1. "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."(“世人皆知,一个身价不菲、单身汉必定急需有个夫人。”)
批注:这句话开篇即点明了小说主题:姻缘。同时也反映出当时社会上流行的观念——婚姻是女性唯一追求幸福和成功的途径。
2. “The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news.”("她生活中最重要的事情就是让自己女儿们找到好归宿;作为调剂,她喜欢拜访和听取新闻。")
批注:这句话揭示了19世纪初英国上层社会女性大多数没有独立意识和职业选择权利,在家庭中只能通过结婚来谋求安全感和地位提升。
3. “I cannot believe it. Why should they try to influence him? They can only wish his happiness; and if he is attached to me, no other woman can secure it.” ("我不相信。他们凭什么想要左右他?他们只能祝愿他幸福;如果他真心爱着我,那么别的女人永远无法代替我在他心目中所占据的位置。")
批注:该段文字表达了小说女主角伊丽莎白对于自我的坚持与自尊心,并借此控诉男方亲友过于干涉其恋爱生活之行为。
4. "Angry people are not always wise."(“气愤并不能使一个人变得明智起来。”)
批注:作者用简洁而深刻的语言勾画出了两个极端情绪之间存在本质区别并指导读者正确处理问题。
5.“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.” (“我发誓绝无比阅读更加享受!任何东西你都容易感到厌倦而书籍除外!—— 当我有了自己房子后,若没有一份优秀图书馆收藏我将万分难过。” )
批注:“读书”成为该段文字展现清末文化思潮- 教育思想转型期 - 民族精神重新振起等复杂背景下近代中国高级知识群体共同认可、推广及践行标志之一。
以上仅列举部分经典摘录与简