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《Sense and Sensibility》《理智与情感》节选
作者：Jane Austen（简·奥斯汀）
出版：1811年10月30日
收录集子：《Sense and Sensibility》（单行三卷本经典长篇小说）
创作背景：
本文选自简·奥斯汀的首部出版长篇小说。
文本通过两位性格迥异的姐妹面对家庭变故的处事方式，
客观呈现理智与感性的价值取舍，
反映十八世纪英国乡村女性的生存与精神困境。
英文原文
Elinor, this eldest daughter whose advice was so effectual,
possessed a strength of understanding,
and coolness of judgment,
which qualified her, though only nineteen years old,
to act as the most reliable guide for her impulsive and sentimental mother.
She was always ready to restrain the hasty emotion of her family members,
and prevent unreasonable decisions that might bring potential troubles.
She had a tender and sincere heart,
and her inner feelings were strong and genuine,
but she had formed the precious habit of self-governance and rational thinking.
This mature quality was rarely seen in her family,
for her mother and younger sister always yielded completely to their temporary feelings.
Marianne’s natural talents and mental abilities
were in no way inferior to those of Elinor.
She was intelligent, sensitive and quick-minded,
but she lived entirely by her feelings
and never learned to control her extreme emotions.
She showed passionate devotion to joy and sorrow,
and knew no proper moderation in daily life.
With generous manners and gentle temperament,
she was widely liked by people around her,
yet she lacked necessary prudence and rational judgment.
Her romantic and unrestrained personality
was extremely similar to that of her mother.
Elinor was always deeply concerned
about her sister’s excessive pursuit of sensibility,
but her mother fully approved and indulged Marianne’s sentimental character.
After the passing of Mr. Dashwood,
the whole family fell into deep sorrow and helplessness.
Mother and Marianne immersed themselves in endless grief,
repeatedly recalling their misfortune
and refusing to accept any form of comfort or relief.
They deliberately prolonged their pain
and surrendered their daily life to negative emotions.
Although Elinor also suffered great sadness from the sudden family change,
she never allowed grief to disturb her reason and sense of responsibility.
She endured inner pain silently,
calmed her emotional family members patiently,
and took the initiative to deal with all trivial and complicated affairs.
She communicated politely with her selfish elder brother,
and received her indifferent sister-in-law with decent manners.
She clearly realized that excessive complaint and negative emotion
could not change the cruel reality they were facing.
Margaret, the youngest daughter of the family,
was simple, mild and well-behaved in daily life.
However, she was deeply influenced by Marianne’s romantic thoughts,
and she had not yet developed independent and rational judgment at her young age.
The peaceful life of the Dashwood family was completely broken
by the unfair inheritance system of that era.
Norland Manor, where they had lived happily for many years,
was legally inherited by the eldest son John Dashwood.
The new hostess of the manor treated the Dashwood mother and daughters
as irrelevant temporary guests rather than family members.
John Dashwood once made a solemn promise on his father’s deathbed
to take good care of his stepmother and three half-sisters.
Nevertheless, he gradually forgot his oath
and placed personal interests above family affection.
He insisted on keeping all the family property for his own small family,
and believed that a small amount of financial aid
was enough to fulfill his duty and promise.
Facing the cold selfishness and indifference of her brother’s family,
Elinor kept calm and rational all the time.
She hid her disappointment and sadness in her heart,
focused on arranging future life for her family,
and tried her best to lead her mother and sisters out of emotional predicament.
Her steady and rational attitude
formed a sharp and thought-provoking contrast with her sister’s extreme sensibility.
