Looking for European and American classics

01. Pride and Prejudice?8?5

Classic masterpiece

"Pride and Prejudice" is a masterpiece by the famous British realist female novelist Austen . The themes of her works are narrow, and they basically describe the love stories of the class she lives in. However, she observed carefully and wrote delicately. She vividly and profoundly described many aspects of life in that era, which was distinctively contemporary.

Her works clarify the ethics of love and marriage, truly reflect many of the most essential characteristics of human nature, and are highly realistic. William 6?1 Leon Phelps once said: "Austen is one of the most important literary artists in the world, and Pride and Prejudice is her masterpiece." "Pride and Prejudice" has been loved by generations of readers. Loved by critics, it is so valued by critics that it deserves to be a treasure in the treasure house of world literature.

Elizabeth - Austen's "baby daughter"

Elizabeth is the most endearing character in "Pride and Prejudice". Although she is not as beautiful as Joan, her autumn eyes are also quite charming. She is witty, energetic, courageous, far-sighted, good at analyzing problems, and is also a rebellious character. She uses her intelligence and superior mental state to challenge the upper class society that looks down on her.

Austin particularly likes this character. When the novel was published, she wrote to her sister Cassandra: "I must admit that Elizabeth is a very lovable character since the beginning of books. I don't know how I can tolerate readers who don't like Elizabeth." She proudly called Elizabeth her "darling daughter."

Simple humor and pungent satire

Austen can write "everyday things" with strong artistic appeal and is famous for creating vivid characters. She is good at using comedy and satire to reflect real social life. After she finished the first draft, she always read it to her family first, which often made her nieces laugh. One day, Austin's sister Cassandra also heard it. She laughed so much that she begged Jane to stop quickly, lest she get a stomachache from laughing.

Author Style

Austin (1775-1817) was born in the home of a rectory in Shamrock, Hampshire, southern England. She began writing at the age of 16 just to entertain her family. "Pride and Prejudice", "Mansfield Park", "Emma", "Northanger Abbey", "Persuasion", etc. The latter two were published under her real name for the first time after her death, with a biography of the author, so people knew her simple life experience.

These works often use humorous comedy techniques, take the love and marriage of young men and women as the theme, write some ordinary stories, and outline for us the rural life scenes in the early days of bourgeois society, when feudal conservative forces were still stubborn. . Austin's writing attitude is very rigorous, and he writes about people and things with great care and meticulousness. She herself said: "I used such a fine pen to paint on a two-inch-wide piece of ivory..." Her evaluation of her work is appropriate.

Cedric Gibbons (1895-1960), who won the Best Black and White Art Award for "Pride and Prejudice" in 1940, was a very outstanding artist in the United States. In his early years, he worked as Edison's assistant. From 1918 to 1924, he worked for the Goldwyn Film Company. After 1924, he worked at MGM.

02. Blood and Tears on the Lone Star?8?5

Classic masterpiece

"Blood and Tears on the Lone Star" is one of Dickens' most mature representative works.

The novel tells the story of a young man's disillusionment. Money transformed Pip from a poor apprentice to a rich young master, and also caused him to get into the bad habits of the upper class, deviating from his original simple nature of working people. Without money, Pip returned to his hometown empty-handed and restored his humanity. In his unique way, Dickens dealt with the universal theme of young people's life path in 19th-century literature, highlighting the exposure of the corrosive effect of money.

Author Style

Charlie Dickens (1812-1870) was the most outstanding British novelist in the 19th century. He was born on February 7, 1812, in a petty bourgeois family in Portsmouth, southern England. He began to engage in literary creation in 1832 and successively wrote operas, comedies, essays, novels and short stories, with the novels being the most successful. "Oliver Twist" is the representative work of this period, in addition to "The Pickwick Papers".

The period from 1842 to 1848 was the period when his creations matured. During this period, he visited the United States, Italy, Switzerland, and France for travel and inspection. His works include a collection of short and medium stories "Christmas Stories" and a novel "Dong Bei and Sons". From 1849 to 1870, it was a period of brilliant achievements for Dickens' creation. His important masterpieces were all written during this period. He has successively written novels such as "David Copperfield", "Bleak House", "Hard Times", "A Tale of Two Cities", "Lone Star Blood and Tears", etc. These works directly pointed the spearhead of exposure and criticism at The British state system, political institutions and social relations based on money also paid great attention to labor conflicts and the fate of workers.

Dickens worked tirelessly in literary creation activities for more than 30 years. Finally, in the process of writing the novel "The Mystery of Edwin 6.1 Durood", he died suddenly due to overwork. That day It was June 9, 1870.

