第一篇:一小时的故事
「一小時的故事」 The Story of an Hour 故事賞析Kate Chopin(1851--1904)的短篇故事「一小時的故事」The Story of an Hour 敘述Mrs.Mallard在一個小時中歷經兩次震撼,從接獲丈夫因火車事故喪生的消息,到丈夫突然返家,她一驚心臟病發猝死。在簡單的故事情節之下,卻隱含豐富的象徵,及嚴肅的主題。
Mrs.Mallard心臟不好,唯恐她無法承受打擊,妹妹Josephine及友人Richards小心謹慎地告知她這個壞消息;Knowing that Mrs.Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death.聽到惡耗,她立刻嚎啕大哭不能自已,She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister’s arms,激動的情緒平息後,她獨自登上二樓。
Mrs.Mallard上了樓,在移轉的空間和孤獨的情境裡經驗了她個人全新的認知。她先是身心俱疲地沉入舒服的扶手椅中,這時窗外一小方塊事物吸引住她,枝頭萌發新葉進入眼界、小販的叫賣和遠方微弱的歌傳入耳中;She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life.The delicious breath of rain was in the air.In the street below a peddler was crying his wares.The notes of a distant song which some one was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves.年輕漂亮的Mrs.Mallard眼中無神,腦中一片空洞。但是她漸漸覺察出從天際有股無以名狀的力量,逼近俘虜她,她卻束手無策。She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will---as powerless as her two white slender hands would have been.當她不再抵抗時,口中傾吐出一個字:“Free, free, free!”隨之而來的是一陣巨大的喜悅,a monstrous joy that held her.丈夫的死訊帶來悲痛但往後卻能過自由的日子;丈夫愛她,但是婚姻生活裡,丈夫將他個人的意志強加在她身上,卻讓她有為別人而活的感覺。從今以後,她開始為自己而活。There would be no one to live for during those coming years;she would live for herself.There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind
persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature.Mrs.Mallard的思緒飛到來年的春天夏天,她祈禱能活的長久;令她深覺諷刺的是,就在昨天當她想到日子還那麼長的時,還不禁顫抖呢。Josephine在門外苦苦哀求,她卻充耳不聞。“Louise, open the door!I beg;open the door – you will make yourself ill.What are you doing, Louise? For heaven’s sake open the door.” “Go away.I am not making myself ill.” No;she was drinking in a very elixir of life through that open window.窗外的事物像仙丹靈藥,治癒了她所有的病。終於,她開門了,眼中泛著勝利的熱,踩著勝利女神般的腳步走下樓。然而,幾乎同一時間,大門被打開,Mr.Brently Mallard進門,只聽Josephine一聲尖叫,在樓梯下面等候的Richards急忙擋住視線。但一切都太遲了。
結局又短又快。When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease--of joy that kills.醫生們都診斷Mrs.Mallard死於心臟病,認為她因過度喜悅而死。只有領會她內心起伏轉折的讀者才能明白她真正的死因,並非狂喜,而是新生的自由又落空的絕望;並非心臟生病,而是對真愛的覺醒。Kate Chopin寫於1894的短篇故事,仍能帶給現今的讀者許多省思。
第二篇:一小时的故事读后感
Changes within one hour
An hour is very short, then suddenly the past.But what happened within an hour, can also change the person's mood, point of view, and even the fate of the future.The story of an hour(Kate Copin)which very appropriate proved this point.In this story, Mrs.Mallard after learned that her husband had died because of the train accident.She go to the bedroom with grief, but in her heart deeply is comfortable after she realize that she was freedom, but freedom is short, because her husband’s return which destroy her dream of freedom, the collapse and despair of the moment cause Mrs.Mallard on the path of death.Mrs.Mallard is a woman with a heart disease, the people around her always want to protect her, such as her sister and her husband’s friend.But everybody don't know, compared with meticulous care, she prefers to have all of her own life.When her sister told her that her husband's death.“she wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister’s arm”,and then she go to her room alone.She didn't realize her freedom now, because her husband's death blow to her is too heavy.“the stare in her eyes”, the exhaustion body, Perhaps in the past her dependence on her husband makes she felt at a loss, although she prefers self independence.Just like her name.A bird before being released
