The books I like      

I have read several English original during the winter holidays. There are three books that still move me a lot.

Tess of the D’Urbervilles

Tess of the D’Urbervilles, the twelfth novel by Thomas Hardy, tells the misery and tragedy of Tess. The pretty, gifted peasant girl, ought to have a noble husband, a happy life. But everything goes up in flames on the cause of seduction by Alex. Because of this scandal, her husband, Angel, deserts her after the wedding, followed by the death of her father. This poor girl restarts a hard life, even more cruel than before. In dismay, she is condemned to be the mistress of Alex in order to support the family. At this time, Angel returns, only to find her with another man. On a rage of shame and blame, Tess kills Alex, the murder of her happiness, which also makes her sentence to be hanged.

After reading this novel, I am deeply touched by Tess’s destiny. She is so innocent and pure, deserving to a sweet life. However, there are two points arousing my thinking.

Firstly, there is no doubt that the society asks too much about women’s sexual mores. Even the woman is seduced, she is no longer considered as a pure and loyal woman by the rest of the society. In fact, women are just the disadvantaged group, being despised and insulted at that time in England. But have they done something wrong? Why the people even the critics showed much mercy on these lascivious men, but deal out harsh on poor women. Tess is just one of the tragic reflections of thousands of the women at such society.

Secondly, the women also take themselves too meekly. At this novel, Tess keeps on pleading in Angel’s forgiveness, obeys to him even if it’s to lie down or die. I am moved by her loyalty and goodness. But this girl does not choose a right way to love others. Love, should be equal, in a need of dignity and forgiveness. If this man can’t understand and love her as before, then what is the use of begging for love? Not only in the marriage, but in the life, independence should be indispensable for the women.

Women’s tragedy would never come to the end until being treated equally by the society and independently by themselves.

Vanity Fair

Rebecca Sharp, the heroine of the Vanity Fair, lost her father who was an artist out at the elbows and her mother who once was a France dancer. Sharp was very clear. After she graduated from the boarding school, she became a tutor and seized every chance to enter into the Victoria Era’s rank and fashion．And she made it and became a pearlescent communication star. After the highs and lows in the Vanity Fair, she finally finished her life experience that was neither success nor failure.
Amelia is a kind, warm-hearted and tolerant person. She gets well along with each other. She is a good-natured, loveable though simple-minded young girl. She does not understand what life is. She is portrayed as a coward．She is pitiful but happy. She doesn’t run counter to her fate, but yield herself up to it quite contently. Yet God blesses her. She comes across a perfect man Dobbin and gets married to him at last.
To get rid of poverty, Becky makes every possible effort，by hooking or by crooking. She is a great believer of being yourself and on your way! Maybe most people will say that they don’t like Becky, because she was too covetous and hypocritical. But if given in the modern society, Becky is an ambitious woman. She is not afraid of failure. Although she doesn’t succeed at last, she is not a failure as I concerned.

As women of the new era, we should make our voice heard to the world:”we are not weak; we are the masters of this world.”We should bravely seek after our happiness.

                       The importance of being earnest      

The importance of being earnest, written by Oscar Wilder, is such a great successful drama that it still attracts people to enjoy it though it was written more than a hundred years ago.

Before I started reading this drama, I thought there must be some regrets in the end and it would not have a happy ending, because of so many lies and of the writer’s usual style, but it was totally in the opposite direction. Why? Why should he give such an end since he made so many obstacles in the front part?

And there are two reasons I finally get the answers. First one is the writer’s reflection of his attitude towards life. He was an optimistic person for some reasons. Just as the famous saying of his: We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at stars. Facing life, he was positive and full of passion. There was hope and happiness even though he was in difficulty.

The other one is about the sincerity towards love. He firmly believed that true love is invincible. In my opinion, it is his vision on love that determined why the importance of being earnest is the importance being earnest.

The first evidence is the description of the two couple’s passion on love. The second evidence is about the name “earnest”. if you are earnest in something, it means that your really mean what you are saying, especially when expressing an intention or wish; in other words, you are serious about it. In this drama, in order to win their lovers’ love, both of the men were willing to change their name into earnest. Through this detail, we knew that the two men were truly and deeply loved their girls. The last evidence also is about the happy ending. There are so much lies in the two couples’ love. What’s worse, these lies existed at the very beginning of this drama. But, because of their true love, these lies means nothing, love is the only thing they care about. So, a happy ending is so reasonable and suitable.

Dramas are not only dramas, but the reflection of the writers’ outlook on world, life attitude, and values. Therefore, when we enjoy a drama, only pay attention to the story itself is not enough, we should see into the drama, and hear the voice behind the writer’s words.

To Be or Not to Be, That Is a Question

To be or not to be, that is a question. For most of us, it’s of course not a question. No one would like to die if he has another choice, let alone this highly privileged prince, Hamlet.

There was no doubt that he used to be the happiest one in the world. A noble father, a merciful mother, a pretty lover, many brave friends… However, everything ruined in a sudden, followed by the father’s death. His mother remarried to the murderer, his lover got mad, and the prince trapped into huge anger of revenge. At last, he succeeded to carry out the revenge, at the cost of his own life.

Hamlet, is no doubt a tragedy. Hamlet’s talent, Hamlet’s courage, Hamlet’s grieve, and Hamlet’s sorrow, melt several generations into tears. What a pity of his death! This young prince should not have experienced such many sufferings. He could be a great king of the country. Many people signed for this.

I sympathized with him, I felt sorry for him, but I could not understand him. Why couldn’t he be a bit more resolute? After getting to know the truth of his father’s death, what if he faced up to the revenge bravely, following of his heart, instead of thinking such many unanswered questions. Then he would not lose his friends, his lover, even his mother. It’s his hesitation that led to such a tragic final result. Maybe Hamlet had a lot of concern, a lot of worry, which I could not figure out. That’s why he questioned to himself, to be or not to be, that is a question. It’s a simple question, while this talented prince felt confused. However, it’s not the reason that could answer this time. In such a situation, only the emotion, even the impulsion could solve the problem. Because, no matter which ending, was better than this one.

Therefore, to be or not to be, that should not be a question.