03. Oliver Twist?8?5

Classic

"Oliver Twist" is Dickens's first social criticism novel.

The rich man's abandoned baby Oliver struggled in the orphanage for nine years, and was sent to the coffin shop owner as an apprentice. Unbearable hunger, poverty and humiliation forced Oliver to flee to London, where he was forced to become a pickpocket. He was once taken in by the wealthy Mr. Brelo, but unfortunately he was discovered by a pickpocket and entered the den of thieves. In order to rescue Oliver, the kind-hearted female pickpocket Nancy reported to Bullero, regardless of the thieves' surveillance and threats, saying that Oliver was the grandson he had been looking for for a long time. Nancy was killed by the leader of the den of thieves, and JC immediately surrounded and suppressed the den of thieves. Oliver was finally reunited with his family.

Author Style

Charlie Dickens (1812-1870) was the most outstanding British novelist in the 19th century. He was born on February 7, 1812, in a petty bourgeois family in Portsmouth, southern England. He began to engage in literary creation in 1832 and successively wrote operas, comedies, essays, novels and short stories, with the novels being the most successful. "Oliver Twist" is the representative work of this period, in addition to "The Pickwick Papers". From 1842 to 1848, it was the period when his creation matured. During this period, he visited the United States, Italy, Switzerland, and France for travel and inspection. His works include a collection of short and medium stories "Christmas Stories" and a novel "Dong Bei and Sons". From 1849 to 1870, it was a period of brilliant achievements for Dickens' creation. His important masterpieces were all written during this period. He successively wrote novels such as "David Copperfield", "Bleak House", "Hard Times", "A Tale of Two Cities", "Lone Star Blood and Tears", etc. These works directly pointed the spearhead of exposure and criticism at The British state system, political institutions and social relations based on money also paid great attention to labor conflicts and the fate of workers. Dickens worked tirelessly in literary creation activities for more than 30 years. Finally, in the process of writing the novel "The Mystery of Edwin 6.1 Durood", he died suddenly due to overwork. That day was June 9, 1870. .

04. Quixote of the Tang Dynasty 6.1 8.5

Classic masterpiece

"Quixote of the Tang Dynasty 6.1" was written in the 16th century The masterpiece of the great Spanish writer Cervantes is the first realistic novel in Europe during the Renaissance. The novel is about Don Quixote, who was fascinated by reading novels about knights and called himself a knight errant. He wanted to travel around the world to eliminate the strong and help the weak and uphold justice. With the fanaticism of knights in his imagination, he regards windmills as giants, poor inns as luxurious castles, the copper basin used for haircuts as the magician's helmet, and the sheep as an army... He often gets success out of good intentions. The opposite result. In the end, he suffered many setbacks and accomplished nothing. He returned home and died in depression.

The author uses satirical and exaggerated artistic techniques and through the absurd and bizarre path of Don Quixote, skillfully displays the suffering Spanish society in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. In front of the readers, a broad picture of this era is painted on an epic scale, and it effectively attacks the darkness of Spanish society.

Ridiculous madman, pathetic hero

Don?6?1 Quixote is a madman, but a noble madman. His tragedy is the tragedy of all humanists. I want to transform society on my own. He has only one resolution against all the evil in life - fight. His honesty is just like the spear he uses to establish justice in the world. He is selfless and fearless. People laugh at him and laugh at him for being crazy. Although he has been defeated many times, he still moves forward bravely. When it comes to chivalry novels, his behavior is certainly funny, but as long as chivalry is not involved, we have to respect his uprightness, integrity and bravery, we have to admire his knowledge, and we can't help but laugh at his setbacks. Tears of sympathy.

The creative process and significance of "Don Quixote"

At the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, Spanish knight novels were rampant, using fictional plots and fantasy stories , to attract readers and poison the spirit of the Spanish people. Cervantes wanted to "sweep away all the trappings of chivalric novels." In 1602, he began to write "Don Quixote", which became very popular after its publication. "Don Quixote", on an epic scale, truly reflects the social reality of Spain at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, and reveals various contradictions in the declining Spanish Kingdom. However, the novel's anti-feudal and anti-church tendencies and its mockery of chivalric literature aroused the hatred of conservative elements. In 1614, someone published the "Sequel to Don Quixote" under the pseudonym of Alonso Fernandez Avillianada, greatly distorting the theme and image of the original work. Cervantes was very angry, rushed to write, and published the real second volume of "Don Quixote" in 1615.

Don 6?1 Quixote is an exaggerated idealized character. When Cervantes created the typical image of Don 6?1 Quixote, he devoted his own ideals and feelings.

