《怀尔德菲尔府的房客》：探索英国多元文化

Anne Brontë（1820-1849） was a British novelist and poet，the youngest member of the Brontë literary family.

安妮·勃朗特（1820—1849），英国小说家、诗人，勃朗特三姐妹中年龄最小的一位。

The daughter of a poor Irish clergyman in the Church of England，Anne Brontë lived most of her life with her family at the remote village of Haworth on the Yorkshire moors.For a couple of years she went to a boarding school.At the age of nineteen，she left Haworth working as a governess between 1839 and 1845.

出生于爱尔兰一个贫穷的牧师家庭，安妮·勃朗特一生大部分的时间都和家人生活在约克郡的一个偏远的山庄哈沃斯。她上过几年寄宿学校。19岁的时候，安妮·勃朗特离开哈沃斯，并在1839—1845年做了一名家庭教师。

A fter leaving her teaching position，she fulfilled her literary ambitions.She w rote a volume of poetry with her sisters and in short succession she w rote two novels：Agnes Grey，based upon her experiences as a governess，was published in 1847; her second and last novel，The Tenant of Wildfell Hall appeared in 1848.Anne's creative life was cut short with her death of pulmonary tuberculosis when she was only twenty-nine years old.

教书生涯结束后，她便开始实现自己的文学理想。先是和她的两个姐姐合编了一部诗集，紧接着又出版了两部小说：第一部《阿格尼丝·格雷》（1847）是以她的教师经历为题材的小说；第二部是《怀尔德菲尔府的房客》（1848）。安妮·勃朗特因结核病恶化去世，结束了短暂的创作生涯，年仅29岁。

Anne Brontë is often overshadowed by her more famous sisters，Charlotte，author of four novels including Jane Eyre，and Emily，author of Wuthering Heights.Anne's two novels，w ritten in a sharp and ironic style，are completely different from the romanticism followed by her sisters.She w rote in a realistic，rather than a romantic style.Her novels，like those of her sisters，have become classics of English literature.

安妮·勃朗特经常被名气更大的两个姐姐——夏洛蒂和艾米莉的光芒所掩盖。夏洛蒂是《简·爱》等4部小说的作者，艾米莉则是著名小说《呼啸山庄》的作者。而安妮·勃朗特的两部小说采用尖刻讽刺的手法，与两个姐姐的浪漫主义风格截然不同，她的创作风格偏向现实主义。不管怎样，她的作品和两个姐姐的一样都成了英国文学的经典。

Plot：The beginning of the novel describes the arrival of a mysterious widow，Helen，to a nearby，tumbledown mansion，Wildfell Hall.Although reticent，Helen and her young son Arthur are slowly drawn into the social circles of the village.Initially，farmer Gilbert M arkhamis casually courting Eliza Millward，though his disapproving mother believes he can do better.However，his infatuation starts to wane as he becomes better acquainted with Helen.In revenge for his change of heart，scandalous rumors and gossip about Helen start to be circulate amongst the people，with Eliza often a carrier，if not the originator.As conjectures and rumors fly，Gilbert is led to believe Helen is being courted by his friend，Mr.Law rence.A chance encounter on the road between the two men results in a jealous Gilbert striking Law rence once with his whip，causing him to fall off his horse.Unaware of this，Helen refuses to marry Gilbert，but gives him her diaries when he accuses her ofloving Law rence.

故事梗概：小说开始描写的是怀尔德菲尔庄园来了一位神秘莫测的寡妇——海伦。虽然很低调，但是海伦和儿子亚瑟还是卷进了乡村的社会圈子。农民吉尔伯特·马卡姆刚开始偶尔与伊丽莎·米尔沃德约会，虽然他的母亲认为他能找到更好的对象。但随着他和海伦渐渐熟悉，便对伊丽莎失去了兴趣，转而迷恋上了海伦。为报复吉尔伯特，伊丽莎就到处在村庄里散播关于海伦的流言蜚语，而吉尔伯特听信了这些流言蜚语，认为海伦和他的朋友劳伦斯在约会。一次，吉尔伯特和劳伦斯两人在路上不期而遇，吉尔伯特怒火中烧，抽了劳伦斯一鞭，使得他从马上摔了下来。不知情的海伦拒绝嫁给吉尔伯特。在他指责海伦爱上了劳伦斯时，海伦拿出了自己的日记。(www.xing528.com)

Helen's diary，documents her marriage to charming，but worthless Arthur Huntingdon.At first，she is blinded by love and convinced that she will be able to bring about his reform with gentle persuasion and good example.Arthur's corruption of their son—encouraging him to drink at his tender age—is the last straw for Helen.She plans to flee to save her son.However，her husband reads her journals and learns of her desire to escape.He burns her artist's tools，the means by which she had hoped to support herself.Eventually，with the assistance of her brother Mr.Law rence，Helen finds a secret refuge at Wildfell Hall.

海伦的日记记录了她和亚瑟·亨廷登的婚姻。亚瑟·亨廷顿是个外表迷人但却一无是处的男人。起初，海伦因为盲目的爱，以为在她的规劝和以身作则下，亨廷登会洗心革面。然而，亨廷顿诱导他们年幼的儿子酗酒，这触犯了海伦的底线。为了挽救儿子，她决定逃跑。不幸的是，丈夫看了她的日记后，得知她想逃跑，便将其准备用来谋生的画画工具都烧掉了。后来，终于在她哥哥劳伦斯的帮助下，才来到了怀尔德菲尔庄园避难。

After Gilbert is enlightened as to Helen's circumstances，she bids him leave her be，for she cannot marry him.He obeys.Shortly after，he receives word that she has dutifully returned to after hearing of her husband's serious illness.She nurses him，but in vain.

吉尔伯特了解到海伦的身世后，海伦祈求他离开，因为自己无法嫁给他。吉尔伯特尊重她的意愿选择了离开。不久，海伦的丈夫病入膏肓，她回去悉心照顾他，但最终她的丈夫还是去世了。

A year passes.Gilbert follows the heels of a rumor regarding Helen's upcoming wedding，only to find Mr.Law rence（with whom he has reconciled） marrying Helen's friend，Esther Hargrave，instead.He travels to find Helen，but doubts plague him，for it becomes apparent that she is now quite wealthy and thus far above his station.He lingers at the gate to her estate and by chance encounters Helen，her aunt and young Arthur.The two lovers reconcile and marry.

一年后，吉尔伯特又听到海伦即将和劳伦斯结婚的谣言（他与劳伦斯早已和解），但发现事实上是劳伦斯和海伦的好朋友爱丝特·哈格雷夫结婚。吉尔伯特去找海伦，却发现海伦已非常富有，两人地位悬殊。他徘徊在海伦家门口，刚好碰见了海伦、她的姨母和儿子亚瑟。最后两位有情人终成眷属。

Comment：The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is perhaps the most shocking of the Brontë's novels.The book's brilliance lies in its revelation of the position of women at the time，and its multi-layered plot.

评论：《怀尔德菲尔府的房客》可能是勃朗特姐妹中最令人震惊的小说。本书的闪光点在于揭露了女性当时的社会地位，以及其多层次的情节结构设计。