The Woman behind the Novels(b)|走进珍．奥斯汀的世界

The environment Jane Austen created for her characters was actually the world in which she grew up. She took experiences from her own life and used them in her stories. Social situations, division of classes, and courting all have given contemporary readers a glimpse into the past. Nevertheless, the novels also deal with the timeless themes of love, duty, and family complexities.

Pride and Prejudice, Austen's best-known novel, follows the life of Elizabeth Bennet. The story is told mostly from Bennet's point of view and is a tale of first impressions, women's roles in society, and differences in upbringings. Bennet has been considered one of the most complex characters ever written and is one of the reasons Pride and Prejudice has been held in high esteem through the years.

Another of Austen's well-loved novels is Sense and Sensibility, which was also her first-published novel in 1811. Austen's name was not attached to the novel at the time of its publication. Instead, she used the pseudonym, A Lady. It was her brother Henry that made sure Austen's novels were reprinted with her name as author after her death. A large part of Sense and Sensibility's plot, which touches on class division and family troubles, was inspired by events that took place in Austen's own life. As a young woman, Austen fell in love, but due to her family's poor socioeconomic status, the couple was never allowed to marry. Whether it is through films, literature, or plays, Jane Austen's stories will continue to delight people for years to come.

1.  What was one of the reasons Austen got into literature?

(A) She learned to read at a very young age.

(B) She loved spending time at the local library.

(C) Her father inspired her to become a writer.

(D) Her family enjoyed performing scenes from plays and books.

2.  According to the article, what is special about Pride and Prejudice?

(A) It was the first of Austen's novels to be published.

(B) It had a different name before it was published.

(C) It was actually written by Austen's father.

(D) It was Jane Austen's autobiography.

3.  Which of the following statements is NOT true?

(A) Austen's most famous novel was published many years after she finished it.

(B) Austen used a fake name to write some of her books.

(C) Austen died before any of her novels were published.

(D) Pride and Prejudice is Austen's most famous novel.

4.  Why wasn't Austen allowed to marry the man she loved?

(A) The man's family didn't get along with her family.

(B) She was sick with a life-threatening disease.

(C) She didn't have good manners.

(D) Her family was poor.

答案：1. (D)2. (B)3. (C)4. (D)

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珍．奥斯汀在 1796 年曾与后来成为爱尔兰最高法官的汤姆．勒佛伊（Tom Lefroy）有过短暂的罗曼史，据传他就是《傲慢与偏见》中达西先生的原型。奥斯汀所处的年代正是浪漫主义方兴未艾之际，但是她的作品不属于浪漫主义，而更接近新古典主义的风格。

有不少人推崇奥斯汀，一些学者将奥斯汀视为英语文学最伟大的作者之一，甚至有人将她与莎士比亚相提并论。但也有人对奥斯汀持批评意见。比奥斯汀稍晚的英国女作家夏洛蒂．勃朗特（Charlotte Bront）批评她的视角过于狭隘。马克．吐温则更尖酸地表示过『一个图书馆只要没有奥斯汀的书就是好图书馆。』（数据源：维基百科）