英国文学PART 6第一部分笔记.doc

Economic backgroundPolitical backgroundCultural and social backgroundDefinitionFeatures PointsLeading figuresPart 6 English critical realismThe Victorian Age (1832 – 1901)It is a period of growth, development and reform which contains urbanization, industrialization, reform bill when England became the "workshop of the world".It is a period when conflicts between capital and labor became severe. The severe depression, widespread unemployment, and the intensified exploitation of man, woman and child labor brought great miseries to the poor people.It is a period of changes in ideology and the problem of women. In 1837 when Queen Victoria came to the throne, married women had no property rights, not even in the proceeds of their own earnings. They had no rights to custody of their own children and were excluded from universities and professions. In this period, sexual inequality in politics, economic life, education and social positions still prevailed; women were still regarded as second-class citizens.Chartist MovementChartist Movement was a working-class movement for political reform in Britain between 1838 and 1848 which took its name from the People's Charter of 1838. The term "Chartism" is the umbrella name for numerous loosely coordinated local groups, often called "Working Men's Association", which peaked in 1839, 1842 and 1848. It began among skilled artisans in small shops, such as shoemakers, printers, and tailors, and handloom workers in Lancashire and the Midlands as a petition movement which tried to mobilize "moral force" but soon attracted men who advocated strikes, general strikes and physical violence, such as Fergus O'Connor, known as "physical force" Chartists .The features of it are as follows: Workers---People's charter--- basic rights, better living and working conditions. It is the first mass movement of the English working class and an early sign of the awakening of the poor, oppressed people.The People's Charter called for six basic reforms to make the political system more democratic:1. Every man over 21 who is not a criminal or insane should be allowed to vote. 2. Voting should be done in secret. 3. Candidates should not need to be rich or own property to become a Member of Parliament. 4. All Members of Parliament should be paid for doing their job. 5. All electoral areas should represent the same number of people. 5. Elections should be held annuallyChartist literatureThe leading figures are Ernest Jones, Thomas Cooper and W. James Linton. Ernest Jones is the most talented poem in this period. His works are “The Song of the Lower Classes”, “A Song for the Wage-slave” and “The Revolt of Hindostan” which describes class struggle. Thomas Cooper is the last of the Chartists and he wrote The Shakespearean Chartists Hymn Bookà “Shakespeare general”. W. James Linton wrote “Blade—Time Will Come”.Poetry NovelsVictorian LiteratureVictorian poetry is obsessed by the great ideas of a fictionalized past, it functions as a popular encyclopedia or commentary to myth or folklore and it is a fashionable manneristic commentary to a variety of ideas. Its most representative poet is Alfred Tennyson. His production of poetry was steady and its variety great. Common features of Victorian novels are as follows:1. The plot is unfolded against a social background which is broader than what is had been in previous novels. 2. The cause-effect sequence is much more striking than in previous novels. 3. Most of the Victorian novels were first published in serial form. 4. The Victorian novels were tainted by the spirit of Puritanism of the Victorian age. 5. The Victorian novels were characterized by their moral purpose.The Reasons for the Rising of Novels can be divided into six parts. First, the growth of urban population resulted in the appearance of a new reading Public. Second, with the development of the method of printing and paper making, the price of books dropped, and besides regular books, there were serial publication. Third, writing had become a profession, which made it possible for the writers to make a living by writing. Fourth, with the ascendancy of the industrial capitalists, the majority of who lived an idle life on interests, there was a large idle class who needed recreation and entertainment. Fifth, the condition of the time and the dire poverty on the one hand and the enormous wealth on the other hand need a secular form to explore human relations rather than sermons given in the church Finally, the feminist movement had much to do with the growth of the novel. ThreeperiodsWorksFeaturesWorksSignificanceWorksS。