英国文学期末考试简答、论述题(含答案)

英国文学期末考试简答、论述题(含答案)V.Giveabriefanswertothefollowingquestions.(20%)1.DiscussthethemeofWutheringHeights。2.SaysomethingaboutJohnBunyan’sThePilgrimProgress.①ThePilgrimProgress,writtenbyJohnBunyan,waswrittenintheold-fashioned,medievalformofallegoryanddream.Itbecameanimmediatesuccessuponitspublication.②TheallegorydepictsthePuritanstruggleforfreedomofworship,theeternalstruggleofmantofindunitywithGod.Thepurposeistourgepeopletoseeksalvationthroughconstantstrugglewiththeirweaknessesandsocialevils.③ThebookisrankedasoneofthegreatestallegoriesinEnglishlanguage.Itsetsastandardinstory-tellingwithvividcharacterizationandnaturaldialogue.ItbecomesalandmarkforlaterworkssuchasThackeray’sVanityFair,andNathanielHawthorne’sCelestialRailroad.3.SaysomethingaboutHamlet.①HamletisgenerallyregardedasthemostrepresentationofShakespeare’sartisticcreationsandthesummitoftheRenaissancedrama.②Itisnotasimplerevengeplaybutatragedyofhumanistidealscrushedbycruelreality.Itaddressesthefundamentalquestionofthemeaningofhumanexistence,withHamlet’smeditationonlifeanddeathatthecentre.③ItportraysthesocialrealitiesinEnglandattheendofthe16thcenturyandthestartofthe17thcentury.4.SaysomethingaboutRobinsonCrusoe.①TheLifeandStrangeSurprisingAdventuresofRobinsonCrusoe,whichisoftenshortenedasRobinsonCrusoe,wasbasedonthetrueexperience.②Itisaninterestingpicaresquenovelaboutan18thcenturyEnglishadventurer.Crusoeispractical,religiousandmindfulofhisprofit.Heresemblestherisingbourgeoisieattheearlieststageofitsdevelopment.③IndepictingCrusoe’seffortsandgrowthontheisland,thenovelglorifiesbothphysicalandmentallabor.Thenovelalsoshowstheauthor’sattitudetowardscolonialismandNegroslavery.1.DiscussthethemeofWutheringHeights5.SaysomethingaboutParadiseLostanditstheme.7.SaysomethingaboutTheCanterburyTales. TheCanterburyTalesiswritteninmiddleEnglishcreatedbyChaucer.ThepronunciationandspellingarequitedifferentfromthoseinmodernEnglish,butthereadingoftheTalesisnotasdifficultasitfirstappearsforthemodernreader.ItissometimesarguedthatthegreatestcontributionthatTheCanterburyTalesmadetoEnglishliteraturewasinpopularizingtheliteraryuseofthevernacularEnglish.Chaucer’spoetry,alongwiththepoetryofhisotherpeerwriters,helpedstandardizetheLondonDialectandestablishEnglishastheliterarylanguageofthecountry.ChaucerwasoneofthefirstEnglishpoetstousethefive-stressline,adecasyllabiccousintotheiambicpentameter,inmuchofhiswork.ThisarrangementbecameoneofthestandardpoeticformsinEnglish.HeisfatherofEnglishpoetry.9.SaysomethingaboutBacon’sOfStudies.①Baconwasoneofthegreatestmindsinanageofgiants.Hiscompactstylewithwiseideashaswonhimpopularities.Hisfamousessaysinstudents’bibliographyinclude”OfStudy”,”OfBeauty”and“OfTruth”.②OfStudydiscussesthefunctionandmethodofreading.ItisoneofBacon’smostfrequentlyquotedessays.③Theessayisknownforitsclearness,brevityandforceofexpression.Thediscussionsareclearlypresented.Thefirstsentencepointsoutthethreefunctions.Thenitdiscussessomewrongopinionsaboutstudy,theimportanceofexperimentinstudy,thevariousmethodstoread,theroleofdiscussionandnotetaking.Theessayalsoarguesthatstudyisdifferentfieldscanbringallsortsofbenefitsandimprovespiritualdefeats.④Baconhasemployedvariousrhetoricaldevicesintheessay:metaphormakestheessayrich;parallelismmakesitsinewy;andcontrastmakesitpersuasive.10.SaysomethingaboutParadiseLostanditstheme.