王守仁《英国文学选读》笔记和课后习题详解-20世纪英国诗人(1)【圣才出品】

第21单元约翰•福尔斯21.1复习笔记John Fowles(1926-2005)(约翰·福尔斯)1.Life(生平)John Fowles was born in Leigh-on-Sea,a small town in London suburbs.After briefly attending the University of Edinburgh,Fowles began compulsory military service in1945.World War II ended shortly after his training began,so Fowles never came near combat.Fowles then spent four years at Oxford,where he discovered the writings of the French existentialists,especially Camus and Sarte, whose ideas corresponding with his own about conformity and the will of the individual.He received a degree in French in1950.During his tenure in France and later in Greece,he began to write poetry and to overcome a long-time repression about writing.The critical acclaim and commercial success of The Collector allowed Fowles to devote all of his time to writing.His most commercially successful novel, The French Lieutenant’s Woman,appeared in1969.In the1970s,he also published essays,poetry,translations and reviews.Fowles died on November5,2005after a long illness.约翰·福尔斯出生于伦敦郊外的小镇莱昂西。

第23单元 A.S.拜厄特23.1复习笔记Antonia Susan Byatt(1936-)(A.S.拜厄特)1.Life(生平)Antonia Susan Byatt,a prominent author,was born in Sheffield,north England, in1936.She studied at Newnham College,Cambridge and Somerville College, Oxford.After graduation,she taught in London University and the Central School of Art and Design.She became a full-time lecturer in English and American Literature at University College London,1972.In1983,she resigned and devoted herself to literary creation.She has served on the judging panels for a number of literary prizes,including the Booker Prize for Fiction,and is recognised as a distinguished critic,contributing regularly to journals and newspapers.Her most successful book, Possession:A Romance,won the Booker Prize for Fiction.A.S.Byatt was appointed CBE in1990and DBE in1999.In2002she was awarded the Shakespeare Prize by the Alfred Toepfer Foundation,Hamburg,in recognition of her contribution to British culture.A.S.拜厄特于1936年出生于英格兰北部的谢菲尔德市，是英国当代杰出的女作家。

第10单元查尔斯•狄更斯10.1复习笔记Charles Dickens(1812-1870)(查尔斯•狄更斯)1.Life(生平)Charles Dickens was born into a clerk family in Portmouth,Hampshire in1812. When he was11,his father was put to a debtor’s prison,so he was forced to work ten hours a day in a warehouse.At fifteen,he began to work as a lawyer’s office boy and read at the British Museum in his spare time.The suffering of his childhood has provided writing materials for his works.In1833,his first book,Sketches by Boz, was published.In the same year,he got married and meanwhile was writing The Pickwick Papers,which helped Dickens rise to fame at25.His industry was tremendous and his energy inexhaustible.He wrote novels,autobiographies,travel books,wrote and performed plays,edited periodicals,and administered charitable organizations.After the separation from his wife,he began to give public readings from his works to increase income,which further undermined his health.In1870, while working on The Mystery of Edwin Drood at his country house,he suffered a stroke of apoplexy and died a day later.After a simple funeral according to his wish, he was buried in Westminster Abbey.查尔斯·狄更斯1812年出生于朴茨茅斯的一个小职员家庭。

第13单元现代剧作家13.1复习笔记Oscar Wilde(1854-1900)(奥斯卡·王尔德)1.Life(生平)Oscar Wilde,a dramatist,poet,novelist and essayist,was born in Dublin, Ireland.After majoring in classical studies at Trinity College,Dublin,he won a scholarship to Oxford,where he proved a brilliant student and became a disciple of Walter Pater.In1879,he settled in London,and soon won a reputation both as a writer and as a spokesman for the school of"art for art’s sake".He soon became the leader of the“aesthetic movement”.Wilde is a witty conversationalist and dandy.In1895,he was charged of a homosexual relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas;Wilde recklessly sued for libel,but lost the case and was arrested and sent to prison for two years.As a result,the public strongly detested him and the aesthetic movement suffered a severe setback.After leaving the jail,Wilde was divorced and declared bankrupt.As a ruined man,he immigrated to France and lived out his last three years under a pseudo name with the financial support from his friends.He was buried in Paris in the same cemetery as the poet Charles Baudelaire.奥斯卡·王尔德是个戏剧家、诗人、小说家和散文家。

