二专业之英国文学简史4.ppt

Historical Background Features of Romanticism Nature Emotionalism Imagination Individualism Idealism The Everyday Appreciation of the works of the English romanticists Jane Austen (1775-1817) Jane Austen’s realistic ideas (1)She holds the ideas of the landlord class in politics, religion and moral principles; and her works show clearly her firm belief in the predominance of reason over passion, the sense of responsibility, good manners and clear-sighted judgment over the Romantic tendencies of emotion and individuality. (2) She shows a discriminated and serious criticism of life, and to expose the follies and illusions of mankind. (3) She shows contemptuous feelings towards snobbery, stupidity, worldliness and vulgarity through subtle satire and irony. (4) In style, she is a neoclassicism advocator, upholding those traditional ideas of order, reason, proportion and gracefulness in novel writing. Jane Austen’s main literary concern (1)Hers literary concern is about human beings in their personal relationships. She believes that a man’s relationship to his wife and children is at least as important a part of his life as his concerns about his belief and career.It reveals his moral quality more accurately and truthfully. (2) Stories of love and marriage provide the major themes in all her novels, in which female characters are playing an active part. The Main Features of Jane Austen’s Works With keen observation and in great detail, she presents the quiet, day-to-day country life of the upper-middle-class English of eighteenth century. (1) Her characteristic theme is that maturity is achieved through the loss of illusions.Faults of character displayed by the people of her novels are corrected when, through tribulation, lessons are learned. (2) 3) Even the most minor characters are vividly particularized in Austen’s lucid style. 4) All her works are penetrated with tone of satire. Jane Austen (1775-1817) novel of manners: pictures in detail the manners and