En16 văn học anh mỹ bài 9

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.

HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY MID -TERM TEST ON ENGLISH AND AMERICAN

LITERATURE

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 whom were they spoken by? Mention some reasons

Three main languages were in use in England in the later medieval period: Middle English, Anglo-Norman (or French) and Latin were all widely used, each had its own domains and functions, but these functions changed over time, and the speakers and writers were repeatedly moving between languages, so that as they spoke and wrote the languages they used were in constant contact and influencing one another Such a culture

is described as multilingual, and the linguistic behaviour it produces is called

multilingualism

Middle English: The earliest literary document in English in the University of

Nottingham’s collections is a fragment from the life of St Bridget, from the South English Legendary, composed in the late thirteenth century The scribe uses the Anglo-Saxon letters ‘yogh’ for ‘y’ or ‘g’ (ȝ) and thorn for ‘th’ (þ) He leaves a wide gap between the first capital letter of each line and the rest of the word

This was the evolving tongue of the common people, descended from Old English and gradually shedding its complex grammar It was spoken by the vast majority of the population, including peasants, farmers, tradespeople, and lower clergy This was the language of everyday life, used for daily conversations, work, local records, and even some early literary works like "Beowulf."

Anglo-Norman:

Anglo-Norman had emerged as a distinct dialect of French after the Norman Conquest in 1066 established a French-speaking aristocracy in English It was still

dominant in the mid-thirteenth century when Robert of Gretham wrote his advice on moral conduct, the Mirur For Robert the appropriate language for lay education was French, but by the late fourteenth century his book had been translated into English

French:

John Gower, a contemporary and friend of Geoffrey Chaucer in the late fourteenth century, wrote in all three languages His ballades include the French poem Traitié pour les amantz marietz, promoting the virtues of married love Shown here is a section headed

by an introduction (rubricated in red ink) in which Gower apologises for any mistakes in his French The introduction to the passage is in Latin, and reads 'Gower, qui Anglicus est, sua verba Gallica excusat' ('Gower, who is English, makes excuse for his French words') This followed a familiar convention of bilingual presentation Gower’s great English work was known by its Latin title Confessio Amantis and included Latin running titles and section headings

Latin:

Latin was still the preferred language for many purposes With its fixed grammar and spelling, it was easy to abbreviate without misunderstanding It remained the medium for international scholarship until the seventeenth century

The Catholic church used Latin in its services, so all liturgical books were written

in this language until the Reformation in the sixteenth century The theologian John Wycliffe began to translate the Bible into English in the late fourteenth century, but the Lollard movement with which he was associated was persecuted by the authorities, so late medieval Bibles in English are rare

English was slow to take over as the language of government, law and

bureaucracy, despite the fact that by a law passed in 1362 all legal pleadings had to be in English This bill of complaint (Pa L 2) dates from the late fifteenth century and is indeed

in English

Reasons for this multilingualism:

Norman Conquest: The arrival of the French-speaking Normans created a distinct

linguistic divide They formed the ruling class, imposing their language on administration and high society, while the native English language persisted among the common folk

Social hierarchy: Language functioned as a marker of social status

Anglo-Norman French became a symbol of power and prestige, associated with the ruling class and their cultural refinement Conversely, Middle English was often seen as inferior, reflecting the lower social position of the majority

Church and scholarship: Latin retained its position as the language of the Church

and academic circles Its universality and association with the sacred texts and scholarly discourse made it indispensable for religious matters and intellectual pursuits

Language evolution: Middle English itself was undergoing a dynamic

transformation, absorbing vocabulary and influences from Anglo-Norman and Latin This linguistic mixing further contributed to the complex linguistic landscape of medieval England

In conclusion, the 11th to 13th centuries in England were marked by a fascinating interplay of languages Middle English, Anglo-Norman French, and Latin coexisted, reflecting social divisions, historical influences, and ongoing language evolution This multilingualism left an enduring mark on English language and literature, shaping its vocabulary, pronunciation, and even cultural identity

2 What is a romance, a fabliaux, a bestiaria? In what language were they written?

The medieval literary world was a vibrant tapestry woven with fantastical tales of chivalry, earthy humor, and fantastical creatures Let's delve into three intriguing genres that transported readers to magical realms:

Romance: Anglo-Norman literature was well provided with romances In the 12th

century one Thomas wrote a courtly version of the Tristan story, which survived in

scattered fragments and was used by Gottfried von Strassburg in Tristan und Isolde as well as being the source of the Old Norse, Italian, and Middle English versions of the story Béroul’s Tristan, also 12th century, was probably written in England, but by a Norman; Waldef, a long, confused story of an imaginary king of East Anglia and his sons, has passages of remarkable originality In the 12th century some romances were

composed in the form of the chanson de geste; for example, Horn, by Master Thomas, which is connected with the Middle English Horn Childe and Maiden Rimnild Yet another Thomas wrote the Roman de toute chevalerie (“Romance of All Chivalry”), an independent version of the Alexander romance and the source of the Middle English romance King Alisaunder In the 13th century the more courtly type of romance

reappeared in Amadas et Idoine and in Amis et Amiloun

Fabliau: a short metrical tale made popular in medieval France by the jongleurs,

or professional storytellers Fabliaux were characterized by vivid detail and realistic observation and were usually comic, coarse, and often cynical, especially in their

treatment of women

About 150 fabliaux are extant Many of them are based on elementary jokes or puns—such as one called Estula, which can either be a person’s name or mean “Are you there? or on wry situations, such as one tale in which a man is rescued from drowning but has his eye put out by the boat hook that saves him The majority of fabliaux are erotic,

and the merriment provoked often depends on situations and adventures that are

sometimes obscene Recurring characters include the cuckold and his wife, the lover, and the naughty priest The theme of guile is often treated, frequently to show the deceiver deceived