第1单元杰弗里•乔叟1.1 复习笔记Geoffrey Chaucer （杰弗里·乔叟）（1340-1400）1. Life （生平）Geoffrey Chaucer, born in 1343 in London, is the founder of English poetry. He was the son of a wine merchant who had connections with the Court. He later became a courtier and comptroller.Chaucer’s learning was wide in scope. He obtained a good knowledge of Latin, French and Italian. He had broad and intimate acquaintance with persons high and low in all walks of life, and knew well the whole life of his time, which left great impressions upon his works and particularly upon his variegated depiction of the English society of his time.He died in 1400 and was buried in Westminster Abbey, thus founding the Poets’ Corner.杰弗里·乔叟于1343年出生于伦敦，他是英语诗歌之父。

他是一个与宫廷有联系的酒商的儿子。

他后来担任过侍臣和审计官。

乔叟知识渊博。

他精通拉丁语、法语和意大利语。

他结交广泛且易与人深交，无论是贵族还是贫民,因此他深谙所处世事。

第20单元多丽丝•莱辛20.1复习笔记Doris Lessing（1919-2013）（多丽斯·莱辛）1.Life（生平）Doris May Lessing,English novelist and short-story writer,was born in1919in Iran,where his father was a captain in the English army.In1925,when she was five years old,her family moved to a farm in Rhodesia(now Zimbabwe)of Africa.Her childhood was spent in isolation and loneliness,to overcome which she read the great novels of19th-century European literature.She actively participated in the struggle against racial discrimination and white men’s oppression of the black people.Lessing won the Nobel Prize for Literature in2007.多丽丝·莱辛，英国小说家和短篇故事作家，于1919年生于伊朗，父亲在英国军队里是上尉。

1925年，他们举家迁往非洲的罗德西亚（现津巴布韦）。

莱辛在那里的生活是孤独的，为了避免孤独，她开始读19世纪英国小说。

她积极参加反对种族歧视和白人镇压黑人的斗争。

莱辛于2007年获得诺贝尔文学奖。

2.Major Works（主要作品）The Grass is Singing（1950）《野草在歌唱》This Was the Old Chief’s Country（1951）《这原是老酋长的国度》Children of Violence（1952-1969）《暴力的儿女》The Golden Notebook（1962）《金色笔记》The Summer Before the Dark（1973）《黑暗前的夏天》Canopus in Argos:Archives（1979-1983）《南船星系中的老人星座：档案》The Good Terrorist（1985）《好恐怖分子》The Fifth Child（1988）《第五个孩子》3.Selected works（选读作品）◆A Woman on a Roof《屋顶丽人》The story happens in London:a woman,who is taking sun bath,comes into notice of the three men who are mending the house not far from her.The men try to strike up a conversation with her,but no matter what they do,the woman pays no attention to them.The plot of the story is very simple,but it has very profound meanings.The woman,who is lying on the roof,becomes the gazing object of the men. And it reveals that female becomes gazing objects of male in the modern society. This story also reveals the conflicts between classes in England.The woman represents the relatively upper class,while the three working men represent the lower hard-working class.《屋顶丽人》故事发生在伦敦，一个女人在屋顶晒日光浴，引起近处三个修房工人的注意。

第6单元浪漫主义诗人(1)6.1复习笔记William Blake(1757-1827)(威廉·布莱克)1.Life(生平)William Blake,born on28November1757,was the son of a London haberdasher.The boy never went to school apart from learning to read and write. He only entered a drawing school and later studied for a time at the Royal Academy of Arts.From14,he apprenticed for seven years to a well-known engraver,read widely in his free time and began to try his hand at poetry.In1800,Blake moved to Felpham,under the patronage of William Hayley whose intention to conventionalize him caused his hatred.In1803,Blake was framed of sedition,but later was acquitted.In1827,Blake died in obscurity and poverty.Though generally dismissed as an eccentric during his lifetime,posterity rediscovered Blake and today he is highly rated both as a poet and artist.威廉·布莱克生于1757年11月28日，是伦敦一杂货商之子。

