London

London is the largest city located in the south of the country. It is dominant in Britain in all sorts of ways. It is the cultural and business centre and the headquarters of the vast majority of Britain’s big companies. It is not only the financial centre of the nation, but also one of the three major international financial centres in the world.

Robin Hood (羅賓漢)

RH was a Saxon nobleman. As he could no longer put up with oppressions from the Normans, he became an outlaw and hid himself with his band “merry men” in the forest. From this secret place, he went out to rob from the rich to give the poor.

The Anglo-Saxons

They were two groups of Germanic peoples who settled down in England from the 5th century. They were regarded as the ancestors of the English and the founders of England. King Arthur（亞瑟王）

It is said that he was the king of England in the 5th century and united the British and drove the Saxons back with his magical sword, Excalibur. His real existence is in doubt. He is the central figure of many legends.

King Harold

He was the Saxon King whose army was defeated in the Battle of Hastings in 1066, when William the Conqueror invaded England from France.

Elizabethan drama（伊麗莎白時期戲劇）

During the Renaissance,one of the most successful and long-lasting expressions of British culture is drama. That was the period of the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Theatres perform the plays of many notable playwrights, including Ben Jonson and William Shakespeare.

The Canterbury tales（坎特伯雷故事集）

The Canterbury tales written by Geoffrey Chaucer is the most important work in Middle English literature. It is made up of a series of stories told by 31 pilgrims to entertain each other on their way to the Christian Church at Canterbury in southeast England.

The King James Bible（圣經）

King James I ordered the translation of the Holy scriptures, which came to be known as theKing James Bible. It appeared in 1611. Although it was not the first English translation and there have been many translations since, King James Version will probably never be matched for majesty of language. For many generations it has had a greater influence on style and standards of taste than any other single work in English literature.

Romanticism

Roughly the first third of the 19th century makes up English literature’s romantic period. Writers of romantic literature are more concerned with imagination and feeling than with the power of reason. A volume of poems called Lyrical Ballads written by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge is regarded as the romantic poetry’s “Declaration of Independence.” The spirit of romanticism also occurred in the novel.

The Bronte sisters（勃朗特姐妹）

Perhaps the most famous literary family in British history are the Bronte sisters, who were influenced by the Romantic Movement. Charlotte, Emily and Ann were daughters of the vicar of a village church. Although they were poor, they were educated. In their short lives, they didn’t produce much, but their works are among the best-loved novels in English.

Modernism

Modernism refers to a form of literature mainly written before WWII. It can be seen as a reaction against the 19th century forms of Realism. Often, Modernist writing seems disorganized, hard to understand. It often portrays the action from the viewpoint of a single confused individual, rather than from the viewpoint of an all-knowing impersonal narrator outside the action. The foundations of British foreign policy

The contemporary foreign policy of the UK is greatly influenced by its imperial history and also by its geopolitical traits. As Britain lost its empire so recently, British policy-makers

frequently forget that Britain is not as influential as it used to be in world affairs. Another decisive influence upon the way Britain handles its external affairs is geopolitical attitude to Europe. The making of Britain’s foreign policy

The general direction of Britain’s foreign policy is mainly decided by the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the main government department, plays a

significant role in the making of Britain/s foreign policy. Many other government ministries such as the Minister of Defence also play a part in formulating and carrying out the government’s decisions.

Britain and the EU

Britain joined the EU in 1973. Britain’s participation in the EU remains controversial. The UK has always been interested in encouraging free trade between countries and is therefore very supportive of the EU as a free trade area. Britain like to regard the EU as a place where economic cooperation is possible and where a flow of trained personnel and goods are possible. Britain and the US

The British foreign policy is also affected by its relationship with the US. During WW II, the two countries were closely allied and continued to work together closely in the post war years. However, the British are beginning to realize that their own foreign policy actions can be limited by the US. But both sides have worked hard to maintain the “special relationship.”

The Commonwealth (共和國)

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of states which is made up of Britain and mostly of former British colonies. Many of these are developing countries; others are developed nations. The Commonwealth was set up as a forum for continued cooperation and as a sort of support network.