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Супрун Л. А.
С 89 История английской и американской литературы. Краткий обзор: Учебное пособие по зарубежной литературе для школ с углубленным изучением английского языка. — Донецк: Центр подготовки абитуриентов, 1999 —128 с.
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Учебное пособие представляет собой материал по истории английской и американской литературы. В книге дается краткое описание исторических предпосылок возникновения литературы на Британских островах и в Америке, рассматривается жизнь и творчество самых ярких представителей литературных кругов Великобритании и США в хронологической последовательности. Пособие содержит краткий словарь литературоведческих терминов и изобразительно-выразительных средств языка с упражнениями.
Книга предназначена для использования в качестве учебного пособия по курсу "Литература Англии и США" для школ с углубленным изучением английского языка, а также будет полезной для учителей, учащихся, абитуриентов, студентов вузов и всех, кто изучает английский язык.
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Людмила Олександрівна Супрун [2]
ІСТОРІЯ АНГЛІЙСЬКОЇ ТА АМЕРИКАНСЬКОЇ ЛІТЕРАТУРИ: КОРОТКИЙ ОГЛЯД
Навчальний пособник із зарубіжної ліеератури для шкіл з поглибленим вивченням англійської мови. Англійською мовою.
Редактор Коган О. С. Художній редактор Бондаренко Д. Л. Комп'ютерна верстка Р. В. Тростянецького
Підписано до друку 11.01.99 Формат 84х1081/зг Ум. друк. арк. 6,72. Обл. вид. арк. 7,8 Тираж 1000 прим.
Видавництво "Центр Підготовки абітуріентів" 340086, Донецьк, вул. Артема, 46
ISВМ 966-7177-29-7 © Центр подготовки абитуриентов, 1999 ©Супрун Л. А., 1999 © Бондаренко Д. Л, 1999 [2]
CONTENTS
OT ABTOPA.
10th FORM ENGLISH LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION....................................................................7
LITERATURE OF THE MIDDLE AGES.................................9
GEOFFREY CHAUCER............................................11
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE........................................14
DANIEL DEFOE.......................................................17
JONATHAN SWIFT...................................................19
SAMUEL RICHARDSON..........................................21
TOBIAS SMOLLETT..................................................23
RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN...........................25
ROBERT BURNS.......................................................27
WALTER SCOTT.......................................................30
GEORGE GORDON BYRON....................................33
CHARI.ES DICKENS.................................................36
GEORGE BERNARD SHAW.....................................38
JEROME K.JEROME...............................................41
ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE........................................43
HERBERT GEORGE WELLS...................................45
JOHN GALSWORTHY..............................................48
WILLIAM SOMERSET MAUGHAM.........................50
JAMES ALDRIDGE...................................................53 [3]
11 '" FORM AMERICAN LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION..................................................................56
THE BEGINNING OF LITERATURE IN AMERICA............57
WASHINGTON IRVING............................................60
JAMES FENIMOR COOPER...................................62
EDGAR ALLAN POE................................................64
HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW..................66
HARRIET BEECHER STOWE..................................68
HERMAN MELVILLE................................................70
WALT WHITMAN......................................................72
AMERICAN LITERATURE OF THE END
OF THE XIX C. - THE BEGINNING OF THE XX C..........75
CARL SANDBURG....................................................77
JOHN REED..............................................................79
MARK TWAIN............................................................81
O.HENRY...................................................................84
THEODORE DREISER..............................................86
JACK LONDON........................................................88
ERNEST HEMINGWAY.............................................91
LANGSTON HUGHES..............................................94
JOHN STEINBECK...................................................97
ROBERT PENN WARREN........................................99
JEROME DAVID SALINGER.................................101
LITERATURE VOCABULARY...........................................104
FIGURATIVE AND DESCRIPTIVE
LANGUAGE MEANS.........................................................112
РЕКОМЕНДОВАННЫЕ ПРОИЗВЕДЕНИЯ ДЛЯ ЧТЕНИЯ В 10 ―11 КЛАССАХ...............................127
СПИСОК ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ..................................................128 [4]
ОТ АВТОРА
Литература занимает особое место среди предметов гуманитарного цикла. Она помогает человеку правильно ориентироваться в сложном процессе самопознания, оказывает непосредственное влияние на его духовный мир и рост.
