第一篇：名著梗概：《艱難時世》

名著梗概：《艱難時世》

(英國)狄更斯 著

[故事梗概]

葛擂更先生是退休的五金批發商人、國會議員。他有“四四方方象一堵墻般的額頭??四四方方的外衣，四四方方的腿干，四四方方的肩膀”。他是個講究實際的人，認為“為人處事都從這條原則出發：二加二等于四，不等于更多”；他口袋里經常裝著尺子、天平和乘法表，隨時準備秤一秤、量一量“人性的任何部分”。他用“事實的哲學”，在焦煤鎮辦了一所子弟學校，要求教師以“事實”來教育學生。他認為，只有事實才是生活中最重要的；除此之外，什么都不要培植，一切都該連根拔掉；要鍛煉有理性的動物的智力就得用事實。

葛擂更準備成立一個“事實委員會”，禁止學生使用幻想。一位擁護他的主張的紳士，還提出不能用畫了馬的紙糊墻壁，因為馬不會在墻上跑；也不能在碗碟上畫蝴蝶和鳥兒，因為它們不可能落在碗碟上。

葛擂更女兒露意莎，兒子湯姆過著單調而刻板的生活。他們在學會走路時，就被趕進教室，坐在黑板前，終日和魔鬼似的數字打交道。他們不允許閱讀詩歌和故事，不準與自然景物接觸，不準與其他孩子游玩。在他們房間里，設置了許多貝殼、金屬、礦物的標本柜。每一個小葛擂更在五歲時已能解剖大熊了，就跟歐文教授解剖動物差不多；但沒有一個小葛擂更能把兒歌中的牛和田野中的牛聯想在一起。

葛擂更的住宅石屋，座落在郊外，是個標準的“事實之家”，形狀異常整齊。這座很大的四四方方的房子，有一條陰暗的門廊遮住了它正面的窗戶，正如同房主人的濃眉遮蔽了他的眼晴一樣。這是座經過預算、核算、決算而造成的房子。大門的這邊有六個窗戶，大門的那邊也有六個窗戶；這一廂的窗戶總數是十二個；那一廂的窗戶總數仍然是十二個；加起來恰好是二十四個。一片草地，一個花園，和一條林蔭小路都是直條條的，好象一本用植物編成了格子的賬簿。

有一回，葛擂更無意間發現他以“事實”原則培養出來的寶貝兒女，竟然在一個破墻洞眼里偷看外面的馬戲表演，湯姆還象狗一樣扒在地下。這使葛擂更大為惱火，認為這是墮落的表現。女兒露意莎卻反駁說，她對事實學校的一切都厭倦了。葛擂更強迫女兒和兒子離開墻洞眼回家去。

葛擂更有個好朋友叫龐得貝，是個銀行家和工業家。龐得貝身材魁偉，聲音洪亮，眼睛老是盯著人，笑起來聲音象破鑼；他又是個“自謙得咄咄逼人的‘兇漢’”，老夸耀自己的貧窮出身和“白手起家”。他認為露意莎在看馬戲，是受馬戲團丑角的女兒西絲·朱浦的影響，主張把正在事實學校里念書的西絲攆出去。于是，他們便一同往焦煤鎮上走去。

焦煤鎮到處是機器和高聳的煙囪。無窮無盡的長蛇似的濃煙，一直不停地從煙囪里冒出來，把原來的紅磚房屋，涂沫得象生番的花臉。鎮上有好幾條大街，看起來條條都是一個樣子，還有許多小巷也是彼此相同。那兒的居民也幾乎個個相似，他們同時進，同時出，走在同樣的人行道上，發出同樣的腳步聲，做著同樣的工作。這個市鎮“除了單純的、有實際用處的東西而外，是沒有其他的東西的”。這是個用“事實”理論建筑起來的市鎮，“在物質方面，四處所表現出來的都是事實、事實、事實；在精神方面，四處所表現出來的，也都是事實、事實、事實”。

葛擂更和龐得貝恰好在路上遇見了西絲·朱浦。他們把她領到馬戲團去見她的父親。西絲的父親是丑角演員。不久前，他因演出出了岔子，被觀眾嘲笑，拋下女兒逃跑了。葛擂更便向馬戲團團長史德銳提出，把西絲交給他照顧。馬戲團團長和西絲本人都同意了。但葛擂更并不是讓西絲再回到學校念書，而是要她服侍自己的太太和給女兒露意莎作伴。他要自己女兒理解西絲的父親和職業是沒有出息的，以轉移她對馬戲的興趣。另方面，他用調查報告、表格之類當作教科書教育西絲，以便使她“聰明起來”，但西絲對這一切并不感興趣，她懷念著自己的父親。

龐得貝在鎮上開辦了一家紡織廠。廠里有位技術熟練的紡織工人斯梯芬。他約莫四十來歲年紀，為人“純厚而誠實”，是個難得的好織工。但他貧窮，家庭生活也很不幸。他的背有點駝，“眉頭老是皺著，臉上總顯得在深思”。他和女工瑞茄關系很好，經常在她那里得到精神安慰。他想和酗酒放蕩的妻子離婚，與瑞茄結婚。但他付不起訴訟費。

葛擂更準備把兒子湯姆送到龐得貝銀行里去工作，并把女兒露意莎嫁給龐得貝。雖然這是很不相稱的婚姻，龐得貝比露意莎大三十歲；但葛擂更對女兒說：“從你們兩個人的年齡來說，是有些不相稱，但是從你們的財產和地位來說是沒有什么不相稱的；反過來說，倒是非常門當戶對呢。”

