English Literature Study Notes PDF

**Đề cương ôn tập VHA** ======================= Anglo-Saxon, the earliest form of English. Christianity was brought to England Religion in Poetry and Prose 2 Dominant literary forms: Famous works: **Beowulf**: [the earliest greatest National epic] \- 2 parts: \" the hero as a young man" and "...

**Đề cương ôn tập VHA** ======================= Anglo-Saxon, the earliest form of English. Christianity was brought to England Religion in Poetry and Prose 2 Dominant literary forms: Famous works: **Beowulf**: [the earliest greatest National epic] \- 2 parts: \" the hero as a young man" and " the hero as an aged king\" \- about the conflict between the good and the evil (the good always defeats the evil.) Famous authors: Anonymous (handed down orally from one generation to another).\ [**Caedmon** (earliest English poet)] Historical background:\ Peasants' Revolt and Wars of Rosa began descriptions of the poor in the war. (their *sorrows* and *pilgrimages*) in Poetry Genres: many dialects (corresponding to the region, history, culture & background of individual writers) 2 dominant forms:\ (Long romances of Chivalry served the noble & the lyrical ballads/ alliterative poetry served the ordinary) The beginning of **drama**, mainly related to religion: Famous authors: **Geoffrey Chaucer:** *The first great English poet*- the father of English poetry. Famous works: The Canterbury Tales: - **Theme:** The immortality of poetry:\ All will survive if are contributed, like his lines and the lover (as long as humans live, his poetry will survive, and, in turn, so too will the beloved) - **Question:** **The Restoration (1660 -- 1798)** 3 literary forms: Drama, Poetry, and Prose (more popular than other). Special features: \- Writing style: from the head, not the heat -- reason over emotion \- Theme: Literature of wit (civilization and social relationship) **Robert Burns** The poem: 1\. In the first stanza, what does the poet compare his love to? How deep is his love? In the first stanza, the poet compared his love to a red, red rose and a melodie. ⇒ "red" (adj) ⇒ passionate, strong "newly" (adj) ⇒ to his mind, love is just at the first stage, always attracts him to discover "sweetly" (adj) ⇒ sweet like a melodie 2\. What figures of speech are used in the first stanza? \- similes, :\ In the first stanza, Burns compares his love to a rose and to a melody.\ \ In the first simile, the comparison with a rose, in the innocence can be sense from the comparison to a flower, while the red color can symbolize the passion of the author.\ \ In the rose simile, Burns clarifies that the rose is "newly sprung in June", which explains that despite the passion in his love, his love is young, fragile and is still growing.\ In the tune simile, the melody to which his love is compared to "sweetly played in tune"\ - Alliteration: red, red rose \- Repetition: "O my luve's like" (line 1, 3) 3\. What images show that the poet's love for his sweet heart is very strong and deep? \- Seas: immensity (bao la): is going to dry \- Rocks: stability (vững bền): melt with the sun ⇒ His love is more immense than the seas His love is more stable than the rocks \- Sands of life shall run (flow of time): His love can surpass time. 4\. What literary techniques are used in the two last stanzas? Why are they used? \- Cover is symbolism: seas, rocks, sands, ten thousand mile. - Hyperbole: - Metaphor: \- Use literary techniques: to ascertain his love 5\. What is the theme of the poem? What do you think about the poet's assertions of love? \- Major themes in "A Red, Red Rose": Love and separation \- The poet has layered them by using metaphors of natural objects.\ The poem is primarily concerned with the speaker's love for his significant other. He adores her beauty and expresses his immeasurable love for her. His love is so deep-rooted that it will stay forever no matter what happens.  **The Romanticism (1798 -- 1832)** 2 major literary forms: parallel growth Special features: **William Wordsworth**: a *founder* of Romanticism (The lyrical ballads), one of the greatest and the most influential English romantic poets in history. The poetic mood: emotional and romantic Evocative symbols: daffodils -- joys and happiness 1\. In what ways did the speaker liken himself to a cloud? Through the simile, he compare himself as the cloud. 