Курс английской и американской литературы в школах с углубленным изучением английского языка рассчитан на 34 часа английской литературы в 10 классе и 34 часа американской литературы в 11 классе. Из них: 22 часа - овладение базовым объемом литературных знаний; 8 часов - практические занятия по развитию навыков чтения и анализа художественной литературы в оригинале, творческие работы учащихся; 4 часа - зачетные.
Цель курса - дать ученикам как можно большее представление о том, как исторически складывалась литература, какие жанры формировались в разные исторические периоды и как они влияли на формирование морали и культуры.
Два года по одному часу в неделю - слишком маленький срок, чтобы дать учащимся полный академический курс литературы. Учитывая этот факт, я выбрала самых ярких представителей каждой литературной эпохи Великобритании и США для знакомства с их творчеством, произведениями, анализа и оценки литературного стиля, самостоятельной работы с произведениями, для развития навыков творческого письма, сравнительного анализа литератур, русских и украинских переводов. Такой подход поможет ученикам познакомиться с литературой этих двух стран и заложит основу будущего самостоятельного чтения. [5]
ENGLISH LITERATURE
10 TH FORM [6]
Lecture 1
INTRODUCTION
To understand specific features of English literature we have to make a short excursion into English history.
As far as history can be traced the first people found on British Isles were Picts and Scots. They lived the life of primitive communal system. Scotland was populated by the Picts, and the Scots were inhabitants of Ireland.
Most of the territory of Britain was covered with difficult forests and bushes and the land wasn't yet cultivated. The Picts and the Scots used the tools which they made first of wood and later on of stone. Their main occupations were hunting, fishing and picking berries.
In the 6-7 centuries BC Britain was populated by the Britons. There are various tribes belonging to the same stock as inhabitants of France, Spain and the Rhine valley. We are accustomed to think of England as an inviolate island, but the truth is that before Normans it was invaded many times. The earliest invasions were made by Belgae which inhabited north-eastern France and Belgium.
From the first century AD until the beginning of the fifth century AD Britain was a Rome province. The province of Britain soon showed the effects of Roman occupation, effects which are by no means obliterated to this day: roads were made, bridges built, towns planted, schools were established and finally the Christianity was introduced. The numerous towns which still have "Chester" in their names (Manchester, Colchester, etc.) recall the Roman occupation.
Irish literature is considered one of the most ancient in Europe. In the sixth century the writing appeared. Irish heroic epos appeared in the seventh century, but it was written down in the eighth century. The monuments to this epos are sagas. There were bards in old times, singers who explained legends. Bards were tellers of sagas. The most ancient is the world's cycle of sagas, the main hero of them was Kukhulin. [7] He has different superman merits. Irish sagas include a lot of features from the everyday life, women's fighting, collecting of cut-off enemies' tongues, ears and so on.
The bard Ossian sang and told about old times. Everybody was charmed by Ossian's songs, published by MacFerson. Napoleon, Pushkin, Byron and the others liked them very much. Then it turned out that there were no those songs, it was artificial imitation, but it was included in Irish sagas. Some time later the novels about the Knights of the round table appeared, where we can find the influence of the Irish sagas, too.
Check yourself
1. Who were the first people found on British isles?
2. What life did they live?
3. What main occupations did the Picts and the Scots have?
4. What were the Britons and when did they live in Britain?
5. When was Britain a Rome province?
6. What were the effects of Roman occupation?
7. What is the most ancient literature in Europe?
8. When did Irish heroic epos appear?
9. What are bards and sagas?
10. What can you say about Ossian's songs? [8]
Lecture 2
LITERATURE OF THE MIDDLE AGES
The enormous period of time from the fall of the Rome Empire (V century AD) till the beginning of the bourgeois revolution of the XVIII century is called the Middle Ages.
