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Grade 8 Up-British actor Martin Shaw reads this shortened version of the classic Emily Bronte novel. His easily-understood accent is appropriate and helps to set the mood. Shaw reads at a very steady pace, pausing effectively for emphasis or when his character might be thinking. Usually calm and gentle, his voice can resonate with anger or other emotion when necessary. There is some differentiation in pitch to emphasize male vs. female speech, but it is not exaggerated or overdone. The abridgement retains Bronte's words linking speech or narration sometimes from one page to another. It provides students with an easier way to become familiar with the story and get a feel for her style. Teachers could use this presentation to introduce the novel or to entice students to read it on their own.
"My greatest thought in living is Heathcliff. If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be... Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He's always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure... but as my own being." Wuthering Heights is the only novel of Emily Bronte, who died a year after its publication, at the age of thirty. A brooding Yorkshire tale of a love that is stronger than death, it is also a fierce vision of metaphysical passion, in which heaven and hell, nature and society, are powerfully juxtaposed. Unique, mystical, with a timeless appeal, it has become a classic of English literature. 内容简介
"My greatest thought in living is Heathcliff. If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be... Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He's always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure... but as my own being." Wuthering Heights is the only novel of Emily Bronte, who died a year after its publication, at the age of thirty. A brooding Yorkshire tale of a love that is stronger than death, it is also a fierce vision of metaphysical passion, in which heaven and hell, nature and society, are powerfully juxtaposed. Unique, mystical, with a timeless appeal, it has become a classic of English literature. 作者简介
Emily Bronte (30 July 1818 – 19 December 1848) was an English novelist and poet, best remembered for her solitary novel, Wuthering Heights, now considered a classic of English literature. Emily was the third eldest of the four surviving Bronte siblings, between the youngest Anne and her brother Branwell. She wrote under the pen name Ellis Bell.
艾米莉·勃朗特,19世纪英国小说家、诗人,英国文学史上著名的“勃朗特三姐妹”之一。这位女作家在世界上仅仅度过了三十年便默默无闻地离开了人间,然而她唯一的一部小说《呼啸山庄》却奠定了她在英国文学史以及世界文学史上的地位。此外,她还创作了193首诗,被认为是英国一位天才型的女作家。 精彩书摘
Chapter 1
1801--I have just returned from a visit to my landlord--the solitary neighbour that I shall be troubled with. This is certainly a beautiful country! In all England, I do not believe that I could have fixed on a situation so completely removed from the stir of society. A perfect misanthropist's Heaven: and Mr. Heathcliff and I are such a suitable pair to divide the desolation between us. A capital fellow! He little imagined how my heart warmed towards him when I beheld his black eyes withdraw so suspiciously under their brows, as I rode up, and when his fingers sheltered themselves, with a jealous resolution, still further in his waistcoat, as I announced my name.
'Mr. Heathcliff?' I said.
A nod was the answer.
'Mr. Lockwood, your new tenant, sir. I do myself the honour of calling as soon as possible after my arrival, to express the hope that I have not inconvenienced you by my perseverance in soliciting the occupation of Thrushcross Grange: I heard yesterday you had had some thoughts--'
'Thrushcross Grange is my own, sir,' he interrupted, wincing. 'I should not allow any one to inconvenience me, if I could hinder it--walk in!'
The 'walk in' was uttered with closed teeth, and expressed the sentiment, 'Go to the Deuce': even the gate over which he leant manifested no sympathizing movement to the words; and I think that circumstance determined me to accept the invitation: I felt interested in a man who seemed more exaggeratedly reserved than myself.
When he saw my horse's breast fairly pushing the barrier, he did pull out his hand to unchain it, and then suddenly preceded me up the causeway, calling, as we entered the court,--
'Joseph, take Mr. Lockwood's horse; and bring up some wine.'
'Here we have the whole establishment of domestics, I suppose,' was the reflection, suggested by this compound order. 'No wonder the grass grows up between the flags, and cattle are the only hedge-cutters.'
Joseph was an elderly, nay, an old man: very old, perhaps, though hale and sinewy.
'The Lord help us!' he soliloquised in an undertone of peevish displeasure, while relieving me of my horse: looking, meantime, in my face so sourly that I charitably conjectured he must have need of divine aid to digest his dinner, and his pious ejaculation had no reference to my unexpected advent.