龐得貝在結婚那天，向觀眾發表了冗長的演說。他說，他希望露意莎能配得上他，正如他配得上她一樣；同時，他“也希望每一位小姐也能找到象我老婆已經找到了的這么好的一個丈夫”。

不久，焦煤鎮來了一個議員大臣的弟弟詹姆斯·赫德豪士先生。他是一個儀表堂堂，性情冷漠的人物。原先他當過龍騎兵的一名司旗官。可是，他對這工作生厭了，便跟一位公使出洋。后來，他又討厭這外交官職，便到耶路撒冷去游歷；還坐游艇環游過世界。但他足跡所到，感到無一處能提起他的精神。回到倫敦后，意志更加頹唐了。一天，議員大臣勸他到焦煤鎮去搞搞統計工作。詹姆斯認為這樣可以換換空氣，便答應了。他經葛擂更的介紹去見龐得貝。龐得貝神氣十足地向客人介紹了焦煤鎮的情況。認為這個市鎮上又黑又濃的煤煙，就是他和“衣食父母”。他說：“煤煙是世界上最有利于健康的東西，特別是對于肺部”他吹噓他的工人生活得很好，只是他們不知足。然后，他又帶詹姆斯去見他的妻子。在一座古板的房子里，露意莎出現了。詹姆斯初次感到：“她的五官是端正的；但是面部的自然活動受到那樣的壓抑和束縛，因此看起來似乎無法猜測它真正的表情。”然而，她和自吹自擂的丈夫相比完全屬于另一種性格。他對她產生了好感。露意莎的弟弟湯姆不久也和詹姆斯接近起來。湯姆告訴詹姆斯說，他的姐姐不愛自己的丈夫，她是為了照顧他在龐得貝銀行找到工作，才答應嫁給龐得貝的。

英國的工人運動蔓延到焦煤鎮。在紡織工人的集會上，一位從倫敦來的工人鼓動家，號召工人團結起來和資本家斗爭。這是一個“兩肩高聳，眉毛低垂，五官擠在一道的人”，他的名字叫斯拉克瑞其。他要工人們加入工會組織。到會的工人中，只有斯梯芬一人不愿意參加組織。斯拉克瑞其便說他是叛徒。斯梯芬上臺辯解說，他不愿意參加，是因為他不同意罷工斗爭，也不相信他們的會章。他自動退出了會場。

龐得貝得知這一事件后，便對斯梯芬進行拉攏。他誣蔑工人鬧事是想用金調羹來吃飯。但斯梯芬卻不接受拉攏，而站在工人立場上說話。他訴說工人生活的艱難；廠主總是對的，工人總是錯的，這種情況越來越嚴重。龐得貝說，把肇事的工人捉起來，就可以改變“一團糟”的生活。斯梯芬說，“糟”并不是亂子鬧的，而是生活本身很“糟”，他要東家不能用暴力對付工人。他說：“用強硬的手段是絕對不行的。用戰勝和征服的辦法是絕對不行的。老認為一方面是對的。而另一方面是錯的，這種很不自然的想法也是絕對不行的。置之不理也是絕對不行的。讓成千上萬的人老是那樣生活著，老是搞得那樣一團糟，結果他們站在一邊而你們站在另一邊。”他認為要消除這種勞資對立的狀態，資本家應當“用慈善心、耐心對待”工人。龐得貝見斯梯芬不識抬舉，反而來教訓他，便老羞成怒。他大罵斯梯芬說：“你真是個大馬蜂似的，專門刺人。品質惡劣的家伙！”他把斯梯芬從工廠中開除了。

湯姆過著揮霍放蕩的生活，已負債累累了。于是他狗急跳墻，偷了龐得貝銀行的錢逃跑了。

龐得貝的女管家斯巴塞太太是個沒落的貴族。她出于自私的目的，象警犬一樣監視著露意莎和詹姆斯的關系，期待著露意莎的墮落。一天晚上，她趕到露意莎居住的鄉間別墅去，想在那兒發現她和詹姆斯的私情。剛好那天下著大雨，斯巴塞太太躲在灌木叢中，她的白色長襪染成了五顏六色，鞋子里盡是荊棘的刺；毛毛蟲吐著絲從她衣服的各部分吊下來，仿佛躺在它們自己制成的吊床中一樣；雨水匯成的小川從她的帽子和羅馬式的鼻子上流下來。她被淋得象落湯雞一樣。過了一會，她才看到露意莎從房里出來，奔向車站，上了火車。斯巴塞太太以為她是去和情人私奔，也跟著上了火車。可是，火車到了焦煤鎮，她卻把跟蹤的目標丟了，她急得悲傷地流出淚來。

露意莎因愛情苦惱去找她父親。她指責葛擂更在她童年時就扼殺了她一切美好的東西，把她嫁給了一個她討厭的丈夫；現在她已愛上詹姆斯了，而且到了這步田地：“你的哲學和教育都不能救我了。”葛擂更感到十分驚奇，但他在“事實”面前，不得不承認他在女兒婚事上的無能為力，以及他的教育的失敗。

西絲·朱浦從露意莎的處境出發，去見詹姆斯。她勸詹姆斯離開焦煤鎮，以補償他犯下的勾引別人妻子的過失。詹姆斯最初不愿意，氣憤地痛罵露意莎的父親是一部機器，兄弟是狗崽子，丈夫是狗熊。但他最后還是答應了西絲的請求離開了焦煤鎮，他準備到埃及去。