（同上第⑤题）14.SaysomethingaboutGulliver’sTravels.①Gulliver’sTravels,asSwift’shighestachievement,isconsideredtobeasatiricalexaminationofthehumannature,man’spotentialfordepravityandthedangersofmisuseofreason.②Thenovelgivesanunparalleledsarcasticdepictionofallthesocialvicesoftheearly18thcentury.Inspiteofhiscontemptfortherulersandsocialevils,Swiftcherishedagreatloveforthecommonpeople.③Gulliver’sTravelsisafantasy,andatthesametime,arealisticworkoffiction,includingfourvoyages.18.SaysomethingaboutthepoemIWanderedLonelyasaCloud.①IWanderedLonelyasaCloud,alsoknownas“Thedaffodils”,waswrittenbyBritishromanticistWilliamWordsworth.②Thepoetdescribedhisheartfelthappinessashesawthebeautifuldaffodilsandsanghighpraisesofnature.③Itsrhymeschemeisababcc.④Thepoemcanbedividedintotwoparts:thefirstpartdescribesthesceneryandthesecondpartexpressesthepoets’emotion.Wecanseedaffodilseverywhere,andthepoetcomparesthemtothestarsinthesky.Heisimmenselyinfluencedbythebeautyandthememoryofthedaffodilsisimprintedinhismind,whichbringsbackhappinesswhenhefeelslonely,dullordepressed.22.SaysomethingaboutthepoemOdetoaNightingale.OdetoaNightingale,writtenbyJohnKeatsunderaplumtreeintheyardofhisfriendoutof“atranquilandcontinualjoy”inthenightingale’ssong,containshispoeticfeelingonthesongofthenightingale.Thepoemisnotaboutthebirdonly,itisabouthumanexperienceingeneral.Theprincipalstressofthepoemisastrugglebetweenidealandactual:natureandthehuman,artandlife,freedomandbondage,wakinganddream.23.SaysomethingaboutPrideandPrejudice.PrideandPrejudice,writtenbyJaneAusten,halongbeenafavoriteofbothreadersandcriticsandisoftenregardedasJaneAusten’sconsummateachievementofherownsocialclass:theladiesandgentlemenofthelandedgentry.27.SaysomethingaboutJaneEyre.①JaneEyre,writtenbycriticrealismnovelistCharlotteBronte,isafrankandpassionatestoryofthelovebetweenagovernessandhermaster,amarriedman,Mr.Rochester.②Thenoveliswritteninthefirstpersonandcontainsauthenticautobiographicalexperiences.③JaneEyrehasmanymerits.ItisthefirstgovernessnovelinEnglishliterature.Itisoneofthemostpopularworksoftheworkingmiddleclasswomen.Itannouncesthebirthofanentirelynewwoman.30.SaysomethingaboutTessoftheD’Urbervilles.①TessoftheD’UrbervillesisthetwelfthnovelbyThomasHardy.IttellsthemiseryandtragedyofTess.Itdealswithsuchthemesasinjusticeofhumanexistence,socialclassesandsocialstatusofwomeninVictorianEngland.②Itquestionssociety’sexualmoresbyportrayingaheroinewhoisseducedbythesonofheremployerandisnotconsideredapureandchastewomenbytherestofsociety.③ThusitisanattackonthehypocriticalmoralityofthesocietyandthepoliticalstatusquoinEnglish.38.SaysomethingaboutCharlesDickens.CharlesDickensisaBritishcriticalrealistinVictorianAge.CharlesDickenswasthesonofanavyclerk.Whenhewasfifteen,heleftschoolandenteredalawyer’soffice.In1834,hislifeworkofwritingbegan.ThenovelPickwickPapersbroughthimintothefirstrankofthemostpopularnovelistofhisday.Therestofhislifewasworkwithoutrest.①Thefirstperiodofhisliterarycareer:Thisperiodisreferredtotheyearsfrom1836-1841,whichismarkedforyouthfuloptimism.Themainnovelsinthisperiodare:PickwickPapers,OliverTwistandTheOldCuriosityShop.②Thesecondperiodofhisliterarycareer:thesecondperiod,whichbeganfrom1842,wasaperiodofexcitementandirritation.Inthisperiod,hevisitedAmericaandwasshockedbythecorruptiveinfluenceofwealthandpowerthere.Themainnovelsare:DombeyandSon,DavidCopperfield.