In the history of literature and art of West Europe they distinguish actually Middle Ages period (V-XV centuries) - the beginning, the development and the blossoming forth of feudalism and its culture and the Age of the Renaissance connected with forming of bourgeois relations, development of towns and cities and creation of new culture.
The Ninth Century with its break-up of tribal structure and an advance to feudalism, in all its course was the century of Alfred the Great. He made great military achievements, he built a fleet of ships which were longer, higher, steadier and faster than Danish ships. He made a lot in the field of education. It was his ambition that all the freeborn youth of England be set to learning until they can well read English writing. At the age of 40 he learned to read Latin in order to translate into his own tongue "some books, which are most needful for all men to know ". Alfred also inspired the collecting and systematic arrangement of the earlier annals and traditions of the English race now known as the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.
Mistakes and mistranslation were inevitable but Alfred's literature labours made available to English readers a library on standard works on religion, English history, geography and philosophy.
In 1066 England was conquered by the Normans. All land was now held in feudal service; the services and duties became more regular and definite. For 2 centuries after the Norman conquest, England was ruled by foreign kings. Under their government the Anglo-Saxon and Norman elements gradually welded together.
After the conquest of Normans French became the language of the upper classes and of the government. French was used in Parliament, in [9] law-courts, in all official writings. English was locked down upon as a rude and barbarous tongue and was only heard on the lips of serfs and yeomen or on those who were still proud of the fact that they were native born.
In the XIV century English came into its own again. In 1362 it was ordained that all pleadings in law-courts should be in English, and Parliament was first opened with an English speech. By the end of the century Chaucer had fixed English as the literary language of the country by writing his “Canterbury Tales” in his own tongue.
“The Song of Beowulf” is the only famous example of Anglo-Saxon heroic epos. The Song is based on ancient German legends arisen probably in the Pagan times. The “Song of Beowulf” came down to us in manuscripts in the beginning of the X century.
Beowulf is the main hero of the song, brave, big-hearted, always ready to help people. He fights against the monster, ruled the tribe for 50 years and at last killed the dragon. But the dragon managed to bite him and Beowulf died ordering to divide all treasures extracted from the dragon's cave between the people of the tribe.
The characteristic feature of the song is the topic of treasures and money followed by unhappiness and enmity. The song is full of metaphors, alliterations, allegories, but there is no rhyme.
Answer the following questions
1. What period is called the Middle Ages?
2. What is the Ninth Century famous for?
3. Why was Alfred the Great so popular?
4. What happened in 1066?
5. How long was England ruled by foreign kings?
6. What language did the upper classes speak?
7. When did England come into its own again?
8. Who fixed English as a literary language of the country?
9. What is the example of Anglo-Saxon heroic epos?
10. What was the main hero of the song? [10]
Lecture 3
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
1340-1400
Modern poetry begins with Geoffrey Chaucer, a diplomat, a soldier, a scholar. He was a bourgeois who understood the court and had a keen eye for the ordinary man, and he was a reader who had studied most of literature available at his time. Chaucer was the first who broke away from medieval forms and cleared the way for realism.
Geoffrey Chaucer was born in 1340 in London, soon after the Hundred Years' War broke out. His father was a London wine merchant. His parents were far from wealthy and he received education his parents were able to give him in that town. Many people think he must have been educated at Oxford or Cambridge because he was a poet, but nothing is known about that.
His father who had connections with the court hoped for a courtier's career for his son, and at 17 Geoffrey was a page to a lady at the court of Edward III. He was a favourite with the royal family.
At 20, Chaucer was in France serving as an esquire (arms-bearer to a knight) and was then taken prisoner by the French. All his friends helped to ransom him (to be ransomed means to be sat at liberty as soon as money is paid for the prisoner). Even Edward III contributed 16 pounds towards his ransom.