龐得貝知道妻子的私情后，限定她在十二小時內回去。而露意莎住在父親的家里，沒有按時回去。龐得貝便把她遺棄了。同時，他根據一些跡象，斷定銀行的錢是斯梯芬偷的，因為銀行失竊的那天，恰好斯梯芬不見了，出了賞錢要捉拿他。

斯梯芬被工廠解雇后，因生活無著，出外謀生，不幸失足掉進礦井里。人們過了幾天才發現他，把他救上來是，他已奄奄一息了。臨死前，他要葛擂更給他洗刷名譽，因為錢是葛擂更兒子偷的。最后他死了。

斯巴塞太太在鎮上把一位老太婆領回到龐得貝的家里，因為她常向人打聽龐得貝的情況。斯巴塞太太認為她可疑，也許和銀行失竊案有關。誰知這老太婆竟是龐得貝的親生母親派格拉太太。龐得貝從小靠她撫養長大，但他發跡后，卻不準母親去見他，要她隱居到鄉下去。派格拉太太因思念兒子，一年中有好幾回要上焦煤鎮來，她躲在路旁，瞧瞧過路的兒子，或從旁人嘴里，打聽兒子的近況。這回女管家斯巴塞太太弄巧成拙，把老太婆脅逼回家，反而揭穿了龐得貝一向自吹從小失去父母的愛，在“陰溝里長大”的謊言。龐得貝被弄得狼狽不堪，氣得豎眉瞪眼。

湯姆偷錢后，躲到馬戲團里。他自動在馬戲團扮演一名小丑的角色。葛擂更到馬戲團找兒子，看到自己的“模范兒童”竟成了小偷和小丑，心里十分難過。為了躲避這場**，他決定把湯姆送到美洲去。

正當湯姆準備出逃時，一位在事實學校里畢業的學生畢周來捉他了。畢周現在是龐得貝銀行受雇的職員，他暗中訪得湯姆的下落，便跟蹤到馬戲團來。葛擂更以老師的身份，要他講講情面，并責備他“有心肝沒有？”畢周卻回答說：“我這顆心只能為理性所左右，老爺，不能為別的任何東西所左右。”并直率地承認，他捉拿湯姆是為了升級，他的行為是符合事實學校的教育理論的。

在這危急之際，幸虧馬戲團馬德銳團長放出自己的狗和馬拖住了畢周，放走了湯姆。最后，馬德銳對葛擂更說，世界上是有真正所謂“愛”的，狗也有“愛”的感情。從而反駁了葛擂更只重理性，否定感情的觀點。

五年后，龐得貝猝然中風倒斃在焦煤鎮的街上。葛擂更變成一個白發蒼蒼、老態龍鐘的人，他已不再死守他那認為是一成不變的“事實”理論了。湯姆從美洲回來想見姐姐一面，但在半途暴病身亡。露意莎再嫁了人，西絲也結婚了，她們都生下兒女。對孩子充滿著慈愛，因為“如果不去陶冶天真，培養性情，即使能用統計數字來證明一個國家是多么富足，但歸根結底這還是大禍將臨的預兆。”

第二篇：艱難時世英文讀后感

Reading Report of Hard Times

Book Information

The book Hard Times I read was published by Foreign Language Teaching and Research and pressed in 1994, its author is famous English novelist Charles Dickens, what?s more, this book contains 480 pages.Story and My Reflection

The novel was set in Coketown, a northern industrial city.Thomas Gradgrind ruled his family and his school according to Utilitarianism, the philosophy of the time, which had as its aim the greatest possible happiness for the greatest possible number of people.However, the form of Utilitarianism which Dickens attacked in the novel was plain materialism that denies all other values than material ones, or “Facts” as they were called.Thomas Gradgrind had two children Louisa and Tom.They were caught by their father when they tried to see Sleary?s Circus, where the clown Jupe works.Jupe had a daughter Sissy, and when Jupe left the circus and his daughter, Gradgrind invited her to come and live with his family.Josiah Bounderby was the rich owner of the Coketown factories.He was a proud self-made man;but once and again his house was observed by a strange old woman.Stephen Blackpool was one of Bounderby?s workers.Blackpool had a troubled life.He had an alcoholic wife, who had left him, but he cannot be divorced from her.He was in love with Rachel, a factory girl.When a strike broke out and Blackpool was not willing to join the trade union his mates would not have anything to do with him.He was fired, and he had to leave town.Tom Gradgrind started to work in Bounderby?s bank, and Bounderby proposed to Louisa.Though she was 30 years younger than him, she accepted.Bounderby?s housekeeper Mrs.Sparsit was jealous.Louisa?s marriage was unhappy, and James Harthouse, a politician, attempted to seduce her.Bounderby?s bank was robbed by Tom.However, it was Steven Blackpool who was suspected, and Bitzer, a clerk in the bank gave evidence against him.Mrs.Sparsit

