3/22/2012 1
Chapter Ⅵ
The Seventeenth Century
1603-1688
3/22/2012 2
1,Historical Background
The English Bourgeois Revolution and
Restoration,
The weakening of the tie between monarchy
and bourgeoisie;
The clashes between the King and Parliament;
The outburst of the English Revolution;
The split within the revolutionary camp;
The bourgeois dictatorship and the
Restoration
3/22/2012 3
2,English Literature of the First
Quarter of the 17th Century,
The King James Bible of 1611;
Francis Bacon;
Metaphysical Poetry and Cavalier Poetry
3/22/2012 4
2.1 The King James Bible of 1611
History of Bible,
History of English Bible
King James’ Bible of 1611
Also known as the 1611 Authorized Version of
the Bible;
47 scholars worked on it,
The project was presided over by Bishop
Lancelot Andrewes
The basis,Tyndale text
3/22/2012 5
2.2 Francis Bacon (1561-1626)
Life,Born in London; studied at Cambridge; studied
law later; appointed Lord Chancellor during the reign
of James Ⅰ, Imprisoned for corruption,
Bacon’s only predecessor in the field of the essay
was Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592),the French
country squire;
Bacon’s chief contribution lies in his role as the
founder of materialism in philosophy and science in
England,
He employs what may be called the dialectical
method by balancing opposing arguments before
drawing his conclusions,
3/22/2012 6
2.3 Metaphysical Poets and
Cavalier Poets
Two antagonistic camps,the Royalists and the
Puritans,
The Metaphysical Poets,John Donne,Andrew
Marvell,George Herbert
John Donne:,A Valediction,Forbidding Mourning”
(1611)
The Cavalier Poets,Sir John Suckling,Robert Herrick,
Ben Johnson
Carpe Diem,a Latin phrase meaning,seize the day”,
The philosophy of carpe diem asserts the notion that
since life is short,one must make the most of one’s
youth,This motif became very popular in the love
poetry of the seventeenth century,
3/22/2012 7
3,English Literature during the
English Bourgeois Revolution
John Milton,
Milton as the Spokesman of the Revolution,
“When I Consider How My Light Is Spent”;
Milton the revolutionary,Milton the epic
poet ; Every progressive English poet since
Milton draws inspiration from him,
a pamphlet to justify the execution of Charles
Ⅰ,, Defence of the English People” (1651)
Persecution after the Restoration of Charles
Ⅱ
3/22/2012 8
4,English Literature of the
Restoration
John Bunyan
John Dryden
3/22/2012 9
4.1 John Bunyan (1628-1688)
Bunyan,a pilgrim; a man of innocence,
diligent; With sensitive imagination
Once enlisted in the Parliamentary army
Bunyan lived at a time when political
struggles adopted the form of religious
struggles,
The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World
to That Which Is to Come
3/22/2012 10
allegory,a work of art intending to be
meaningful on at least two levels of
understanding,a literal level and an
abstract (figurative,or moral) level,
The term derives from the Greek
“allegorein”,meaning,to speak in other
words”
3/22/2012 11
Major Works by Bunyan
The Pilgrim’s Progress (Part Ⅰ,1678)
The Pilgrim’s Progress (Part Ⅱ,1684)
( deals with the pilgrimage of Christiana,
Christian’s wife,and her children,
accompanied by her neighbor Mercy.)
Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners
(1666)
The Life and Death of Mr,Badman (1680)
The Holy War (1682)
3/22/2012 12
Beelzebub,A term used by both Jesus and
his opponents for Satan,the chief of devils,
The word comes from Baal-zebub,a Philistine
god who was believed to be the creator of
flies,n.魔王,魔鬼
Apollyon,from Greek,meaning destroyer,n.