第1单元杰弗里•乔叟1.How is the setting of the tales described?With such a setting,could you predict the general tone of the tales that are to follow?Key:(1)Chaucer sets the tales in the spring,describing both the natural world and people—the natural world shows a kind of renewal and rebirth,and people begin to stir after the long sleep of winter.Chaucer’s description of the landscape is lively(欢快的)and fresh(清新的),since he speaks of budding flowers,growing crops and singing birds.(2)According to such a setting,we can predict that the general tone of the tales will be light,sprightly(活泼的、愉快的)and humorous.2.In your own words,summarize the character of the Knight from the brief introduction in this excerpt.Key:According to the excerpt,we can see that the Knight has followed chivalry—truth,honor,freedom and courtesy. He had fought many battles for the faith of people.He is a brave,wise,modest and“truly perfect gentle-knight”.3.Without comparison with the translated version,are there words still recognizable to you in the original Middle English version?Key:Yes,there are many words can be recognized.Because many words only contain few different letters compared with the modern words.What’s more,sometimes,we can recognize the words by guess or by the sense-group.第2单元威廉•莎士比亚Hamlet1.Why sleep is so frightening,according to Hamlet,since it can“end”“the heartache and the thousand natural shocks”? Key:Death means the end of life.If he dies,he may go to an unknown world and can never come back.In this sense, Hamlet cannot take revenge on his uncle for his father,failing to realize his will.Though“sleep”can end the heartache and the thousand natural shocks,it is a state of mind that Hamlet doesn’t know at all.He is frightened by the possible suffering in the long“dream”.He can’t predict what will happen in the sleep,may be good may be evil.2.Why would people rather bear all the sufferings of the world instead of choosing death to get rid of them,according to Hamlet?Key:According to Hamlet,because that people don’t know what lying there waiting for them in the unknown world, maybe something more terrible than that in the mortal world.3.What,after all,makes people lose their determination to take action?Please explain in relation to the so-called hesitation of Hamlet.Key:It is the fear for the unknown world after death and the lack of confidence for the future make people loose determination to take action.Hamlet doesn’t know what would happen if he kills his uncle or kills himself,so he is hesitated.However,Hamlet’s hesitation should be seen from a different point of view.The main reason lies in his concern for his nation.Hamlet is a true man.He wants to change the dark existing world,but it is beyond his ability, so he has no idea what he should do.He knows his death can’t solve the problems deeply rooted in the society.So he hesitated about what he should do as the prince of Demark.His revenge is not everything for him.And he clearly knows that the sudden death of king may cause some disorders in the country.Thus he is confused about his action. Romeo and Juliet1.What does Romeo compare Juliet to in the beginning passage of the selection?Key:Romeo compares Juliet to the sun.2.What is Romeo and Juliet’s attitude toward being a Montague or a Capulet?Key:They think that since their family names hinder them from loving each other,they prefer that the names Montague and Capulet have nothing to do with themselves and even give them up.3.What does Romeo mean when he says“Look thou but sweet,/And I am proof against their enmity”?Key:It means that Romeo loves Juliet so much that he thinks that the love can protect him from harm and dissolve the hatred between their families.Sonnet181.How does the poet answer the question he puts forth in the first line?Key:The poet thinks that he should not“compare thee to a summer’s day”,because“Thou art more lovely and more temperate”.And,in the following part,he gives his reasons.2.What makes the poet think that“thou”can be more beautiful(fair)than summer and immortal?Key:Because the poet thinks that“thy eternal summer shall not fade”for they will be preserved and perpetuated in the lines he writes.第3单元弗朗西斯•培根Of Marriage and Single Life1.Is marriage an impediment or help to one’s career development?Key:Sometimes,marriage can be an impediment,and sometimes,it can help one develop his or her career as well, because it depends on the quality of the marriage.As the saying goes“A peaceful family will prosper”,so we can say that husbands and wives can benefit a lot from good marriages,while a terrible marriage will ruin both sides.In a good marriage,husband and wife will be happier,and they will help and encourage each other,which will be good for their careers.On the contrary,in an unhappy marriage,husband and wife usually quarrel a lot and things tend to be worse.2.In what sense are wife and children“a kind of discipline of humanity”?Key:A single man has no others to think about,so he is likely to think of himself and spend a lot of money on himself. What’s more,he tends to take any risk if he wants to,for he does not need to be responsible for anyone.However,a married man cannot be so go-as-you-please,because he has wife and children,and he must be responsible for them. Furthermore,he has to work hard to fulfill his wife and children’s expectation.He