1. Pre-Romanticism

2. Sentimentalism and Thomas Gray Sentimentalism: dissatisfaction with reason, appealing “to the human heart”, Thomas Gray : A keen interest in countryside Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard 墓园挽歌

3. Pre-Romanticism a recognition of the claims of passion and emotion; Represented by Blake and Burns

4. William Blake ( 布莱克） His position: Forerunner of the Romantic poetry Life: son of a hosier began writing poetry at 12 worked as an engraver married Catherine Boucher

5. Major Works Poetical Sketches( 诗歌的素 描） —his first collection of poems Its theme: contempt for the rule of reason and classicism Sympathy with the fresh spirit of Elizabethan poetry

6. Song of Innocence 《天真之歌》

7. Written mainly for children Its theme: Depict a happy and innocent world The happy condition of a child see 186

8. A Grain of Sand To see a world in a grain of sand, And a heaven in a wild flower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, And eternity in an hour. 天真的预示 一颗沙里看出一个世界， 一朵野花里一座天堂， 把无限放在你的手掌上， 永恒在一刹那里收藏。

9. Songs of Experience 《经验之歌》

10. Its theme: Depicts a world of misery, poverty, disease, war and repression The tone: melancholic

11. The Contrast between the two collections:

12. Songs of Innocence: optimistic The world in the poet’s eyes: Light, harmonious, peaceful, joyful, full of love Songs of Experience: melancholy The world in the poet’s eyes: Full of evil, misery and pain see 187

13. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Its theme: relationship between the contraries: Heaven—hell Attraction—repulsion Reason—energy Love—hate Contraries are necessary to human existence, hence “marriage”

14. Robert Burns ( 彭斯 ) His status: national poet of Scotland Life: Born in Scotland, a peasant’s family Familiar with Scottish folk songs Composed songs while working in fields Went bankrupt and forced to go abroad Changed his mind Died of an illness at 37

15. His Major Works Songs written in the Scottish dialect on a variety of subjects; the heart of a plowman to express in simplest words the common feelings of millions of people

16. A Red, Red Rose see 193 Auld Lang Syne see 197