簡·愛》是部膾炙人口的作品、勿庸置疑的名著。英國十九世紀著名的女作家夏洛蒂·勃朗特的代表作,當時人們普遍認為《簡愛》是夏洛蒂·勃朗特“詩意的生平”的寫照,是一部具有自傳色彩的作品。作品被改版成電影,影片中簡愛的愛情表白成為眾多英語愛好者的背誦精品:
"Do you think I can stay to become nothing to you? Do you think I am an automaton?--a machine without feelings? and can bear to have my morsel of bread snatched from my lips, and my drop of living water dashed from my cup? Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong!--I have as much soul as you,--and full as much heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you. I am not talking to you now through the medium of custom, conventionalities, nor even of mortal flesh;--it is my spirit that addresses your spirit; just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at God's feet, equal,--as we are!"
“你以為我會留下來,成為你覺得無足輕重的人嗎?你以為我是一架自動機器嗎?一架沒有感情的機器嗎?能讓我的一口面包從嘴里搶走,讓我的一滴活水從我杯子里潑掉嗎?你以為,因為我窮、低微、不美、矮小,我就沒有靈魂沒有心了嗎?你想錯了!——我的靈魂跟你的一樣,我的心也跟你的完全一樣。我現(xiàn)在跟你說話,并不是通過習俗、慣例,甚至不是通過凡人的肉體——而是我的精神在同你的精神說話,就像兩個都經(jīng)過了墳墓,我們站在上帝的面前,是平等的——因為我們是平等的!”
這就是她——一個有尊嚴和尋求平等的簡·愛,這個看似柔弱而內心極具剛強韌性的女子也因為這部作品而成為無數(shù)女性心中的典范。