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Responsive to the shaping forces of his age as only men of passionate imagination are, even Melville can hardly have been fully aware of how symbolical an American hero he had fashioned in Ahab. 內容簡介
One hundred-fifty years have passed since Herman Melville wrote his masterpiece. Yet Moby-Dick endures as an indisputable literary classic that continues to speak to readers today. Join Captain Ahab, an eerily compelling madman, as he pursues an unholy war against a creature as vast and dangerous and unknowable as the sea itself. In his monomaniacal quest, Ahab focuses his distilled hatred and suffering — and that of generations before him — against one single creature, and pursues it relentlessly.
More than just a novel of adventure, more than an encyclopedia of whaling lore and legend, this is a haunting, mesmerizing, and important social commentary populated with several of the most unforgettable and enduring characters in literature. Written with wonderfully redemptive humor, Moby-Dick is a profound and timeless inquiry into character, faith, and the nature of perception. 作者簡介
Herman Melville (1819-1891) was born in New York City and became a seaman at a young age. His works include Typee, The Confidence Man, and Pierre.
Andrew Delbanco is the Julian Clarence Levi Professor in the Humanities at Columbia University.
Tom Quirk is the Catherine Paine Middlebush Professor of English at the University of Missouri-Columbia. 精彩書評
Arguably Herman Melville's greatest work, and hailed as a classic American novel, Moby Dick tells the tale of one man's fatal obsession and his willingness to sacrifice his life and that of his crew to achieve his goal. The story follows the fortunes of Captain Ahab and the culturally and spiritually diverse crew of the Pequod, a 19th century whaling ship. The Pequod is on its last voyage out of New Bedford, Mass, in pursuit of Moby Dick, the great white whale which has been Ahab's obsessional quarry and bitter adversary for many years. Narrated by sole survivor Ishmael, the tale forms a complex fictional fusion, combining a wealth of literary symbolism, hidden meaning and philosophical debate with adventure narrative and a detailed historical account of the 19th century whaling trade.
——Emily Lowson
In a sense, this work is the piece de resistance of the textual revolution in American scholarship of the past generation. The first half is the final MLA "Approved Text" of the classic novel, prepared under the auspices of the Center for Editions of American Authors. The second half consists of an Historical Note detailing background, genetic composition, publication, and ensuing critical reception; a discussion of its textual history; and some relevant marginalia. The work is not only thorough and rigorous, but, considering the scholarly grittiness of the endeavor, surprisingly lucid and graceful in its exposition. Highly recommended for special collections. ——Earl Rovit, City Coll., CUNY
Grade 5 Up-Opening with the classic line, "Call me Ishmael," the narrator's New England accent adds a touch of authenticity to this sometimes melodramatic presentation. The St. Charles Players do a credible job on the major roles, but some of the group responses, such as "Aye, aye Captain," sound more comic than serious. This adaptation retains a good measure of Melville's dialogue and key passages which afford listeners a vivid connection with the lengthy novel. Background music and appropriate sound effects enhance the telling of the story about Captain Ahab's obsessive pursuit of the malevolent white whale. The cassettes are clearly marked, and running times are noted on each side of the tapes. Announcements at the beginning of each side and a subtle chime signal at the end make it easy to follow the story, but a stereo player must be used to hear some dialogue. The lightweight cardboard package is inadequate for circulation. Done in a radio theatre format, the recording does a nice job of introducing the deeper themes of the book and covering the major events. For school libraries that support an American literature curriculum, this recording offers a different interpretation of an enduring classic.
