"Famous works refer to literary works that have high artistic value and popularity, and contain eternal themes and classic characters, which can stand the test of time and endure for a long time, and are widely recognized and circulated. Books that can give people a warning and far-reaching impact, as well as an understanding of the living environment of the world. Masterpieces can make people cultivate their sentiments, explore and explore those potential literary styles in classic classics. ”
The Origin of the Title The Moon and Sixpence: After the publication of Maugham's long novel, The Shackles of Human Nature, published in 1915, the Times Literary Supplement published an anonymous review of the book's protagonist, Philip Carey: "Like so many young men, he was so eager to seek the moon in the sky that he didn't even see the sixpence coin at his feet." Four years later, when Maugham finished his next novel, he used this metaphor to title "The Moon and Sixpence." In the original contract with Wilhelm Heinemann, it was called "Sixpence and the Moon", but due to poor wording, it was changed to "The Moon and Sixpence".
Introduction: The Moon and Sixpence, written in 1919, is one of Maugham's most influential masterpieces. Forty-year-old ** agent Strickland, for the dream in his heart, abandoned his wife and children to go to France to learn Xi painting, and devoted himself to painting. Because of his obsession, he almost became a madman, destitute and hungry. Unprecedented achievements have been made in the arts. Strickland is cold and ruthless, going through three women in his life. ruthlessly abandoned his first wife;He made peace with his friend's wife, and three months later, committed suicide for himIn the end, he had a child with an indigenous woman, and relied on the indigenous woman's land to paint in the mountains. A few years later, Strickland suffered from leprosy and refused to be treated, knowing that his days were numbered, he painted desperately. The neighbors moved away for fear of being infected, leaving only indigenous women with their children. Without a canvas, he could only paint on his own walls, and the work of his death was not survived because he was burned down after his death, and according to the doctor who treated him, the painting made people's hearts tremble, and he had to admit that he was a genius. After Strickland's death, one of his paintings sold for 30,000 francs, and many people who knew him regretted not buying his paintings.
The "moon" is a symbol of lofty ideals, while the "sixpence" is a symbol of petty profits. Whether a person looks up at the moon and aims high, or looks down at the ground and chases small profits, these are two completely different outlooks on life. Through the conflict between the genius artist and the reality he seeks to escape, the author deduces the most profound theme.
Author: Maugham (1874-1965) was an English writer, playwright, and essayist. Representative works include "The Moon and Sixpence", "The Shackles of Human Nature", "Blade" and so on.
Translator: Gu Qinan (1942-), a native of Weihai, Shandong. Professor of the Department of English, School of Foreign Chinese, Nankai University, has been engaged in the translation and research of English and American literature and Canadian literature for many years, including "Mrs. Dalloway", "Interlude", "Foster's Short Stories", "The Real Life of Sebastian Knight", etc.
Excerpt from a beautiful sentence. 1.The greatness of a fortunate statesman or a meritorious soldier is not so much a personal trait as a trait of his position;And as soon as the circumstances change, that greatness becomes insignificant. It is often assumed that the prime minister was nothing more than a self-esteemed and eloquent orator, and that the retired general was nothing more than a docile hero in the town.
2.Human beings have an inherent function of creating myths. This feature can't wait to catch any amazing or mysterious event in the life of a person who stands out, create a legend, and attach fanatical beliefs.
3.When people say they don't care what others think of them, they are largely deceiving themselves.
4.There are always reasons why the intellect does not understand.
5.A woman can forgive a man who hurt her, but she can never forgive a man who made a sacrifice for her.
6.When you have made your bed, you have to lie down. Life experience shows that people often do things that are bound to lead to disaster, but by chance they succeed in escaping the consequences of their stupidity.
7.Few men think that love is the most important thing in the world, and men who think like this are boring people;As lovers, the difference between a man and a woman is that a woman can fall in love all day long, while a man can only talk about love sometimes.
8.Success depends on how you see the meaning of life, how you see the demands of society, how you look at the requirements of individuals.