He said: "Don Quixote was born just for me, and I am just for him in this life."

The author's style

The father of modern novels - Sevan Tis

Miguel?6?1Tai?6?1 Cervantes?6?1 Saavedra (1547-1616) was a great Spanish novelist, dramatist and poet . His literary creation embodies the highest achievements of Spanish literature during the Renaissance. The publication of "Don Quixote" and the huge impact of this work made him a famous classic writer in the world literary world. He was hailed as the "Father of Modern Novel" by Dickens, Flaubert and Tolstoy. .

On October 9, 1547, he was born in Alcalá de Henaresde, near Madrid. He once served as an attendant of Cardinal Julio 6-1 Acquaviva, traveled to Rome, Venice, Naples, Milan and other places in Italy, and was influenced by Italian literature and art. He participated in the Lebondo War in 1571 and his left hand was disabled. On his way back home, he was captured by pirates and worked as a slave in Algiers for five years. He was later rescued and returned home. Forced by life, he worked as a military commissary and a tax collector. He was imprisoned several times for offending the powerful and the church. He knows a lot about the suffering of the people and the darkness of society, and his own life is impoverished.

"Don Quixote" is his representative work. Other works include the tragedy "Numancia", the novel "Galatea", and the short story collection "Novel of Exhortations".

05. Anna? 6? 1 Karenina? 8? 5

Classic masterpieces

“Happy families are all similar, but unhappy families are all different. "Everyone's misfortune." - "Anna 6.1 Karenina"

"Anna 6.1 Karenina" is one of the most important masterpieces of the famous Russian writer Tolstoy. . As soon as this work came out, it attracted widespread attention. His contemporary Russian writer Dostoyevsky even believed that this "is a perfect work of art" and that there is simply "nothing of the same kind in modern European literature that can compare with it."

Anna?6?1 Karenina" is indeed a great work. As a realist writer, Tolstoy created an unparalleled picture of the 1870s in this novel. A picture of Russian social life. The Russian poet Fett said that the author seemed to have packed the entire era into this novel.

The work "Anna? 6? 1 Karenina" is the main force that produces this impact. In modern Chinese literature, Tolstoy's influence can also be seen everywhere. In Lu Xun's "A Little Thing", there is Tolstoy's introspection and confession; in Bing Xin's "A Melancholic Youth", the protagonist is very similar to Ilqianye in "Youth"; another of Bing Xin's works The mother image in "Superman" can be said to be the embodiment of Tolstoy's love; Ye Shaojun's "Ni Huanzhi", Mao Dun's "Three Company", Lu Yin's "Old Friend on the Seaside", Wang Tongzhao's "Smile", Xu Dishan's Excellent works of modern Chinese literature such as "The Spider Weavers a Web" reflect Tolstoy's theory of pan-love, views on labor and views on human nature. Many Chinese writers have mentioned the influence of Tolstoy on them when talking about their literary experiences.

06. Gone with the Wind 8.5

Classic masterpiece

"Gone with the Wind" was created by the famous American female writer Margaret 6.1 Mitchell A novel with a romantic color and reflecting the theme of the Civil War. The protagonist Scarlett's rebellious spirit, hard work, and self-improvement have always fascinated readers.

On the eve of the American Civil War, 16-year-old Miss Scarlett in Tara Manor, Georgia, was madly in love with her neighbor Ashley?6?1 Wilkes. After the war broke out, Ashley married his cousin Melanie? 6? 1 Hamilton. In a rage, Scarlett married Charles, whom she did not love. Soon, Charles died of illness during the war, and Scarlett became a widow.

At a fundraising dance, she met Captain Rhett Butler. As the war approaches Atlanta, Scarlett escapes Atlanta with the help of Captain Rhett and returns to Tara Manor. Seeing that the former manor was in ruins, Scarlett was determined to revive her home at all costs. Soon, Scarlett's second husband Frank died in a duel, and she became a widow again. Rhett loved Scarlett sincerely and passionately, and Scarlett soon married Rhett. Although Rhett has a similar temperament to hers that attracts her, at the same time she is still obsessed with Ashley, whom she once loved. Rhett left Scarlett sadly, but Scarlett realized at this time that Rhett was the only person who could truly love her.

The author's style

Become famous overnight

Rhett left, Scarlett is going back to Tara, and she will try to get him back "tomorrow" What will happen "tomorrow"? The author did not continue to write, but left a broad space for readers' imagination.

