《雾都孤儿》是一部非常成功的作品,是狄更斯这位享誉盛名的代表作之一,它揭露了隐藏在伦敦狭小、肮脏的偏僻街道里的恐怖和暴力,也展示出了18世纪伦敦罪犯的真实面目;同时,狄更斯还试图说明:善良最终能够克服一切艰难险阻。《雾都孤儿》不仅吸引了评论家和公众的注意,同时它背后潜藏着的那一种强烈的情感不仅打动了与他同时代的读者,也深深地打动了我。
《雾都孤儿》中主人公的英文名字为Oliver Twist,而Twist其英文意思是“扭曲,曲折,使苦恼”,这暗示着主人公Oliver的一生很坎坷,要经历很多的痛苦。在这个对社会进行抗议的情节剧式的小说中,奥利弗被当作一个主人公,其目的不是要触动我们的文学敏感性,而是要打动我们的情感。
奥立弗·退斯特出生于19世纪30年代英国的一所济贫院,他妈妈用冰冷而毫无血色的嘴唇怜爱地在孩子的额头亲了一下后倒过去,咽了气。没父没母的奥立弗的童年过得极其凄惨,最初的9年是生活在一个管理不善的孤儿院,之后被转到收容成年人的济贫院。济贫院是维多利亚时期中产阶级建立的用来收养穷孩子的机构,因为人们认为穷人的身上有固有的恶习,穷人的家庭造就了这样的恶习,为了阻止这样的恶习产生,所以穷人夫妻就要分开,以阻止他们生孩子,从而减少下层社会的人。但可以这样形容当时的济贫院:济贫院给穷人提供的是慢性挨饿的机会,而在街头则是快速饿死。奥利弗和他的小伙伴们忍受着“慢性饥饿的折磨”。曾给我留下一个特别深刻印象的镜头是:一天晚上吃饭时,一个小孩子跟其他小孩子说,如果不给他多吃一碗粥,说不定会吃了谁。孩子们都很害怕,于是抓阄决定谁输了就要为那个孩子多要点吃的来。奥立弗输了,于是午饭后,其他孩子坚持奥立弗在晚饭时多要点食物。他的请求震惊了当局,结果使他们出5英镑作为酬金,要人把他从他们手上带走。因而可见,《雾都孤儿》是对维多利亚时期穷人的社会境遇的严厉批判。
《雾都孤儿》的起势情节是:绝望之中的奥立弗在黎明中出逃,奔向伦敦,在伦敦城外,又饿又累的他遇到了一个与他相仿年纪的男孩—杰克,杰克让他住在自己的恩人费金的住处——实际上是一个窃贼之家,费金这个“枯瘦如柴的犹太老头”兼职为犯罪头头专门训练孤儿为他偷东西。经过几天的训练,奥立弗和其他两个小孩被派去偷东西。当奥立弗看到他们偷了一个老绅士的手绢的时候,吓得拔腿就逃,他被抓住了,但勉强地躲过了指控,没有因偷盗被定罪。布朗罗先生,就是手绢的被偷者,把发烧的奥立弗带回家中护理,让他恢复健康,原本以为黑暗的生活会远离他而去,但是费金贼帮里的两个大人赛克斯和他的情人南希把奥立弗抓住,并送回费金那里。在《雾都孤儿》中,颇具争议性问题的人物是南希。南希在道德上的复杂性在几位主要人物中是很独特的。南希自幼便是一个小偷,饮酒无度,而且是一个妓女,她所陷入的罪恶为她的社会所不齿,但当她牺牲自己的生命去保护奥立弗这个她并不是很熟悉的小孩时,她的行为又是最为高尚的。正因为南希,奥立弗被狄更斯掩藏下的真实身份才有了渐渐浮出水面的一刻。
随后,费金派奥立弗去帮助赛克斯抢劫。奥立弗被那家的仆人用枪击中,赛克斯弃下受伤的奥立弗逃跑了。上天可怜善良的奥立弗,他被住在那里的梅莱太太和她漂亮的养女露西收留了。奥立弗开始了一种新生活。他常常与露西和梅莱太太外出散步,有时露西读书给他听,他也努力地学习功课。他觉得自己好像永远把罪恶,艰辛和贫困的世界抛在背后了。小说中,梅莱太太和露西所担任的母性角色使奥立弗第一次生活在正常的家庭当中,在她们母亲般的关爱下,奥立弗在乡下度过了美好的夏天。并且在梅莱一家的帮助下,布朗罗先生和奥立弗又团聚了,并消除了彼此间的误会。随后,布朗罗先生找到孟可思,追问奥立弗的真实身世,真相终于大白。原来孟可思是奥立弗同母异父的,和费金一起密谋陷害奥立弗,使之声名狼藉,并且是病态的,品行不端的坏兄弟,而且还查明了露西是奥立弗的亲生阿姨。
小说的最后总结了狄更斯的道德和宗教观念:如果没有强烈的爱,没有博爱之心,如果对以慈悲为准则,以博爱一切生灵为最高标志的上帝不知感恩,那是绝对得不到幸福的,因而,有罪恶的得到了严厉的惩罚,穷凶恶及的人物到最后仍承担着罪恶,相应的,好人终究有好报,布朗罗先生收养了品性善良,道德高尚,宽容仁慈的奥立弗,他们和梅莱一家一起回乡下,从此过着幸福的生活。
Character Profiles
Agnes- Oliver’s mother who died giving birth. The only thing she left was a locket with her name inscribed.
