LECTURE 7
Middle English:
literature
Lei ZHU
Shanghai International
Studies University
ISTORY OF ENGLISH
1 Overview
1375, Bruce 布鲁斯, rhyming
couplets of 8-syllable lines
late 14th cen, The York Plays
约克组剧, rhyme + alliteration
late 13th cen, Cursor Mundi 世界的运行
者, rhyming couplets of 8-syllable lines
early 15th cen, The Boke of
Margery Kempe 肯普之书, prose
late 14th cen, Sir Gawain and the
Green Knight 高文爵士与绿衣骑士,
alliteration + rhyme
12th cen, Ormulum 奥姆之镜,
blank verse
late 12th cen, Layamon’s Brute 布
鲁特, alliteration + some rhyme
13th cen (2nd half), The Bestiary
动物寓言集, a variety of verse
forms
early 13th cen, Ancrene Wisse
(Ancrene Riwle) 修女的教规,
prose
late 14th cen, The Canterbury
Tales 坎特伯雷故事, rhyming
couplets in iambic pentameter
late 14th cen, Piers Plowman 农夫
皮尔斯, alliteration
1190’s, The Owl and the Nightingale
猫头鹰和夜莺, rhyming couplets of 8syllable lines
late 14th cen, Wycliffe’s Bible 威
克利夫圣经, prose
1340, Ayenbite of Inwyt
良心的刺痛, prose
15th cen, Le Morte Darthur 亚瑟
之死, prose
Religious: Bible, homily, sermon,
autobiography, confession,
animal fable, play …
1 Overview
1375, Bruce 布鲁斯, rhyming
couplets of 8-syllable lines
late 14th cen, The York Plays
约克组剧, rhyme + alliteration
late 13th cen, Cursor Mundi 世界的运行
者, rhyming couplets of 8-syllable lines
early 15th cen, The Boke of
Margery Kempe 肯普之书, prose
late 14th cen, Sir Gawain and the
Green Knight 高文爵士与绿衣骑士,
alliteration + rhyme
12th cen, Ormulum 奥姆之镜,
blank verse
late 12th cen, Layamon’s Brute 布
鲁特, alliteration + some rhyme
13th cen (2nd half), The Bestiary
动物寓言集, a variety of verse
forms
early 13th cen, Ancrene Wisse
(Ancrene Riwle) 修女的教规,
prose
late 14th cen, The Canterbury
Tales 坎特伯雷故事, rhyming
couplets in iambic pentameter
late 14th cen, Piers Plowman 农夫
皮尔斯, alliteration
1190’s, The Owl and the Nightingale
猫头鹰和夜莺, rhyming couplets of 8syllable lines
late 14th cen, Wycliffe’s Bible 威
克利夫圣经, prose
1340, Ayenbite of Inwyt
良心的刺痛, prose
15th cen, Le Morte Darthur 亚瑟
之死, prose
Romance: matters of Britain
matters of France
matters of Rome
1 Overview
1375, Bruce 布鲁斯, rhyming
couplets of 8-syllable lines
late 14th cen, The York Plays
约克组剧, rhyme + alliteration
late 13th cen, Cursor Mundi 世界的运行
者, rhyming couplets of 8-syllable lines
early 15th cen, The Boke of
Margery Kempe 肯普之书, prose
late 14th cen, Sir Gawain and the
Green Knight 高文爵士与绿衣骑士,
alliteration + rhyme
12th cen, Ormulum 奥姆之镜,
blank verse
late 12th cen, Layamon’s Brute 布
鲁特, alliteration + some rhyme
13th cen (2nd half), The Bestiary
动物寓言集, a variety of verse
forms
early 13th cen, Ancrene Wisse
(Ancrene Riwle) 修女的教规,
prose
late 14th cen, The Canterbury
Tales 坎特伯雷故事, rhyming
couplets in iambic pentameter
late 14th cen, Piers Plowman 农夫
皮尔斯, alliteration
1190’s, The Owl and the Nightingale
猫头鹰和夜莺, rhyming couplets of 8syllable lines
late 14th cen, Wycliffe’s Bible 威
克利夫圣经, prose
1340, Ayenbite of Inwyt
良心的刺痛, prose
15th cen, Le Morte Darthur 亚瑟
之死, prose
2 Wycliffe’s Bible
• John Wycliffe (c.1320’s-1384)
“The Morning Star of
the Reformation”
• The Lollard Movement
• The first complete
English translation
of the Bible
The beginning of the Gospel of John
Vulgate:
[1] in principio erat Verbum et
Verbum erat apud Deum et
Deus erat Verbum
[2] hoc erat in principio apud
Deum
[3] omnia per ipsum facta
sunt et sine ipso factum est
nihil quod factum est
KJV:
[1] In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God.
