Sense and Sensibility.docx

Sense and Sensibility.docx

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SenseandSensibility

外国语学院

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题目：

SensibilityagainstSense

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书名:

SenseandSensibility

作者:

JaneAusten

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Title

Abstract：

senseandsensibilityistheearliestworkbyJaneAusten.Itmainlycentersontwosisters’ateinlove.TheelderElinoristherepresentativeofthesensibility,whilehersisterMariannethesense.Throughthequitedifferentreactionoftwosisterstolove,Austenexpressesherpointofviewonlove.Inthemeanwhile,hervividandexquisitedescriptionofcharactersepitomizesthesocietyofthe19thcentury.

Keyword:

characteranalysesofmaincharacters,theattitudetowardlove,girls’value.

Title

1.BriefIntroductionofJaneAusten

Austenis"themostperfectartistamongwomen."----VirginiaWoolf,Britishnovelistandfeminist

JaneAustenwasborninSteventon,Hampshire,whereherfather,Rev.GeorgeAusten,wasarector.Shewastheseconddaughterandseventhchildinafamilyofeight.JaneAustenwasmostlyeducatedathomeandirregularlyatschool,inspiteofwhichshestillwasaknowledgebleandcutivatedwomanatthattime,becauseofherfather’slargestockofbooksandtheinfluenceofherparentseagernessforreading〔1〕Throughallherlifetime,JaneAustenlivedinaquietandpeacefullifeinthecountrywhichlaidthefoundationofnovelswhithoutadventuresandhorrorsandmysterybutwithromancebetweengentlemenandladies.Theinspirationofhernovelsderivedfromhercarefulobservationoffamilylifeandsocialoccasionsinvolvinggossipis.ShewrotesixnovelsaltogetherincludingSenseandSensibility（1811）,PrideandPrejudice（1813）,MansfieldPark（1814）,Emma,NorthangerAbbeyandPersuasio（1817）.Amongthem,PrideandPrejudicewastheoutstandingandmostwidelyenjoyedone,thoughthismasterpiecedidn’tgetinstantsuccessinpublishersaswellasherotherworks.JaneAustenwasoneofthegreatestnovelistinthe19thcenturyonwhoseworksreadersreadandresearchonandadmiredof.

2.Plot

Mr.DashwooddiedandhissonMr.JohndashwoodinheritedallhispropertyincludingthehouseinNorland.Hiswifeandthreedaughters—Elinor,MarianneandMargaretwereevictedfromthehouseandonlyannuallygotfivehundredpoundsduetoMr.JohndashwoodandhisselfishandgreedywifeFanny.TheyhadbuttomovetoacottageinBartonattheinvitationofSirMiddletonwhowasMrs.dashwood’cousin.InBarton,ElinorandMarianne,thesistersofdifferentcharastersbegantheirromances.MariannelostherhearttoWilloughby,ahandsomegenteelmanbutprovedirresponsibleandinconstant,takingnonoticeofColonelBrandonwhowasthough35,credibbleanddeeplyandconstantlyfondofMarianne.ElinorstillcontinuedherfavortowardsEdwadwhowasasentimentalandreservedgentlemen.Unfortunately,thetwoyoungladiesencounteredsomeunexpectedandheartbrakingmatters.MariannewhenaccompanyingMrs.JenningsinLondonsufferedtheunloyaltyofWilloughbywhogotmarriedwithanotherrichyoungladywithoutthoroughexplanationtoher.ElinorwasinformedbyLucy,aculculatingignorantgirlofEdward’sengagementwithher.TheybothsankintodeepdistressthoughMarianneexpresseddirectlywhileElinorrepressedheremotions,standingallthesadnessandhelpedhersisterrecover.Intheendofthestory,thetwoyoungladiesbothgotmarriedhappilywiththeirbelovedones.

3.CharacterAnalysis

Inordertomakeabetteranalysisofthetypicaltwosisters,Ihavefirsttobrieflyanalyseothermaincharacterswhohelpedthedevelopmentofthestoryandfoiledtheyoungladiesinthenovel.

Edward:

awell—educatedmanwithkindnessandgoodappearancebutrathersentimental,irresoluteandindependentonhismother.Hedidn’trealizehisaffectiontowardsElinoruntiltheveryend,thusleavinghersuspensiveanddistressed.HisformerimprudentandimmatureengagementwithhisbestchildhoodcompanionLucywhichwastheresultofidleness,asilentrebellionagainsthismotherandsimple—mindedemthusiasmtowarsLucydeprivedhimofhismother’sfavorandinheritanceandalmostofElinor’saffection.Atfirst,hewasweak,butlaterhewasbravelyagainsthismotherfortheengagementwhichhestillstucktoanddeterminedtoacceptColonelBrandon’sofferingtobeacurate.Inthestory,hecanbesaidtoexperienceachangefrombeingsentimental,hesitantandweaktobeingdesicivebraveandindependent,thuswinningbackElinor’sheart.Infact,IthinksomeyoungmeninmodernsocietybearsomeresemblancetoearlyEdward’sdependence.Theywerebornundertheinfluenceofthefamilyplanning,plusthereasonoftheirsexandtheyarespoiledandlivequiteindependently.Whatisworse,theylackmasculinity，confidenceandcourage.Oncefacedwithdifficulties,theyfeeltheylosefaceandcan’twantliveoninsteadofpositivelyseekingsolutionstogetoverbythemselves.HopetheycanlearnsomethingfromlaterEdward.