Nurse- Woman who delivered Oliver, and later died in the workhouse revealing the story of the locket and the night Oliver was born.
Oliver Twist- The main character of the story, Oliver is an affection-starved little boy who will not commit crimes. He was abused as a young child, and only wants to be loved. His adventures make him the best of friends and the worst of enemies.
Mrs. Mann - The woman who raised Oliver for the first nine years. She treated him and her other orphans very poorly by beating and starving them.
Mr. Bumble- The town beadle who thinks very lowly of Oliver. He eventually marries Mrs. Corney and makes Oliver’s life more difficult.
Mr. Gamfield- A chimneysweeper who wanted Oliver as an apprentice.
Mr. Sowerberry- A coffin maker that Oliver was apprenticed to. He generally treated the boy well, but chose his wife’s lies over Oliver’s truths.
Mrs. Sowerberry- Wife of the coffin maker who disliked young Oliver.
Charlotte- Maid to the Sowerberry’s that ends up running away with Noah and beginning a life of crime.
Noah Claypole - Another worker for the Sowerberry’s, Noah antagonizes Oliver when he was there, and when he begins to work for Fagin, his actions lead to the death of Nancy.
Young Dick- A friend of Oliver’s at Mrs. Mann’s who loves him.
Jack Dawkins- “Artful Dodger” is a young accomplished thief who finds Oliver on the road to London and introduces him to Fagin.
Fagin- The main antagonist in the story, “The Jew” takes Oliver under his wing and tries to make a pickpocket out of him. He is a powerful crime leader who has an affection for only money and will kill anyone who stands in his way.
Charley Bates- Another one of Fagin’s thieves who tends to laugh at everything in life.
Betsy- A woman who works for Fagin.
Nancy- A woman who works for Fagin and tries to help Oliver which eventually leads to her death. She is passionate, caring, and loves Sikes, who eventually kills her.
Mr. Brownlow- A man who Oliver’s thief friends rob on the street. He takes Oliver in, and discovers his true parentage.
Mrs. Bedwin- Mr. Brownlow’s housekeeper who nurses Oliver back to health.
Mr. Grimwig- A friend of Mr. Brownlow who is very cynical of the boy but eventually helps to keep him safe.
Mr. Sikes - Another evil character who is a member of Fagin’s gang. He has a little white dog that follows him everywhere. He threatens Oliver and reluctantly leaves him to die in a field after the boy was shot. He kills Nancy in a rage, and eventually kills himself.
Tom Chitling- Another petty thief of Fagin’s
Toby Crackit- A “flash” man who helps Sikes attempt to commit the robbery.
Barney- A thief who helps Sikes.
Mrs. Corney/ Mrs. Bumble- The matron of the workhouse Oliver was born in who eventually marries Mr. Brumble and here’s the confession of the nurse on her deathbed. She finds the evidence of Oliver’s parentage, and sells it to Monks.
Giles- The butler of the Maylie household, he is the man who shot Oliver.
Brittles- The “boy” of the Maylie household who was also there the night Oliver was shot.
Rose Maylie- The adopted niece of Mrs. Maylie who turns out to be Oliver’s Aunt. She is kind, loving, and a great joy in Oliver’s life.
Mrs. Maylie- An old woman who accepts Oliver into her home and finally gives him a loving atmosphere to live in.
Mr. Losberne - The doctor and friend of Mrs. Maylie who helps Oliver in his adventures. He is impatient and earnest, but also happy and kindhearted.
Blathers Duff- The two Bow Street Runners who come to investigate the attempted robbery. They are filled with stories to tell, and are suspicious of Oliver.
Harry Maylie- The son of Mrs. Maylie, Harry is deeply in love with Rose and would do anything to marry her. He befriends Oliver and adds to the boy’s loving atmosphere.
Monks/ Edward Leeford- Oliver’s older half brother who does not want to split his inheritance with the bastard child. He destroys the evidence of Oliver’s mother, and is a cohort of Fagin and his gang
可惜是英文的……
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