多読 37：Sense and Sensibility (Level:4)

2022-01-24

Level 4 へアップ。まずは無難そうな感じの話から。

Level３で読みたい本をみんな読んでしまったので、「Level４」と振ってある本の方へ移った。
Level４の本も既に何冊か候補のものを自分のリストに登録してあるが、その中でとりあえずジェーン･オースティンの「Sense and Sensibility（分別と多感）」から読むことにした。まだ知らない話だし。

ジェーン・オースティンだと「エマ」とか「高慢と偏見」等色々有名なものがある。「エマ」は映画で観て「高慢～」は本で読んだけれど、ハッキリ言ってどれもみ～んな似たよーーな、結構ど～～でもいいような話で（ファンの人にはスイマセン、個人的感想として）・・・全然好みではないけれど、まぁ淡々と安心して読めるからいいかな、と。
前回読んだ「The Invisible Man（透明人間）」が荒んだ話だったので、今度はもっと家庭的で平和な話がいいでしょう。

知らない or あやふやな単語

・pastor：（プロテスタントの）牧師　[pǽstər]
　　ex) The Austen was a very happy family with a father, pastor and a mother full of wit.

・posthumous：著者の死後に出版された　[pɑ́stʃuməs]
　　ex) Her posthumous novels “Northanger Abbey" and “persuasion" were published in 1817.

・distinguished：際立った、抜群の　[distíŋgwiʃt]
　　ex) Her novels were distinguished as they described deeply about the problem of love and marriage between common people of British middle-class at that time.

・admire ～：～を称賛する
　　ex) She died in 1817 at the age of 42 and she has been admired as a write of modem novels for the first time.

・servants’ quarters：使用人の部屋
　　ex) There were two sitting rooms, four bedrooms. and two servant’s quarters.

・ stately：威厳［風格］のある、堂々とした
　　ex) It was a large, stately house, where the Middletons lived in great comfort.

・a great deal：たくさん、大いに
　　ex) Mrs. Jennings was a fat, cheerful old lady who talked and laughed a great deal.

・on the wrong side of ～：年齢が～の坂を超えて
　　ex) Elinor and Marianne noticed he was an old bachelor, on the wrong side of thirty-five.

・attentively：注意深く　[ʌˈtɛntɪvli]
　　ex) While Sir John was loud in showing his delight for the music, Colonel Brandon was quiet and listened attentively.

・respectably：立派に、きちんと、まともに
・marry off ～：～を嫁がせる
　　ex) She had seen both of her daughters marry respectably and now had nothing better to do than to try and marry off the rest of the world.

・remark：（簡単に）意見を述べる　[rimɑ́rk] 
　　ex) “How cruel for Mrs. Jennings to say that,” remarked Marianne.

・restless：落ち着きのない
　　ex) Elinor is so self-controlled, never sad or restless or miserable.

・roll in：大挙して押し寄せる
・pour down：土砂降りに振る
　　ex) But within minutes. dark clouds rolled in and rain poured down.

・be out hunting：猟をしている
　　ex) At this time, a gentleman out hunting saw her accident and ran to help her.

・sensibility：感性　[sènsəbíləti]
・taste：審美眼、テイスト
　　ex) Marianne thought Willoughby possessed all of the sensibility and taste Edward Ferrars lacked.

・soon after：まもなく
　　ex) Soon after, she came to believe that he was perfect for her.

・take pleasure：喜びを得る、楽しむ
　　ex) It bothered Elinor that Marianne and Willoughby took pleasure in laughing at Brandon.

・not as ～：それほど～ではない
　　ex) Elinor was not as happy.

・attachment：愛着　[ətǽtʃmənt]
　　ex) “I see your sister is not fond of second attachments,” said Brandon.

・sensible：分別のある、良識のある
　　ex) “She believes we only fall in love once in our lives. I hope she’ll become more sensible.”

・a lock of hair：髪の一房
　　ex) “Last night I saw Willoughby begging Marianne for a lock of hair.“

・put off：先送りにする、見合わせる
　　ex) They tried to convince him to put off his business, but he wouldn’t.