becomes a loving man,who not only loves his wife and children,but also loves others.A loving husband and a qualified father can contribute the greatest merit to the public to a large extent.In this sense,we can say that wife and children are“a kind of discipline of humanity”.3.Bacon prefers marriage to single life.Do you find his arguments convincing?Key:Yes,I think Bacon’s arguments are convincing.He proves his points by comparison.He clearly points out the disadvantages of single life and the advantages of marriage.For instance,a single person only cares about himself,and does not pay attention to the future;a married man tends to become responsible,tender,enthusiastic and warm-hearted. As the sentence goes“wives are young men’s mistresses,companions for middle age,and old men’s nurses”which means that when a man is young,his wife can make many decisions and arrangements for the family;when he comes to middle age,wife always stays with him as a companion;when he becomes old,wife will take care of him till the end of life.Even though a woman marries a bad husband,marriage offers a chance for husband to correct themselves. These points all are reasonable,which make Bacon’s arguments very convincing.Of Study1.We are now living in the age of“information explosion”.What lessons can we learn from Bacon’s“Of Studies”in our access to information?Key:According to Bacon’s opinion:“studies themselves do give forth directions too much at large,except they be bounded in by experience”.We should combine theory and practice together.That is,practicing what we have learned is quite important.Bacon’s idea that“some books are to be read only in parts;others to be read,but not curiously;and some few to be read wholly,and with diligence and attention.”also teaches us to use different methods of reading in terms of the quality and content of the book.When we face information,we should do some selections rather than easily trust them all.More importantly,we should have an independent mind.2.In what sense does reading make a full man?Key:As Bacon says“Histories make men wise,poets,witty;the mathematics,subtle;natural philosophy,deep;moral, grave;logic and rhetoric,able to contend”,we can know that different books and subjects have their different influences on people.Some books can make people wiser and make fewer mistakes;some books can make people wittier and more sensible to beauty;some books can make people think in a more scientific and accurate way…So reading can cultivate and better a man.In this sense,reading makes a full man.第4单元17世纪英国诗人The Flea1.Why does the poet say that"this cannot be said a sin,or shame,or loss of maidenhead"?Key:Because it is the flea that sucked their blood and made them mingled together,they are not sinful or shameful, and the man’s beloved does not loss her maidenhead.The flea has joined them together in a way that“alas,is more than we would do”.2.What do you think is the addressee’s parents’attitude toward the poet’s wooing?Key:The addressee’s parents’attitude is against the poet’s wooing.3.What is the real purpose of the poet to say that in killing the flea"thou"are actually killing three lives?Key:The poet compares the killing of the flea to murder.He thinks that if his beloved kills the flea,he and she would be killed within the flea.He even states that the act of killing the flea would be“sacrilege”.If the lover denies the fact that their blood and therefore their lives are contained within the flea,it is similar to committing an irreligious act. This would seem to acknowledge that their closeness within the flea is allowable.The importunate lover wishes his mistress to understand that she should accept his wooing because there is nothing wrong with the unity of two people. Holy Sonnet101.Why does the poet say that death is the“slave to fate,chance,kings and desperate men”?Key:Because for the most part,fate,chance,kings and desperate men can threaten some people with Death when they like to,and by this way,Death is exploited and may be forced to do what it does not want to.In this sense,death is a slave.2.What does the poet mean when he says“we wake eternally”after one short sleep?Key:The poet was a priest and he believed that the soul of men would never die.After death,men would enter another world and lived forever.In this sense,after death,men“wake eternally”.John Milton1.Where are the serpent(“the”in line51)and his followers condemned after their defeat?Key:The serpent and his followers are condemned into the hell by God.2.What are the God’s punishments for those rebellious angels as described by Milton in lines59-74?Key:Those rebellious angels are sent into the horrible dungeon filled with flames,darkness,floods and whirlwinds,in which there is no peace,rest or hope,but full of sorrow and torture.3.What is considered by Satan as“ignominy”and“shame”(line ll5)?Key:Satan considers that“To bow and sue for grace/With suppliant knee,and deify his power/Who from the terror of this arm so late/Doubted his empire-that were low indeed”is“ignominy and shame”.That is,he thinks that it is shameful to bow to God to ask for grace and forgiveness.4.What is Satan advising the serpent and his followers to do in this part of Paradise Lost?Key:Satan advices the serpent and his followers to fight against God.