from a case, they must be so anxious like this.Then everything change when Mrs.Mallard look outside the opening window, “the delicious breath of the rain was in the air.”, “in the street below a peddler was crying his wares.”.This sense which full of vitality and new life, let her gradually grope to the idea that hidden in her heart: “Free, free,free.”.“they stayed keen and bright.Her pulses beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body.”.She was finally free, nothing can limit her to start her new life, even she began to pray for her might live longer.The moment to open the window, just like the case door is open to life outside.But this freedom time not for long, because of her husband’s back.Her husband didn’t dead in the beginning.In the moment her husband came back, She lost her freedom again, It is more terrible than never get free.It suddenly happened let her no longer withstand the blow in her soul.Ironically, the doctor diagnosed her died of euphoria.I don't know what the author mean, perhaps this irony is roughly to the doctor and helpless about the world.Through the story, the things which happen in just one hour, let her to see the hope of life, and then break her hopes.Fate is so heartless and elusive.I think sometimes we can control the fate.But when we can not control the fate, We should enjoy the life to
cherish now.Perhaps in the future there will be an hour completely change your destiny, whether good or bad.
第三篇:一小时的故事(symbols)
Appreciation of Symbols upon The Story of an Hour
In “The Story of an Hour”, women are always being taken great care that can be described independence.Louise Mallard understands the “right” behaviors to live, she knows what should do , what she can do and what kind of life patterns can be well recognized by then society.Then in the later an hour, all things seems to change in dramatically.The death of Brently gave Louise a hope for new life, but at last, Louise Mallard was killed by the shock and disappointment because her husband was alive.The symbols of heart trouble and open window just represent confinement of marriage and new hope, perspectively.The heart trouble that afflicted Louise is both physical and symbolic that convey her unhappiness of marriage life with a lack of freedom.Here in this passage, the author quote “trouble” instead of “disease”.All of us knowing the fact that Mrs.Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble.It was her sister Josephine, accompanied by her husband’s friend named Richards, who told her: her husband has dead.A person with so weak heart could not stand this threatening, absolutely.But later, when Louise realized she would live for herself, there would be no powerful will bending her in that blind persistence, she felt new life and new chance for her.At last, she dies at the end of the story, the doctors came they said she had died of “heart disease” seems appropriate because of seeing Brently “back to life” was enough to shock her and kill her.Irony is that the doctor diagnose she’d dead with joy for seeing her husband, however, we all know that she was killed by hopeless for the new life and beloved independence.The open window from which Louise see symbols the freedom and the new opportunities for her as long as her husband had been dead.Through the window, Louise noticed the beautiful scene: she sees blue sky, white clouds and trees;she smells the delicious breath of rain was in the air and hears birds singing and peddlers was crying their wars.All beautiful landscapes and settings aquiver with the new spring life.Something begun to flourish among her as the open window provides a clear and bright view into her own future--that was freedom and independence.She then saw the the blue sky showing here and there through the clouds that had met and
piled one above the other, its as a sliver development and that’s a sliver lining.