Wuthering Heights is the name of Mr. Heathcliff's dwelling. 'Wuthering' being a significant provincial adjective, descriptive of the atmospheric tumult to which its station is exposed in stormy weather. Pure, bracing ventilation they must have up there at all times, indeed: one may guess the power of the north wind blowing over the edge, by the excessive slant of a few stunted firs at the end of the house; and by a range of gaunt thorns all stretching their limbs one way, as if craving alms of the sun. Happily, the architect had foresight to build it strong: the narrow windows are deeply set in the wall, and the corners defended with large jutting stones.
Before passing the threshold, I paused to admire a quantity of grotesque carving lavished over the front, and especially about the principal door; above which, among a wilderness of crumbling griffins and shameless little boys, I detected the date '1500,' and the name 'Hareton Earnshaw.' I would have made a few comments, and requested a short history of the place from the surly owner; but his attitude at the door appeared to demand my speedy entrance, or complete departure, and I had no desire to aggravate his impatience previous to inspecting the penetralium.
One step brought us into the family sitting-room, without any introductory lobby or passage: they call it here 'the house' pre-eminently. It includes kitchen and parlour, generally; but I believe at Wuthering Heights the kitchen is forced to retreat altogether into another quarter: at least I distinguished a chatter of tongues, and a clatter of culinary utensils, deep within; and I observed no signs of roasting, boiling, or baking, about the huge fire-place; nor any glitter of copper saucepans and tin cullenders on the walls. One end, indeed, reflected splendidly both light and heat from ranks of immense pewter dishes, interspersed with silver jugs and tankards, towering row after row, on a vast oak dresser, to the very roof. The latter had never been underdrawn: its entire anatomy lay bare to an inquiring eye, except where a frame of wood laden with oatcakes and clusters of legs of beef, mutton, and ham, concealed it. Above the chimney were sundry villanous old guns, and a couple of horse-pistols: and, by way of ornament, three gaudily painted canisters disposed along its ledge. The floor was of smooth, white stone; the chairs, high-backed, primitive structures, painted green: one or two heavy black ones lurking in the shade. In an arch under the dresser, reposed a huge, liver-coloured bitch pointer, surrounded by a swarm of squealing puppies; and other dogs haunted other recesses.
The apartment and furniture would have been nothing extraordinary as belonging to a homely, northern farmer, with a stubborn countenance, and stalwart limbs set out to advantage in knee-breeches and gaiters. Such an individual seated in his armchair, his mug of ale frothing on the round table before him, is to be seen in any circuit of five or six miles among these hills, if you go at the right time after dinner. But Mr. Heathcliff forms a singular contrast to his abode and style of living. He is a dark-skinned gipsy in aspect, in dress and manners a gentleman: that is, as much a gentleman as many a country squire: rather slovenly, perhaps, yet not looking amiss with his negligence, because he has an erect and handsome figure; and rather morose. Possibly, some people might suspect him of a degree of underbred pride; I have a sympathetic chord within that tells me it is nothing of the sort: I know by instinct, his reserve springs from an aversion to showy displays of feeling--to manifestations of mutual kindliness. He'll love and hate equally under cover, and esteem it a species of impertinence to be loved or hated again. No. I'm running on too fast: I bestow my own attributes over liberally on him. Mr. Heathcliff may have entirely dissimilar reasons for keeping his hand out of the way when he meets a would-be acquaintance, to those which actuate me. Let me hope my constitution is almost peculiar: my dear mother used to say I should never have a comfortable home; and only last summer I proved myself perfectly unworthy of one.
While enjoying a month of fine weather at the seacoast, I was thrown into the company of a most fascinating creature: a real goddess in my eyes, as long as she took no notice of me. I 'never told my love' vocally; still, if looks have language, the merest idiot might have guessed I was over head and ears: she understood me at last, and looked a return--the sweetest of all imaginable looks. And what did I do? I confess it with shame--shrunk icily into myself, like a snail; at every glance retired colder and farther; till finally the poor innocent was led to doubt her own senses, and, overwhelmed with confusion at her supposed mistake, persuaded her mamma to decamp.