第5单元冒险小说作家Daniel Defoe1.Do you find the description of Crusoe’s setting up the tent convincing?Could you think of better ways to build a shelter in his situation?Key:Yes,I think it is convincing.Crusoe takes everything into his consideration and makes sure his shelter is comfortable and safe.He takes advantage of the natural resources.Perhaps,there is no way to build a better one than his.2.What do you think of Crusoe’s way of marking time?Why is it important for him to keep track of time?Key:I think it’s a good way.The reason is that Crusoe is a civilized man and time is very valuable to him.In fact,he represents the hard-working middle class,and has the sense of working hard and cherishing time.3.From this excerpt,what do you find admirable in Robinson Crusoe?Key:From this excerpt,we can find many admirable characteristics in Robinson Crusoe.He is adventurous,practical, thoughtful,hard-working,brave,shrewd,energetic,optimistic,strong-minded and kind-hearted…Under the special circumstance,Crusoe shows many good and valuable qualities of human beings.Jonathan Swift1.In what ways are Yahoos comparable to human beings in Gulliver’s Travels?Comment on the Houyhnhnms’attitude toward human beings.Key:Both human beings and Yahoos are warlike,greedy,jealous,gluttonous and filthy…What’s more,they eat everything that they can find no matter the food is good or bad for them;they would be sick because of nastiness and greediness;they would suffer from depression because of their idleness;the female Yahoos have nasty qualities,such as lewdness,coquetry,censure and scandal.Yahoos and human beings have many features in common.The Houyhnhnms’attitude toward human beings is critical,malicious and objective.They are not slandering,for human beings indeed have all the defects that the Houyhnhnms have mentioned.It seems that they know about human beings clearly and they compare Yahoos and humankind in a very elaborative way.Their points of view are very convincing.2.What are the symbolic meanings of Yahoos and Houyhnhnms?Key:Yahoos and Houyhnhnms represent the evil human nature and good qualities of humankind respectively.第6单元浪漫主义诗人（1）William BlakeThe Lamb1.Does this poem describe a lamb or the mind of the child who is speaking to the lamb?What is the relation of the lamb and the child to God?Key:The poem describes the mind of the child who is speaking to the lamb by which shows the gentleness and tenderness of the lamb.The lamb is the symbol of the child to the God.It shows the love of God that he creates the lamb and Jesus is often called the lamb of the God.So,the poem not only appreciates the kindness of the lamb but also praise the mysterious power which creates the lamb.In this sense,God,Jesus and the lamb combine together.2.What does the Lamb stand for?Key:The Lamb stands for Jesus Christ,who was offered by God as the final sacrifice for the sins of humankind.The Lamb and Jesus have virtues in common:gentleness,tenderness,kindness and compassion.So,the Lamb also stands for these good attributes.The Tiger1.Why does the poet mention the Lamb?Do you think both the Lamb and the Tiger can illuminate each other?Key:The Tiger is corresponding to The Lamb.Both the poems show the poet’s exploration,understanding and plaint of the mysterious creation.In this poem,the poet implies that the Tiger as well as the Lamb are both created by God. So the Tiger and the Lamb share the same creator and have some kind of relationship.Yes,I think both the Lamb and the Tiger can illuminate each other.The lamb represents the kind and gentle humanities,but it lacks the motivation to make progress.While the tiger will cause the social misery,unrest or even disruption,but it can stimulate people’s creativity.So the tiger becomes the symbol of strength and courage.In this sense,the Tiger and the Lamb can illuminate each other.2.What is the symbolic meaning of the tiger?What idea does the poet want to express?Key:The tiger symbolizes the God’s power in creation and it becomes the embodiment of beauty,strength,vitality and complexity.The poet’s idea is that God not only create the kind lamb but also create the tough tiger.So God is mysterious and complicated and nobody can indeed know about God.The Sick Rose1.In what sense do you think the rose is“sick”?Key:On a superficial and literal level,the rose is invaded by the worm and become sick.On a deeper level,the“sick”rose has several symbolic meanings:a)the rose symbolizes young girls,and the worm refers to impure love of men, which defiles the girls’chastity.Thus,the girls are destroyed.b)The rose symbolizes the toiling masses that are under the exploitation and oppression of the capitalism represented by the worm.It means that there is something wrong with the whole social system.c)The rose symbolizes the soul and spirit of man,while the worm symbolizes the ugly and evil aspects of humanity.The rose is“sick”,because that innocence is replaced by experience,and the virtues are replaced by the evil as well.2.Should there be any symbolic meanings for the night and the storm?If so,what meanings would you suggest? Key:Yes,there are some symbolic meanings for the night and the storm.Based on the symbolic meanings of the rose and the worm,we can find that the night and the storm symbolize the deceit and impure love of men,the progress of capitalism and the process of gaining experience.Robert Burns。