第四篇:一小时的故事
由小说的第三段“She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance.She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister's arms.When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone.She would have no one follow her.”可见小说的女主人公Mrs.Mallard是一位Untraditioanal的现代女性。这主要体现在两个方面:第一,她是一位女性。她的内心也很脆弱,在得知丈夫去世时她会悲痛,也会哭泣。第二,她是一位Untraditioanal的现代女性。她不会歇斯底里的无法接受丈夫去世的事实,相反的,她很平静,很坚强,也很独立。她不愿在朋友甚至是妹妹面前伤心。也许她需要的不是别人的安慰而是独自的和解。因而她会回到自己的房间,独自消化。
房间里的布置还是那么的温馨、和谐。坐在扶椅上,她却感到整个人都垮了。生活似乎已没有了希望。望着窗外,树叶已生新芽,细雨绵绵,人们的生活依旧如故。此时的她是否想起了和丈夫在一起的幸福时光?如果他还活着,不,就算他真的已不在了,他一定希望自己还像以前一样活着,不是吗?透过厚厚的云层她看到了一片蓝天,那一定是丈夫在看着她吧。看着看着,她无意识的把头靠在椅罩上,像个孩子在睡梦中抽泣着。也许她是在梦里和丈夫重逢了吧。她还年轻,也很漂亮,她的脸部的轮廓中透露着一种自制和力量。此刻,她目光呆滞的看着那一点蓝天,好像在想些什么„ „
无论是从丈夫对自己的期望还是从自己的实际情况来看,她都应该尽快走出阴影,但她却感到害怕。那么,她害怕什么呢?也许她是怕自己真的会不再想他吧。是的她是那么深深的爱着他。正因为这种爱让她不再哭泣,她是怕他知道了要伤心吗?可是,她知道当她看到丈夫的尸体时她会无法控制自己,她会想起他们共同度过的幸福生活,她会叹息以后要独自面对生活,她还会哭泣。但是,现在,她要坚强的张开双手“迎接”新生活的到来,因为他希望自己是这么做的。以后的生活她不将再为任何人而活,她要为自己而活,因为丈夫已经成为她自己的一部分。但她清楚无论这种想法是好还是坏,这种想法本身就是矛盾的,因为她真的要垮了。“就算她有时爱他吧,但大多时候她并不爱他。那又怎样!”她这样安慰自己。是的,现在她恢复了理智,爱情的谜底就算没有解开那又有什么关系呢?现在,让一切都恢复正常吧!接着她就开始筹划以后的日子。她于是感到整个人都轻松了好多。
过了一会儿,在妹妹的要求下,她开了门.和妹妹一块下楼。正在这时Mr.Mallard拖着疲惫的身体进了门,我们的Louise,因极度的兴奋,死于心脏病。
有人说这是一篇女权主义作品,文中Louise因能够脱离丈夫的控制而欣喜不已,又因丈夫归来而在失望中死去。我赞成Louise是一位独立的女性,但我更相信她是深爱着她的丈夫的。因为她是一位独立的女性,她有思想,有理性,所以她不会歇斯底里,她会从她丈夫的角度来考虑问题;因为她深爱着她的丈夫,所以她能够战胜内心的痛苦,不断的告诉自己要像以前一样生活;因为她对丈夫的爱让她看到丈夫安然无恙时因极度兴奋而死去。总的来说,她的爱是矛盾的,因为她的爱让自己相信她不爱;她的爱还是痛苦的,因为她注定要在不断的挣扎中生存。从女性的角度来说Louise的fancy就是她爱丈夫最好的证明。From the part of a female, Louise’s fancy is the best truth for her love
【两个points】:time:
从题目开始,时间就是作者着重展现给读者的要素
He had only taken the time...hastened to forestall...storm of grief...had never looked save with love upon her...she had loved him--sometimes.Often she had not...life might be long...quick motion...But Richards was too late.也是形成irony的关键所在irony:
