Jane Eyre 简爱中英文双语介绍

Jane Eyre

《简爱》（Jane Eyre），是19世纪的英国文学名著，1847年出版，作者是英国的女作家夏洛蒂·勃朗特（Charlotte Bront?）。故事中的女主角简爱是个孤女，从小被寄养在盖茨海德庄园舅妈里德太太家，笼罩在被舅母虐待的阴影下，十岁那年被送进了罗伍德孤儿院，院长是个自私残忍的人，经历了种种折磨，她的好友海伦死于肺病；但她靠着坚强的意志完成了学业，成为一名优秀的教师，在孤儿院当了两年教师，但她受不了那里的孤寂，于是受聘于桑费尔德庄园。庄园的主人罗彻斯特是个性格阴郁而又喜怒无常的人，他和简爱经常为某种思想辩论不休，但两人却逐渐漫生情愫。有一天里德太太派人来找简爱，说她病危，要见简爱一面。见面时，里德太太给她一封信，这封信是三年前简爱的叔父寄来的，向她打听简爱的消息，并把自己的遗产交给简爱。里德太太谎称简爱在孤儿院病死了，临终前里德太太终于良心发现把真相告诉简爱。罗彻斯特向她求婚，简爱答应了，并高兴地准备婚礼，但是在婚礼上却发现罗彻斯特已经有合法妻子，而且他的妻子受过精神创伤，是一个精神病患者。简爱伤心的离开了桑费尔德庄园。她花光了所有积蓄，沿途乞讨，最后晕倒在牧师圣约翰家门前，被圣约翰和他的两个妹妹救醒。并且帮助她找到教师的工作。后来圣约翰发现简爱是他的表妹，向她求婚，但简爱没答应。简爱回到桑费尔德庄园时，整个庄园已是一片废墟。罗彻斯特为了救妻子，被烧瞎了双眼并失去了一只手，孤苦无依。简爱跟罗终于结婚，生了一个男孩，而罗彻斯特的眼睛则回复到可以见到儿子。

Jane Eyre is a novel by English writer Charlotte Bront?. It was published in London, England, in 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. with the title Jane Eyre. The first American edition was released the following year by Harper & Brothers of New York. Writing for t he Penguin edition, Stevie Davies describes it as “influential feminist text” because of its in-depth exploration of a strong female character’s feelings.

Plot introduction

Jane Eyre is a first-person narrative of the title character. The novel goes through five distinct stages: Jane's childhood at Gateshead, where she is emotionally and physically abused by her aunt and cousins; her education at Lowood School, where she acquires friends and role models but also suffers privations and oppression; her time as the governess of Thornfield Hall, where she falls in love with her Byronic employer, Edward Rochester; her time with the Rivers family, during which her earnest but cold clergyman cousin, St John Rivers, proposes to her; and the finale with her reunion with, and marriage to, her beloved Rochester.

Jane Eyre is divided into 38 chapters and most editions are at least 400 pages long. The original publication was in three volumes, comprising chapters 1 to 15, 16 to 26, and 27 to 38; this was a common publishing format during the 19th century. Themes

Morality

Jane refuses to become Mr. Rochester's paramour because of her "impassioned self-respect and moral conviction." She rejects St. John Rivers' Puritanism as much as

the libertine aspects of Mr. Rochester's character. Instead, she works out a morality expressed in love, independence, and forgiveness. Jane does not want to be seen as an outcast to society by being a mistress to Rochester.

Feminism

The role and standing of women in the Victorian era is considered by Bront? in Jane Eyre, specifically in regard to Jane's independence and ability to make decisions for herself. As a young woman, small and of relatively low social standing, Jane encounters men during her journey, of good, bad, and morally debatable character. However, many of them, no matter their ultimate intentions, attempt to establish some form of power and control over Jane. One example can be seen in Mr. Rochester, a man who ardently loves Jane, but who frequently commands and orders Jane about. As a self-assured and established man, and her employer, Mr. Rochester naturally assumes the position of the master in their relationship. He sometimes demands rather than questioning Jane, tries to manipulate and assess her feelings towards him, and enjoys propping up Jane through excessive gifts and luxuries that only he would have been able to provide. Jane, however, believes in the importance of women's independence, and strives to maintain a position in life devoid of any debts to others. Her initial lack of money and social status unnerves her, as she realizes that without the means to be an independent woman, she is bound to either struggle through life trying to make a living or marry and become dependent on a man. Even after Jane agrees to marry Mr. Rochester, and is swept up in the passion of the moment, the feminist elements of her personality still show through. She is uncomfortable with the showering of lavish gifts, as she resents that they will make her further reliant on and in debt to Mr. Rochester, and thus tries to resist them. Furthermore, Jane asserts that even after she is married to Mr. Rochester, she will continue to be Adèle's governess and earn her keep. This plan, which was entirely radical and unheard of for the time, further illustrates Jane's drive to remain a somewhat independent woman. While the significant men present in Jane's life throughout the novel all try to, in some form or another, establish themselves as dominant over Jane, she in most cases remains resistant at least to a certain degree, refusing to submit fully or lose all of her independence.