第18单元爱德华•摩根•福斯特18.1 复习笔记E.M. Forster （1879-1970）（爱德华·摩根·福斯特）1. Life （生平）Edward Morgan Forster, novelist, essayist, critic, was born in a middle-class family of London. His father was an architect and died when he was only a boy. He was brought up by his aunts. Forster studied at Cambridge University, where he enjoyed a sense of liberation. On leaving Cambridge, Forster decided to devote his life to writing. He traveled in Europe, lived in Italy and Egypt, and spent a few years in India.爱德华·摩根·福斯特是小说家，散文家和评论家。

他出生于伦敦中产家庭。

父亲是一位建筑师，福斯特还小时就离世。

福斯特由姑姑养大。

他先在一所公立学校接受教育，后进入剑桥。

离开剑桥后他决定投身写作事业。

他游历了欧洲，在意大利和埃及居住过，并在印度度过几年时光。

2. Major Works of Forster （福斯特主要作品）Where Angels Fear to Tread （1905）《天使不敢涉足的地方》The Longest Journey （1907）《最长的旅行》A Room with a View（1908）《一间看得见风景的房间》Howards End （1910）《霍华兹别墅》A Passage to India （1924）《印度之行》Aspects of the Novel（1927）《小说面面观》3. Selected works （选读作品）◆The Road from Colonus《离开科罗诺斯之路》Mr. Lucas, an old Englishman, he always dreamt of visiting Greece. As in declining health, he decided to go there with his daughter. Occasionally, Mr. Lucas found a mysterious great old hollow tree. He decides not to leave, and says he plans to stay at an inn near the old tree, but the others are horrified, and force him to leave with them. Back in England, sometime later, Ethel is now about to be married. Mr. Lucas has become a perpetually disgruntled old man, complaining about everything. Then a gift arrives from a friend in Greece, wrapped in a Greek newspaper. In it Ethel reads the news that on the night they left, the old tree was blown down, and fell on the family who kept the inn nearby, killing them all. Ethel is upset, and says how lucky it was that they hadn’t stayed there that night, calling it a “marvellous deliverance,” but Mr. Lucas dismisses the story without interest. He no longer cares.The Road from Colonus reveals the relationships between different generations and has a vivid description of the loneliness and helplessness of the old people.故事主人公卢卡斯先生与女儿埃塞尔去希腊路行途中，偶然在科罗诺斯发现一处树穴，让他领悟到前所未有的生活真谛，因此他很想在大树附近的小旅店住下，不肯与其他英国游客一起离开。

第13单元现代剧作家13.1复习笔记1.Oscar Wilde（1854-1900）（奥斯卡·王尔德）(1)Life（生平）Oscar Wilde,a dramatist,poet,novelist and essayist,was born in Dublin, Ireland.His father was an eminent surgeon and his mother was a clever woman with intellectual pretentions.He proved a brilliant student at Trinity College,Oxford, where he became a disciple of Walter Pater.In1879,he settled in London,and soon won a reputation both as a writer and as a spokesman for the school of“art for art’s sake”.He soon became the leader of the Aesthetic movement.奥斯卡·王尔德是个戏剧家、诗人、小说家和散文家。

他出生在爱尔兰的都柏林。

他的父亲十一位出色的外科医生，他的母亲也是个聪明的人。

他是牛津大学一名优秀的学生，师从沃特·佩特。

1879年他定居伦敦。

并成为一名有名的作家和“为艺术而艺术”学派的代言人，紧接着成为美学运动的领导者。

(2)Major Works（主要作品）The Picture of Dorian Gray（1891）《道林·格雷的画像》Lady Windermere’s Fan（1892）《温德米尔夫人的扇子》A Woman of No Importance（1893）《一个无足轻重的女人》An Ideal Husband（1895）《理想的丈夫》The Importance of Being Earnest（1895）《认真的重要性》(3)Selected Works（选读作品）◆The Importance of Being Earnest《认真的重要性》Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff both pretend to be called Ernest in order to secure the affections of Gwendolen Fairfax and Cecily Cardew.The girls are led to think first that they are engaged to the same man and then that neither is really Ernest.The ensuing confusions are resolved when it is discovered that Jack was indeed so named.The play derives force from a brilliant fabric of epigram and paradox.In the last scene,Jake said“I’ve now realised for the first time in my life the Vital Importance of Being Earnest”.两个花花公子杰克和阿尔杰农都化名“欧内斯特”向各自喜欢的女孩求爱。