一是权威的失效。
文章一开始将Richards安排在报社工作,这使得他获取的消息潜意识地让人认同,因为新闻媒体向来具有真实及时的特性。又对他处理这消息的谨慎专业作了描述,从而使读者不怀疑地接受了这个信息的可靠性。然而 it turned out to be wrong.这一信息的不可靠,导致了整个故事的悲剧。Richards这个角色在此之外也是时间的操控者,应该说这一悲剧性得以成立也是拜他间接的作用。“But Richards was too late.”事实上,他是信息传递得过早了。
文章结尾处医生们的诊断认为:she had died of heart disease--of the joy that kills.这在医理上是正确的,她死于心脏病;在归因上则否,她死于绝望而非喜悦;文本使用“kills” instead of “killed”,表示这推断是常理性的,是universal,但却非逝者的真相。这又是一层irony,但是相较上所述其色彩是淡了些。
二是悲剧性的根源。
老师课上定论到,这文章最大的讽刺莫过于 her husband alive & she died。黄粱一梦的自由让她活了过来,却终是她的刽子手。她悲剧的缔造者——婚姻生活在爱的名义下压抑而苦闷,于是得了心病;似乎摸到新生活的瞬间,他的出现撕裂了一切—— composely unwitting, a little travel-stained,safe and sound
我以为然。
这是文章从一个整体的脉络中宏观视角下的irony
这是一个妇女的觉醒,这觉醒却不是initial action,是被动的。使她得以觉醒的契机出自这个男人的好友,在他的细心安排之下她被告知;这个男人一无所知地回来了,她的梦也即破了,没一点修饰地。
一切看来都是一个玩偶可悲的狂想而已。(所以...想想《玩偶之家》)
这种被动性是重点,女主角有着“离经叛道”的性格,但这个性只是使她感到压抑,变得脆弱而已,她没能解救自身于水火。
其中所反映的社会现实也是值得思考的,90年代妇女的角色,家庭生活的模式;以及作者家庭的背景...但太过庞大,我就略了。
【第一个问题】:First of all,in my opinion,M’s marriage is of the deep love,when she heard the death of her husband,she cried and very sad, It can see that she loved her huaband.but however,然而,他们的婚姻也是压抑的depressed,因为那时候men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature.她是禁锢的locked。
【第二个问题】:
第五篇:浅析《一小时的故事》中的象征意义
浅析《一小时的故事》中的象征意义
摘要:《一小时的故事》作为美国女作家凯特·肖邦最著名的代表作,以其发人深省的女性觉醒主题,近年来受到国内外学者的高度关注。本文试图分析小说中具有象征涵义的意象,从而探究这些意象在深化主题方面的作用。关键词:一小时的故事; 凯特·肖邦; 象征;意象
Abstract: The “Story of an Hour” as the most famous American writer Kate Chopin’s masterpiece, has aroused many scholars’ attention at home and abroad in recent years, because of its thought-provoking themes of female.This paper attempts to analyze the symbolic meaning of the novel imagery, which explore the role of these images in deepening the topics.Key Words: Story of an hour, Kate Chopin, symbol, image
