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The inimitable Martin Jarvis brings his talents to bear on Charles Dickens's classic in an audiobook that will delight listeners with its superb recreations of gritty 19th-century London. To escape Mr. Bumble and life in the workhouse, Oliver flees to London where he meets the Artful Dodger and becomes embroiled with Fagin's ragtag band of thieves. Jarvis simply dazzles: his performance captures both the humor and sorrow of the text, his narration is crisp, and his characterizations--his rendition of the terrifying district magistrate, Mr. Fang, is particularly memorable--are as varied as they are energetic, befitting, and enjoyable. 内容简介
This fiercely comic tale stands in marked contrast to its genial predecessor, The Pickwick Papers. Set against London's seedy back street slums, Oliver Twist is the saga of a workhouse orphan captured and thrust into a thieves' den, where some of Dickens's most depraved villains preside: the incorrigible Artful Dodger, the murderous bully Sikes, and the terrible Fagin, that treacherous ringleader whose grinning knavery threatens to send them all to the "ghostly gallows." Yet at the heart of this drama is the orphan Oliver, whose unsullied goodness leads him at last to salvation. In 1838 the publication of Oliver Twist firmly established the literary eminence of young Dickens. It was, according to Edgar Johnson, "a clarion peal announcing to the world that in Charles Dickens the rejected and forgotten and misused of the world had a champion." 作者简介
Charles Dickens was born in 1812 near Portsmouth where his father was a clerk in the navy pay office. The family moved to London in 1823, but their fortunes were severely impaired. Dickens was sent to work in a blacking-warehouse when his father was imprisoned for debt. Both experiences deeply affected the future novelist. In 1833 he began contributing stories to newspapers and magazines, and in 1836 started the serial publication of Pickwick Papers. Thereafter, Dickens published his major novels over the course of the next twenty years, from Nicholas Nickleby to Little Dorrit. He also edited the journals Household Words and All the Year Round. Dickens died in June 1870.
查尔斯·狄更斯(Charles Dickens,1812~1870),1812年生于英国的朴次茅斯。父亲过着没有节制的生活,负债累累。年幼的狄更斯被迫被送进一家皮鞋油店当学徒,饱尝了艰辛。狄更斯16岁时,父亲因债务被关进监狱。从此,他们的生活更为悲惨。工业革命一方面带来了19世纪前期英国大都市的繁荣,另一方面又带来了庶民社会的极端贫困和对童工的残酷剥削。尖锐的社会矛盾和不公正的社会制度使狄更斯决心改变自己的生活。15岁时,狄更斯在一家律师事务所当抄写员并学习速记,此后,又在报社任新闻记者。在《记事晨报》任记者时,狄更斯开始发表一些具有讽刺和幽默内容的短剧,主要反映伦敦的生活,逐渐有了名气。他了解城市底层人民的生活和风土人情,这些都体现在他热情洋溢的笔端。此后,他在不同的杂志社任编辑、主编和发行人,其间发表了几十部长篇和短篇小说,主要作品有《雾都孤儿》、《圣诞颂歌》、《大卫·科波菲尔》和《远大前程》等。
狄更斯的作品大多取材于与自己的亲身经历或所见所闻相关联的事件。他在书中揭露了济贫院骇人听闻的生活制度,揭开了英国社会底层的可怕秘密,淋漓尽致地描写了社会的黑暗和罪恶。本书起笔便描写了主人公奥利弗生下来便成为孤儿,以及在济贫院度过的悲惨生活。后来,他被迫到殡仪馆做学徒,又因不堪忍受虐待而离家出走。孤身一人来到伦敦后,又落入了窃贼的手中。狄更斯在其作品中大量描写了黑暗的社会现实,对平民阶层寄予了深切的向情,并无情地批判了当时的社会制度。他在小说描写的现实性和人物的个性化方面成绩是突出的。他成为继莎士比亚之后,塑造作品人物数量最多的一个作家。 精彩书评
"The power of [Dickens] is so amazing, that the reader at once becomes his captive, and must follow him whithersoever he leads."
——William Makepeace Thackeray 精彩书摘
Chapter I
Treats of the place where Oliver Twist was Born; and of the Circumstances attending his Birth.
