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William Cullen Bryant

李乾中2011138101

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William Cullen Bryant

BiographyContributi

onMasterwo

rksTheme Style

Outline

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Biography

Born on November 3, 1794 Bryant developed an interest in p

oetry early in life Entered William college in Massa

chusetts Wrote Thanatopsis published in

North America Review He studied law in Worthington In 1825, became a lawyer In 1827, he became editor with th

e New York Evening Post In 1829, he became the editor-in-

chief Died on June 12, 1878 , New York

City

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Contribution

Brought the romantic movement into American literature with his poem Thanatopsis

He also holds an important place in literature as the earliest American theorist of poetry

Translated the Iliad (( 伊利亚特 )1870) and the Odyssey （奥德赛） (1871-1872)

Majesty of nature in a style that was influenced by the English romantics

A devout supporter of Lincoln. Fight for political and social reforms, aspired as abolition of slavery

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WHO???

A lawyer An excellent editor for 50 years The first American romantic poet the first American lyric poet of

distinction One of American earliest naturali

st poets He was the first American to ga

in the stature of a major poet. As Irving had shown that Amer

ican prose had come of age, so Bryant demonstrated to European readers that American poetry was ready to demand serious attention.

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Who???

A translator : translating the Iliad ( 伊利亚特) and th

e Odyssey ( 奥德赛) into English blank verse As a editor, Bryant supported the cause of journalism

as free speech, free trade As a supporter of Lincoln, he advocated to abolish sla

very. As a writer, Bryant was an early advocate of

American literary nationalism, and his own poetry focused on nature as a metaphor for truth,which established a central pattern in the American literary tradition

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Masterworks

The Embargo 禁运 (1808) a satirical poem in reaction against Jefferson’s trade restriction (13 years old)

Thanatopsis (Greek, meaning “ view of death) 死亡随想曲 (1817),which brought him the first success. (16 years old)

Poems (1821), the first collection consisting of 8 famous poems, such as To a Waterfowl, Thanatopsis, The Yellow Violet

Thereafter, he established his position in the history of American literature.

He published six volumes (1832-1864) The Fountain (1842) 温泉 The White-footed Deer (1844) 白蹄鹿 The Flood of Years (1878) 似水流年 A Forest Hymn (1860) 森林吟唱

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Masterworks

To a Waterfowl is perhaps the peak of his work. Matthew Arnold, the eminent English critic and poet, called it "most perfect brief poem in the language."

Thanatopsis --his best-known poem, was in large part

written in 1811 when he was only 16 years old. Richa

rd Henry Dana, remarked on seeing the manuscript t

hat no one on America was capable of writing such v

erses.

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His Writing’s Theme

1. The beauty and harmony of nature as a source of solace, joy, and escape nature as a metaphor for truth. He writes about the writes about the beauty beauty of brooks, trees and flowersof brooks, trees and flowers

2. The dignity of humanity 3.The sacredness of human freedom 4.The power and beneficence of God

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Style

First, conventional in subject and style

Later, transition towards romanticism

His poetry has been described as being "of a thoughtful,

meditative character, and makes but slight appeal to the mass

of readers”

Bryant is acknowledged as skillful at depicting American scen

ery but his natural details are often combined with a universal

moral, such as God guides human being through depicting the

waterfowl.

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