在19世纪的欧美国家,男权主义思想盛行,妇女的社会地位十分低下。正像易卜生《玩偶之家》中的Nora,当时的女性生活在男权主义的阴影之下,尤其是婚后的女性,完全依附丈夫,毫无任何经济独立和人身自由,在外要表现得温婉顺服的,在家则要贤惠持家。Nora的离家出走是欧洲女权主义兴起的重要标志。而在美国,女作家凯特·肖邦的《一小时的故事》则挑战了传统男尊女卑的观念,标志着白人中产阶级女性开始觉醒,反抗家庭和社会的压制与束缚,是一篇女性主义的佳作。本文试图分析作品中的象征主义意象,以探究这些意象在深化整篇小说主题方面所发挥的作用。
一、作者及作品简介
凯特·肖邦(1851-1904)被誉为“美国女权主义文学创作的先驱之一”。她出生于美国密苏里州的圣路易斯,早年与母亲和外祖母生活在一起,因此她的大部分作品关于女性命运和女性觉醒。1870年她嫁给棉花商奥斯卡,并育有六个孩子。1882年丈夫去世后,在朋友的鼓励下她开始写作,代表作品有《觉醒》(The Awakening)、《故障》(At Fault)、《支流人》(Bayou Folk)以及短片小说《一小时的故事》(The Story of An Hour)。
《一小时的故事》是一篇不足两千字的小说,主要讲述了发生在一对夫妻身上的意外事故:女主人公马拉德夫人患有心脏病,家人和朋友得知她丈夫车祸身亡的消息后担心她受到刺激,小心翼翼的告诉她这个噩耗。然而,马拉德夫人仅仅感到了一丝悲伤,之后反而感到快乐,甚至对未来自由独立的生活无比憧憬。就在这时,她的丈夫却回来了,原来他根本没有乘坐那班火车,更不知道火车失事这回事。马拉德夫人看到丈夫还活着,她的梦想破灭了,受不了这样的打击,小说最后她心脏病突发猝死。
二、《一小时的故事》中的象征意义
(一)小说人物的象征意义
《一小时的故事》中总共有五个人物:马拉德太太、马拉德先生以及他的姐姐约瑟芬和朋友理查德、医生。笔者认为,根据他们不同的象征意义,可以把他们分成三类分别进行分析。
1.马拉德太太
马拉德太太代表19世纪美国社会中普遍存在的贤妻良母形象,也象征着勇于反抗世俗传统、挣脱男权至上的枷锁,寻求个性和思想解放自由的新女性形象。一方面,她过着衣食无忧的家庭生活,在外人看来,她应该为自己的幸福感到知足,然而值得注意的是,无论是精神上还是经济上她都要依靠丈夫。另一方面,当得知丈夫死讯时,她似乎感受到了一种释放和解脱,心中萌生了强烈的对自由、对独立的渴望,“‘自由了,自由了,自由了’!她感到一种突如其来的欢悦。今后的自由清清楚楚地展现在她的面前,别的都是小事,无暇顾及。她看到了未来,看到了将来长远的岁月,那只属于她的岁月。她张开双臂,欢迎那美好的岁月”。由此可见,马拉德太太标志着19世纪最初觉醒的女性形象,她痛恨男权社会的压迫和统治,追求精神自立,渴望在男权社会中作为独立的个体谋求平等。小说结局马拉德太太死去,这说明她在屈从传统道德和追求真实渴望中选择了后者,这注定不为当时社会所接受,因此她的死从某种程度上讲是一种解脱。
2.马拉德先生
马拉德先生仅仅在小说的结尾处出现,却是贯穿整个故事的关键人物。正是他的意外死亡使得马拉德太太看到了自由的曙光,并充满对未来生活的向往。也正是他的意外归来使得马拉德太太的梦想顷刻幻灭。无论是关于他的消息还是他的最终出场总能左右故事情节的发展,因此可以看出,他象征着传统男权社会中的统治者——家庭中的“一家之长”,是造成男权社会中妇女受压迫状况的实施者。
3.约瑟芬、理查德和医生
笔者之所以将这三位人物一起进行分析,是因为他们有一个共同点:他们都是男权社会的遵从者和男尊女卑思想的执行者,象征着深受男权主义麻痹的人们,他们的表现象征着男
