The-Portrait--of-a-lady一个贵夫人的画像

ThePortraitofaLadyContentsBackgroundinformationSummaryThemesCharacteristicanalysisTechniques《一个贵妇人的画像》以解放黑奴生产力为目标的美国南北战争于一八六五年结束，从此开始了经济高速度发展的重建时期。三十年后，美国的工业总产值即跃居世界首位。这一时期的美国，资本迅速集中，各行业的“大王”们暴敛钱财、挥金如土，官场和商界贿赂公行、腐败成风，劳苦大众不甘屈辱而奋起反抗，西部的不毛之地一寸似是遍地黄金……这一幅幅包罗万象的人生图画，为现实主义文学的发展提供了丰富多彩的题材，滋润着多土文学、幽默讽刺文学、揭发黑幕运动等种种文学现象破土而出，一大批来自中西部的作家登上了文坛。美国文学史上的这一巅峰期的成就使之得以跻身于世界文学大国之列。而为这一时期奠定了小说理论和创作方法的则是一对挚友；威廉·狄恩·豪威尔斯和亨利·詹姆斯。如果说前者以其文学评论和编辑的慧眼指导并提携了一批知名作家的话，那么后者则以其多产的精致深刻的作品影响了后代的小说创作。•伊莎贝尔·阿切尔，一位美国少女，父母双亡后，被她富有的姨母带到英国。在那，先后拒绝了英国贵族沃伯顿和美国富商戈德伍德的求婚。她的表兄拉尔夫也爱上她，但他知道自己患不治之症无法结婚，便说服父亲把一笔巨额遗产留给表妹。•伊莎贝尔又结识了梅尔夫人，对这位已彻底欧洲化了的美国女人十分倾倒。姨父死后，伊莎贝尔得到遗产去意大利游历。进入梅尔夫人布下的圈套。梅尔夫人介绍她认识了长期侨居意大利的美国人奥斯蒙德，外表儒雅斯文。伊莎贝尔为之动心；他的女儿帕茜，也引起她的爱怜。她不顾亲戚朋友的警告和反对，自作主张下嫁于他。•婚后她发现自己受骗，奥斯蒙德是平庸卑鄙的小人。她还发现梅尔夫人是奥斯蒙德的情妇，帕茜是他们的私生女。痛苦中，她强作欢颜，对外人隐瞒了婚姻的不幸。表兄拉尔夫在英国病危，伊莎贝尔不顾丈夫的反对赶去看他。拉尔夫死后，伊莎贝尔出乎众人的预料，又回到罗马。SummaryThemesIndependenceIdentityContrastingregionsWomenandfemininityPossessionPrideWealthLoveLiesanddeceitThemeofindependence•Inthisnovel,IsabelArcheristotallyindependentaftergettingthefortunebutitistheindependencethatmakeherhavesomanyself-judgmentsandignoreother‘sadvice.UnrestrictedindependencedangerousThethemeofcontrastingregionsThetypicalAmericansinJames:fresh,enthusiastic,eagertolearn,disregardoftheconventions,standformoralityTheEuropeansinJames:highlycultivated,elegantinmanners,butsophisticated,standformannersThemaincharacters:IsabelArcherRalphOsmondMadameMerleCharacteristicanalysisIsabelArcher1.ContemptsecularandmoneySherefusestwomen`sproposalofmarriage,oneisWarburtonwhoisanoble,anotherisGoodwoodwhoisamerchantprince.2.SeekfreedomandindependenceShebelievesthateveryoneshouldmakechoicesbythemselves,eventhoughtheirdecisioniswrong.Isabelliketobeindependentfromothers,sosheneveracceptother`sadviceandproposal.Ontheonehand,thiskindofthoughtreflectsherintelligenceandgoodculture.Ontheotherhand,itmisleadsherandgiveheranunfortunatelife.3.Erudition(博学)andthepursuitoftruthShehasagoodknowledgeofliteratureandnewthoughts.Asaresultofit,sheprefersthespiritualwealthtothemoneyandsocialstatus.ThatisthereasonwhysherefusestworichmenandmarriesOsmondwhoisanpoorartist.4.InnocentandconfidentIsabelfirmlybelievesthatshecancreateherlifewithherownmindanddecision.Soshetakesnonoticeofothers.Shedoesn'tknowtheschemeofOsmondandMerleuntilshemarriesOsmond.5.BraveandresponsibleAfterhermarriage,shefindstheschemeofOsmond.MadameMerleistheloverofOsmond,theywanttoswindlehermoney.ShelivesaverymiserablelifewithOsmond,butsheneverflees.Intheendofthenovelshereturnstoherhusband.6.IndulgeinfancyIsabellacksthesenseofrealism,sheregardsherselfasaperfectwoman.HerthoughtsareromanticsothatshethinksOsmondisconsummate.7.ThecontradictionofhercharacterIsabel’spursuitoffreedomisjustakindofthought,butinreallifesheispessimisticandnegative.EvenifOsmond’smarriageisalie,shedon’twanttochangeortocreateanewlife.Inaddition,shelikesPlatonicloveandfearsthemateriallove.Sheisanignorantladybecausesheistoointelligent,soshedeliberateseverything,whichgivehermanywrongjudgments.RalphRalphistheIsabel’scousin,whohasanincurabledisease.HelovesIsabelandcaresforherallthetime.Ralphisanhonest,kind,andalsohasasenseofhumorous.OsmondOsmondisanpoorandsuperficialartist,heusescontemptiblewaytogetIsabelbecausehewantIsabel’swealth.Inaddition,heregardsIsabelasaworkofart,whichhelikestoappreciate.Inaword,Osmondisselfishandruthless.MadamemerleSheisasophisticated,maliciousandsmartEuropeanlady.SherepresentsthetraditionalandsophisticatedEuropeansocial.AsthemistressofOsmond,moneyistheonlythingtheywantTechniques1.Psychologicaldescription2.Stream-of-consciousness3.Dramaticwriting4.Centeronwomen