・reddening：真っ赤になる
　　ex) “I’m afraid I won’t be back this year,” he replied. his face reddening.

・persuade ～：～を説得する
　　ex) A week later. her sisters persuaded her to go for a walk.

・profession：専門的職業　[prəféʃən]
　　ex) We’ll never agree on a profession for me.

・greatness：偉大さ　[gréitnis]
　　ex) “I wish to be like everybody else to be perfectly happy in my own way. Greatness won’t make me happy."

・have to do with ～：～と関係がある、～に関与している
　　ex) “What does wealth or greatness have to do with happiness?

・be of no use：全く役に立たない
　　ex) “Money only gives happiness where there is nothing else to give it. Beyond answering our basic needs, it's of no use at all."

・wealthy：裕福な
　　ex) “Two thousand! One thousand a year would be wealthy to me.”

・very ～：～そのもの
・refer to ～：～に言及する、～を参照する
　　ex) The very title of “ Sense and Sensibility" refers to the main theme of contrasting styles found not only in the book but also in society at the time the novel was written.

・symbolize ～：～を象徴する　[symbolize]
　　ex) The two main characters. Elinor and Marianne, symbolize these two contrasts.

・merely ～：ただ単に～しているに過ぎない
　　ex) On one hand, Elinor merely expresses “concern” for her love, Edward Ferrars, while hiding her true feelings.

・ shamelessly：恥知らずに、臆面もなく
・infatuation：夢中、心酔、のぼせ上り　[infæ̀tʃuéiʃən]
　　ex) On the other hand, Marianne shamelessly and passionately expresses her infatuation with John Willoughby.

・reflect ～：～を反映する、～を反射する
　　ex) These contrasting styles reflect the difference between ”sense" and “sensibility '.

・rational：理性的な、冷静な　[rǽʃənəl]
　　ex) “Sense." of course, refers to “common sense": doing things in a practical and rational manner.

・portray ～：～を表現する、描く　[pɔrtréi]
　　ex) In portraying these opposite types of behavior, Austen may have been influenced by the social changes of the time.

・classicism：古典主義　[klǽsisìzm]
・associate ～：～と結びつける、関連付ける　[əsóuʃièit]
・enlightenment：啓発、啓蒙　[inláitənmənt]
　　ex) The cultural movement known as Classicism, closely associated with the Enlightenment, was coming to an end.

・ rigid：固定された、硬い　[rídʒid]
　　ex) Austen did not intend merely contrast to the differences between these two styles in rigid characters.

・ ponder ～：～をじっくり考える　[pɑ́ndər]
・acknowledge ～：～と認める　[æknɑ́lidʒ]
　　ex) Perhaps Austen wanted the readers to ponder the best and worst qualities of each, while acknowledging that we all contain elements of each.

・Good Heavens：まぁ（驚き）
　　ex) “Good Heavens, Anne,” cried Lucy.

・vulgar：品のない、無作法な　[vʌ́lgər]
　　ex) She found the elder Steele sister’s conversation too vulgar and the younger sister Lucy too clever for her taste.

・ insincerity：不誠実さ、偽善　[ìnsinsériti]
　　ex) She disliked the insincerity, dishonesty, and self-interest that lay behind her words and actions.

・sidelong：横の、斜めの　[sáidlɔ̀ŋ]
　　ex) “Mrs. Ferrars knows nothing of me,” Lucy said with a shy, sidelong glance at Elinor.

・Good Load：なんてこと
　　ex) “Good Lord!” cried Elinor.

・break off：中断する、別れる
　　ex) “Sometimes I think about breaking it off,” continued Lucy.

・deceive ～：～を欺く、裏切る　[disíːv]
　　ex) She felt he loved her and would never have intentionally deceived her.

・on occasion：時折
　　ex) On several occasions, she spoke quietly with Lucy about the situation.

・ esteem：尊重、高い評価　[istíːm]
　　ex) She was jealous that Edward held Elinor in such high esteem.

・come along：同行する
　　ex) “You must come along,” she told the Dashwood sisters.

・insist：主張する、要求する　[insíst]
　　ex) Mrs. Dashwood insisted that they accept the invitation.

