愛瑪（英文版）

2022年4月14日 星期四 祝福午安 天氣多雲 氣溫19℃ 簡·奧斯汀《艾瑪》 《傲慢與偏見》《理智與情感》《艾瑪》……爲什麼簡·奧斯汀可以把愛情描寫得那麼精彩，自己卻終身不婚呢？每個活着的信念不同，但尊重每個人的選擇。 簡·奧斯汀（1775-1817）是19世紀英國最早發表現實主義小說的女作家。她出生於英國小鄉鎮一個牧師家庭，幾乎從未接受過正規教育，但由於家庭文學氛圍濃厚，而成爲作家。其作品主要描繪她所熟悉的中產階級家庭中青年男女的戀愛婚姻及其心態。她描寫的人物，栩栩如生、呼之欲出；寫作風格又樸素無華。她擅長設計情節，巧妙跌宕，耐人尋味。百多年來，世界上有無數對她的作品愛不釋手的讀者。 其實，19世紀時，簡·奧斯汀並未在文學史上佔有位置。直到20世紀，情形才發生巨大變化——許多評論家從各個方面深入研究簡·奧斯汀後，確定了她作爲經典作家的地位。簡·奧斯汀的小說無一例外，均爲愛情故事，但其本人卻終身未婚。這點，讓太多讀者感到既神祕又遺憾。 實際上，簡·奧斯汀確曾有過一段鮮爲人知，但卻刻骨銘心的愛情經歷。20歲時，她邂逅了一個年輕有爲的律師助理，並一發不可收拾地愛上了他。兩人也發現彼此間有無數共同興趣與愛好。但這位助理充其量只能算個“鳳凰男”。他的家庭條件，很難與家道殷實的簡·奧斯汀家族相比。奧斯汀父母希望女兒嫁到條件更好的人家，或者至少也得門當戶對。於是，他們千方百計阻撓二人進一步發展。在當時的英國社會，爲愛情而結婚，被認爲是愚蠢的，所以，兩人無果而終。簡·奧斯汀在給姐姐的信中曾這樣說：“這一天終於還是到來了。我將與他道別。當你讀到這封信的時候，這一切都已結束。一想到這些，我就忍不住淚如泉湧……”後來，奧斯汀選擇終身不嫁，跟這段難以割捨的戀情，應該說有直接關係。簡·奧斯汀1817年辭世，當時年僅42歲。 《艾瑪》作爲簡·奧斯汀的最後一部面世作品，與其早期作品《傲慢與偏見》和《理智與情感》著名作品相比，在喜劇效果方面更勝一籌。 《艾瑪》沒有驚險駭人的情節，沒有聳人聽聞的描述。但從它娓娓道來、令人陶醉的敘述中，在它謎一般的情節中，在它對人物性格和心理細緻入微的刻畫中，讀者面前彷彿展開一幅優美而略帶誇張的生動畫卷，讀者似乎能看到故事中人物的形象和行爲，能聽到他們在各種背景下進行的交談，能感受到人物的喜悅和憂愁。毫不誇張地說，閱讀這部小說，就彷彿由讀者親身經歷當時英國社會的林林總總。 《艾瑪》是簡·奧斯汀的最好作品之一，也被認爲是簡·奧斯汀作品中思想上最成熟的作品。艾瑪這個小說裏的主人公，並不完美。作者借艾瑪之口這樣說：“我雖然沒有這個優點，但我懂得如何珍視和尊重它。”《艾瑪》的字裏行間無不透露出簡·奧斯汀的真誠與寬厚：不苛求自己、不苛求筆下人物、不苛求讀者——僅僅憑着“興趣和愛好”來描述生活。創作對於她來說是種熱情洋溢、輕鬆自然的感受歷程；她對自己塑造的每個女性，都抱着熱忱的希望，但又無比寬容——艾瑪，一個美麗、溫柔、善良、熱情、有道德感也自私、獨斷、有女權主義思想的女孩。其實，仔細觀察，我們身邊也不乏像艾瑪這樣的女孩，即使再過百年，也還會看到無數艾瑪一樣的女孩的存在。每個看《艾瑪》的人，可能都會從中找到自己的影子。如果你想知道它歷久彌新的魅力，那就讓我們一起開始這神奇的閱讀之旅吧！ I can hardly suppose you would ever have thought well of me again.Its effect upon her appears in the immediate resolution it produced.As soon as she found I was really gone from Randalls, she closed with the offer of that officious Mrs.Elton；the whole system of whose treatment of her, by the bye, has ever filled me with indignation and hatred.I must not quarrel with a spirit of forbearance which has been so richly extended towards myself；but, otherwise, I should loudly protest against the share of it which that woman has known.‘Jane，”indeed！You will observe that I have not yet indulged myself in calling her by that name, even to you.Think, then, what I must have endured in hearing it bandied between the Eltons, with all the vulgarity of needless repetition, and all the insolence of imaginary superiority.Have patience with me, I shall soon have done.She closed with this offer, resolving to break withme entirely, and wrote the next day to tell me that we never were to meet again.She felt the engagement to be a source of repentance and misery to each：she dissolved it.This letter reached me on the very morning of my poor aunt's death.I answered it within an hour；but from the confusion of my mind, and the multiplicity of business falling on me at once, my answer, instead of being sent with all the many other letters of that day, was locked up in my writing-desk, and I, trusting that I had written enough, though but a few lines, to satisfy her, remained without any uneasiness.I was rather disappointed that I did not hear from her again speedily；but I made excuses for her, and was too busy, and（may I add？）too cheerful in my views to be captious.We removed to Windsor；and two days afterwards I received a parcel from her—my own letters all returned！And a few lines at the same time by the post, stating her extreme surprise at not having had the smallest reply to her last；and adding that as silence on such a point could not be misconstrued, and as it must be equally desirable to both to have every subordinate arrangement concluded as soon as possible, she now sent me, by a safe conveyance, all my letters, and requested, that if I could not directly command hers, so as to send them to Highbury within a week, I would forward them after that period to her at—：in short, the full direction to Mr.Smallridge's, near Bristol, stared me in the face.I knew the name, the place, I knew all about it, and instantly saw what she had been doing.It was perfectly accordant with that resolution of character which I knew her to possess；and the secrecy she had maintained as to any such design in her former letter, was equally descriptive of its anxious delicacy.For the world would not she have seemed to threaten me.Imagine the shock；imagine how, till I had actually detected my own blunder, I raved at the blunders of the post.What was to be done？