On his return to England, Chaucer passed into attendance on John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the fourth son of the king. At court he met travellers and men of law who came to England from other countries, and the realities of life had taught him more about the world than did all the absurdities of the Middle Ages when the printing of books had not yet been invented. [11]
Chaucer met a young lady at court named Philippa. They were married in i 366. Chaucer wrote his first poems at this time but he never wrote a single line of poetry to his young wife. The marriage was probably not a romantic one.
THREE PERIODS IN CHAUCER'S WRITING
The French period: Chaucer's earliest poems were written in imitation of the French romances. Chaucer spoke French well and was fond of French poetry. It had taught him rhyme and rhythm. He liked the metric principle of French verse. He translated from French a famous allegorical poem of the 13th century, "The Romance of the Rose".
The Italian period: The second period of Chaucer's writings was that of the Italian influence. To this period belong the following poems: "The House of Fame", "The Parliament of Birds", and "The Legend of Wood Women". Chaucer was well read in the old Roman authors. Italian literature taught him the meaning of national literature. Chaucer is so justly called the last writer of the Middle ages and the first of the Renaissance.
The English period: the third period of Chaucer's creative work begins from the year 1384 when he left behind the Italian influence and became entirely English. It was at this time that he wrote his masterpiece, the "Canterbury Tales".
The "Canterbury Tales" are a series of stories written in verse. The framework which serves to connect them is a pilgrimage to Canterbury. The pilgrims agree to tell stories to shorten a tiresome for-days' trip. The distance from London to Canterbury is 60 miles, but in those days there was no straight road to go by.
Pilgrimages of every kind were extremely common in Chaucer's time. Such journeys were no doubt very valuable as a means to break up the monotony of life in days when there were no newspapers and no printed books nor any theatres. Many people looked forward to them as to pleasant holiday excursions. As you know, spring is the best season of the year in the British Isles, And no wonder April and May were the months for these pilgrimages. [12]
The most famous English pilgrimage was to Canterbury. Second to Canterbury was the town of Chester where people could see Bible stories performed in the churches. Pilgrimage towns were crowded with inns and churches. Bells were constantly ringing. Some churches had relics and people believed these had the miraculous power to cure diseases which physicians could not cure. Other people were attracted by the beautiful monuments.
Chaucer may have had the idea of a collection of stories from Boccaccio's "Decameron", but he borrowed little more than the initial idea. He keeps the whole poem alive by interspersing the tales themselves with the talk, the quarrels and the opinions of the pilgrims.
The "Canterbury Tales" sum up all types of stories that existed in the Middle Ages; some of these stories were known only in Norman-French before Chaucer. He also used the writings of his near contemporaries as well as the works of the writers of ancient times and distant lands.
Check yourself
1. When and where was Seof f rey Chaucer born?
2. Did he get his education in Oxford or Cambridge?
3. Where did he serve at 17-20?
4. What is to be ransomed?
5. When did Chaucer write his first poem?
6. What are the three periods in Chaucer's writing?
7. What are the "Canterbury Tales"?
8. What is Canterbury famous for?
9. Why were pilgrimages of every kind extremely common in Chaucer's time?
10. What did the 'Canterbury Tales" sum up? [13]
Lecture 4
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
1564-1616
The greatest of all English authors, William Shakespeare belongs to those rare genii of mankind who have become landmarks in the history of culture. Thus, it was Shakespeare who embodied in the immortal images of his plays all the greatest ideas of the Renaissance and in the first place the ideas of humanism, which means love for mankind blent with active struggle for its happiness and with passionate intolerance towards injustice, human falsehood and perversity.
William Shakespear was born on the 23nd of April, 1564, in Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire. His father, John Shakespeare, was a well to-do merchant.
Very few authentic facts of Shakespeare's life have been preserved; nevertheless there are many records left in the works of his contemporaries that help us to restore his image. Of great value are the traditions that were current among the old residents of Stratford and London who knew William Shakespeare personally.