・hold off：遅らせる
　　ex) “I’m writing home to Mother,” said Elinor to Marianne. “Perhaps you should hold off a few days.”

・definitive：限定的な、明確な　[difínətiv]
　　ex) The colonel replied politely but gave no definitive answer.

・distract：人を取り乱させる　[distrǽkt]
　　ex) She was terribly distracted all day.

・from then on：その時からずっと
　　ex) From then on, she stayed at home while the others went out.

・bluster：荒れ狂う、怒鳴り散らす　[blʌ́stər]
　　ex) “I have nothing to tell,” Elinor blustered, wanting to reveal the secret of Lucy Steele’s engagement to Edward.

・festivity：行事　[festívəti]
　　ex) When Marianne realized Willoughby wasn’t there, she lost interest in the festivities.

・tasteless：趣のない、退屈な
　　ex) She felt bitter over his tasteless manner of ending it.

・forgiveness：許し
　　ex) I beg your forgiveness if you didn’t approve of my behaviour last night.

・fondness：優しさ
　　ex) I will always remember our visits with great fondness.

・kindly ～：どうか～
　　ex) I’m returning the lock of your hair that you so kindly offering me.

・wed：結婚する　[wéd]
　　ex) She was glad that Marianne would not wed such a terrible man.

・all for the best：結局は最善の結果となる
　　ex) But cheerfully she said that it was all for the best because now Marianne could marry Colonel Brandon.

・debtor：債務者　[détər]
　　ex) He continued. “Three years later. I found her in a debtor’s prison

・outrage：侮辱、辱め　[áutrèidʒ]
　　ex) “This is an outrage!” cried Elinor.

・seducer：誘惑者、色魔　[sidjúːsər]
　　ex) “Yes, after Eliza confessed the name of her seducer."

・condemn：非難する　[kəndém]
　　ex) Sir John and Mrs. Jennings condemned Willoughby when they heard of his dishonor.

・scrawny：骨ばった　[skrɔ́ni ]
・grouchy：不平ばかり言う　[gráutʃi]
　　ex) Mrs. Ferrars was a small, scrawny woman with a grouchy expression.

・muse：熟考する、思いにふける　[mjúːz]
　　ex) “If only she knew Lucy’s secret," mused Elinor, “how she would hate her!”

・brag：自慢する、鼻にかける　[bræg]
　　ex) The next morning, Lucy bragged to Elinor about how much Mrs. Ferrars liked her.

・stand ～：～に我慢する
　　ex) I can’t stand people who think money and greatness is important!

・in preparation：～に備えて
　　ex) She decided to tell her sister the truth in preparation.

・ill will：敵意、恨み
　　ex) “I don’t have any ill will toward Edward."

・deceive：だます　[disíːv]
　　ex) They were both deceived.

・praise：称賛する　[préiz]
　　ex) The old woman praised Lucy’s warm heart.

・dread ～：～をひどく怖がる　[dréd]
　　ex) But she dreaded the long journey that lay ahead.

・plague：災難　[pléig]
　　ex) In fact, she avoided fame like the plague.

・modest：謙虚な　[mɑ́dəst]
　　ex) This was not because she was shy or modest.

・constraint：制約、制限　[kənstréint]
　　ex) It was more because of the social constraints placed on women in eighteenth century England.

・femininity：女性らしさ　[fèmənínəti]
　　ex) These women were thought of as having lost their precious femininity.

・authorship：著作者、原作者　[ɔ́θərʃìp]
・attribute ～：～のおかげと考える、～に帰する　[ətríbjut]
　　ex) In the second edition, authorship was attributed to “the author of Pride and Prejudice".

・repercussions：反動、反響　[rìpərkʌ́ʃən]
・creak：キーキー音を立てる　[kríːk]
　　ex) Austen feared the social repercussions of being known as a writer so much that when she wrote at her home, she did so behind a door that creaked when someone approached.

・thus：したがって、だから、こんな風に　[ðʌ́s]
　　ex) Thus warned, Austen would quickly hide the manuscript she was working on and pretend to be doing something else.