译文
埃莉诺是家中最为懂事的长女，她的建议向来切实可行。
她思维缜密，判断力冷静沉稳，
年仅十九岁，
便足以成为冲动且感性的母亲最可靠的指引。
她时刻约束家人草率的情绪，
规避各类鲁莽决策带来的潜在隐患。
她内心温柔真诚，情感充沛真挚，
却养成了克制自我、理性思考的可贵特质。
这份成熟的素养在家中极为难得，
母亲与妹妹向来随性而为，全然被情绪支配。
玛丽安的天资与心智，
丝毫不逊色于姐姐埃莉诺。
她聪慧敏锐、心思细腻，
却完全遵从感性行事，
从未学会管控自己极端的情绪。
她悲喜皆形于色，
生活处事毫无分寸与节制。
她性情大方温柔，受人喜爱，
却缺失了为人处世必备的审慎与理性。
她浪漫奔放、不受拘束的性格，
与母亲如出一辙。
埃莉诺始终忧心妹妹过度追逐感性、放任情绪，
但母亲却十分认可并纵容玛丽安多愁善感的性情。
达什伍德先生离世后，
整个家庭陷入巨大的悲痛与无助之中。
母亲与玛丽安终日沉浸在悲伤里，
反复纠结自身遭遇，
拒绝一切宽慰与疏导。
她们任由痛苦持续蔓延，
让负面情绪占据全部生活。
埃莉诺同样因突如其来的家庭变故悲痛不已，
但她从未让悲伤打乱自己的理智与责任。
她默默承受内心的苦楚，
耐心安抚情绪失控的家人，
主动处理家中繁杂琐碎的事务。
她礼貌周旋于自私的兄长之间，
得体接待态度冷漠的嫂子。
她清楚明白，
过度的抱怨和消极情绪，
无法改变眼前残酷的现实。
家中最小的妹妹玛格丽特，
性格单纯温和、乖巧听话。
但她深受玛丽安浪漫感性思维的影响，
年纪尚幼的她，尚未形成独立理性的判断力。
时代不公的继承制度，
彻底打碎了达什伍德一家安稳的生活。
她们居住多年、充满美好回忆的诺兰庄园，
依照当时的法律，全部由长子约翰·达什伍德继承。
庄园新任女主人，
将达什伍德母女视作无关的暂住访客，
而非至亲家人。
约翰·达什伍德曾在父亲临终前郑重许诺，
会悉心照料继母与三位同父异母的妹妹。
可他最终背弃誓言，
将个人私利凌驾于亲情之上。
他独占全部家产，
认为只需拿出微薄的钱财，
便足以尽到责任、兑现承诺。
面对兄长一家的冷漠自私与人情凉薄，
埃莉诺始终保持冷静与理智。
她将失望与难过藏于心底，
全心为家人规划未来的生活，
尽力带领母亲和妹妹走出情绪困境。
她沉稳理性的处事态度，
与妹妹极致感性的行事风格，
形成了鲜明且引人深思的对比。
🔍长难句赏析与拆解
原句一
Elinor, this eldest daughter whose advice was so effectual,
possessed a strength of understanding,
and coolness of judgment,
which qualified her, though only nineteen years old,
to act as the most reliable guide for her impulsive and sentimental mother.
句式解读
本句句式结构完整规整，
包含whose引导的定语从句修饰人物身份，
嵌套which引导的非限制性定语从句补充人物特质，
同时穿插年龄插入语补充信息。
多层语法结构自然叠加，
句式高级且逻辑清晰，
是英式文学经典写作句式，
适配英语精读学习与写作积累。
句子主干
Elinor possessed a strength of understanding and coolness of judgment.
原句二
Although Elinor also suffered great sadness from the sudden family change,
she never allowed grief to disturb her reason and sense of responsibility.
句式解读
本句为典型让步状语从句结构，
前半句铺垫人物处境，
后半句突出核心人物品质。
句式对仗工整、表意清晰，
主次关系明确，
是初高中及大学英语高频核心句型。
句子主干
She never allowed grief to disturb her reason and sense of responsibility.
📖全篇句式特点
全篇文本遵循英式经典文学写作风格，
句式排布疏密有度，层次清晰。
大量运用定语从句、让步状语从句、
伴随状语等复合句式结构，
长短句交错搭配，行文节奏沉稳舒缓。
文章无夸张抒情与冗余修饰，
以客观平实的叙事语言刻画人物性格，
通过行为对比凸显主题，
语法考点密集，文学性与教学实用性兼具，
适合英语精读、语法分析与仿写训练。
核心词汇
1. effectual
/ɪˈfektʃuəl/
有效的，奏效的
形容词（adj.）
2. restrain
/rɪˈstreɪn/
抑制，约束
动词（v.）
3. impulsive
/ɪmˈpʌlsɪv/
冲动的，草率的
形容词（adj.）
4. moderation
/ˌmɒdəˈreɪʃn/
节制，适度
名词（n.）
5. prudence
/ˈpruːdns/
审慎，谨慎
名词（n.）
6. indulge
/ɪnˈdʌldʒ/
纵容，放任
动词（v.）
7. inherit
/ɪnˈherɪt/
继承，承袭
动词（v.）
8. indifferent
/ɪnˈdɪfrənt/
冷漠的，淡漠的
形容词（adj.）
9. solemn
/ˈsɒləm/
郑重的，严肃的
形容词（adj.）
10. contrast
/ˈkɒntrɑːst/
对比，对照
名词（n.）
💡主旨品读
本文选取《理智与情感》核心叙事段落，
以家庭变故为叙事背景，
聚焦达什伍德两姐妹截然不同的性格与处事方式。
姐姐埃莉诺遭遇家道变故与人情冷暖，
始终坚守理智、克制情绪、担当责任，
以沉稳的姿态直面生活困境。
妹妹玛丽安天性浪漫感性，
极易被情绪左右，遇事沉溺悲伤、不懂自持。
文章并未片面否定感性、推崇理智，
而是通过鲜明的人物对比，
客观阐释理智与感性的平衡意义。
同时，文本借家庭财产继承的不公现象，
隐晦反映出十八世纪英国女性的弱势社会地位，
具备深刻的文学价值与社会思考意义，
符合英语精读教学的学习要求。
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