[1] In the bigynnyng was
[2] The same was in the
beginning with God.
the word, and the word
[3] All things were made by
him; and without him was not
any thing made that was
made.
was at God, and God was
the word. [2] This was in the bigynnyng at God. [3] Alle thingis
weren maad bi hym, and with-
中文新标准修订版：
1 太初有道，道与神同在，
道就是神。
2
这道太初与神同在。
3 万物是藉着他造的；凡被
造的，没有一样不是藉着他造
的。
Vulgate:
[3] omnia per ipsum facta sunt et sine
ipso factum est nihil quod factum est
[4] in ipso vita erat et vita erat lux
hominum
[5] et lux in tenebris lucet et tenebrae
eam non conprehenderunt
[6] fuit homo missus a Deo cui nomen
erat Iohannes
KJV:
[3] All things were made by him; and
without him was not any thing made
that was made.
[4] In him was life; and the life was the
light of men.
outen hym was maad no thing,
that thing that was maad. [4] In
hym was lijf, and the lijf was
the liʒt of men; [5] and the liʒt schineth in derknessis, and derknes
sis comprehendiden not it.
[6] A man was sent fro God, to
whom the name was Joon. [7] This
[5] And the light shineth in darkness;
and the darkness comprehended it not.
[6] There was a man sent from God,
whose name was John.
中文新标准修订版：
3 万物是藉着他造的；凡被造的，没
有一样不是藉着他造的。
4
生命在他里头，这生命就是人的光。
5
光照在黑暗里，黑暗却不接受光。
6 有一个人，是从神那里差来的，名
叫约翰。
Vulgate:
[7] hic venit in testimonium ut
testimonium perhiberet de lumine ut
omnes crederent per illum
[8] non erat ille lux sed ut testimonium
perhiberet de lumine
[9] erat lux vera quae inluminat omnem
hominem venientem in mundum
KJV:
[7] The same came for a witness, to
bear witness of the Light, that all men
through him might believe.
[8] He was not that Light, but was sent
to bear witness of that Light.
man cam into witnessinge,
that he schulde bere witnessinge
of the liʒt, that alle men schulden bileue bi him. [8] He was not
the liʒt, but that he schulde bere witnessinge of the liʒt.
[9] There was a very liʒt, which
liʒtneth ech man that cometh into (this world.)
[9] That was the true Light, which
lighteth every man that cometh into the
world.
中文新标准修订版：
7 这人来，为要作见证，就是为光作
见证，叫众人因他可以信。
8
他不是那光，而是要为那光作见证。
9 那光是真光，照亮一切生在世上的
人。
3 The Canterbury Tales
• Geoffrey Chaucer
(c.1340-1400)
30 pilgrims x 4 stories = 120 stories planned
24 finished
Tabard Inn
Canterbury
Cathedral
3 The Canterbury Tales
decasyllabic
couplet
decasyllabic
couplet
Knight
武士
Miller
磨坊主
decasyllabic decasyllabic
couplet
couplet
Reeve
管家
Cook
厨师
rhyme royal
Lawyer
律师
decasyllabic
couplet
Sailor
船手
3 The Canterbury Tales
rhyme royal
decasyllabic
couplet
prose
decasyllabic decasyllabic
couplet
couplet
decasyllabic
couplet
Prioress Sir Thopas Melibeus Monk Nun’s Priest Physician
女修道士
托巴斯先生
梅利比
僧士
女尼的教士
医生
3 The Canterbury Tales
decasyllabic
couplet
decasyllabic
couplet
Pardoner Wife of Bath
赦罪僧
巴斯妇人
decasyllabic
couplet
Friar
游乞僧
decasyllabic
couplet
rhyme royal decasyllabic
couplet
Summoner Clerk Merchant
法庭差役
学者
商人
3 The Canterbury Tales
decasyllabic decasyllabic
couplet
couplet
Squire
侍从
Franklin
自由农
rhyme royal
decasyllabic
couplet
decasyllabic
couplet
Second Nun Canon’s Yeoman Mancipal
第二个女尼
寺僧的乡士
伙食经理
prose
Parson
牧师
Prologue
Prologue
Prologue
WHAN that Aprille with his shoures soote
The droghte of Marche hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licour,
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth
Inspired hath in every holt and heeth
The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne
Hath in the Ram his halfe cours y-ronne,
And smale fowles maken melodye,
That slepen al the night with open ye,
(So priketh hem nature in hir corages):
Than longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,
And palmers for to seken straunge strondes,
To ferne halwes, couthe in sondry londes;
And specially, from every shires ende
Of Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende,
The holy blisful martir for to seke,
That hem hath holpen, whan that they were seke.