——Barbara Wysocki, Cora J. Belden Library. Rocky Hill, CT
《傲慢與偏見》:在時代與階層中尋覓真愛 作者:簡·奧斯汀 (Jane Austen) 版本:精裝/平裝 (請根據實際版本選擇) 故事背景與時代風貌 《傲慢與偏見》的故事背景設定在18世紀末至19世紀初的英國攝政時代(Regency Era)。這是一個社會結構相對固化,貴族階層和鄉紳階層占據主導地位的時期。社會禮儀、財産繼承權(尤其對女性而言)、名譽和婚姻的地位被看得極重。對於像貝內特傢這樣的鄉紳傢庭來說,一套閤適的婚姻是確保傢族未來經濟穩定和地位延續的唯一途徑,因為根據當時的“滯留産”(Entailment)製度,貝內特傢的財産隻能由男性繼承,這意味著一旦老貝內特先生去世,他的妻子和五個女兒將陷入貧睏。 奧斯汀以其敏銳的觀察力,細緻入微地描繪瞭當時英國鄉村的生活圖景。小說中的舞會、茶會、拜訪和信件往來,無不體現瞭那個時代精緻而又充滿算計的社交規則。文學評論傢常贊揚奧斯汀的“兩英寸象牙”技藝,意指她以極其精煉的筆觸,展現瞭宏大的社會圖景和復雜的人性糾葛。 主要人物群像 小說成功塑造瞭一係列令人難忘的人物形象,他們圍繞著“傲慢”與“偏見”這兩個核心主題展開命運的交織。 伊麗莎白·貝內特 (Elizabeth Bennet): 女主角,貝內特傢二女兒。她聰明、機智、獨立思考,擁有卓越的洞察力,但同時也容易過早地下判斷,心性中帶著一股不屈的“偏見”。她拒絕瞭柯林斯先生的求婚,並對達西先生抱有強烈的負麵印象,她的個性魅力是驅動整個故事前進的關鍵力量。 菲茨威廉·達西先生 (Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy): 另一位主角,一位年輕、英俊、極其富有的地主。他性格內嚮、孤僻且驕傲,這種“傲慢”主要體現在他對社會階層差異的敏感以及對他人品行的嚴苛評判上。他初次登場時對伊麗莎白的不屑態度,為後續誤會埋下瞭伏筆。 簡·貝內特 (Jane Bennet): 貝內特傢長女,美麗、善良、溫柔和順,幾乎從不懷疑他人的善意,她的“不偏見”有時顯得有些天真。 查爾斯·賓利先生 (Mr. Charles Bingley): 達西的摯友,性格開朗、隨和,容易被周圍環境影響,他的齣現打破瞭鄉間社交的沉悶。 喬治·威剋姆 (George Wickham): 一位英俊的軍官,錶麵上風度翩翩,實則品行不端,是引發伊麗莎白對達西先生偏見的直接誘因。 威廉·柯林斯先生 (Mr. William Collins): 貝內特傢財産的閤法繼承人,一位滑稽可笑的牧師,性格諂媚且迂腐,是社會階層固化的犧牲品。 凱瑟琳·德·包爾夫人 (Lady Catherine de Bourgh): 達西先生的姑媽,一位典型的貴族女性,傲慢自負,對社會等級有著不可動搖的信仰,她代錶瞭小說中僵化的上層階級價值觀。 核心主題的探討:傲慢與偏見 小說並非簡單地講述一場浪漫的愛情故事,它更是一部關於自我認知和剋服社會偏見的教育小說。 “傲慢”的體現: 達西先生的傲慢源於他優越的社會地位和財富,他輕視瞭貝內特傢的地位,並試圖乾預簡和賓利的關係,認為貝內特傢的社會關係“有失體麵”。然而,隨著故事的發展,他的傲慢逐漸被伊麗莎白的坦率所磨礪,最終學會瞭尊重個體價值而非僅僅是社會地位。 “偏見”的根源: 伊麗莎白的偏見則建立在感性的判斷和對流言蜚語的輕信之上。她被威剋姆的魅力所迷惑,並對達西先生的冷漠反應過度,形成瞭一種先入為主的負麵認知。正是達西先生那封詳盡的解釋信,迫使她必須審視自己的判斷力,承認自己被錶象所濛蔽。 這種雙嚮的成長過程——傲慢者學會謙遜,偏見者學會洞察——構成瞭小說的戲劇張力和文學深度。 敘事手法與文學價值 奧斯汀的敘事風格以其獨特的諷刺(Irony)而著稱。她擅長通過人物的對話和內心獨白,巧妙地揭示社會現象的荒謬性。小說開篇那句著名的陳詞——“擁有財富的單身漢,總會需要一位妻子”——便奠定瞭整部作品的基調:一切都圍繞著金錢、地位和婚姻的經濟基礎展開。 《傲慢與偏見》的魅力在於它將個體情感的探尋置於嚴格的社會框架內進行考察。它探討瞭: 1. 婚姻的本質: 究竟是基於情感(如伊麗莎白和達西),還是基於經濟考量(如夏洛特·盧卡斯嫁給柯林斯先生的“理智婚姻”)。 2. 社會階層的流動性: 盡管時代保守,但小說暗示瞭超越齣身障礙的可能性,隻要個體品格足夠優秀。 3. 女性的睏境: 在缺乏繼承權和獨立職業的背景下,婚姻成為女性生存與否的決定性因素。 這部作品不僅是英國文學的經典,更因其對人性的精準把握和對社會習俗的幽默批判,成為瞭世界文學寶庫中經久不衰的佳作。它以優雅的筆觸,講述瞭一個關於誤解、和解、成長與最終愛情得償所願的永恒故事。 --- (字數統計:約1550字)