had discovered the relationship between Harthouse and Louisa and spied upon them.Louisa turned Harthouse down, and she went home to her father to talk to him about her problems.He came near to realizing that his upbringing of his children based on “Facts” had been a misunderstanding.Gradgrind now sheltered Louisa from Bounderby, and the couple were permanently separated.Stephen Blackpool was found dying in a disused mine shaft.He asked Gradgrind to clear his name.Gradgrind now learned from Sissy and Louisa that it was Tom that was the bank robber.Tom was now hiding in Sleary?s Circus disguised as a clown.His escaped abroad was nearly stopped by Bitzer, but Sleary, his horse and his trained dog effect Tom?s escape nevertheless.Mrs.Sparsit found out that the strange old woman outside Mr.Bounderby?s house was in fact his mother, and that he did not have a humble origin as he had claimed.He was not after all a self-made man.Tom died abroad, and Gradgrind lived into old age rejecting his Facts and Figures, Faith, Hope and Charity had become his leading principles.The hard time Dickens depicts has far been behind us, but this novel still stimulates us to ponder.Nowadays, in this rapidly developing society, people are turning out to be cooler or more business-like towards each other.With more skyscrapers built up, people lock themselves in the small match-boxes rather than to stroll around the neighborhood;with the emergence of countries crowned as ?the country on the wheels?, people drive recklessly instead of walking and chatting leisurely;with computers striding into every family, people sit behind shining screening boasting with the unknown, substituting for visiting from one door to another.Does the development of industries have to sacrifice humanity? I believe this is the question everyone will deny.We all long for a harmonious world in which we live hand in hand, not a machine which stifles our emotions, fancies or imaginations.Brilliant Paragraphs

1.“Now, what I want is, Facts.Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts.Facts alone are wanted in life.Plant nothing else, and root out everything else.You can only

form the minds of reasoning animals upon Facts: nothing else will ever be of any service to them.This is the principle on which I bring up my own children, and this is the principle on which Ibring up these children.Stick to Facts, Sir!”

2.In the innocence of her brave affection, and the brimming up of her old devoted spirit, the once deserted girl shone like a beautiful light upon the darkness of the other “It was altogether unaccountable that a young gentleman whose imagination had been strangled in his cradle, should be still inconvenienced by its ghost in the form of groveling sensualities;but such a monster, beyond all doubt, was Tom.”

3.It is known, to the force of a single pound weight, what the engine will do;but not all the calculators of the National debt can tell me the capacity for good or evil, for love or hatred, for patriotism or discontent, for the decomposition of virtue into vice, or the reverse, at any single moment in the soul of one of these quiet servants, with the composed faces and the regulated actions.4.Coketown lay shrouded in a haze of its own, which appeared impervious to the sun?s rays.You only knew the town was there because you knew there could have been no such sulky blotch upon the prospect without a town.A blur of soot and smoke, now confusedly tending this way, now that way, now aspiring to the vault of Heaven, now murkily creeping along the earth, as the wind rose and fell, or changed its quarter: a dense formless jumble, with sheets of cross light in it, that showed nothing but masses of darkness—Coketown in the distance was suggestive of itself, though not a brick of it could be seen.本文版權歸曼界森英書下載網及英文電子書下載網共同所有

第三篇：艱難時世英語讀后感

This novel is relatively short, the characters are not many, but the author Dickens with such a short story to fully develop the plot, the novel tells some of the major happened coking coal town, where people are very respected the fact that even for the oppression of the normal emotions, to reject all fantasy, it can be said that in the part of the inhuman, feeling and people's normal life, people rejected the emotion, will inevitably bring about problems, the people inside the final outcome can be said to be more miserable.Firstly, Mr.Gradgrind said, the president said opening to educate their children to get everything out non reality beyond, however, his education, and not be able to educate their children, he finally eat the bitter fruit, aware of this mistake.As for the two children Gradgrind's daughter Luisa, this is a kind of person but because be clever and sensible, education, loss of innocence, on the other hand she is very naive, her brother Moorhouse and Hird use.On the whole, she was very miserable, thinking of the girl who was gazing at the fire in front of her at night, and her heart was broken.When his son, Tom, left his parents, he was eager to give vent to his dissatisfaction with the education.He wanted to indulge himself, enjoy life, and even use his beloved sister, and finally went back to the road of no return.Have a girl, sissy, this is a happy girl, she did not yield to this kind of education, although in the beginning she has been scolded, but she insisted on their own dreams, eventually obtain happiness.The description is very characteristic, such as the beginning of Gradgrind appearance description, he said what is boxy, it can see what kind of person he is.From the background, it is estimated that the author wrote this article to satirize the fact that people in society at that time paid too much attention to facts and abandoned their emotions.