When April with his sweet showers has
pierced the drought of March to the root,
and bathed every vein in such moisture
as has power to bring forth the flower;
when, also, Zephyrus with his sweet breath
has breathed spirit into the tender new shoots
in every wood and meadow, and the young sun
has run half his course in the sign of the Ram,
and small birds sing melodies and
sleep with their eyes open all the night—
so Nature pricks them in their hearts:
then people long to go on pilgrimages,
and palmers long to seek strange shores
and far-off shrines known in various lands,
and, especially, from the ends of every shire
in England they come to Canterbury,
to seek the holy, blissful martyr
who helped them when they were sick.
decasyllabic couplet 十音节双韵体
Prologue
WHAN that Aprille with his shoures soote
The droghte of Marche hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licour,
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth
Inspired hath in every holt and heeth
The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne
Hath in the Ram his halfe cours y-ronne,
And smale fowles maken melodye,
That slepen al the night with open ye,
(So priketh hem nature in hir corages):
Than longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,
And palmers for to seken straunge strondes,
To ferne halwes, couthe in sondry londes;
And specially, from every shires ende
Of Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende,
The holy blisful martir for to seke,
That hem hath holpen, whan that they were seke.
当四月的甘霖渗透了三月
枯竭的根须，沐濯了丝丝
茎络，触动了生机，使枝
头涌现出花蕾；当和风吹
香，使得山林莽原遍吐着
嫩条新芽，青春的太阳已
转过半边白羊宫座，小鸟
唱起曲调，通宵睁开睡眼，
是自然拨弄着它们的心弦：
这时，人们渴望着朝拜四
方名坛，游僧们也立愿跋
涉异乡。尤其在英格兰地
方，他们从每一州的角落，
向着坎特伯雷出发，去朝
觐他们的救病恩主、福泽
无边的殉难圣徒。
（方重译）
Prologue
WHAN that Aprille with his shoures soote
The droghte of Marche hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licour,
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth
Inspired hath in every holt and heeth
The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne
Hath in the Ram his halfe cours y-ronne,
And smale fowles maken melodye,
That slepen al the night with open ye,
(So priketh hem nature in hir corages):
Than longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,
And palmers for to seken straunge strondes,
To ferne halwes, couthe in sondry londes;
And specially, from every shires ende
Of Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende,
The holy blisful martir for to seke,
That hem hath holpen, whan that they were seke.
夏雨给大地带来了喜悦，
送走了土壤干裂的三月，
沐浴着草木的丝丝经络，
顿时百花盛开，生机勃勃。
西风轻吹留下清香缕缕，
田野复苏吐出芳草绿绿;
碧蓝的天空腾起一轮红日，
青春的太阳洒下万道金辉。
小鸟的歌喉多么清脆优美，
迷人的夏夜怎好安然入睡——
美丽的自然撩拨万物的心弦，
多情的鸟儿歌唱爱情的欣欢。
香客盼望膜拜圣徒的灵台，
僧侣立愿云游陌生的滨海。
信徒来自全国东西南北，
众人结伴奔向坎特伯雷，
去朝谢医病救世的恩主，
以缅怀大恩大德的圣徒。
（范守义译）
The Clerk’s Tale
Heere bigynneth the tale of the Clerk of
Oxenford.
Ther is, at the west syde of Ytaille,
Doun at the roote of Vesulus the colde,
A lusty playne, habundant of vitaille,
Where many a tour and toun thou
mayst biholde
That founded were in tyme of fadres
olde,
And many another delitable sighte,
And Saluces this noble contree highte.
