4. English Literature of the Revolution and Restoration Period (17th century)
1）History background：
● English Revolution (1649)
● The establishment of a Commonwealth
● The monarchy was restored (1660)
● Glorious Revolution(1688)
2) Main literature: poetry, comedy, prose
3) Main writers and their works:
⏹ John Milton 弥尔顿Paradise Lostmonarchy《失乐园》 Samson Agonistes 《力士参孙》
⏹ John Bunyan班扬  The Pilgrim’s Progress《天路历程》
⏹ John Dryden 德莱顿  Alexander’s Feast《亚历山大的宴会》  The Indian Queen《印第安王后》
⏹ John Donne 多恩 The Elegies and Satires《挽歌与讽刺》
教学目的：
1．了解清教思想对英国文学的影响；
2．掌握革命时期及复辟时期英国文学的总体特征及代表作家与作品。
教学重点：
1．英国革命及“清教运动”，清教主义思想对文学的影响；
2．玄学派诗歌的总体特征，约翰•多恩及诗作《跳蚤》分析；
3．弥尔顿的诗歌特征；
4．班扬作品的特征，《天路历程》的寓言特点；
5．复辟时期文学的总体特征及约翰•屈尔顿的贡献。
教学难点：   
1．奇喻修辞的特点，《跳蚤》中奇喻的运用；
2．《失乐园》中的圣经典故，作品如何体现时代精神；
3．革命时期的文学与文艺复兴文学的区别。
教学方法：教师讲授、学生报告及课堂讨论相结合
讲授内容：
English Literature in the Seventeenth Century
Ⅰ. Social Background
The 17th century was one of the most tempestuous periods in English history. Conflicts and clashes appeared between the King and the Parliament, which represented the bourgeois
class.
In 1642, a civil war (English revolution) broke out between Charles I and the parliament. At last, the royalists were defeated by the parliament army led by Oliver Cromwell. In 1649 Charles was beheaded, and England was declared to be a commonwealth.
After the death of Cromwell, the parliament recalled CharlesⅡto England in 1660 and monarchy was restored, then followed the Restoration Period.
In 1688, the bourgeoisie invite William, prince of Orange; form Holland to be king of England. This is called the “Glorious Revolution”. This bloodless event completed the bourgeoisie revolution and modern England was firmly established.
Ⅱ. The English Revolution and Puritanism
The English revolution was carried out under a religious cloak. So, English revolution also called the Puritan revolution. The Puritan Movement aimed to make man honest and to make man free.
Puritanism was the religious doctrine of the revolutionary bourgeoisie during this period. It preached thrift, sobriety, hard work, but with very little extravagant enjoyment of the fruits of labor. Worldly pleasures were condemned as harmful. So in the triumph of Puritanism under Cromwell, severe laws were passed, many simple pleasures were forbidden and an austere standard of living was forced upon an unwilling people. The London theaters were closed in 1642.
The whole spirit of the movement: fighting for liberty and justice，overthrowing despotism and making men’s life and property safe from the tyranny of rulers.
Ⅲ.Literature of the 17th century
  English literature of the revolution and restoration was very much concerned with the tremendous social upheavals of the time.
1. Literature of the Revolution Period
A. general characteristics
1) The Revolution Period was one of confusion in literature due to the breaking up of the old ideals. The Puritans believed in simplicity of life. They disapproved of the sonnets and the love poetry written in the previous period. Literature was as divide din spirit as were the struggling parties.
2) Literature in the Puritan Age expressed age and sadness. Even its brightest hours were followed by gloom and pessimism.
3) Romantic ardor can not be found in literature of the Puritan period.
4) John Milton, whose work would glorify any age and people, and in his work the indomitable revolutionary spirit found its noblest expression. For this reason, this period is also called Age of Milton．
5)The main literary form of the period was poetry．Besides Milton, there were two other groups of poets, the Metaphysical Poets and the Cavalier Poets.
B. Metaphysical Poets
The Metaphysical Poets appeared in England at about the beginning of the 17th century. They sought to shatter myths and replace them with new philosophies, new sciences, new world and new poetry. With a rebellious spirit, they favored in poetry a more colloquial language, a single-minded working of one theme. Besides, they tended to logically reason the things, esp. emotions, psychologically analyze the emotions of love and religion, love the novelty and the shocking, use the metaphysical conceits, and ignore the conventional devices. The works of these poets are characterized by mysticism in content and fantasticality in form.