By this curious turn of disposition I have gained the reputation of deliberate heartlessness; how undeserved, I alone can appreciate.
I took a seat at the end of the hearthstone opposite that towards which my landlord advanced, and filled up an interval of silence by attempting to caress the canine mother, who had left her nursery, and was sneaking wolfishly to the back of my legs, her lip curled up, and her white teeth watering for a snatch.
My caress provoked a long, guttural gnarl.
'You'd better let the dog alone,' growled Mr. Heathcliff in unison, checking fiercer demonstrations with a punch of his foot. 'She's not accustomed to be spoiled--not kept for a pet.'
Then, striding to a side door, he shouted again--'Joseph!'--
Joseph mumbled indistinctly in the depths of the cellar, but gave no intimation of ascending; so his master dived down to him, leaving me vis-a-vis the ruffianly bitch and a pair of grim shaggy sheep-dogs, who shared with her a jealous guardianship over all my movements.
Not anxious to come in contact with their fangs, I sat still; but, imagining they would scarcely understand tacit insults, I unfortunately indulged in winking and making faces at the trio, and some turn of my physiognomy so irritated madam, that she suddenly broke into a fury, and leapt on my knees. I flung her back, and hastened to interpose the table between us. This proceeding roused the whole hive. Half-a-dozen four-footed fiends, of various sizes and ages, issued from hidden dens to the common centre. I felt my heels and coat-laps peculiar subjects of assault; and, parrying off the larger combatants as effectually as I could with the poker, I was constrained to demand, aloud, assistance from some of the household in re-establishing peace.
Mr. Heathcliff and his man climbed the cellar steps with vexatious phlegm: I don't think they moved one second faster than usual, though the hearth was an absolute tempest of worrying and yelping.
Happily, an inhabitant of the kitchen made more dispatch: a lusty dame, with tucked-up gown, bare arms, and fire-flushed cheeks, rushed into the midst of us flourishing a frying-pan: and used that weapon, and her tongue, to such purpose, that the storm subsided magically, and she only remained, heaving like a sea after a high wind, when her master entered on the scene.
'What the devil is the matter?' he asked, eyeing me in a manner I could ill endure after this inhospitable treatment.
