|
''The Woman in White'' is Wilkie Collins' fifth published novel, written in 1859. It is considered to be among the first mystery novels and is widely regarded as one of the first (and finest) in the genre of "sensation novels". The story is sometimes considered an early example of detective fiction with the hero, Walter Hartright, employing many of the sleuthing techniques of later private detectives. The use of multiple narrators (including nearly all the principal characters) draws on Collins's legal training, and as he points out in his Preamble: "the story here presented will be told by more than one pen, as the story of an offence against the laws is told in Court by more than one witness". In 2003, Robert McCrum writing for ''The Observer'' listed ''The Woman in White'' number 23 in "the top 100 greatest novels of all time", and the novel was listed at number 77 on the BBC's survey The Big Read.〔("BBC – The Big Read" ). BBC. April 2003, Retrieved 18 October 2012〕 ==Characters== * Walter Hartright—A young teacher of drawing; something of an Everyman character, and distinguished by a strong sense of justice. * Frederick Fairlie—A wealthy, but hypochondriac land-owner: the uncle of Laura Fairlie, and distinguished principally by his mock-politeness toward all other characters. * Laura Fairlie—Mr. Fairlie's gentle, guileless, pretty niece: an heiress and an orphan. * Marian Halcombe—Laura's elder half-sister and companion; not attractive, but intelligent and resourceful. She is described as one "of the finest creations in all Victorian fiction" by John Sutherland.〔The Woman in White, notes by John Sutherland, ISBN 0-19-283429-0〕 * Anne Catherick ("The Woman in White")—An eccentric young woman distinguished by her insistence on white clothes; an illegitimate daughter of Laura's father. * Jane Catherick—Anne's unsympathetic mother; in league with Sir Percival Glyde in committing her daughter to the asylum. Depicted as an unpleasant character. * Vincent Gilmore—Lawyer to the Fairlies, and a close personal friend. * Sir Percival Glyde, Baronet—Laura's fiancé and then husband; able to appear charming and gracious when he wishes, but often abrasive otherwise. * Count Fosco—Sir Percival's closest friend; his full name is Isidor Ottavio Baldassare Fosco. A grossly obese Italian with a mysterious past: eccentric, bombastic, urbane, but intelligent and menacing. He keeps canaries and mice as pets. The Count greatly admires Marian for her intellect, so much that he is willing to compromise several weak points in his plan (such as allowing Marian to retrieve Laura from the asylum) for her sake. * Countess Fosco—Laura's aunt: once a giddy girl but now humourless, and in near-unbroken obedience to her husband. * Professor Pesca—A teacher of Italian, and a good friend of Walter. The professor finds Walter the Limmeridge job, introducing him to Laura and Marian, and proves to be Fosco's unexpected nemesis. 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 Woman in White (novel)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|