爱玛（英文版）

2022年4月14日 星期四 祝福午安 天气多云 气温19℃ 简·奥斯汀《艾玛》 《傲慢与偏见》《理智与情感》《艾玛》……为什么简·奥斯汀可以把爱情描写得那么精彩，自己却终身不婚呢？每个活着的信念不同，但尊重每个人的选择。 简·奥斯汀（1775-1817）是19世纪英国最早发表现实主义小说的女作家。她出生于英国小乡镇一个牧师家庭，几乎从未接受过正规教育，但由于家庭文学氛围浓厚，而成为作家。其作品主要描绘她所熟悉的中产阶级家庭中青年男女的恋爱婚姻及其心态。她描写的人物，栩栩如生、呼之欲出；写作风格又朴素无华。她擅长设计情节，巧妙跌宕，耐人寻味。百多年来，世界上有无数对她的作品爱不释手的读者。 其实，19世纪时，简·奥斯汀并未在文学史上占有位置。直到20世纪，情形才发生巨大变化——许多评论家从各个方面深入研究简·奥斯汀后，确定了她作为经典作家的地位。简·奥斯汀的小说无一例外，均为爱情故事，但其本人却终身未婚。这点，让太多读者感到既神秘又遗憾。 实际上，简·奥斯汀确曾有过一段鲜为人知，但却刻骨铭心的爱情经历。20岁时，她邂逅了一个年轻有为的律师助理，并一发不可收拾地爱上了他。两人也发现彼此间有无数共同兴趣与爱好。但这位助理充其量只能算个“凤凰男”。他的家庭条件，很难与家道殷实的简·奥斯汀家族相比。奥斯汀父母希望女儿嫁到条件更好的人家，或者至少也得门当户对。于是，他们千方百计阻挠二人进一步发展。在当时的英国社会，为爱情而结婚，被认为是愚蠢的，所以，两人无果而终。简·奥斯汀在给姐姐的信中曾这样说：“这一天终于还是到来了。我将与他道别。当你读到这封信的时候，这一切都已结束。一想到这些，我就忍不住泪如泉涌……”后来，奥斯汀选择终身不嫁，跟这段难以割舍的恋情，应该说有直接关系。简·奥斯汀1817年辞世，当时年仅42岁。 《艾玛》作为简·奥斯汀的最后一部面世作品，与其早期作品《傲慢与偏见》和《理智与情感》著名作品相比，在喜剧效果方面更胜一筹。 《艾玛》没有惊险骇人的情节，没有耸人听闻的描述。但从它娓娓道来、令人陶醉的叙述中，在它谜一般的情节中，在它对人物性格和心理细致入微的刻画中，读者面前仿佛展开一幅优美而略带夸张的生动画卷，读者似乎能看到故事中人物的形象和行为，能听到他们在各种背景下进行的交谈，能感受到人物的喜悦和忧愁。毫不夸张地说，阅读这部小说，就仿佛由读者亲身经历当时英国社会的林林总总。 《艾玛》是简·奥斯汀的最好作品之一，也被认为是简·奥斯汀作品中思想上最成熟的作品。艾玛这个小说里的主人公，并不完美。作者借艾玛之口这样说：“我虽然没有这个优点，但我懂得如何珍视和尊重它。”《艾玛》的字里行间无不透露出简·奥斯汀的真诚与宽厚：不苛求自己、不苛求笔下人物、不苛求读者——仅仅凭着“兴趣和爱好”来描述生活。创作对于她来说是种热情洋溢、轻松自然的感受历程；她对自己塑造的每个女性，都抱着热忱的希望，但又无比宽容——艾玛，一个美丽、温柔、善良、热情、有道德感也自私、独断、有女权主义思想的女孩。其实，仔细观察，我们身边也不乏像艾玛这样的女孩，即使再过百年，也还会看到无数艾玛一样的女孩的存在。每个看《艾玛》的人，可能都会从中找到自己的影子。如果你想知道它历久弥新的魅力，那就让我们一起开始这神奇的阅读之旅吧！ 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 ……

英国文艺批评家凯特尔博士（Dr．Kettle）：（《爱玛》是奥斯汀生平所写过的“最伟大最具有代表性的作品”。 英国历史小说家司各特《一篇未署名的关于〈爱玛〉的评论》：“（《爱玛》中）作者对人世的了解，以及读者一定会认识到的她那种表现人物的特殊的老练手法，使我们想起了佛兰德斯画派的某些优点。”

不读了，比较难读，十九世纪的书，句子比之前那本 the lost horizon难读多了。当然简写得更风趣幽默，但语言习惯或句式风格方面，也增加了难度。还是读年代近一点的吧。

其实爱玛里面有好多作者本人的写照，涵盖了她的价值观，不过挺心疼那个农夫的。

所以说一个Lady拥有财产才是最有说话权的啊。说多了是泪，我要去赚钱养自己了。毕竟没有Emma小姐的得天独厚，又没有如Knightley先生这样的蓝颜最后进化成终身伴侣的人在左右

成长的过程中难免又一些幼稚时光，会受他人影响，产生并非自己思考后的判断.....

花了30多个小时，终于看完了这本书，总的感觉，对人物内心及对话描述详尽，有点像一部相亲史。