恶魔,亚玻伦 (,圣经, 中的人物,无底坑的使者
Legion,represents immense power and force,
for the demonic hosts of Satan,
3/22/2012 13
4.2 John Dryden (1631-1700),
a poet,playwright and critic; a prolific
writer,
He turned with the tide,“time-server”;
The forerunner of the English classical
school of literature in the 18th Century
From Dryden to Johnson,English critics
value poetry according to its power to
affect an audience,
3/22/2012 14
Features of Literary Criticism of the Time
1,It does not stress literary theories,
but particular works
2,It does not give comprehensive
commentary,but just a few points
3,Impression rather than reasoning
Chapter Ⅵ
The Seventeenth Century
1603-1688
3/22/2012 2
1,Historical Background
The English Bourgeois Revolution and
Restoration,
The weakening of the tie between monarchy
and bourgeoisie;
The clashes between the King and Parliament;
The outburst of the English Revolution;
The split within the revolutionary camp;
The bourgeois dictatorship and the
Restoration
3/22/2012 3
2,English Literature of the First
Quarter of the 17th Century,
The King James Bible of 1611;
Francis Bacon;
Metaphysical Poetry and Cavalier Poetry
3/22/2012 4
2.1 The King James Bible of 1611
History of Bible,
History of English Bible
King James’ Bible of 1611
Also known as the 1611 Authorized Version of
the Bible;
47 scholars worked on it,
The project was presided over by Bishop
Lancelot Andrewes
The basis,Tyndale text
3/22/2012 5
2.2 Francis Bacon (1561-1626)
Life,Born in London; studied at Cambridge; studied
law later; appointed Lord Chancellor during the reign
of James Ⅰ, Imprisoned for corruption,
Bacon’s only predecessor in the field of the essay
was Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592),the French
country squire;
Bacon’s chief contribution lies in his role as the
founder of materialism in philosophy and science in
England,
He employs what may be called the dialectical
method by balancing opposing arguments before
drawing his conclusions,
3/22/2012 6
2.3 Metaphysical Poets and
Cavalier Poets
Two antagonistic camps,the Royalists and the
Puritans,
The Metaphysical Poets,John Donne,Andrew
Marvell,George Herbert
John Donne:,A Valediction,Forbidding Mourning”
(1611)
The Cavalier Poets,Sir John Suckling,Robert Herrick,
Ben Johnson
Carpe Diem,a Latin phrase meaning,seize the day”,
The philosophy of carpe diem asserts the notion that
since life is short,one must make the most of one’s
youth,This motif became very popular in the love
poetry of the seventeenth century,
3/22/2012 7
3,English Literature during the
English Bourgeois Revolution
John Milton,
Milton as the Spokesman of the Revolution,
“When I Consider How My Light Is Spent”;
Milton the revolutionary,Milton the epic
poet ; Every progressive English poet since
Milton draws inspiration from him,
a pamphlet to justify the execution of Charles
Ⅰ,, Defence of the English People” (1651)
Persecution after the Restoration of Charles
Ⅱ
3/22/2012 8
4,English Literature of the
Restoration
John Bunyan
John Dryden
3/22/2012 9
4.1 John Bunyan (1628-1688)
Bunyan,a pilgrim; a man of innocence,
diligent; With sensitive imagination
Once enlisted in the Parliamentary army
Bunyan lived at a time when political
struggles adopted the form of religious
struggles,
The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World
to That Which Is to Come
3/22/2012 10
allegory,a work of art intending to be
meaningful on at least two levels of
understanding,a literal level and an
abstract (figurative,or moral) level,
The term derives from the Greek
“allegorein”,meaning,to speak in other
words”
3/22/2012 11
Major Works by Bunyan
The Pilgrim’s Progress (Part Ⅰ,1678)
The Pilgrim’s Progress (Part Ⅱ,1684)
( deals with the pilgrimage of Christiana,
Christian’s wife,and her children,
accompanied by her neighbor Mercy.)
Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners
(1666)
The Life and Death of Mr,Badman (1680)
The Holy War (1682)
3/22/2012 12
Beelzebub,A term used by both Jesus and
his opponents for Satan,the chief of devils,
The word comes from Baal-zebub,a Philistine
god who was believed to be the creator of
flies,n.魔王,魔鬼
Apollyon,from Greek,meaning destroyer,n.
恶魔,亚玻伦 (,圣经, 中的人物,无底坑的使者
Legion,represents immense power and force,
for the demonic hosts of Satan,
3/22/2012 13
4.2 John Dryden (1631-1700),
a poet,playwright and critic; a prolific
writer,
He turned with the tide,“time-server”;
The forerunner of the English classical
school of literature in the 18th Century
From Dryden to Johnson,English critics
value poetry according to its power to
affect an audience,
3/22/2012 14
Features of Literary Criticism of the Time
1,It does not stress literary theories,
but particular works
2,It does not give comprehensive
commentary,but just a few points
3,Impression rather than reasoning