Although there is no record of Shakespeare's education, Stratford is known to have possessed an excellent grammar school, taught by university graduates, and there is no reason to doubt that Shakespeare attended it.
For more than 25 years Shakespeare had been associated with the best theatres of England. In 1599 the famous "Globe" theatre was established in which Shakespeare was one of the principal shareholders. The theatre received the name from its sign - an effigy of Hercules who supported a globe bearing ihe motto of "All the world acts on a stage". [14]
During the twenty two years of his literary work Shakespeare produced 37 plays, two narrative and 154 sonnets. His earliest work was in the plays of English history. He wrote, possibly with collaboration three plays on the reign of Henry VI. They were the beginning of his epical treatment of English history. In the earliest historical plays Shakespeare shows dependence on contemporary models: they have much of the older chronicle plays, though with an added firmness in characterisation. Later on he has liberated himself from any contemporary example, and evolved a drama, which while presenting history, allows for comic scenes.
In "Much Ado About Nothing", "As You Like It" and "Twelfth Night" he brought to the romantic stories not only a settle stage-craft, but excellent and well-advised characters. All that the romantic comedy could yield is gathered into the beauty of "Twelfth Night".
The great period of Shakespeare's tragedy is to be found in the plays which begins with "Hamlet" and include "Othello", "Mackbeth", "King Lear", "Antony and Kleopatra" and "Coriolanus". These were all composed in the first six years of the seventeenth century. It would, however, be false to consider Shakespeare's achievement in tragedy as far as these two great plays are concerned. Already in the English history plays he found a form of tragedy in “Richard II” and "Richard III". Tragedy, then, belongs to all periods of his work but the last one. At the same time, in the period of the great tragedies, his vision seems deeper, and his power in verse, and in dramatic genius. The great tragedies share some characteristics. Each portrays some noble figure, caught in a difficult situation when some weakness, or bias of his nature is exposed. Upon his action depends not only his own fate, but that of the entire nation. While attention is concentrated on this central action, Shakespeare portrays the whole world in which his hero moves. Each of the plays is made so that it can appeal to different audiences at different levels of intelligence. "Hamlet" is the story of murder, suicide, madness to those who call for melodrama, but for the others it is a more subtle analysis of character and a play in which verse is used with great subtlety. Like a character in life itself, Hamlet may not be capable of full interpretation, though it is clear through him Shakespeare investigated the whole problem of action and reflective mind. [15] "The Tempest" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" are of miraculous quality, for they seem to be compact of originality. The characters are half-allegorical, the theme is full of suggestions, the action is a unity and all made beautiful.
In his works Shakespeare was always keenly alive to the events of contemporary life; this together with his consummate craftsmanship made his plays extremely popular.
Shakespeare's activities as a dramatist, poet, actor lasted till the year 1612 when he retired from the stage and returned to Stratford. Two of Shakespeare's fellow-actors made him immortal by gathering his plays together and publishing them in 1623, seven years after his death.
Answer the following questions
1. When and where was W. Shakespeare born?
2. What is known about his education?
3. When was the theatre "Globe" established and what was its motto?
4. How many literary works didShakespeare write?
5. What were his first plays about?
6. What are Shakespeare's romantic comedies?
7. When were tragedies written?
8. Did Shakespeare write only about history of his country or about his contemporary life too?
9. How long did Shakespeare's activities as a writer and an actor last?
10. Who made Shakespeare immortal? [16]
Lecture 5
DANIEL DEFOE
1660-1731
Daniel Foe was born in 1660. It was not till he was 35 years old that he assumed the more high-sounding name Defoe. He was the son of a London butcher. Many of his activities were of a sort which demanded concealment and this concealment modern scholarship has been able only partially to penetrate. As a boy he was sent for four or five years to a non-conformist (conformist is one, who conforms the Church of England) school at Newington Green to prepare for the Presbyterian ministry. Though he never became a minister, he is in all his books an indefatigable preacher. Throughout his life he had the knack of picking up information on a wide variety of subjects - history, economics, geography, demonology. At some time in his earlier manhood he lived for a while in Spain, also he travelled to France, Italy and Bavaria. In 1684 we find him established as a London merchant in the hosiery trade. His business was on a large scale, in 1692 he owed the very considerable sum of 17 000 pounds. These debts and the fear of a debtor's prison hung like a millstone around his neck for many years.