The author of the novel for thorough Britain in the middle of the nineteenth Century Manchester industrial status based on the observation, and the profound reflection on the capitalist society of the human condition, typical characterized by vivid description of the actual life and the character of the moral standard of the bourgeoisie of the powerful attack and bitter irony.A true description of the industrial town of coking coal town life, reflects the sharp contradiction between capitalists and workers, and the corrupt nature of the capitalist educational system by repressive youth, a considerable social value and aesthetic value of art.After reading this article, you can feel as a humanist Dickens believe that human nature is good and plasticity, in his criticism of capitalism and capitalist utilitarianism and politicians out of life at the same time, they ignored the essence of human goodness for some correction and criticism.At the same time, Dickens was sympathetic to the tragic fate of the oppressed class, praising their diligence and love, he did not approve of the political struggles of workers, reflects his tender sentiments and feelings to education to promote the understanding of the bourgeois reformism thought.“Tell you what, I ask for the truth.”.Don't teach the boys and girls anything but the facts.Only the facts are the most important.In addition, what all don't cultivate, all the uprooted.To exercise the intelligence of a rational animal, one must use the fact;that nothing else is of any use to them.This is the principle that I have when I educate my children, the principles that I use to educate these children.Hold fast to the facts, sir!“ This is the ”hard times“ begins with an abstract description of the image and show superimposed impression on the reader.”These children“ refer to the boys and girls of the so-called ”model school“.Dickens uses his comic style concise outline of the image of Mr.fingers, eyes, mouth, hair, neck, shoulder and dress in action, strengthen the emphasis on the facts.Mr.Gradgrind is both a believer and propagandist of utilitarianism and ”fact“ philosophy, as well as the executor and defender of feudal paternalism.His family life and family education is in a secluded hut in fact based only facts and function.The principles, contents, and methods of Mr.Gradgrind in school and family education can be summed up in facts, calculations, fantasy, and innocence.The root of his child's misfortunes was the victims of Gradgrind's ”philosophy of fact“ and ”model“ education.The two main characters ”hard times“ described in two, around two people launched the two clues, the two aspects of ideological performance.One is Gradgrind, and the other is Bounderby.Bounderby stands for industrial capitalists, not interested in education, only interested in practical interests.He told workers improperly people, but only as a ”hand“ and can drive the work of animal behavior led to his people.The structure of the whole article in the way of the trilogy, the plot slowly forward, gradually deepen the theme, the author take it leisurely and unoppressively irresistible, the logic of life, ”and another,“ portrait of characters, language skill, and often beyond all expectations reasonable figures in language use are reduced when we read the the sense of alienation and boredom, we are attracted to this article research.

Just read Dickens's ”hard times“, a strong impulse is to write ”Dickens women“.Dickens is really an extraordinary talent for shaping women's characters.It is not difficult to draw such a conclusion as long as he opens any of Dickens's novels.In the ”hard times, I statistics, women have played Louisa, Rachael, sissy, Mrs.Space and his rare Mrs.Gradgrind and Mrs.Paigela et al.Every woman here is endowed with a distinct color and personality by Dickens.They are of different ages, different ideas, different ways of doing things, tone and purpose are different, under Dickens's pen vivid to show.This is only a novel in Dickens's fourteen novels.It's hard to see yet another writer who can do that.At least I didn't see any other writer who could have created so many female characters in my reading.I think of Balzac, and Balzac has created a lot of female images, but there are not as many memorable women as Ou Yeni.At least in this regard, Dickens gave me the impression is very outstanding, especially after reading the “hard times”.Moreover, unlike other writers, for example, Balzac, Balzac's ambition is to create a world or society that is entirely his own through nearly a hundred novels.In Balzac, the law of social development played a leading role in the human comedy, but Dickens relied entirely on the evolution of character as a lever to promote his novels.It's a very different direction of creation.The two have charm, two charm are hard to compete.All successful writers have his success.Dickens's success, I think is his strong character of the mold, beyond any of his contemporaries.In Dickens's novels, “hard times” is a short.Space tests structure.As far as the novel is concerned, I feel it is the novel with the most succinct structure of Dickens.From Gradgrind's appearance, sissy father's home, and married Louisa Bounderby, Stephen and Rachael unspeakable love, Hird to seduce Space, Louisa housz Mrs.night track, Tom finally exposed to the crime of theft and so on a series of stories, with quite lively brushwork outlines.Each detail corresponds to the later events, not only for the pleasure of reading, but also for the openness and delicacy of Dickens's brushwork.Moreover, when the novel settles down, it is everywhere surprising and everywhere reasonable.This novel is relatively short, the characters are not many, but the author Dickens with such a short story to fully develop the plot, the novel tells some of the major happened coking coal town, where people are very respected the fact that even for the oppression of the normal emotions, to reject all fantasy, it can be said that in the part of the inhuman, feeling and people's normal life, people rejected the emotion, will inevitably bring about problems, the people inside the final outcome can be said to be more miserable.Firstly, Mr.Gradgrind said, the president said opening to educate their children to get everything out non reality beyond, however, his education, and not be able to educate their children, he finally eat the bitter fruit, aware of this mistake.As for the two children Gradgrind's daughter Luisa, this is a kind of person but because be clever and sensible, education, loss of innocence, on the other hand she is very naive, her brother Moorhouse and Hird use.On the whole, she was very miserable, thinking of the girl who was gazing at the fire in front of her at night, and her heart was broken.When his son, Tom, left his parents, he was eager to give vent to his dissatisfaction with the education.He wanted to indulge himself, enjoy life, and even use his beloved sister, and finally went back to the road of no return.Have a girl, sissy, this is a happy girl, she did not yield to this kind of education, although in the beginning she has been scolded, but she insisted on their own dreams, eventually obtain happiness.The description is very characteristic, such as the beginning of Gradgrind appearance description, he said what is boxy, it can see what kind of person he is.From the background, it is estimated that the author wrote this article to satirize the fact that people in society at that time paid too much attention to facts and abandoned their emotions.

