(1775-1817)
Jane Austen, born in the rectory at Steventon, Hampshire, was the sixth child in a family of seven. Her father was a cultivated man, comfortably prosperous, who taught Jane and encouraged her both in her reading and her writing. As a child and young woman she read widely, and her life is notable for its lack of events; she did not marry and lived in the midst of a lively and affectionate family, with occasional visits to Bath, London, Lyme, and her brothers’ houses. She spent the first 25 years of her life at Steventon, her father’s Hampshire vicarage, where her first novels, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Northanger Abbey, were written, although they were not published until much later. On her father’s retirement in 1801, the family moved to Bath for several years and then to Southampton, setting finally at Chawton cottage, near Alton, Hampshire, which was Jane’s home for the rest of her life. Living a quiet life in the countryside, she kept her eyes steadily upon the people and incidents about her, and wrote about the small world she lived in; that is, parish life with calls, walks, picnics, conversations, parties, balls, marriages. It has often been remarked that she never describes a scene in which no woman is present. The novels published in Austen’s lifetime were Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), and Emma (1816). Persuasion was issued in 1818 with Northanger Abbey. The author’s name did not appear on any of her title pages, and although her own friends knew of her authorship, she received little public recognition in her lifetime. For a few weeks before her death Jane lodged in Winchester, where she 简·奥斯汀 (Jane Austen) 出生在汉普郡史蒂文顿 (Steventon) 的教区长府邸,是一个七口之家中的第六个孩子。她的父亲是一个有教养的人,过着富裕的生活,他教简,鼓励她读书和写作。作为一个儿童和年轻女性,她广泛阅读,她的生活以缺乏事件而著称;她没有结婚,生活在一个充满活力和情的家庭中,偶尔会去巴斯、伦敦、莱姆和她兄弟们的家里。她生命中的前 25 年是在她父亲的汉普郡牧师史蒂文顿度过的,她的第一部小说《傲慢与偏见》、《理智与情感》和《诺桑格修道院》就是在那里写成的,尽管它们直到很久以后才出版。1801 年她父亲退休后,全家搬到巴斯几年,然后搬到南安普敦,最后在汉普郡奥尔顿附近的乔顿小屋安顿,这是简余生的家。她在乡下过着平静的生活,目不转睛地注视着周围的人和事,写下她所生活的小世界;也就是说,堂区生活有电话、散步、野餐、谈话、派对、舞会、婚礼。人们经常说,她从来没有描述过没有女人在场的场景。奥斯汀一生出版的小说有《理智与情感》(1811 年)、《傲慢与偏见》(1813 年)、《曼斯菲尔德公园》(1814 年)和《爱玛》(1816 年)。1818 年与诺桑格修道院一起发行了劝导书。作者的名字没有出现在她的任何扉页上,尽管她自己的朋友知道她的作者身份,但她在有生之年几乎没有得到公众的认可。在她去世前的几周里,简住在温彻斯特,在那里她
died of Addison’s disease at the age of forty-two. 死于艾迪生病,享年 42 岁。
Jane Austen never touches upon the class conflicts of her time; and the events which stirred the Europe of her day left no impression on her pages. Her novels are comedies of manners that depict the self-contained world of provincial ladies and gentlemen who appear in domestic settings. She is particularly noted for her vivid delineations and lively interplay of character, her superb sense of comic irony, and her moral firmness. She ridicules the silly, the affected, and the stupid, ranging in her satire from light portraiture in her early works to more scornful exposures in her later novels. Today she is regarded as one of the great masters of the English novel. She has a genuine concern for human