He had published a satire in verse in 1691, but his first publication of any importance was "An Essay Upon Projects" in 1697. In 1701 appeared the "True-Born Englishman", a vigorous satire in verse, the purport of which is that the English, as a mixed race, should not object to the foreign birth of King William III.
It was not until Defoe was nearly sixty that he discovered the literary vein of realistically written romance that was to assure the permanence of his fame. In 1719 appeared "The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe"; in 1720 "The Life, Adventures and Piracies of the Famous Captain Singleton", in 1724 "Roxana" and so on. [17] The journalist found his true vocation as the teller of stories which are of the nature of a heightened journalism. And whatever the theme the middle class author provided his audience of middle- class readers with moralizing comment which put the book into the category of improving reading.
Defoe was not the man to be satisfied with fictitious people and events, even if they could be made to point a moral. He had been in the thick ofpublic affairs too long to give up his chosen part as a debater of sharp social issues and an interpreter of the contemporary social scene.
One of the great virtues of Defoe's writing is the quality of his English prose - vigorous, homely, racy- with no affection of fine writing. The homely racy style is particularly appropriate when put into the mouth of such middle-class of lower-class personages as Robinson Crusoe and Moll Ftanders (1722 - "The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders").
Check yourself
1. Where and when was D. Foe born?
2. When and why did he get his new name?
3. Why was he sent to a non-conformist school?
4. What kind of knack did he have?
5. Where did he travel in his earlier manhood?
6. When did he work asa London merchant?
7. Why was Defoe afraid of debtor's prison?
8. When was his first important publication?
9. What was the purport of the "True-Born Englishman"?
10. When did Defoe's famous works appear?
11. What is one of the greatest virtues of Defoe's writing? [18]
Lecture 6
Jonathan Swift
1667-1745
Jonathan Swift wrote without regard to any man, in his works he represented the version of life as he saw it. Swift has often been presented as a diseased misanthrope, who saw his fellow-men as a Yahoos of the fourth book of Gulliver. Swift's works, his diaries show that his fellow-men liked him and that he, in return, could bring out a genuine affection. Many of Swift's pamphlets show his genuine understanding of people's needs, joys and sorrows.
Swift's life was mixture of galling disappointments and hollow triumphs. He was born in 1667 in Ireland, though of English ancestry, and was educated, with the financial help of arich uncle, at Trinity College, Dublin. At the age of 22 he entered the household of a statesman and author near London, to whom he became private secretary, where with several breaks he continued for 10 years till Sir William's death.
In 1704 he published anonymously "A Tale of a Tub", a very vigorous and brilliant and often coarse satire on the divisions of the Christian Church. This satire, which goes far beyond its immediate subject and includes a scathing analysis of many aspects of humanlife, is in some way the most masterly expression of Swift's great powers. In the same volume was published “The Battle of the Books”, a brilliant satire on literary controversy. Both works had been written several years before their publication. In 1708 was published the "Argument against Abolishing Christianity", a masterpiece of comic irony, when his enormous powers of intellect had a chance to make themselves left. It was essential to the Government that it should win and hold public opinion. Swift's pen became its chief support. [19] Cabinet of Ministers sought not only his aid as
19pamphletter, but his shrewd advice. He was actually the most powerful man in England.
Swift had struggled through poverty and bad health!o gain power. For his services to the government he expected to be rewarded by appointment to a bishopric; but it is said that Queen Anne thought that the author of "A Tale of a Tub" was not a fit man to be a bishop. Instead he wasgiventhedeanshipofSt. Patrick's, Dublin in 1713. After Queen Anne's death in 1714 he went to Dublin and lived there the rest of his life, with only occasional visits to England.