The author of the novel for thorough Britain in the middle of the nineteenth Century Manchester industrial status based on the observation, and the profound reflection on the capitalist society of the human condition, typical characterized by vivid description of the actual life and the character of the moral standard of the bourgeoisie of the powerful attack and bitter irony.A true description of the industrial town of coking coal town life, reflects the sharp contradiction between capitalists and workers, and the corrupt nature of the capitalist educational system by repressive youth, a considerable social value and aesthetic value of art.After reading this article, you can feel as a humanist Dickens believe that human nature is good and plasticity, in his criticism of capitalism and capitalist utilitarianism and politicians out of life at the same time, they ignored the essence of human goodness for some correction and criticism.At the same time, Dickens was sympathetic to the tragic fate of the oppressed class, praising their diligence and love, he did not approve of the political struggles of workers, reflects his tender sentiments and feelings to education to promote the understanding of the bourgeois reformism thought.“Tell you what, I ask for the truth.”.Don't teach the boys and girls anything but the facts.Only the facts are the most important.In addition, what all don't cultivate, all the uprooted.To exercise the intelligence of a rational animal, one must use the fact;that nothing else is of any use to them.This is the principle that I have when I educate my children, the principles that I use to educate these children.Hold fast to the facts, sir!“ This is the ”hard times“ begins with an abstract description of the image and show superimposed impression on the reader.”These children“ refer to the boys and girls of the so-called ”model school“.Dickens uses his comic style concise outline of the image of Mr.fingers, eyes, mouth, hair, neck, shoulder and dress in action, strengthen the emphasis on the facts.Mr.Gradgrind is both a believer and propagandist of utilitarianism and ”fact“ philosophy, as well as the executor and defender of feudal paternalism.His family life and family education is in a secluded hut in fact based only facts and function.The principles, contents, and methods of Mr.Gradgrind in school and family education can be summed up in facts, calculations, fantasy, and innocence.The root of his child's misfortunes was the victims of Gradgrind's ”philosophy of fact“ and ”model“ education.The two main characters ”hard times“ described in two, around two people launched the two clues, the two aspects of ideological performance.One is Gradgrind, and the other is Bounderby.Bounderby stands for industrial capitalists, not interested in education, only interested in practical interests.He told workers improperly people, but only as a ”hand“ and can drive the work of animal behavior led to his people.The structure of the whole article in the way of the trilogy, the plot slowly forward, gradually deepen the theme, the author take it leisurely and unoppressively irresistible, the logic of life, ”and another,“ portrait of characters, language skill, and often beyond all expectations reasonable figures in language use are reduced when we read the the sense of alienation and boredom, we are attracted to this article research.

Just read Dickens's ”hard times“, a strong impulse is to write ”Dickens women“.Dickens is really an extraordinary talent for shaping women's characters.It is not difficult to draw such a conclusion as long as he opens any of Dickens's novels.In the ”hard times, I statistics, women have played Louisa, Rachael, sissy, Mrs.Space and his rare Mrs.Gradgrind and Mrs.Paigela et al.Every woman here is endowed with a distinct color and personality by Dickens.They are of different ages, different ideas, different ways of doing things, tone and purpose are different, under Dickens's pen vivid to show.This is only a novel in Dickens's fourteen novels.It's hard to see yet another writer who can do that.At least I didn't see any other writer who could have created so many female characters in my reading.I think of Balzac, and Balzac has created a lot of female images, but there are not as many memorable women as Ou Yeni.At least in this regard, Dickens gave me the impression is very outstanding, especially after reading the “hard times”.Moreover, unlike other writers, for example, Balzac, Balzac's ambition is to create a world or society that is entirely his own through nearly a hundred novels.In Balzac, the law of social development played a leading role in the human comedy, but Dickens relied entirely on the evolution of character as a lever to promote his novels.It's a very different direction of creation.The two have charm, two charm are hard to compete.All successful writers have his success.Dickens's success, I think is his strong character of the mold, beyond any of his contemporaries.In Dickens's novels, “hard times” is a short.Space tests structure.As far as the novel is concerned, I feel it is the novel with the most succinct structure of Dickens.From Gradgrind's appearance, sissy father's home, and married Louisa Bounderby, Stephen and Rachael unspeakable love, Hird to seduce Space, Louisa housz Mrs.night track, Tom finally exposed to the crime of theft and so on a series of stories, with quite lively brushwork outlines.Each detail corresponds to the later events, not only for the pleasure of reading, but also for the openness and delicacy of Dickens's brushwork.Moreover, when the novel settles down, it is everywhere surprising and everywhere reasonable.【艱難時世英語讀后感】相關文章：

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第四篇：名著梗概：《高老頭》

名著梗概：《高老頭》

(法國)巴爾扎克著

[名著閱讀故事梗概]

故事發生在一八一九年。巴黎拉丁區有一所古舊、剝落的包飯客房--伏蓋公寓，是一個姓伏蓋的老婦人開的。屋子是死氣沉沉的，散發出一種閉塞的、霉爛的、酸腐的氣味，墻垣全帶幾分牢獄氣息。這里居住著七位房客：他們是歇業商人高里奧，窮大學生拉斯蒂涅，外號叫“鬼上當”的伏脫冷，老姑娘米旭諾，被父親拋棄的少女維多莉·泰伊番，死了丈夫的古的太太以及退職小公務員波阿萊老人。高里奧老頭已經六十九歲了。早年經營面粉生意。一八一三年結束了買賣。他剛搬到伏蓋公寓時，住著二樓最好的房間，每年付一千二百法郎的膳宿費。他“箱籠充實，里外服裝被褥行頭，都很講究”，十八件二號荷蘭細布襯衫，就叫伏蓋太太嘆賞不止，連鼻煙匣也是金的，每天早晨還得請理發師來給他梳洗撲粉。人們尊稱他高里奧先生。連伏蓋老娘也打起他的主意來。她已超過四十八歲，卻說成三十九歲。她添置衣帽，全副武裝，打扮得象“煨牛肉飯店的一塊招牌”。他想和高里奧結婚，把公寓盤出去，成為本區的一個顯要的太太，上戲院，坐包廂，還搞點慈善事業??總之，她做起甜蜜的小市民的黃金夢來。