One thing only.I must speak to my uncle.Without his sanction, I could not hope to be listened to again.I spoke；circumstances were in my favour；the late event had softened away his pride, and he was, earlier than I could have anticipated, wholly reconciled and complying；and could say at last, poor man！with a deep sigh, that he wished I might find as much happiness in the marriage state as he had done.I felt that it would be of adifferent sort.Are you disposed to pity me for what I must have suffered in opening the cause to him, for my suspense while all was at stake？No；do not pity me till I reached Highbury, and saw how ill I had made her.Do not pity me till I saw her wan, sick looks.I reached Highbury at the time of day when, from my knowledge of their late breakfast-hour, I was certain of a good chance of finding her alone.I was not disappointed；and at last I was not disappointed either in the object of my journey.A great deal of very reasonable, very just displeasure I had to persuade away.But it is done；we are reconciled, dearer, much dearer, than ever, and no moment’s uneasiness can ever occur between us again.Now, my dear madam, I will release you；but I could not conclude before.A thousand and a thousand thanks for all the kindness you have ever shown me, and ten thousand for the attentions your heart will dictate towards her.If you think me in a way to be happier than I deserve, I am quite of your opinion.Miss W.calls me the child of good fortune.I hope she is right.In one respect my good fortune is undoubted, that of being able to subscribe myself, your obliged and affectionate Son. F. C.WESTON CHURCHILL. T HIS letter must make its way to Emma's feelings. She was obliged, in spite of her previous determination to the contrary, to do it all the justice that Mrs.Weston foretold.As soon as she came to her own name, it was irresistible；every line relating to herself was interesting, and almost every line agreeable；and when this charm ceased, the subject could still maintain itself by the natural return of her former regard for the writer, and the very strong attraction which any picture of love must have for her at that moment.She never stoppedtill she had gone through the whole：and though it was impossible not to feel that he had been wrong, yet he had been less wrong than she had supposed；and he had suffered and was very sorry；and he was so grateful to Mrs.Weston, and so much in love with Miss Fairfax, and she was so happy herself, that there was no being severe；and could he have entered the room, she must have shaken hands with him as heartily as ever. She thought so well of the letter, that when Mr. Knightley came again she desired him to read it.She was sure of Mrs.Weston's wishing it to be communicated；especially to one who, like Mr.Knightley, had seen so much to blame in his conduct. “I shall be very glad to look it over，”said he；“but it seems long. I will take it home with me at night.” But that would not do. Mr.Weston was to call in the evening, and she must return it by him. “I would rather be talking to you，”he replied；“but as it seems a matter of justice, it shall be done.” He began—stopping, however, almost directly to say：“Had I been offered the sight of one of this gentleman's letters to his mother-in-law a few months ago, Emma, it would not have been taken with such indifference.” He proceeded a little farther, reading to himself；and then, with a smile, observed，“Humph！A fine complimentary opening：But it is his way. One man's style must not be the rule of another's.We will not be severe.” “It will be natural for me，”he added shortly afterwards，“to speak my opinion aloud as I read. By doing it, I shall feel that I am near you.It will not be so great a loss of time；but if you dislike it—” “Not at all. I should wish it.” Mr. Knightley returned to his reading with greater alacrity. “He trifles here，”said he，“as to the temptation. He knows he is wrong, and has nothing ……

英國文藝批評家凱特爾博士（Dr．Kettle）：（《愛瑪》是奧斯汀生平所寫過的“最偉大最具有代表性的作品”。 英國曆史小說家司各特《一篇未署名的關於〈愛瑪〉的評論》：“（《愛瑪》中）作者對人世的瞭解，以及讀者一定會認識到的她那種表現人物的特殊的老練手法，使我們想起了佛蘭德斯畫派的某些優點。”

不讀了，比較難讀，十九世紀的書，句子比之前那本 the lost horizon難讀多了。當然簡寫得更風趣幽默，但語言習慣或句式風格方面，也增加了難度。還是讀年代近一點的吧。

其實愛瑪裏面有好多作者本人的寫照，涵蓋了她的價值觀，不過挺心疼那個農夫的。

所以說一個Lady擁有財產纔是最有說話權的啊。說多了是淚，我要去賺錢養自己了。畢竟沒有Emma小姐的得天獨厚，又沒有如Knightley先生這樣的藍顏最後進化成終身伴侶的人在左右

成長的過程中難免又一些幼稚時光，會受他人影響，產生並非自己思考後的判斷.....

花了30多個小時，終於看完了這本書，總的感覺，對人物內心及對話描述詳盡，有點像一部相親史。