A markys whilom lord was of that lond,
As were hise worthy eldres hym bifore,
And obeisant and redy to his hond
Were alle hise liges, bothe lasse and
moore.
Thus in delit he lyveth, and hath doon
yoore,
Biloved and drad thurgh favour of
Fortune,
Bothe of hise lordes and of his
commune.
Therwith he was, to speke as of lynage,
The gentilleste yborn of Lumbardye;
A fair persone, and strong, and yong of
age,
And ful of honour and of curteisye,
Discreet ynogh his contree for to gye,
Save that in somme thynges that he
was to blame,
And Walter was this yonge lordes name.
The Clerk’s Tale
Heere bigynneth the tale of the Clerk of Oxenford.
Ther is, at the west syde of Ytaille,
Doun at the roote of Vesulus the colde,
A lusty playne, habundant of vitaille,
Where many a tour and toun thou mayst biholde
That founded were in tyme of fadres olde,
And many another delitable sighte,
And Saluces this noble contree highte.
x/x/x/x/x/
a
x/x/x/x/x/
b
x/x/x/x/x/
a
x/x/x/x/x/
b
stanza 诗节
x/x/x/x/x/
b
2 lines: couplet
x/x/x/x/x/
c
A markys whilom lord was of that lond,
As were hise worthy eldres hym bifore,
And obeisant and redy to his hond
Were alle hise liges, bothe lasse and moore.
Thus in delit he lyveth, and hath doon yoore,
Biloved and drad thurgh favour of Fortune,
Bothe of hise lordes and of his commune.
x/x/x/x/x/
c
x/x/x/x/x/
[ˈkʌplɪt]
3 lines: tercet
[ˈtəːsɪt]
4 lines: quatrain
[ˈkwɔtrɛɪn]
x/x/x/x/x/
5 lines: cinquain
x/x/x/x/x/
[ˈsɪŋkɛɪn]
x/x/x/x/x/
x/x/x/x/x/
6 lines: sestet
[səsˈtɛt]
Therwith he was, to speke as of lynage,
7 lines: heptastich
x
/
x
/
x
/
x
/
x
/
The gentilleste yborn of Lumbardye;
[ˈhɛptəstɪk]
A fair persone, and strong, and yong of age,
x/x/x/x/x/
8 lines: octave
And ful of honour and of curteisye,
[ˈɔktɪv]
Discreet ynogh his contree for to gye,
Save that in somme thynges that he was to blame, …
rhyme royal 君王诗体
And Walter was this yonge lordes name.
(heptastich, pentameter, ababbcc)
The Clerk’s Tale
Heere bigynneth the tale of the Clerk of Oxenford.
There is, in the west side of Italy,
Down at the foot of Mount Viso the cold,
Ther is, at the west syde of Ytaille,
Doun at the roote of Vesulus the colde,
A lusty playne, habundant of vitaille,
Where many a tour and toun thou mayst biholde
That founded were in tyme of fadres olde,
And many another delitable sighte,
And Saluces this noble contree highte.
A pleasant plain that yields abundantly,
A markys whilom lord was of that lond,
As were hise worthy eldres hym bifore,
And obeisant and redy to his hond
Were alle hise liges, bothe lasse and moore.
Thus in delit he lyveth, and hath doon yoore,
Biloved and drad thurgh favour of Fortune,
Bothe of hise lordes and of his commune.
As were his noble ancestors before;
Therwith he was, to speke as of lynage,
The gentilleste yborn of Lumbardye;
A fair persone, and strong, and yong of age,
And ful of honour and of curteisye,
Discreet ynogh his contree for to gye,
Save that in somme thynges that he was to blame,
And Walter was this yonge lordes name.
Where many a tower and town one may behold,
That were there founded in the times of old.
With many another fair delightful sight;
Saluzzo is this noble region bright.
A marquis once was lord of all that land,
Obedient and ready to his hand
Were all his lieges, both the less and more.
Thus in delight he lived, and had of yore,
Beloved and feared, through favour of Fortune,
Both by his lords and by the common run.
Therewith he was, to speak of lineage,
Born of the noblest blood of Lombardy,
With person fair, and strong, and young of age,
And full of honour and of courtesy;
Discreet enough to lead his nation, he;
Save in some things wherein he was to blame,
And Walter was this young lord's Christian name.