然而，高老頭卻把全部愛放在兩個已出嫁的女兒身上，不受伏蓋太太的誘惑。第二年終，高里奧要求搬住三樓，膳宿費減為每年九百法郎。對他住房的降級，人們議論紛紛。大家把他當作“惡癖、無恥、低能所產生的最神秘的人物”。伏蓋老娘也死了心，不再叫他先生，而是叫高老頭了。

第三年，高里奧要求搬住四樓，每月房錢降為四十五法郎。他戒了鼻煙，打發了理發匠，頭上也不撲粉了。金剛鉆、金煙匣、金鏈條等飾物一件也不見了。而且不分冬夏，只穿一件栗色粗呢大褂和灰色毛料長褲。他越來越瘦，腿肚子癟了下去；從前因心滿意足而肥胖的臉，不知打了多少皺裥；腦門上有了溝槽，牙床骨突了出來，老態龍鐘，搖搖晃晃，面如死灰。開初，他的女兒來得很勤，后來卻很少來了。當人們問他為何女兒不來看他時，他象給針刺一樣。人們拿他尋開心，甚至把他當作“出氣筒”。

伏蓋公寓另一位房客拉斯蒂涅是一個從外省鄉下到巴黎讀法律的大學生，白皮膚，黑頭發，藍眼睛。風度、舉止、姿勢都顯出他是個大家子弟。平常他只穿一件舊大褂，粗背心；蹩腳的舊黑領帶扣得馬馬虎虎，象一般大學生一樣；褲子也跟上裝差不多，靴子已經換過底皮。他是一個有野心的青年。家境貧寒與巴黎豪華生活的刺激加強了他“對權位的欲望與出人頭地的志愿”。起先，他沒頭沒腦的用功，后來，他發覺女子對社會生活有極大的影響，便突然想投身上流社會，去“征服幾個可以做他后臺的婦女”。他通過祖姑母的介紹，攀上了闊親戚特·鮑賽昂子爵夫人，并在這位表姐的家里認識了雷斯多伯爵夫人。回到伏蓋公寓，他把這事給高老頭說了。沒想到這位漂亮的伯爵夫人竟是高老頭的大女兒。

第二天，他到雷斯多伯爵夫人家訪問。他有意提起鮑賽昂子爵夫人是他的親戚，為此，他受到熱烈的歡迎。可是，當他說出他和高老頭住在一起時，卻引起伯爵夫婦的不快。他們把他冷冷地打發出來了。

拉斯蒂涅帶著疑惑的心情，到表姊鮑賽昂子爵夫人家求教。剛好子爵夫人被情人--一個葡萄牙貴族阿瞿達侯爵拋棄，心情不好。他突然問拉斯蒂涅說：“你能為我殺人么？”拉斯蒂涅說；“殺兩個都可以。”子爵夫人聽了大學生這句野心勃勃的回答，不禁對他大為關切起來。拉斯蒂涅要表姊給他解釋：為什么當他說出高老頭的名字時，竟得罪了雷斯多伯爵夫婦？子爵夫人便把高老頭和他的女兒的故事告訴了他。高老頭有兩個女兒，他都喜歡得要命。但現在女兒差不多不承認父親了。高老頭早年喪偶，他照看女兒長大。當女兒到達結婚年齡時，他把全部財產均分給她們作陪嫁，好讓女兒攀上一門好親事。大女兒好虛榮，嫁了貴族雷斯多；二女兒愛錢，嫁給銀行家紐沁根。高老頭滿以為女兒嫁了人，等于有了兩個家。可以受到女兒、女婿的敬重、供養。誰知不到兩年，女婿把他當作“是個要不得的下流東西”，把他從家里趕了出去。兩個女兒只是要錢要東西時才去找爸爸，可是現在高老頭已沒錢了??聽了表姊的一番介紹，拉斯蒂涅為高老頭流下了同情的淚水。

鮑賽昂子爵夫人告訴拉斯蒂涅，“社會又卑鄙又殘忍”。要他“以牙還牙去對付這個社會”。她說：“你越沒有心肝，就越高升得快。你毫不留情的打擊人家，人家就怕你。”同時，她還告訴拉斯蒂涅要想在巴黎社會出人頭地，必須得到一個女子的青睞，要是“沒有一個女人關切，他在這兒便一文不值，這女人還得年輕、有錢、漂亮。”她提議拉斯蒂涅可以去勾引高老頭的第二個女兒但斐納。她說：“那位漂亮的太太可以做你的幌子。一朝她把你另眼相看了，所有的女人就會一窩蜂的來追你。”最后，她還告訴拉斯蒂涅要善于作假。“倘使你有什么真情，就得象寶貝一樣藏起。”因此，心狠、女人、作假這三樣便是子爵夫人告訴他的在巴黎社會晉升的法寶。

子爵夫人的一席話，給拉斯蒂涅上了人生的第一課。他從子爵家里出來時，“感到在巴黎平步青云，找到了門路的快樂”。同時，也便他“看到了社會的本相：法律跟道德，對有錢的人全無效力，財產才是金科玉律”。他為了插足上流社會，寫信給母親和兩個妹妹。要她們變賣首飾給他寄一千二右法郎來，因為他要這筆錢來置辦衣物。他在信里威脅說，如果弄不到錢，他便準備自殺。