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[3]权社会对于女性的行为期待。当得知马拉德先生去世的消息时,他们自然而然地认为马拉德太太听到这个坏消息后会悲痛欲绝,甚至是心脏病发作。因为在当时那样一个男权主义社会,丈夫的死亡对于妻子来说就相当于世界末日,没有了丈夫,一个家庭会失去完整性,更重要的是,会失去经济来源和精神支撑。如果妻子对丈夫的死亡并未反应强烈,她反而会成为周围人的笑柄甚至是指责的对象。那种“乐夫所乐,伤夫所伤”的妻子才是当时社会典型的好女性。
小说一开始,家人们刻意小心的告诉马拉德太太她先生的死讯,“是他的姐姐约瑟芬告诉她的。话都没说成句吞吞吐吐、遮遮掩掩地暗示着”。当马拉德太太独自在房间中,约瑟芬担心她承受不了这突如其来的打击,“跪在她关着的门外,嘴唇对着锁孔,苦苦哀求让她进去”,规劝道,“‘路易斯,开开门!求求你啦,开开门——你这样会得病的’”。殊不知屋内的马拉德太太情绪并没有太大的波动,反而在享受难得的清静和自由,“她正透过扇开着的窗子畅饮那真正的长生不老药呢”。后来,马拉德先生平安无恙的回到家,理查德先生怕马拉德太太难以承受这种突如其来的喜悦,做出了“急忙在他妻子面前遮挡着他的快速动作”。最后,医生确认马拉德太太的死因是“因极度兴奋而突发心脏病”。他们想当然的认为马拉德太太会难以承受丈夫失而复得的喜悦,可实际上,马拉德太太猝死更多的是源于她内心的失望。
综上所述,约瑟芬、理查德和医生是男权至上观念的典型推崇者和践行者,他们的形象和马拉德太太追求挑战和反叛特点形成鲜明的对比,他们的存在是女性解放的障碍之一,阻滞了女性追求自由和平等的脚步。
(二)小说场景的象征意义 1.周围的景色
对于任何一个拥有幸福美满的婚姻生活的女人来说,丈夫的突然离世会对她造成巨大的打击,她会沉浸在悲痛之中难以自拔,根本不会关注周围的任何人和事。然而,当她的婚姻并不幸福美满,她整个人生活在男权主义的束缚之中时,丈夫的突然离世也许对她来说是一种解脱和新生。马拉德太太在得知丈夫突然离世后仅仅表现出暂时的悲伤,而后她的一系列心理活动耐人回味,尤其是她所观察到的周围的景色,成为了凯特·肖邦塑造的景物意象:摇曳着青春活力的树梢、空气中阵雨的芬芳、小贩的吆喝声、人微弱的歌声、麻雀的叫声、朵朵行云之间的蓝天,从视觉、听觉和味觉三种感官塑造了一幅春意盎然、生机勃勃的场景,[2][1]
[2]象征着马拉德先生的死是旧生活的一种终结,她终于摆脱了丈夫的束缚,获得了身心自由,她的人生从此翻开了崭新的一页。
2.门
小说中,“门”多次出现,其象征意义最值得探究。
第一道门出现在女主人公马拉德夫人初闻丈夫死亡的“噩耗”之时——“当哀伤的风暴逐渐减弱时,她独自走向自己的房间,关上了门。”这扇门将马拉德太太与理查德和约瑟芬暂时的分割,也为马拉德太太的个人世界和外面的世界之间矗立了一道屏障,她能有暂时的喘息机会,享受一个人的沉思。有了这扇门,马拉德太太可以避开外界对于她情绪的种种猜测。独自一人在房间时,马拉的夫人的真是情感在慢慢地、毫无保留地释放,她意识到自己“自由了”,“身心自由了”,“她的暮光明亮而锋利。她的脉搏加快了,循环中的血液使她全身感到温暖、松快。”门外的世界,象征着深受男权主义枷锁束缚却无从反抗的地狱,而门内的世界,象征着女性挣脱男权主义压迫、获得自由新生的天堂。在门内的世界,她心情愉悦,畅想未来;在门外的世界,人们按照世俗思维想象着一个逝去丈夫的女子的忧伤。由此可见,“门”在这里象征着世俗的纲常伦理,阻止了人们发现世俗背后的真相。
第二道门的出现预示着小说情节的大反转。“有人在用弹簧锁钥匙开大门。进来的是布兰特雷·马拉德。”。“他不但没有在发生事故的地方呆过,而且连出了什么事都不知道。”
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[1]这扇门的突然打开,预示着马拉德太太梦寐以求的自由和解脱只是一场梦,马拉德先生回来了,生活将重蹈覆辙,她依旧要受到丈夫的掌控。从某种意义上讲,第二道门代表着家庭和社会,它的打开伴随着传统男权社会的对女性的压力倾泻而来,代表着马拉德太太追求自由的短暂梦想破灭。
在《一小时的故事》中,凯特·肖邦通过简介又巧妙的象征主义烘托了女性主义的中心思想,笔者以上对于象征主义的分析,希望能有助于读者更好的理解其中的寓意。