【文章內(nèi)容簡(jiǎn)介】 y, it advocated reason or rationality, the scientific method, equality and human beings’ ability to perfect themselves and their society. The movement brought about a revival of interest in the old classical works. It was also the outgrowth of a number of 17th c intellectual attainments and currents: the discoveries of Sir Issac Newton, the rationalism of Descartes and Pierre Bayle, and the empiricism of Francis Bacon and John Locke. Enlightenment philosophers made a critical examination of previously accepted institutions and beliefs from the viewpoint of reason and with a confident faith in natural laws and universal order. They agreed on faith in human rationality and existence of discoverable and universally valid principles governing human beings, nature and society. They opposed intolerance, restraint, spiritual authority, and revealed religion. England Enlighteners: Addison, Steele, Swift, Pope, Edward Gibbon, Hume Adam Smith, Jereny Bentham. American enlighteners: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson. Enlightenment gave philosophical shape to American revolution and two basic documents of the USA: The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution. In the 18th century, the Enlightenment centered in France. (Voltaire, Montesquieu, Diderot, Rousseau) its influence was so powerful that it could be felt in the newborn British colonies in America. People opposed the old colonial order (fail to give freedom) and religious obscurantism(fail to provide education), and favored the education and freedom of thoughts. American enlightenment first severely attacked the puritan traditions which opposed pleasure and arts, enforced the uniform and rigid somber, ascetic life, and persecuted those who held different ideas. They longed to seek pleasure through one’s hard work. So at that time, books on enlightenment were widely read. The demand for education and reading greatly rose. The colonial men of letters must work hard to meet the requirement. Almost all the great writers at that time were influenced or inspired by the enlightenment campaign. Their works sparkled with its spirits. The representative was Benjamin Franklin.4. Neoclassicism: a type of classicism which draws its name form its finding in classical literature of ancient Greek and Roman writers and in contemporary French neoclassical writings the models for its literary expressions and a group of attitudes toward life and art. It dominated English literature in the restoration age and in the 18th century. Neoclassic ideals had concrete effects on literature. The neoclassicists believed that the artistic ideals should be order, logic, restrained emotion and accuracy. They followed some fixed laws and rules. Poetry should by lyrical, epical, didactic, satiric or dramatic. Prose should be precise, direct, smooth and flexible. Drama should be written in heroic couplet。 the three unities of time, space and action should be strictly observed.5. Deism: deistic beliefs, a religion. Its followers believe in God who rules the world by established laws but not in the divinity of Christ or the inspiration of the Bible. It is a “Natural” religion, based on reason and a study of nature opposed to “revealed” religion. It developed a rationalistic ideology that more and more tended to rely on reason instead of revelation in the consideration of the relation of human beings to God and the universe. When rationalism was applied to theology, it led to the appearance of Deism. Deist held that first only one God was worth worshipping, secondly man could keep making progress by making use of his own moral sense and of his own intelligence and wisdom, thirdly man should love truth and do good。 fourthly education and science was an important means to create man’s happiness。 fifthly the freedom of citizen’s speech, action, and faith embodied man’s basic benefits。 and lastly to serve God best was to do good for the mankind.6. Poetry is an art of transforming an intensely personal moment /experience /emotion (subjective, inward) into an impersonal and municable image (objective, outward) through language, with a certain form and context, linelength, rhymescheme, regular meter.A poem is a verbal device that would preserve an experience indefinitely by reproducing it in whoever read the poem. (Philip Larkin)詩(shī)歌強(qiáng)調(diào)擬物寄情，把凝結(jié)在大眾可普遍接受的客觀世界的物上，找到一種內(nèi)情和外露，個(gè)人體驗(yàn)與大眾審美都能兼顧，相結(jié)合的一種途徑、方法。Concentration and intensity are two of the qualities that distinguish the poetic treatment of a subject from its treatment on prose.Poetry is characterized by the following elements: a musical effect created by rhythm and sounds, a precise and fresh imagery, and multiple levels of interpretation suggested by the connotation of the closer words and allusions. (the ultimate aim of a poet, is to integrate all of these elements in order to produce a verbal statement in which everything form overall shape to individual wordchoice is organically related in the most precise way possible.)Imagery is the use of descriptive language to recreate sensory experiences. An image is a verbal picture of an object, action, abstract idea, or sensation. It is often created by using figures of speech. There are ways making an idea or picture e closer into focus by relating the idea or experience to another that may be more familiar to the reader.Tone is inferred by the reader through the word choice, the connotation of those words, the verse form, the rhyme, the figurative language and the allusions.7. Romanticism had appeared in England in the last years of the eighteenth century. It spread to continental Europe and then came to America early in the nineteenth century. It came into being as a reaction against the prevailing neoclassical spirit and rationalism during the Age of Reason. Romanticism opposed neoclassicism which underlined formality, order, and authority, (rebellious in spirit)and stressed imagination and passion and individuality. It was pluralistic。