'What the devil, indeed!' I muttered. 'The herd of possessed swine could have had no worse spirits in them than those animals of yours, sir. You might as well leave a stranger with a brood of tigers!'
'They won't meddle with persons who touch nothing,' he remarked, putting the bottle before me, and restoring the displaced table. 'The dogs do right to be vigilant. Take a glass of wine?'
'No, thank you.'
《傲慢与偏见》 简 介 简·奥斯汀的《傲慢与偏见》(Pride and Prejudice)是世界文学史上最受人喜爱和推崇的经典小说之一。这部作品以其机智的对话、对社会习俗的敏锐观察以及对人类情感复杂性的深刻剖析,跨越了两个多世纪的时光,依然能引起当代读者的强烈共鸣。 故事的主舞台设定在18世纪末至19世纪初的英格兰乡绅社会,聚焦于班内特(Bennet)家族——一个中产阶级家庭,父亲博学而略带玩世不恭,母亲则毕生致力于为她的五个女儿——简(Jane)、伊丽莎白(Elizabeth)、玛丽(Mary)、凯蒂(Kitty)和莉迪亚(Lydia)——找到合适的婚姻归宿。在那个时代,没有继承权的女儿们的未来完全取决于婚姻,经济保障与社会地位紧密地与丈夫的财富和身份挂钩。 故事的核心冲突和引人入胜之处,在于女主角伊丽莎白·班内特(Elizabeth Bennet)与富有的单身汉菲茨威廉姆·达西先生(Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy)之间充满张力的关系发展。 初识的误解与偏见 故事伊始,当地社交季因两位新贵英俊且富有的小伙子——热心、随和的宾利先生(Mr. Bingley)及其高傲、沉稳的朋友达西先生的到来而沸腾起来。简·班内特的美丽和温柔立刻吸引了宾利的目光,两人的感情发展得迅速而甜蜜。 然而,在乡间舞会上,伊丽莎白与达西先生的首次交锋便注定了他们关系的不和谐。达西先生的傲慢——他轻蔑地评价伊丽莎白“尚可容忍,但不足以动人”——深深刺伤了伊丽莎白敏感而聪慧的心灵。伊丽莎白随即对达西产生了强烈的偏见,认为他是一个自我中心、脾气暴躁的贵族典范。 这种偏见在后续事件中被不断强化。达西先生的冷漠态度间接导致了宾利先生突然中断了对简的追求,这让伊丽莎白更加确信达西的刻薄品性。更糟糕的是,一位名叫威克汉姆(Mr. Wickham)的迷人军官的出现,进一步加深了伊丽莎白的敌意。威克汉姆向她讲述了达西如何无情地剥夺了他的继承权,使伊丽莎白对达西的憎恶达到了顶点。 傲慢的表白与惊人的反转 随着情节的推进,情感的张力达到了一个高潮。达西先生虽然极力克制,却无可避免地爱上了聪慧、活泼、与众不同的伊丽莎白。在一个令人震惊的场景中,达西向伊丽莎白提出了求婚。然而,他的求婚充满了贵族的优越感,他强调了班内特家族的社会地位低下,以及他本人为了这段结合所做的“让步”。 伊丽莎白感到极度愤怒,毫不留情地拒绝了他,并指责他拆散了简和宾利的幸福,以及他对威克汉姆的迫害。 这次公开的拒绝迫使达西先生进行深刻的反思。他随后写了一封长信给伊丽莎白,解释了事情的真相:他认为简对宾利的感情并非如表面般热烈,因此才出面干预以保护朋友;而威克汉姆则是一个品行不端的赌徒,企图欺骗他的妹妹乔治亚娜·达西。 这封信犹如当头棒喝,彻底动摇了伊丽莎白先前坚信不移的判断。她开始意识到,自己被傲慢(达西的社会优越感)蒙蔽了双眼,并因此产生了根深蒂固的偏见,错将虚伪的魅力当作真诚,而将正直的品格视为傲慢。 自我认知与最终的和解 随着伊丽莎白对自我洞察的加深,她开始以更客观的眼光审视周围的人和事。她意识到,真正的“傲慢”和“偏见”并非只存在于达西先生一人身上,而是她自己强烈的自我保护欲和虚荣心所致。 故事的转折点发生在伊丽莎白拜访了达西的庄园——彭伯利(Pemberley)之后。在那里,她看到了一个完全不同的达西:一个受人尊敬、慷慨待人、对妹妹充满父爱与关怀的绅士。 然而,一场突如其来的危机再次考验着这对潜在的伴侣。伊丽莎白最小的妹妹莉迪亚,在没有名分的情况下与威克汉姆私奔,给整个班内特家族带来了巨大的耻辱和毁灭性的后果。正当家族陷入绝望之际,伊丽莎白发现是达西先生悄悄出面,以巨大的经济代价和个人影响力,找到了私奔的两人,并强迫威克汉姆娶了莉迪亚,从而挽救了班内特家族的名誉。 达西的这一行为,完全是无私且匿名的善举,彻底消除了伊丽莎白心中残留的偏见。她终于看到了他高尚的品格和深沉的爱意。 最终,宾利先生在简的身边,以及达西先生在伊丽莎白面前,都成功克服了最初的障碍——达西的傲慢和伊丽莎白的偏见。他们坦诚相待,承认并改正了自己的错误,最终成就了一段建立在互相理解、尊重和真诚爱情基础上的美满婚姻。 主题与艺术成就 《傲慢与偏见》不仅仅是一部浪漫小说,它更是一部关于社会评论、婚姻制度批判和个人成长的杰作。奥斯汀以其独特的讽刺笔触,精妙地描绘了19世纪英国社会中金钱与爱情的角力、阶级观念的僵化以及女性在婚姻市场上的窘境。 小说深刻探讨了自我认知的重要性:真正的智慧不在于轻易地评判他人,而在于审视和修正自身的缺陷。伊丽莎白的机敏和独立思考,以及达西先生的内敛和责任感,共同构成了文学史上最迷人、最平衡的一对璧人。 这部作品的语言精炼、机智幽默,对话场景的描绘堪称一绝,至今仍被认为是英语文学中最完美的叙事范本之一。它向读者证明了,真正的爱情必须建立在相互尊重和超越阶级偏见的基础上,而非盲目的激情或物质的考量。