Bestiary (Latin: bestiarum uocabulum) is a compendium of beasts Originating in

the ancient world, bestiaries were made popular in the Middle Ages in illustrated volumes that described various animals and even rocks The natural history and illustration of each beast was usually accompanied by a moral lesson This reflected the belief that the world itself was the Word of God and that every living thing had its own special meaning For example, the pelican, which was believed to tear open its breast to bring its young to life with its own blood, was a living representation of Jesus Thus the bestiary is also a

reference to the symbolic language of animals in Western Christian art and literature

Medieval bestiaries contained detailed descriptions and illustrations of species native to Western Europe, exotic animals and what in modern times are considered to be imaginary animals Descriptions of the animals included the physical characteristics associated with the creature, although these were often physiologically incorrect, along with the Christian morals that the animal represented The description was then often accompanied by an artistic illustration of the animal as described in the bestiary

II Comments (50 points )

Write what you know about the life and works of Geoffrey Chaucer - The founder of English realism

Geoffrey Chaucer, considered a father of English language and literature, is

perhaps most famous for his work, ‘The Canterbury Tales’…

Geoffrey Chaucer was born around 1343 to John and Agnes de Copton Chaucer who lived in happy financial circumstances, with his father working as a prosperous second generation wine merchant Whilst not much is known about his early life and childhood, by the time he was a young man in 1357 he was pursuing a position to work at the court of Elizabeth, Countess of Ulster and her husband Lionel, Earl of Ulster Chaucer would end up working as a butler, known as a gentleman’s gentleman, providing

domestic help but also contributing towards the entertainment

Early Life and Influences: Whilst working at the court Chaucer impressed his

employers with his great story-telling ability and song composition The works Chaucer performed, such as those by Eustache Deschamps, were often in French and would serve

as inspiration for a young Chaucer’s initial foray into the poetry world

His life in court was interrupted when the Hundred Years’ War began to unfold on the international stage in 1359 Edward III invaded France and Lionel of Antwerp, the 1st Duke of Clarence and Elizabeth’s husband, travelled to France as part of the English army: Chaucer accompanied him A year into the conflict, Chaucer was captured during a siege at the French city of Reims Fortunately for the young Chaucer, Edward III paid a large ransom in order to secure his release As a young man mixing in aristocratic circles,

he subsequently met John of Gaunt, who would later become an influential figure in Chaucer’s own political career, as well as serving to inspire one of his first poems

Chaucer and Gaunt had a connection through marriage, as they had both married the daughters of Sir Paon de Roet, a French Knight Gaunt sought the marriage as a way

of legitimising his sons who had been born out of an affair, whilst for Chaucer it provided the perfect opportunity to be accepted into aristocracy Chaucer’s bride Philippa Roet was lady-in-waiting to the queen’s household They would go on to have several children during their marriage

Other Notable Words: His elegy to Gaunt’s late wife, ‘The Book of the Duchess’

was one of his first major poems, written around 1368, and commemorated the death of Blanche de Lancaster In the poem there are various references to the word “white”, referring to the name Blanche and it ends with the phrase ‘long castel’, a link to the House of Lancaster The poem itself has hints of traditional French poetry although he develops his own style through the relationship between the fictionalised narrator of the poem and the mourner, representative of Gaunt This originality of style he continues to develop in his writing career

Besides his obvious passion and skill for poetry, Chaucer also excelled in the context of politics and the civil service In the decade of the 1370’s he played an

important role in domestic politics In 1374 he began work as a financial controller of custom taxes, a role he held for twelve years

Literary Innovations: The ‘Canterbury Tales’ were notable for the fact that they

were written in Middle English but did include clear indications of inspiration from Italian literature and French poetry style adopted and adapted by Chaucer The tale-tellers

in his stories encompass figures from a broad spectrum of social classes, including

Knights, Pardoners and Summoners The order of the tales is also written in a

controversial pattern which does not correspond with the social rank of the tale-teller, but rather each narrator tries to usurp the previous story-teller with a better and more

entertaining recollection

The context of ‘The Canterbury Tales’ is also important for understanding some of the wider themes and structures During this time, the Catholic Church was experiencing

a Western Schism and became shrouded in controversy Lollardy was an English

religious movement pioneered by John Wycliffe which is actually mentioned in the Tales The stories also include references to paper, which was a very recent invention, allowing the dissemination of literature to become much more widespread

The Tales explore the journey of a group of thirty-one pilgrims, including Chaucer

At the Tabard Inn in Southwark, the host suggests the pilgrim tells two tales in order to better pass their time, the best storyteller upon return would be rewarded with a free meal Each tale therefore includes a protagonist, for example in the Knight’s Tale, Palamon and Arcite and in the Nun’s Priest’s Tale, the rooster Chanticleer The compilation of these tales includes a vast array of vivid characters, portraying different social stratas ranging from carpenters to knights This portrayal makes for lively accounts, enlivened by satiric wit combined with a notion of realism as well as outlandish vulgarity, providing an enlightening social commentary of fourteenth century England

Conclusion: Geoffrey Chaucer was one of the best English poets of all time,

considered a father of English language and literature Before the likes of Shakespeare, Chaucer dominated the literary scene, most famous for his work ‘The Canterbury Tales’ His work is celebrated in theatres today, with his use of language still influencing the modern vernacular He passed away on 25th October 1400 but his literary legacy

continues to live on to this day