Môn học nhằm cung cấp các khái niệm cơ bản về văn học, và các tác phẩm văn học Anh-Mỹ tiêu biểu. Với phương pháp trích giảng, sinh viên vận dụng các kiến thức về lịch sử xã hội Anh-Mỹ đã học vào việc phân tích và cảm nhận tác phẩm. Trong quá trình học sinh viên có cơ hội thể hiện sự hiểu biết của mình về các tác phẩm và tác giả bằng cách tham gia vào các vở kịch, thảo luận, viết bài luận phân tích.
Trang 1HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITYMID -TERM TEST ON ENGLISH AND AMERICANLITERATURE
FOR STUDENTS OF ENGLISH (No 2)Subject Code: EN16
Full name: Date of birth: Group:
I Answer the following questions: (50 points )
1 What three languages were spoken in England in the 11th - 13th centuries, and whomwere they spoken by? Mention some reasons
2 What is a romance, a fabliaux, a bestiaria? In what language were they written?
1 Three languages which were spoken in England in the 11th-13th centuries are:
Old English (Anglo-Saxon), French and Latin.
Old English (Anglo-Saxon) was spoken by the Anglo-Saxon population That is,most of the ordinary people in the society used this language Because this is the languagewith the oldest origin in England Old English was heavily influenced by Germaniclanguages, and was used for a variety of purposes, including literature and law.
Latin was used by the church and by the scholarly classes This language was usedfor religious writings, as well as records kept by the government In my opinion, one ofthe important reasons is the orgin of Latin language Latin is a classical languagebelonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages Latin was originally adialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome,but through the power of the Roman Republic it became the dominant language in theItalian region and subsequently throughout the Roman Empire Throughout Europeanhistory, an understanding of classical cultures was considered essential for enteringscholarly circles, and knowing Latin was an essential part of that understanding Latinwas introduced to England through contact with the Normans And scholars and religionsin England had to try to use this language to receive knowledge, to conduct educationaland religious activities together and with the whole of Europe.
French was spoken by the nobility Like Latin, French was introduced to Englandthrough contact with the Normans, who invaded in 1066 The Norman, despite theirViking ancestry, lived at the time in France, had done so for about two Centuries and
Trang 2spoke French (11th Century French of course) When William took over England, heobviously brought his language with him, and during the next four Centuries, the nobilityuse French as a way to distinguish themselves from the common classes
2 What is a romance, fabliau, a bestiaria? In what languages were they written?Romance told of love and adventure and expresses the ideals of knighthood in
feudal society The purpose of the romance is to entertain the audience with stories inwhich the protagonist displays courage and chivalry through an adventure It hasbroadened to encompass stories in when tales of romantic love in which lovers encounteradventures and obstacles in order to be together which appeal to the emotions andsensitivity of the audience William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is an example of atragic romance Two teenagers, Romeo and Juliet, fall in love but keep the marriagehidden due to their feuding families In the end they both commit suicide in order to livewith their love forever Another example of a romance is Sir Garwain and the GreenKnight by an unknown author This romance is an early example of the genre andrevolves around a knight’s chivalry through a challenged quest.
Fabliaux are funny stories about town-people Fabliaux are humorous fables told
in verse, which were quite popular during the 12th and 13th centuries Fabliaux wereoften told by jongleurs (professional storytellers/public entertainers) The short storieswere known for their colorful and humorous observations about life The stories takehumorous scenes about things like religion, the sanctity of marriage, and the treatment ofwomen The fabliau style is very simple and straightforward The stories are always set inmodern times and the characters are middle class or lower Fabliaux mocks everyday life.The plots often focus on women with great sex drive and ignorant men There is usuallysome kinds of actual trick or joke in the story, and the hoax often succeeds One of themost respected fabliaux writers is Geoffrey Chaucer Fabliaux were written by Anglo-Saxon.
Bestiaries: stories in which characters were animals Bestiaries were a popular
literary form in the Middle Ages that included stories and descriptions of animals Amedieval bestiary, also known as a 'book of beasts,' is a book that is filled withdescriptions, stories, and illustrations of both real and mythical animals While somebestiaries were more factual, most bestiaries included fables about the animals That was,they include a specific moral lesson for the reader.
Trang 3II Comments (50 points )
Write what you know about the life and works of Geoffrey Chaucer - Thefounder of English realism
Geoffrey Chaucer (1343 - 1400) was an English writer, philosopher and diplomatof the fourteenth century He is known as the father of English literature and the greatestauthor of that language until the works of Shakespeare.
Geoffrey Chaucer was born around 1343 in London His father's name is JohnChaucer and he comes from a middle class family raised in the wine business Hismother, Agnes Copton, also had a well-off position, having inherited several shops inLondon.
During the Hundred Years' War, Chaucer was taken prisoner in Reims and theBritish government paid £16 for his ransom, which in the fourteenth century was a highsum He then continued under royal service and some historians believe he may havestudied law, as is common.
In 1366, he was sent on a diplomatic mission as an envoy of Edward III to variousplaces in Europe, including Spain.
Chaucer is best known for his major work The Canterbury Tales, a compilation ofstories written in Middle English It paints a vivid picture of English life during theMiddle Ages and is the first work of literature in its own right to be written in English.The work was well received by the people of England and was soon translated intovarious languages Additionally, Chaucer wrote several other works, such as The Book ofthe Duchess and The House of Fame.
Chaucer was a staunch advocate of humanism, believing in the power of thehuman intellect He was a pioneer of the English Realism movement, which focused onthe everyday lives of people and their problems He was also a proponent of religioustolerance, and many of his works feature characters from all walks of life, includingpeasants and knights He is known for his wit and satire, which can be seen in some of hisworks.
As a diverse thinker and author, Chaucer was able to influence the literary worldfor centuries and even into the present day His works were a major influence on thedevelopment of English literature and established the very foundation of English realism.His language was simple and direct, and his use of everyday language helped to open thedoors to modern literature
Trang 4The life and works of Geoffrey Chaucer truly laid the foundations of Englishrealism and paved the way for future generations of authors and philosophers His workshave inspired countless readers and has stood the test of time, making him one of themost influential authors of all time.