Among other public buildings in a certain town, which for many reasons it will be prudent to refrain from mentioning, and to which I will assign no fictitious name, there is one anciently common to most towns, great or small: to wit, a workhouse; and in this workhouse was born: on a day and date which I need not trouble myself to repeat, inasmuch as it can be of no possible consequence to the reader, in this stage of the business at all events: the item of mortality whose name is prefixed to the head of this chapter.
For a long time after it was ushered into this world of sorrow and trouble, by the parish surgeon, it remained a matter of considerable doubt whether the child would survive to bear any name at all; in which case it is somewhat more than probable that these memoirs would never have appeared; or, if they had, that being comprised within a couple of pages, they would have possessed the inestimable merit of being the most concise and faithful specimen of biography, extant in the literature of any age or country.
Although I am not disposed to maintain that the being born in a workhouse, is in itself the most fortunate and enviable circumstance that can possibly befal a human being, I do mean to say that in this particular instance, it was the best thing for Oliver Twist that could by possibility have occurred. The fact is, that there was considerable difficulty in inducing Oliver to take upon himself the office of respiration,-a troublesome practice, but one which custom has rendered necessary to our easy existence; and for some time he lay gasping on a little flock mattress, rather unequally poised between this world and the next: the balance being decidedly in favour of the latter. Now, if, during this brief period, Oliver had been surrounded by careful grandmothers, anxious aunts, experienced nurses, and doctors of profound wisdom, he would most inevitably and indubitably have been killed in no time. There being nobody by, however, but a pauper old woman, who was rendered rather misty by an unwonted allowance of beer; and a parish surgeon who did such matters by contract; Oliver and Nature fought out the point between them. The result was, that, after a few struggles, Oliver breathed, sneezed, and proceeded to advertise to the inmates of the workhouse the fact of a new burden having been imposed upon the parish, by setting up as loud a cry as could reasonably have been expected from a male infant who had not been possessed of that very useful appendage, a voice, for a much longer space of time than three minutes and a quarter.
As Oliver gave this first proof of the free and proper action of his lungs, the patchwork coverlet which was carelessly flung over the iron bedstead, rustled; the pale face of a young woman was raised feebly from the pillow; and a faint voice imperfectly articulated the words, "Let me see the child, and die."
The surgeon had been sitting with his face turned towards the fire: giving the palms of his hands, a warm and a rub alternately. As the young woman spoke, he rose, and advancing to the bed's head, said, with more kindness than might have been expected of him:
"Oh, you must not talk about dying yet."
"Lor bless her dear heart, no!" interposed the nurse, hastily depositing in her pocket a green glass bottle, the contents of which she had been tasting in a corner with evident satisfaction. "Lor bless her dear heart, when she has lived as long as I have, sir, and had thirteen children of her own, and all on 'em dead except two, and them in the wurkus with me, she'll know better than to take on in that way, bless her dear heart! Think what it is to be a mother, there's a dear young lamb, do."
Apparently this consolatory perspective of a mother's prospects, failed in producing its due effect. The patient shook her head, and stretched out her hand towards the child.
The surgeon deposited it in her arms. She imprinted her cold white lips passionately on its forehead; passed her hands over her face; gazed wildly round; shuddered; fell back-and died. They chafed her breast, hands, and temples; but the blood had stopped for ever. They talked of hope and comfort. They had been strangers too long.
"It's all over, Mrs. Thingummy!" said the surgeon at last.
"Ah, poor dear, so it is!" said the nurse, picking up the cork of the green bottle which had fallen out on the pillow as she stooped to take up the child. "Poor dear!"
"You needn't mind sending up to me, if the child cries, nurse," said the surgeon, putting on his gloves with great deliberation. "It's very likely it will be troublesome. Give it a little gruel7 if it is." He put on his hat, and, pausing by the bed-side on his way to the door, added "She was a good-looking girl, too; where did she come from?"
"She was brought here last night," replied the old woman, "by the overseer's order. She was found lying in the street. She had walked some distance, for her shoes were worn to pieces; but where she came from, or where she was going to, nobody knows."