feelings, and knows how to sketch figures with so pure and suggestive a pen that they stand out in a strong and unforgettable relief. Her strength lies in the fact that she has woven vivid pictures of everyday life of simple country society with humorous and ironic delicacy, and that she has shown to us her deep moral concepts through the description of the daily talks and doings of young men and women. What’s more, Jane Austen, for the first time in the English literature, examines women’s position and their problems in the society. It is true that Austen’s range is not to be compared with that of Scott, which is vast, epic, national, but she is credited with having brought the English novel to its maturity. As an admirer of her art, Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832) spoke highly of her for her “talent for describing the involvements, feelings, and characters of ordinary life”. 简·奥斯汀 (Jane Austen) 从未触及她那个时代的阶级冲突;而那些搅动她那个时代欧洲的事件,在她的书页上没有留下任何印象。她的小说是礼仪喜剧,描绘了出现在家庭环境中的外省女士和绅士的自给自足的世界。她尤其以其生动的描绘和生动的人物互动、她高超的喜剧讽刺感以及她的道德坚定性而闻名。她嘲笑愚蠢的、受影响的和愚蠢的,从她早期作品中的轻描淡写到她后来小说中更轻蔑的揭露。今天,她被认为是英国小说的伟大大师之一。她真诚地关心人类的情感,知道如何用如此纯粹和暗示性的笔来素描人物,以至于他们在强烈而难忘的浮雕中脱颖而出。她的优势在于,她以幽默和讽刺的细腻编织了朴素乡村社会日常生活的生动画面,并通过描述年轻男女的日常谈话和行为向我们展示了她深刻的道德观念。更重要的是,简·奥斯汀 (Jane Austen) 在英国文学中首次审视了女性的地位和她们在社会中的问题。诚然,奥斯汀的创作范围无法与斯科特相提并论,斯科特的创作范围广阔、史诗般、民族性著称,但她将英国小说推向了成熟。沃尔特·斯科特爵士(Sir Walter Scott,1771-1832)是她艺术的崇拜者,他高度评价她“善于描写日常生活中的参与、感受和人物”。
Pride and Prejudice 傲慢与偏见
The original version of the novel was written in 1796-1797 under the title First Impressions. 小说的原版写于 1796-1797 年,标题为《第一印象》。
First published in 1813, Pride and Prejudice has consistently been Jane Austen’s most popular novel. It portrays life in the genteel rural society of the day, and tells of the initial misunderstandings and later mutual enlightenment between Elizabeth Bennet and the haughty Darcy. The title Pride and Prejudice refers to the ways in which Elizabeth and Darcy first view each other. 《傲慢与偏见》于 1813 年首次出版,一直是简·奥斯汀最受欢迎的小说。它描绘了当时上流社会的生活,讲述了伊丽莎白·班纳特 (Elizabeth Bennet) 和傲慢的达西 (Darcy) 之间最初的误会和后来的相互启蒙。《傲慢与偏见》的标题指的是伊丽莎白和达西第一次看待彼此的方式。
Summary of the story: 故事梗概:
Pride and Prejudice is a masterpiece that delves into the intricacies of human relationships, social hierarchies, and personal growth in 19th - century England. 傲慢与偏见是一部杰作,深入探讨了 19 世纪英国人际关系、社会等级制度和个人成长的复杂性。
The Bennet family, with five unmarried daughters, is at the heart of the story. Mrs. Bennet, a woman of limited intellect but boundless energy, is fixated on securing advantageous marriages for her girls. When the wealthy and sociable Mr. Bingley rents Netherfield Park, a nearby estate, it sparks hope in the Bennet household. Bingley is instantly captivated by the gentle and beautiful Jane Bennet, and their courtship seems promising. 班纳特家族有五个未婚女儿,是故事的核心。班纳特夫人是一个智力有限但精力无限的女人,一心想为她的女儿们争取有利的婚姻。当富有且善于交际的宾格利先生租下附近的庄园内瑟菲尔德公园时,班纳特一家点燃了希望。宾格利立即被温柔美丽的简·班纳特所吸引,他们的求爱似乎很有希望。
