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''The French Lieutenant's Woman'' is a 1969 postmodern historical fiction novel by John Fowles. It was his third published novel, after ''The Collector'' (1963) and ''The Magus'' (1965). The novel explores the fraught relationship of gentleman and amateur naturalist, Charles Smithson, and the former governess and independent woman, Sarah Woodruff, with whom he falls in love. The novel builds on Fowles' authority in Victorian literature, both following and critiquing many of the conventions of period novels.〔Warburton 166.〕 Following publication, the library magazine ''American Libraries,'' described the novel as one of the "Notable Books of 1969".〔 Subsequent to its initial popularity, publishers produced numerous editions and translated the novel into many languages; soon after the initial publication, the novel was also treated extensively by scholars.〔 The novel remains popular, figuring in both public and academic conversations. In 2005, ''TIME'' magazine chose the novel as one of the 100 best English-language novels published between 1923 and 2005. Part of the novel's reputation is based on its expression of postmodern literary concerns through thematic focus on metafiction, historiography, metahistory, marxist criticism and feminism. Stylistically and thematically, Linda Hutcheon describes the novel as an exemplar of a particular postmodern genre: "historiographic metafiction."〔 Because of the contrast between the independent Sarah Woodruff and the more stereotypical male characters, the novel often receives attention for its treatment of gender issues. However, despite claims by Fowles that it is a feminist novel, critics have debated whether it offers a sufficiently transformative perspective on women. Following popular success, the novel created a larger legacy: the novel has had numerous responses by academics and other writers, such as A.S. Byatt, and through adaptation as film and dramatic play. In 1981, the novel was adapted as a film of the same name with script by the playwright Harold Pinter, directed by Karel Reisz and starring Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons. The film received considerable critical acclaim and awards, including several BAFTAs and Golden Globes. The novel was also adapted and produced as a British play in 2006. ==Background== Before Fowles published ''The French Lieutenant's Woman'' in 1969, he had already established his literary reputation with his novels ''The Collector'' (1963) and ''The Magus'' (1965). While writing ''The French Lieutenant's Woman'', he was working on the screenplay for the film adaptation of ''The Magus''.〔 Moreover, ''The Collector'' had already been adapted in a 1965 film that gained Fowles further popular attention.〔Fowles, "Notes on an Unfinished Novel", 143-144.〕 Fowles described his main inspiration for ''The French Lieutenant's Woman'' to be a persistent image of a 'Victorian Woman,' who later developed into the novel's titular character Sarah Woodruff. In a 1969 essay titled "Notes on an Unfinished Novel," Fowles reflects on his writing process. He said he had an image during the autumn of 1966 of "A woman () stands at the end of a deserted quay and stares out to sea."〔Fowles, "Notes on an Unfinished Novel", 136.〕 He determined that she belonged to a "Victorian Age" and had "mysterious" and "vaguely romantic" qualities.〔 He made a note at the time about the function of the novel, saying In an appended comment, dated "October 27, 1967", he writes that he finished the first draft of the novel at about 140,000 words.〔Fowles, "Notes on an Unfinished Novel", 150〕 Throughout the essay, Fowles describes multiple influences and issues important to the novel's development, including his debt to other authors such as Thomas Hardy.〔 In the essay, he describes surprise that the female character Sarah had taken the primary role in the novel.〔Fowles, "Notes on an Unfinished Novel", 139-149.〕 Later Fowles described other influences shaping the characters development, noting that the characters and story of ''The French Lieutenant's Woman'' were loosely derived from Claire de Duras's 1823 novel ''Ourika,'' which features a tragic affair between an African woman and French military man.〔 Fowles later published a 1977 translation of ''Ourika'' into English.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The French Lieutenant's Woman」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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