③Thethirdperiodofhisliterarycareer:Dickens’worksinthisperiodshowintensifyingpessimism.Hismainnovelsinthisperiodare:GreatExceptions,ATaleofTwoCities.39.SaysomethingaboutJohnMilton.Miltonisthegreatestwriteroftheseventeenthcentury.InhislifeandliterarycareerthetwodominanthistoricalmovementsofRenaissanceandReformationcombinedandreceivedtheirmostintenseandintelligentexpression.HetowersoverhisagejustasShakespearetowersovertheElizabethanAgeandChaucerovertheMedievalAge.HisworksmainlyincludeParadiseLost,ParadiseRegainedandSamsonAgonistes.41.SaysomethingaboutGeoffreyChaucer.The14thcenturyiscalled“AgeofChaucer”.Chaucer isacclaimednotonlyas“thefatherofEnglishpoetry”,butalsothefatherofEnglishfiction”.Hismasterpiece,TheCanterburyTales,isoneofthemostfamousworksin allliteratures.43.SaysomethingaboutJaneAusten.①JaneAustenwasthefirstEnglishWomannovelist.②AustenwasborninHampshire,asmalltowninsouthwestEngland.Shewaseducatedathomeandledaquietlife.Austenwrotealtogether6novels,amongwhichthemostimportantonesarePrideandPrejudice,SenseandsensibilityandEmma.③JaneAustenwaspopularallthroughthe19thcentury.Shediedin1817attheageof42.45.SaysomethingaboutThomasHardy.①HardywasborninDorset,whichhecalledWessexinhisnovels.HisprinciplenovelsaretheWessexnovels.Amonghisfamousnovels,thebest-knownareTessoftheD’UrbervillesandJudetheObscure.②OtherworksbyHardyincludeTheReturnoftheNative,FarFromtheMaddingCrowdandTheMayorofCasterbridge.48.SaysomethingaboutGeorgeBernardShaw.BernardShawwasthegreatestdramatistinEnglishliteratureinthe20thcentury.Heusedstagetocriticizetheevilsofcapitalism.HismajorplaysincludeManandSuperman,MajorBarbaraandPygmalion.Shawisacriticalrealistwriterandahumorist.Hisplaysdealwithcontemporarysocialproblems.53.WhatisthethemeofTheWasteLand?Thethemeofthepoemismodernspiritualbarrenness,thedespairanddepressionthatfollowedtheFirstWorldWar,thesterilityandturbulence(动荡)ofthemodernworld,andthedeclineandbreakdownofWesternculture.1.DiscussthethemeofWutheringHeights5.SaysomethingaboutParadiseLostanditstheme.VI.Writenolessthan120wordsoneachofthefollowingtopicsinEnglish.3.ThomasHardy,livingattheturnofthecentury,isoftenregardedasatransitionalwriter.Inhimweseetheinfluencefromboththepastandthemodern.TessoftheD’Urbervillesisoneofhisgreatestworks.TrytodiscussthefateofTessinthiswork.ThediscussionaboutthefateofTessinTessoftheD’Urbervilles.TessoftheD’UrbervillesisThomashardy’srepresentativework,asatransitionalwriter,hisworkreflecttheprofoundchangesaboutthesocialeconomic,politic,moral,customsandthetragicfateaboutthepeople(especiallythefateof women)whichcausedbythecapitalismintrudesEnglandruraltowns,itrevealsthehypocrisyofbourgeoisiemoral,legalandreligion.TessoftheD’Urbervillesconcentrateonthe‘characterandenvironment.TheheroineTesswhilecleverbeauty,diligentandkind,butasavictimofshefinallywasonthegallows.Sowhatare thereasons? Hereweanalyzehertragicfatefromthefollowing3aspects:Firstly,thetragicfateofTessfirstcomesfromthecapitalistsociety.Inthefuriousconflictbetweenindividualandenvironment,Tess'sfateisinevitablymiserable.TesslivedintheVictorianperiodasBritishcapitalismintrudesEnglandruralcountries.Thoughsheisdiligentandkind,cleverbeautifulgirl,butasalaborer,apowerlessofagriculturalworkerswithoutmoneyandsocialstatus,naturallywillbeaffectedbythecapitalistsocietyofoppressionandreproach.Withthecapitalistinvasion,thosewhoownasmallpieceoflandandproductionmaterialofpeasantsareforcedto,andthengobankrupt. Visible,Tess'stragicfateandhereconomicpovertyarecloselylinked.Thisisonethesocialreason.Secondly,unjustlawssystemisalsoafactorinTesstragedy.Incapitalistsociety,thelegalsystemareprotecttheexploitingclassprofitswhileoppresspowerlessworkers.Fromthestory,weknewthatAlecisadomineering,doevilyoungguy,hewasprotectedbytheinjusticelawwhilethebeautifulanddiligentTesswaskilled,itshowstheunderclasscounteractionspeopleinsocietyisimpossibletogettreatedfairly.Thirdly,Tess'sdestructionisclosedlinkedwiththehypocrisyofreligion.Alec'scharacters,revealedthehypocrisyofreligion.Heisonthebusiness,isabourgeoisupstartsandcarnal"person".HesetatraptoseduceaTess,butusingthebiblicalallusionstoblamethem.Laterhewasturnedintoagoodcleric.WhoadvisedVisible,incapitalistsociety,religionisthereactionaryrulingclassanesthesia,cheating,andafoolofworkingpeople.Marxoncesaid:"withartificialChristian."Religionisbourgeoisreproachanddefiledwomenprovidedtheoreticalbasis.Fourthly,Tessisalsoavictimofthebourgeoisiehypocriticalmoral.Fromthestory,Angelistherepresentativeofbourgeoisiehypocriticalmoral,thoughheisaliberalthoughtofintellectuals,buthehasadeeppsychologicalingrainedintraditionalethicsandmorality.hisowndissolutebehaviorwasforgivedbyTess,buthedidnotforgiveTessonthesituationthefaultisnotTess,butAlec.HehasnotalittlesympathyonTess,whichforceTesscamebacktoAlec.Fifthly,Tess’stragicisalsorelatedbyherownpersonality.Tessisabrand-newwomancreatedbyhardy,shehasdualpersonality.Ontheonehand,shedarestoagainstthehypocrisyoftraditionalmoralandreligious,Ontheotherhand,cannotcompletelygetridofthetraditionalethicsoftheirown.BecauseTesswasborninapeasantfamily,remainingsomeoftheoldfarmeronmoralanddestinyviewthatsheappearedwhentraditionalmoralagainsttheweakside.whenshetreatedwiththesecularpublicopinion,shealsothinkherselfisguilty.Tess,asacertainhistoricalperiodoftheindividual,mustbeparticularhistoricalperiodofsocialconsciousnessandmoralconcepts,shethoughtandactionareboundbyageandsocialconsciousness.Fromaboveall,thetragedyofTesshavesocialreasonalsohaveherownpersonalityreason,butallthesereasonsaredirectlylinkedwiththebourgeoisiesociety,it’sthekindsofreflectsofthesociety.Herdestroyisinevitablyinthebourgeoisiesociety.6.DanielDefoe’sRobinsonCrusoeisaveryinfluentialnovelintheenlightenmentperiodoftheEnglishliterature.ItdepictsCrusoeasafigureofmiddleclasswhomakessuccessthroughhishardwork.Discussthesocialreasonwhythenovelbecomessosuccessful.RobinsonCrusoeissupposedlybasedontherealadventureofanAlexanderSelkirkwhooncestayedaloneontheuninhabitedislandHuanFernandezforfiveyears.Factually,thestoryisanimagination.InthestorytheauthordescribesinvitingplotsofRobinsonCrusoewhosurvivesandlivesquitewellonanislandaftertheshipwreck.InRobinsonCrusoe,DefoetracesthegrowthofRobinsonCrusoefromanaïveandartlessyouthintoashrewdandhardenedman,temperedbynumeroustrialsinhiseventfullife.TherealisticaccountofthesuccessfulstruggleofRobinsonhereisarealhero:atypicaleighteenthcenturyEnglishmiddle-classman,withagreatcapacityforwork,inexhaustibleenergy,courage,patienceandpersistenceinovercomingobstacles,instrugglingagainstthehostilenaturalenvironment.Heistheveryprototypeoftheempirebuilder,thepioneercolonist.RobinsonCrusoeisanadventurestoryinthespiritofthetime.Sowhenitwaspublished,peoplealllikedthatstory,anditbecameanimmediatesuccess.7.InPrideandPrejudice,JaneAustenexploredthreekindsofmotivationsofmarriagethemiddle-classpeoplehadinthesecondhalfofthe18thcentury.Saysomethingaboutthisnovelandtrytomakeadiscussionaboutthethreekindsofmotivationswithspecificexamplesfromthenovel.MakecommentsonAusten’sattitudetowardsthesemotivations.First,thereismarriagemerelyforfortune,moneyandsocialrank.ThisistobefoundinMissBingley’spursuitofDarcy,LadydeBourgh’sintentiontomarriagebetweenherdaughterandDarcy,andinCharlotteLucas’marriagetoMr.Collins.Thesnobberyandvanityoftherichandthepracticalityofthepoorgentrywomenarefullyaccountedfor.Thesecondisthetendencytomarryforbeauty,attractionandpassionregardlessofeconomicconditionsorpersonalmerits.ThisisgenerallyknownasMr.BennetandMrs.BennetwhohasabeautifulfacebutanemptyheadandoftheiryoungestdaughterLydiatothehandsome,charmingbutmorallyweakandpennilessWickham.TheterribleaftermathofsuchmarriageisonlytooobviousinthemarriageofthetwogenerationsoftheBennet.Lastlycomestheideamarriage,whichisalovematchwithconsiderationsofthelover’spersonalmeritsandeconomicconditions.SuchperfecthappinessistobefoundinthemarriageofDarcyandElizabethandthatofMr.BingleyandJane,althoughthesatisfactionofboththepersonalandeconomicconditionslikethisisreallyabittooidealistic.WhatJaneAustentriestosayisthatitiswrongtomarryjustformoneyorforbeauty,butitisalsowrongtomarrywithoutconsiderationofeconomicconditions.Ofthethreetypes,sheprefersthethelastone.Andinthelasttype,sheseemstogiveherparticularpreferencetothemarriageofDarcyandElizabeth.28.WhatisthesocialsignificanceofTheCanterburyTales?TheCanterburyTaleshasitssocialsignificanceinseveralways.①Itrepresentsthespiritoftherisingbourgeoisiepeople’srighttopursueearthlyhappinessisaffirmedbyChaucer.②theideasofhumanismareshowninChaucer’spraisingofman’senergy,intellect,witandloveoflove.③Chaucerexposedandsatirizedtheevilsofthetime.④thecorruptionofthechurchisvigorouslyattacked.⑤Chaucershowedsympathyforthepoortosomeextent.⑥Chaucerestablishedthelanguageofliterature.36.JohnBunyan’sThePilgrim’sProgressisgenerallyregardedasareligiousallegory.Saybrieflyaboutthisbookandwhatdoestheworksymbolicallyconcern?Whatisthepredominantmetaphorthatiscarriedonthroughthewholework?Andwhatistheauthor’spurposeinwritingsuchabook?A.Itconcernsthesearchforspiritualsalvation.B.“Thatlifeisajourney”istourgepeopletoabidebyChristiandoctrines.C.Theauthor’spurposeistourgepeopletoabidebyChristiandoctrinesandtoseeksalvationthroughconstantstruggleswiththeirownweaknessandallkindsofevils.37.CommentonJaneAusten’scharacteristicsofhernovels.1.JaneAustenisoneoftherealisticnovelists.Shedrewvividandrealisticpicturesofeverydaylifeofthecountrysocietyinhernovels.2.JaneAusten’smainconcernisabouthumanbeingsintheirpersonalrelations,humanbeingswiththeirfamiliesandneighbors.Storiesofloveandmarriageprovidetheframeworkforallhernovelsandinthemwomanarealwaystakenasthemajorcharacters.3.JaneAusten’sworkhasaverynarrowliteraryfield.Sheconfinesherselftosmallcountryparishes,whosesimplecountrypeoplebecomethecharactersofhernovels,butwithinherownfield,sheisunrivaled.4.Hernovelsshowawealthofhumor,witanddelicatesatire.Herplotsarestraight-forward.Thereislittleaction.Hercharactersarelikereallivingcreatures,withfaultsandvirtuesmixedastheyareinreallife.JaneAustenissuccessfulintheemploymentofironyandfrequentuseofwittyanddelightfuldialogues.