2\. Why is the image of cloud used in the beginning of the poem? He became a part of nature, he can have feeling of light-heartedness, peaceful and timelessness. He want readers know his feelings when he use the image of cloud in the beginning of the poem\ \ 3. What are the figures of speech used in the poem? Simile: as the cloud, as the star Hyperbole:\ - "never- ending line" (it never happens in real life)\ - "ten thousand" (k đếm đc) Personification:\ "crowd" (a group of people at the same time) tác giả xem daffodils như là people\ "host" tác giả xem daffodils như là people\ "fluttering and dancing"\ "stretch" stretch is the verb for human being normally before you play sport or you go swimming\ "tossing"\ "the waves beside them danced"\ "waves in glee" glee is the feeling of people, but here it's used for waves\ "a jocund company" sử dụng cho người\ "my heart...dances with daffodils" Metaphor: "Wealth": không phải vàng bạc, châu báu mà là feeling and emotion "inward eye" = his memory Oxymoron: "bliss of solitude" cô đơn nhưng không bất hạnh, mà happy 4\. What 1s the symbolic meaning of the daffodils?\ Joy and happiness 5\. What is the theme of the poem? Power of nature can do a lot of things. Especially for poets. It gave them a lot of emotion, with that, they can have motivation to write. **The Criticism (1832 -- 1901)** 3 literary forms: Prose: novel Special features: Charles Dickens: was considered as the spokesman for the poor 1\. How were the characters described in the story (Oliver Twist, Mr. Bumble and the buttons on his coat, Mrs. Sowerberry)? \*Oliver Twist: A pure innocent young orphan, Oliver is pale, small, and compassionate.\ \ \*Mr. Bumble\'s personality is presented through his dress --- the official cocked hat, the magnificent coat with its gilt-edged lapel, gold-laced cuff, and beautiful buttons, which Mr. Bumble is proud of. Without the beadle\'s coat, breeches, cane, and cocked hat, Mr. Bumble is just a fat man. Mr. Bumble is cruel and pompous, and he does not care a jot for the needs of anyone but himself. \*Mrs. Sowerberry is a mean, judgmental woman who henpecks her husband. 2\. How does Oliver prove himself to be? Why did he try to do so? He asked for more food for himself and the boys. Because Oliver showed that he is a responsible boy. Even he was afraid but he still tried as responsibly as he could. 3\. Whose portion of meal is given to Oliver? What is Oliver's reaction when he learns about it? Oliver Twist clutched at the dainty viands that the dog had neglected (Page 75).\ When he learned about his meal, he received it calmly. Oliver's eyes had glistened at the mention of meat, and he trembled with eagerness to devour it (Page 75). What does that detail suggest to readers? That detail suggest to readers found that the extreme injustice towards the poor made Oliver not even mind his meal is a meal that the dog had neglected. 4\. What kind of point of view is used here to narrate the story? What is its effect? \- Third person point of view What is its effect? \*The audience is able to know and see everything about each character. Because of this, we are able to see into the minds of multiple characters and create a stronger relationship and bond with them. \*We are also able to see the reaction of multiple characters, which will help us interpret the plot of the story. \*It allows the author to have multiple voices in the story. He can write in the voice of an adult, child, man, or woman. \*By experiencing a story though different voices, we can see the story in another depth. 5\. In what way is it a social criticism? Chapter 4 condemned the rulers in the old society whose blood is ice, whose heart is iron; could have seen Oliver Twist clutching at the dainty viands that the dog had neglected. Dickens depicts the picture of hungry Oliver ravenously eating those scraps of meat that were left by dogs- the horrible avidity with which Oliver tore the bits asunder with all the ferocity of famine.  **Doris Lessing:** one of the female writers who won the Nobel for English literature in 2007. **The quiet American.** When Fowler told Pyle that his wife accepted the divorce, Pyle said \"That\'s wonderful\", however inside he was very sad because Phuong whom he loved was going to marry Fowler. That is Verbal Irony. At the beginning of the movie, we saw Fowler always goes with Phuong, he said he would marry Phuong if he could, and we thought he would love and marry Phuong. However, a few scenes later, Fowler tells Pyle that he will not marry Phuong, and his wife does not accept the divorce. That is Situational Irony. At the beginning of the movie, We all know that Pyle is dead and the main in white suspects Fowler in his murder. That is dramatic irony. Romeo and Juliet After meeting Friar Laurence, Juliet met her father and said that she said \"I will lead in your rules\". But in her mind, she wanted to meet Romeo and refuse this marriage. That is verbal irony. In the movie Romeo and Juliet, when Juliet asks for help the monk Friar Laurence, he gives her a sleeping pill, and will help her get out of here and meet Romeo, which would be a good ending. We all thought this would work but Romeo didn\'t know this and committed suicide. And the movie has a sad ending. That is Situational Irony. We know that Juliet took a sleeping potion and isn\'t dead, and Romeo doesn\'t know that. That is dramatic irony.