《雾都孤儿》(Oliver Twist)内容概述 查尔斯·狄更斯笔下的《雾都孤儿》(Oliver Twist),是一部深刻揭露维多利亚时代英国社会阴暗面和贫困问题的经典现实主义小说。这部作品以其扣人心弦的情节、鲜明的人物形象和对社会弊病的无情批判,赢得了“文学史上最伟大的社会小说之一”的声誉。 故事的开端:无依无靠的起点 小说的主人公奥利弗·特威斯特,一出生就带着不幸的烙印。他降生于济贫院冰冷、充满绝望的氛围中,母亲身份成谜,尚未见到父亲的面容便溘然长逝。济贫院的管理者们,如冷酷无情的布姆布尔先生(Mr. Bumble),奉行着严酷的教条,将这群孤儿视为国家的累赘,给予他们最少的食物和最恶劣的待遇。 奥利弗在饥饿的煎熬中度过了童年,他那句著名的、充满纯真却又引人深思的请求——“先生,请再给我一点粥”("Please, Sir, I want some more"),彻底打破了济贫院的虚伪平静,也预示着他与残酷成人世界的第一次激烈冲突。 逃离与坠入深渊 由于其“越界”的请求,奥利弗被视为一个麻烦制造者,随后被送去做学徒,跟随一位冷血的殡仪师。然而,在殡仪师家中,他遭受了欺凌和羞辱,特别是被殡仪师的儿子诺伯特·克莱尔(Norbert Clane)嘲弄和殴打后,年幼的奥利弗终于鼓起勇气,选择了逃跑。 他怀揣着对美好生活的朦胧向往,徒步踏上了通往伦敦的漫漫长路。在旅途中,饥饿和疲惫几乎将他吞噬。幸运(或不幸)的是,在郊外,他遇到了一个看似和蔼的老人,法金(Fagin)。 法金的巢穴与艺术的扭曲 法金,这个居住在伦敦贫民窟深处,一个阴暗而充满秘密的阁楼里的犹太老人,是整个故事中腐败和罪恶的中心象征。他并非一个简单的盗贼,更是一个“教育家”,专门训练一群年纪尚幼的男孩学习偷窃技巧。 奥利弗,这个心性纯良的男孩,在法金的巢穴中,接触到了狄更斯笔下最臭名昭著的流氓团伙。这里的主要成员包括: 1. 机灵鬼·迪克(The Artful Dodger): 一个外表机警、穿着过分时髦的小男孩,他以其令人赞叹的盗窃天赋和对伦敦地下世界的深刻了解,成了奥利弗初入“社会”的向导。 2. 张打手(Charley Bates): 法金的另一名得意门生,擅长模仿和取笑他人。 奥利弗并不知道法金的真实勾当。他的第一次“任务”便是随迪克出去“实践”。结果,他刚被带到一家珠宝店前,迪克就完成了偷窃。当警察赶到时,无辜的奥利弗被当作现行小偷抓了起来。 善良的庇护与误解的加深 在审判中,奥利弗的惊恐和天真打动了旁听的一位绅士——布朗洛先生(Mr. Brownlow)。布朗洛先生坚信奥利弗的清白,并支付了保释金,将他带回自己舒适、充满书籍和文明的家中。 在布朗洛先生的照料下,奥利弗体验了从未有过的温暖、安全和教育。他开始阅读,他的灵魂似乎正在从济贫院和法金的阴影中复苏。然而,好景不长,法金为了防止奥利弗泄露秘密,并利用他的纯真继续行骗,设计将他绑架。 莫瑞斯·查普曼的阴影:罪恶的化身 奥利弗再次被拖回法金的巢穴。更可怕的是,他被介绍给了一位新的、更为恐怖的人物——赛斯·凯普(Seth Crimp),又名“圣人”比尔·赛克斯(Bill Sikes)。 赛克斯是一个典型的暴力罪犯,他粗暴、残忍,唯一的伴侣是他的恶犬“恶魔”(Bull’s-eye)。赛克斯的出现,标志着奥利弗的生活将彻底卷入更深层次的犯罪活动。 法金命令奥利弗协助赛克斯进行一次入室盗窃。