Willoughby:

hewastherepresentativeoftheyoungmenofnoblebirthatthattimeinBritain.Thoughhavingreceivedgoodeducation,hewasprodigal,sociableandinconstantandirresponsible.HeseducedEliza,makingherprognantandescaped.HeclearlyknewMarianne’saffectionandletgohisownuncheckedaffectionsandevendefamedColonelBrandon,thoughheknewhewouldn’tmarryher.Atlast,hebetrayedMarianneandmarriedMissGrayforherfortunebecausehewasdebt—riddenandcouldn’tbearpoverty.TheconfessionhecommitedtoElinorthathereallylovedMariannewhenhehurriedlyarrivedatBartontoseesickMariannewasfullofinsinceritythoughhehimselfassertedtobetrue.

ColonelBrandon:

hewasatoughman.Muchashewasreservedandsilent,hewaskind—hearted,well—educatedandgenteel.However,heoncehadtroublesthatwasleftasaresultofhisimmaturityandsincereaffectionstowardsayoungladywhenhewasyoung.HiskindnesswasreflectedbyhiscaretothegirlElizawhowasthedaughterwashisformerbelovedoneandwhowasseducedbyWilloughbytobepregnant.Apartfromthat,hismeritsofconstancywasexemplifiedbyhisabidingaffectionstoMariannewhoatfirstignoredandhurthim.

Mrs.Jennings:

shewasakind—heartedoldladyofemthusiasmandcuriosity.Oneofthedefectsinhercharacterwasherpreferenceforgossip.Thisatfirsmademefeelsick,butlaterherhonesty,sincerity,loveandmaternallovetowardsthetwosistersrebuiltherimageinmyheart.WhensheknewWilloughby’scrueltytoMariannemadeherbesideherselfwithgrief,sheaccompaniedher,consolingherandresolvedtocutoffallthesocialrelationswithhimthoughatthattimeMariannestilldetestedher.Moreover,shetookeverycareofMarianneandwasreallyworriedaboutherhealthwhenshewasseriouslyill.Conclusioncanbedrawnthatthoughshebelongedtoupperclass,shewasgenuineandkindincontrastagaistMrs.Ferrarswhowashauty,selfish,coldandsnobbish.

FannyandMrs.Middleton:

theyboremuchresemblancefortheywerebothcold,indifferent,greedythoughgraceful.

LucySteeles:

shewasEdward’schildwoodplaymateandhisbestfriend.Shewasignorantcountrygirlandananxioussocialclimber,clever,manipulativeandcunning.LucyflatteredLadyMiddletonandMrs.Ferrarsforbeingmeltedintotheupperclass.SheasserteddeepattachmenttoEdwardwhoshedidn’tlovebutwasusedasastepstoneforclimbingintoupperclass.ThiscanbeshownbyherlatermarriagewithEdward’sbrotherRobertforEdwardwasdisinheritedasaresultofhisprotectionforhispromisetoher.ShewasrathercalculatingwhenshetoldElinorherengagementwithEdwardforthesupriorclaimforhimandawarningforElinor.Whatwasworse,shestillmisledElinortobelievinghermarriagewithEdwardandwantedmaliciouslyobstructedtheaffectionbetweenthetwowhenshewasinfactmarriedtoEdward’sbrotherRobert.

JohnDashwood:

hewasthesonofMr.Dashwoodwithhisformerwife.Hewasgreedy,doingeverythingjustformoney.“Heneverwishedtooffendanybody,especiallyanybodyofgoodfortune.”WhenhewasacquiantedwithColonelBrandon,hesuggestedengagementbetweenElinorandBrandon,forBrandonhadtwothousandpoundseveryyearregardlessofaffections.Outofmoney,hefollowedhisselfishwife’sadviceandbrokehispromisemadetohisfatherandgavenothingtohisstep—motherandsisters.

NowIshouldfocusontwomaincharacters—ElinorandMariannetoexpressmyownfeelings.

ItadmitsofnodoubtthatElinoristheincarnationofsensibilityandtheidealwomaninAusten’sheart.Herreasonablenesscanbeseenfromthreeaspects.First,fromromanticlove,shewasrationalsometimesrepressed.WhenhermotherandtwosisterswereassuredofherengagementwithEdwardinthenearfuture,shewasnotthrownintoblindrapture.FrancisBacononcesaidthatitisimpossibletoloveandtobewise.However,ElinortowhomAustenshowedparticularpartialityseemedthebeastexampletoreputeit.Shedidn’tblindlythinkherengagementwithEdwardwaswithoutobstaclesthoughattheverybeginningshedidn'tknowEdward’secretengagement,forherknowledgeofEdward’sindepemndenceonhismother,hisreserveandtentativenessprovidedworryforher.ShesaidtoMarianne:

“Inmyheart,Ifeellittle—scarcelyanydoubtofhispreference.Butthereareotherpointstobeconsideredbesideshisinclination.Heisveryfarfrombeingindependent.”LaterinEdward’fir