it also gives a faithful picture of the english society in bunyans age, added here and there with bitter satires upon the english ruling classes. the pilgrims progress in the sense of religion it is a protestant study,