在一次夜间行动中,奥利弗被迫躲在窗外望风,但当赛克斯强行破窗而入时,奥利弗被惊动并惊慌失措地逃跑。在逃跑过程中,他中枪受伤,最终跌倒在了一座郊区豪宅的草坪上。 玫瑰庄园的仁慈与身份的谜团 中枪的奥利弗被善良的梅丽尔(Rose Maylie)和她的姨妈,布朗洛先生的朋友——德罗伯菲尔德夫人(Mrs. Maylie)所救治。在玫瑰庄园(Maylie Cottage)的静养,是奥利弗生命中一段短暂而宁静的时光。庄园里的生活充满了诗意、关爱和道德的纯洁,与伦敦的污秽形成了鲜明对比。 然而,庄园里还住着另一位神秘的人物——蒙德先生(Mr. Monks)。蒙德先生有着一种病态的、扭曲的对奥利弗的关注。他与法金秘密会面,显示出他对奥利弗怀有极深的恶意,并愿意支付大笔金钱,要求法金“毁掉”或“教坏”这个男孩。 真相的层层揭开:血缘与遗产 随着故事的深入,狄更斯开始揭示奥利弗的身世之谜。原来,奥利弗的父亲(埃德温·利弗塞,Edwin Leeford)是一位正直但软弱的绅士,他与一位出身低微但品德高尚的女子相爱。蒙德先生的真实身份是奥利弗同父异母的哥哥。利弗塞先生的遗嘱中,奥利弗拥有继承权,但蒙德先生为了独吞全部遗产,不惜伙同法金,试图将奥利弗塑造成一个无可救药的罪犯,从而使他失去继承资格。 与此同时,布朗洛先生并未放弃寻找奥利弗。他与德罗伯菲尔德夫人和镇上的一位正直律师——格里姆维格(Mr. Grimwig)一起,开始追查蒙德先生和法金的阴谋。 悲剧的高潮与正义的降临 故事的高潮充满了戏剧性的转折和无可挽回的悲剧: 1. 赛克斯的末路: 比尔·赛克斯在一次抢劫中,失手杀死了他的同伙南希(Nancy)。南希是法金团伙中一个地位特殊的女性,她从小被法金收养,虽然身处黑暗,但她对奥利弗怀有深厚的保护欲和一丝良知。她曾偷偷将蒙德和法金的阴谋告诉了玫瑰庄园的人,试图帮助奥利弗逃脱。南希的死,是一场极具震撼力的悲剧,也直接促成了赛克斯的覆灭。赛克斯在逃亡中被愤怒的民众追捕,最终在屋顶上被绳索套住,在挣扎中意外坠亡。 2. 法金的审判: 随着赛克斯的死亡,法金的犯罪网络彻底崩溃。他最终被捕,在监狱中等待着绞刑。小说对他在狱中的等待进行了细致的心理描写,展现了一个穷凶极恶之徒在面对死亡时的恐惧与绝望。 3. 身份的揭示与救赎: 随着真相的完全大白,奥利弗的真实身份得到了确认,他是埃德温·利弗塞的合法继承人。布朗洛先生收养了奥利弗,并揭示了自己与奥利弗母亲的友谊。蒙德先生最终受到了良心的谴责,并因其恶行而身心俱疲,最终在异国他乡孤独死去,他的财产也归于奥利弗。玫瑰庄园的梅丽尔夫人,原来就是奥利弗失散多年的亲生母亲(在某些解读中,她被描绘成奥利弗的姨母,但无论如何,她与奥利弗有着血缘关系)。 结局:希望与社会的反思 故事的结局是温暖而圆满的:奥利弗获得了他应得的财富、身份和关爱,他被安置在布朗洛先生的家中,找到了真正的家庭和归宿。张打手和查理·贝茨最终也被法金的覆灭所震撼,在善良人士的帮助下,他们也得到了改过自新的机会。 《雾都孤儿》不仅仅是一个关于一个男孩幸运逃脱险境的故事,它更是一部对19世纪英国济贫法、童工制度以及城市贫民窟生活状态的有力控诉。狄更斯通过奥利弗的纯洁与法金团伙的污秽形成的鲜明对比,强有力地论证了环境对人性的巨大影响,并呼唤社会对最弱势群体的关注与怜悯。小说以其对社会不公的深刻洞察,成为了推动社会改革的文学里程碑。