《簡愛（英文版）》是英國19世紀(jì)出色的小說之一。人們普遍認(rèn)為《簡愛(英文版)》是夏洛蒂·勃朗特”詩意的生平”的寫照，是一部具有自傳色彩的作品。小說一出現(xiàn)就在文壇引起了轟動，英國著名諷刺小說家薩克雷曾動情地說：“《簡愛（英文版）》使我非常感動，我非常喜愛它。它是我能花好多天來讀的一部英國小說。”《簡愛(英文版)》之所以能夠打動人心，并非以情節(jié)取勝，在作者對人性的描述中，我們隱約看到了自身卑劣或美麗的人性。在問世之后的一個半世紀(jì)的今天，《簡愛(英文版)》仍在世界各種語言中擁有眾多的讀者，根據(jù)這部小說改編的電影亦榮獲奧斯卡金像獎。
A PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION of Jane Eyre beingunnecessary, I gave none: this second edition demands a few wordsboth of acknowledgment and miscellaneous remark. My thanks are due in three quarters.
夏洛蒂·勃朗特，1816年，夏洛蒂·勃朗特出生于英國北部的一個牧師家庭。母親早逝，八歲的夏洛蒂被送進(jìn)一所寄宿學(xué)校。那里生活條件極其惡劣，她的兩個姐姐因染上肺病而先后死去。于是夏洛蒂和妹妹艾米莉回到家鄉(xiāng)，在荒涼的約克郡山區(qū)度過了童年。十五歲時夏洛蒂進(jìn)了伍勒小姐辦的學(xué)校讀書，幾年后又在這所學(xué)校當(dāng)教師。她也曾做過家庭教師，終因不能忍受貴婦人、闊小姐對家庭教師的歧視和苛待而辭職。她曾打算自辦學(xué)校，為此她在姨母的資助下去意大利進(jìn)修法語和德語。然而由于沒有學(xué)生，學(xué)校沒能辦成。但是在意大利學(xué)習(xí)的經(jīng)歷激發(fā)了夏洛蒂表現(xiàn)自我的強(qiáng)烈愿望，促使她投身于文學(xué)創(chuàng)作。
1846年，夏洛蒂創(chuàng)作完成了她的第二部小說《簡·愛》，借一個出身寒微的年輕女子的奮斗經(jīng)歷，一抒胸中積愫。小說于1847年秋以柯勒·貝爾的筆名發(fā)表，大獲成功，次年就再版兩次，讓這位名不見經(jīng)傳的作者就此躋身英國著名小說家的行列，被馬克思?xì)w為以狄更斯、薩克雷為代表的“出色的一派”。
CHAPTER 1
There was no possibility of taking a walk that day.We had been wandering,indeed,in the leafless shrubbery an hour in the morning;but since dinner(Mrs.Reed,when there was no company,dined early)the cold winter wind had brought with it clouds so sombre,and a rain so penetrating,that further out-door exercise was now out of the question.
I was glad of it:I never liked long walks,especially on chilly afternoons:dreadful to me was the coming home in the raw twilight,with nipped fingers and toes,and a heart saddened by the chidings of Bessie,the nurse,and humbled by the consciousness of my physical inferiority to Eliza,John,and Georgiana Reed.
The said Eliza,John,and Georgiana were now clustered round their mama in the drawing-room:she lay reclined on a sofa by the fireside,and with her darlings about her(for the time neither quarrelling nor crying)looked perfectly happy.Me,she had dispensed from joining the group;saying,“She regretted to be under the necessity of keeping me at a distance;but that until she heard from Bessie,and could discover by her own observation,that I was endeavouring in good earnest to acquire a more sociable and childlike disposition,a more attractive and sprightly manner—something lighter,franker,more natural,as it were—she really must exclude me from privileges intended only for contented,happy,little children.”
“What does Bessie say I have done?”I asked.
“Jane,I don’t like cavillers or questioners;besides,there is something truly forbidding in a child taking up her elders in that manner.Be seated somewhere;and until you can speak pleasantly,remain silent.”
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