"Gone with the Wind" created by Margaret?6?1 Michel (1900-1949) became a global sensation as soon as it came out. This was unexpected by the author. She only wrote this one novel in her life, but this novel alone made her a household name. Some people describe that Michel went to bed at night unknown, but woke up the next morning as the number one celebrity in the country.

Honors followed, including the Boni Paige Memorial Award in 1938, the New York Southern Society Gold Medal in the same year, and a doctorate in literature from Smith College for Women in 1939. Michelle was born on November 8, 1900, in Atlanta, Georgia. Her father was a historian and a former president of the Atlanta Historical Society. Michelle attended Washington High School and studied medicine at Smith College for Women in Northampton, Massachusetts. After the death of her mother, she took a leave of absence to take care of her father and brother. In 1922, he served as a reporter and columnist for the "Atlanta Daily News", but he resigned due to an ankle injury. Influenced by her family since childhood, Michelle has always liked to study history. After resigning, she began to study the history of the Civil War from 1861 to 1865. Michelle wanted to reflect her research experience and results in the form of a novel. After ten years of hard work, the novel "Gone with the Wind" was finally completed. The novel was published and immediately caused a sensation in the world.

Reappearance on the silver screen

The film "Gone with the Wind" is adapted from Margaret 6.1 Mitchell's famous novel "Gone with the Wind", released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the United States in 1939 Produced in the year. After the novel came out in 1936, Hollywood producer David O. Selznick planned to put it on the screen. He paid $50,000 to buy the filming rights from author Margaret 6.1 Mitchell, and used 18 screenwriters. Finally, Sidney 6.1 Howard compiled the three-volume novel. Adapted into a movie script. Producer Selznick personally participated in writing the script and carefully selected first-class film artists including directors and actors to participate in the filming of the film.

This luxurious color film basically maintains the depth and charm of the original work, and still shows the Civil War from the perspective of American southerners. Director Victor?6?1 Fleming reproduced the spectacular scenes of the American Civil War with ingenious artistic conception and skillful film techniques. In particular, the scenes of the refugees fleeing the disaster, Station Square and the fire in Atlanta are still breathtaking to this day.

Highlights from the filming

Moving the crowd to pursue artistic verisimilitude

This 3-hour and 40-minute blockbuster cost $4 million (about $100 million today) . The entire filming process lasted three years, with 200 scenes set up in one day and more than 90 scenes officially constructed: 20 hectares of Atlanta city scenes, including a 2,135-meter-long highway with 53 buildings on both sides. One fire scene was shot with seven cameras at the same time, and 35,000 gallons of gasoline were used. The entire film was shot using 1.35 million feet of film.

Fake it to be real

To film the streets and hospitals of Atlanta filled with wounded soldiers, thousands of extras were needed to play the wounded. However, only six to seven hundred people were found locally, which was far from meeting the needs of the scene. In the end, they had to rush to make a large number of rubber dummies to "make up the numbers." Fortunately, these dummies are so realistic that the audience can't see any flaws in the film.

Thousands of people have been searching for her, but Scarlett suddenly appeared

When the producers were preparing to film "Gone with the Wind", all other roles had already been selected, but the heroine Scarlett was the only one. The actor has been hard to find. In order to choose the heroine Scarlett, Selznick conducted what is considered to be the best publicity campaign in the history of American movies. Excellent candidates recommended from all over the country were rejected one by one. Only the famous Hollywood stars Katharine Hepburn, Janet Davis, Joan Fontaine and Joan Crawford still have a glimmer of hope. Vivien Leigh, who was still unknown at the time, also wanted to play this role so much that she read "Gone with the Wind" over and over again. She admits that she is not as famous as those big Hollywood stars, but she is confident that she can play this role well. She knew that Lawrence Oliver's agent in Hollywood, Myron Selznick, was the brother of David Oliver Selznick, so she wrote to Oliver. Fer contacted Myron and soon came to Hollywood. When Myron saw Vivien Leigh, he couldn't help shouting: "Oh, my God! You are Scarlett!"

At that time, a considerable number of crowd scenes had been filmed in "Gone with the Wind" In order for David Selznick to fully appreciate Vivien Leigh's demeanor, Myron deliberately arranged for her to suddenly appear in the scene of "The Great Fire of Atlanta". Vivien?6?1 wore a wide-brimmed black hat, and the reserved face covered by the fire became more and more charming and charming by the firelight. Her deep eyes shone like emeralds, and her black clothes were tightly wrapped around her slim body. David Selznick suddenly felt his eyes light up; this was the Scarlett he had dreamed of! After watching Vivien Leigh's test sample, he announced with great excitement: He was very interested in this film. There is no doubt about its success.