He identified himself with the interests of Ireland. In 'The Drapier's Letters" (1724) he vigorously espoused the cause of Ireland against English injustice and oppression. He became the most popular figure in Dublin and in all Ireland.
'"Gulliver's travels", his most famous work, appeared in 1726.
Swift is one of the world's greatest satirist, he is also one of the greatest masters of English prose. A prose that examplifies his own definition of style: "proper words in proper places". He is always clear, always vigorous, but never ornate. Swift wrote also a very considerable body of verse, thoroughly competent verse, fluent and entertaining; its tone is familiar, conversational and humorous.
Answer the questions
1. When and where was J. Swift born?
2. How did he get his education?
3. Where did he serve as a private secretary?
4. What was his first publication about?
5. Why did J. Swift become the most powerful man in England?
6. What did Swift's pamphlets show?
7. What did he expect for his services to the government?
8. When did Swift go to Dublin?
9. What did he identify himself with?
10. When did Swift's most famous work appear?
11. What kind of prose did he have? [20]
Lecture 7
SAMUEL RICHARDSON
1681-1761
Samuel Richardson was born in Derbyshire, in the family of a joiner. In 1706 he was apprenticed to a stationer. Alter serving his time, Richardson worked for some years as a compositor and corrector of the press at a printing office, and in 1719 took up his freedom and started a printing business in I.ondon, where he lived for the rest of his life. He was employed as a printer to the House of Commons. At the request of two other printers he prepared a little volume of letters, in a common style, of such subjects as might be of use to country readers who are unable to indite for themselves. It appeared in 1741. Out of the treatment of this theme arose Richardson's first novel "Pamela", of whichtwo volumes appeared in 1740 and 1741.
One of the subjects emphasized in this collection was the danger surrounding the position of a young woman - as a family servant.
This was followed by Richardson's second and greatest novel "Clarissa, or the History of a Young Lady", which surpassed the success of Pamela, and won Richardson European fame. It was published in 1747 and 1748.1Ъе story, which comprises the longest Englishnovel, is told by means of 537 letters between Clarissa, the heroine and her "most intimate friend",Miss Howe and by Robert Lovelace and his "principal and confident"' John Belford. The novel, as the title-page shows, was intended as a warning of''the Distresses that may attend Misconduct both of Parents and Children in relation to Marriage", and was thus in some way a complement of Pamela. His Sir Charles Grandison (1753—1754). though it never held so high a position as "Clarissa", was also received withenthusiasm. [21] Sir Charles Grandison. a gentleman of high character and fine appearance, supposed to be the ideal embodiment of masculine character and.sentiment, as Clarissa Harlowe was of feminine. As in Richardson's previous novels, the story is told by means of letters. Judged merely as a writer of stories, Richardson would not standhigh, but as we know, the novel is a story told in a special way and with a special purpose. It is Richardson's "special way" that declares his genius. The writer's strength lay in the knowledge of the human heart, in the delineation of the shades of sentiment, as they shift and change, and the cross-purposes which trouble the mind moves by emotion. Content with his humble servants and his middle-class figures, Richardson evoked the minute incidents of their lives, through which their emotions were realized, with absolute clarity of a master.
Richardson is the father of the novel of sentimental analysis. As Walter Scott has said, no one before had dived so deeply into the human heart. No one, moreover, had brought to the study of feminine character so much prolonged research, so much patience of observation, so much interested and indulgent, apprehension.
His three works had a marked influence on subsequent writers of fiction, both England and abroad.
Check yourself
1. When and where was Samuel Richardson born?
2. Where did he work?
3. When and why did Richardson print his first volume of letters?
4. What was his first novel?
5. What brought Richardson European fame?
6. What kind of novel was "Clarissa"? What was it told by?
7. Who were the main heroes of the story?
8. Where canwe find writer's strength?
9. Why is Richardson called "the father of sentimental analysis"?
10. What did his work influence on? [22]
Lecture 8
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