・enable ～：～を可能にする　[enéibəl]
・harsh：手厳しい　[hɑrʃ]
　　ex) Although this enabled Austen to maintain her private life and saved her from the harsh and prejudiced spotlight.

・ironic：皮肉な　[airɑ́nik]
・anonymous：匿名の、無名の　[ənɑ́nəməs]
　　ex) it is somewhat ironic that a woman responsible for throwing women’s issues into the public eye would desire such an anonymous lifestyle for herself.

・exemplary：他の規範となるべき、賞賛すべき　[egzémpləri]
・aspire：切望する、目指す　[əspáiər]
・convention：しきたり、慣習　[kənvénʃən]
・accurately：正確に　[accurately]
　　ex) It is also a pity that Austen, who could have served as an exemplary role model for other aspiring women writers, would choose to hide behind the conventions of the society she so accurately portrayed and criticized.

・witty：機知にとんだ　[wíti]
・insightful：洞察力のある　[ínsàitfəl]
　　ex) As a female author. she proved herself just as witty, insightful, and intelligent as other leading male authors of her day.

・feverish：熱がある、熱っぽい　[fíːvəriʃ]
・soreness：苦痛、痛み
　　ex) She felt feverish, with soreness all over her body.

・alarm ～：～をびっくりさせる、心配させる、怖がらせる　[əlɑ́rm]
　　ex) Elinor was so alarmed that she sent for the doctor immediately.

・infection：感染症　[infékʃən]
　　ex) The infection was stronger than ever.

・reluctantly：渋々、仕方なく　[rilʌ́ktəntli]
　　ex) Elinor agreed reluctantly, “Hurry, I have no spare time.”

・frigidly：冷たく、冷淡に
　　ex)“We hope so,” Elinor replied frigidly.

・scoundrel：悪党、ろくでなし　[skáundrəl]
　　ex) I have not always been a scoundrel.

・soften：軟化する　[sɔ́fən]
　　ex) There was a short silence, and Elinor softened toward him.

・gain ～：～を得る、獲得する
　　ex) “But she will be gained by someone else.” With that, Willougby ran away.

・profound：心からの、深い、完全な　[prəfáund]
　　ex) Colonel Brandon shared their relief with his profound silence.

・secrecy：秘密主義　[síːkrəsi]
　　ex) Since they were both of a similarly selfish character, they became attracted to one another and got married with speed and secrecy.

本の感想（ネタバレ注意）

う～～～・・・なんて・・・つまんないんだろう！
「高慢と偏見」以下の退屈さだよ、コレは。
章の合間に入っている著者や時代背景の解説から、一応当時の社会に於ける女性たちを描写しているんだろうなぁとは分かる。
しかし！本当に本当にどうでもいい生活！
超ヒマな人たちが毎日毎日遺産と結婚のことばかり考えている。誰と婚約したとか誰が失恋してショックを受けたとか、そんな話が延々と続いて何度「もうやめよう」と思ったことか。
いや、多読っていうのはつまらなくなったらスパッとやめて次へ行くっていうやり方だったよね。そうすれば良かったかな？
でも結局最後まで頑張って読み通した。

レベル4に上がっても文章はちっとも高度になっていなかった。
それよりも、章の合間の解説ページの単語が知らないものばっかりで、そっちの方が上位レベルの本であることを実感させた。
大量の語彙をどうにかこうにか後で調べてここに書き写したものの、話がつまらなくて心や頭に何も残っていないので、いつものように印象とミックスして語彙を覚えるというのは出来なさそう。
確かに、そういう点ではつまらない本は読まずに飛ばした方が効率がいいかもね。

<追記>
その後、Netfilxに1995年のこの話の映画があったので、この超ややこしい人間関係を忘れないうちに観ようと思い、全く期待せず観た。
すると非常に出来が良かった！皆知っているイギリス人名優勢揃いで、綺麗な風景とよくまとまったストーリー展開。
今回読んだ本の内容がちゃんと筋をきちんと追っていることも分かった。
でも邦題がねぇ・・・「いつか晴れた日に」って・・・ナニ！？