Accompanying Bingley is his close friend, Mr. Darcy. From the outset, Elizabeth Bennet, the sharp - tongued and independent second - eldest daughter, forms a negative impression of Darcy. His initial reserve and perceived arrogance at a local ball, where he appears to snub her, fuel her prejudice. Elizabeth’s quick wit and strong - willed nature make her unwilling to overlook what she sees as Darcy’s flaws. 陪伴宾利的是他的密友达西先生。从一开始,伊丽莎白·班纳特 (Elizabeth Bennet) 这个尖锐、口齿伶俐、独立的二女儿,就给达西留下了负面印象。他最初的矜持和在当地舞会上的傲慢,似乎在舞会上冷落了她,这助长了她的偏见。伊丽莎白的机智和坚强的意志使她不愿意忽视她所认为的达西的缺点。
As the narrative unfolds, a series of events challenge both Elizabeth’s prejudice and Darcy’s pride. Elizabeth’s visit to Charlotte Lucas, now married to the obsequious Mr. Collins, brings her face - to - face with Darcy again. During this time, she also hears about Wickham’s tale of being wronged by Darcy, which further cements her dislike. However, Darcy’s unexpected proposal, though clumsy and filled with self importance, sets off a chain of self - reflection for Elizabeth. 随着叙述的展开,一系列事件挑战了伊丽莎白的偏见和达西的骄傲。伊丽莎白拜访了夏洛特·卢卡斯,她现在已经嫁给了顺从的柯林斯先生,这使她再次与达西面对面。在这段时间里,她还听说了威克姆被达西冤枉的故事,这进一步加深了她的厌恶。然而,达西的意外求婚虽然笨拙且充满自我重要性,但为伊丽莎白引发了一条自我反省的链条。
Darcy’s subsequent letter, explaining his actions regarding Wickham and his true reasons for separating Bingley and Jane, forces Elizabeth to re - evaluate her judgments. Later, when Darcy secretly intervenes to rescue Lydia from a potentially disastrous elopement with Wickham, Elizabeth witnesses his selflessness and noble character. 达西随后的信解释了他对威克姆的行为以及他将宾格利和简分开的真正原因,迫使伊丽莎白重新评估她的判断。后来,当达西秘密干预以将莉迪亚从与威克姆可能灾难性的私奔中解救出来时,伊丽莎白见证了他的无私和高尚品格。
Meanwhile, other sub - plots add richness to the story. Charlotte’s pragmatic marriage to Mr. Collins highlights the different priorities women faced at the time. The contrast between Elizabeth’s pursuit of true love and her sisters’ more materialistic aspirations is also evident. 同时,其他子情节为故事增添了丰富性。Charlotte 与 Collins 先生的务实婚姻凸显了当时女性面临的不同优先事项。伊丽莎白对真爱的追求与她姐妹们更崇尚物质主义的愿望之间的对比也很明显。
In the end, Bingley and Jane reunite and become engaged, while Darcy, having shed his pride, proposes to Elizabeth once more, this time with sincerity and humility. Their marriages symbolize the victory of love over societal expectations and personal shortcomings. 最后,宾格利和简重逢并订婚,而达西则摆脱了自尊心,再次向伊丽莎白求婚,这一次是真诚和谦逊的。他们的婚姻象征着爱情战胜了社会期望和个人缺点。
Chapter I 第一章
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. 一个普遍承认的事实是,一个拥有好运气的单身男人一定需要一个妻子。
However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters. 无论这样的人在第一次进入一个社区时,他的感受或观点可能知之甚少,但这个真理在周围家庭的脑海中是如此牢固,以至于他被认为是他们某个女儿的合法财产。
“My dear Mr Bennet,” said his lady to him one day, “have you heard that Netherfield Park’ is let at last?” “我亲爱的班纳特先生,”有一天,他的夫人对他说,“您听说内瑟菲尔德公园终于被出租了吗?
Mr Bennet replied that he had not. 班纳特先生回答说,他没有。
“But it is,” returned she; “for Mrs Long ^(2){ }^{2} has just been here, and she told me all about it.” “可是,”她回答;“因为朗 ^(2){ }^{2} 太太刚来过这里,她把这事都告诉我了。”
Mr Bennet made no answer. 班纳特先生没有回答。
“Do you not want to know who has taken it?” cried his wife impatiently. “你不想知道是谁拿走的吗?”
“You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.” “你想告诉我,我不反对听。”
This was invitation enough. 这已经足够邀请了。