伏蓋公寓另一位房客伏脫冷，是一個飽經世幫的刑事逃犯，外號叫“鬼上當”。他大約四十歲上下，肩頭很寬。胸部很發達，肌肉暴突，方方的手大非常厚實，手指中節生著一簇簇茶紅色的濃毛。他懂得很多，閱歷很廣，有著嘻嘻哈哈愛嘲弄人的脾氣。他看出了拉斯蒂涅想發財和往上爬的心思。他告訴拉斯蒂涅說，在巴黎的社會里要走正直的道路，靠個人用功是行不通的。“在這個人堆里，不象炮彈一樣轟進去，就得象瘟疫一般鉆進去。清白誠實是一無用處的”。他向拉斯蒂涅提出一個在六個月同就能造成他幸福的計劃。這就是要他去愛房客維多利小姐。因為她是百萬富翁泰伊番的棄女。而泰伊番只有一個獨生子。伏脫冷要以挑動他的一個朋友和泰伊番的兒子決斗，并把他殺死；泰伊番無人繼承產業，必定回過頭來承認女兒，這樣拉斯蒂涅便可以當上百萬富翁的乘龍快婿了；事成之后拉斯蒂涅只要給他二十萬法郎作報酬，他拿了這筆錢到美洲去經營種植園，再撈它幾百萬，這樣他的日子也過得象小皇帝一樣快活了。拉斯蒂涅對這份計劃感到害怕和猶豫，于是，伏脫冷又向他指出：“我現在向你提議的，跟你將來所要做的，差別只在于見血不見血。”

拉斯蒂涅陪子爵夫人上戲院撲克戲，認識了高老頭的二女兒但斐納。她有金黃的頭發，迷人的聲調，身材窈窕，象燕子一樣輕巧。回來他把這事告訴給高老頭聽。高老頭由于聽到女兒的消息，象聽“上帝的圣旨”一般地聽著。然后，他高興地說：“倘使她喜歡你，我也要喜歡會你呢。”他只埋怨女婿不好，女兒倒是孝順的。他說：“要是有相男人使我的小但斐納快活，把真正愛情給她，那我可以替那個男人擦靴子、送信、跑腿??”

第二天，拉斯蒂涅去拜訪但斐納。她剛好欠了一筆債，丈夫不肯給她歸還，心情很煩躁。她要拉斯蒂涅去賭場幫她賭一下。結果拉斯蒂涅運氣好，贏了七千法郎。但斐納便把他贏來的錢償還了債務。

從但斐納家里出來，拉斯蒂涅又喜又惱。喜的是他釣上了一個巴黎最漂亮、最風流的女子；惱的是伏脫冷教他的發財計劃全給推翻了。高老頭看到拉斯蒂涅喜歡但斐納，便自動出來給女兒拉皮條。他在街上私下租了間房子，他為拉斯蒂涅和但斐納幽會的地方，并以但斐納的名義買了塊金表送給拉斯蒂涅。

與此同時，伏脫冷巳差人把泰伊番獨生子殺死了。泰伊番派人接維多利小姐回去。愛但斐納呢，還是愛維多利小姐？拉斯蒂涅腦子里波濤起伏。最后，他選擇了但斐納，因為他想“這樣的結合既沒有罪過，也沒有什么能教最嚴格的道學家皺一皺眉頭的地方”。

房客米旭諾老小姐，身體瘦得只剩一所骨頭，干癟的臉孔帶點兒兇相。尖利的聲音好似叢林中冬天將臨時的蟑鳴。她接受了警察局暗探的差使，刺探伏脫冷的身份。一天，她用麻藥麻翻了伏脫冷，發現了他身上的囚犯的印記，原來伏脫冷是個刑事逃犯，于是他被捕了。

但斐納和丈夫吵嘴跑來找高老頭。她告訴父親，銀行家向她提出一個交換條件：即他可以讓妻子和拉斯蒂涅自由來往，但妻子不能向他要還陪嫁錢。高老頭要女兒不能接受這條件。他說：“錢是性命，有了錢就有了一切。”小女兒的事未了。大女兒雷斯多夫人又來找高老頭。她要父親提供一萬二千法郎的款子，以挽救其情夫將要遭到坐牢的危險。這是高老頭巳分文不剩了，他為但斐納租房子剛好花去了這個數目。于是，姐妹當著父親的面少起嘴來。高老頭愛莫能助，感到十分傷心和痛苦。他歇斯底里地喊道，他一點法子也沒有了，除非去偷、去搶、去殺人、去賣壯丁。受了這場刺激，高老頭中風病倒了。接著又是腦溢血。可是，在高老頭患病期間，兩姐妹都沒有一看望他。但斐納關心的是她即將參加盼望巳久的鮑賽昂子爵夫人家的跳舞會；雷斯多夫人來過一次，但不是來看望父親的病，而是她欠裁縫一千法郎的定錢，要父親給她支付。高老頭只好又賣掉自己的餐具、銀耳環和抵押了年金。

鮑賽昂子爵府上舉行盛大的舞全，公主、爵爺、名門閨秀都前行參加。五百多輛馬車上的燈照得四周通明雪亮。客廳里富麗堂皇，“樂隊送出一句又一句的音樂，在金碧輝煌的天頂下繚繞”。但這一切豪華在子爵夫人心中巳變成一片荒涼，這是她告別巴黎貴族上流社會最后一次出頭露面了。她巳得知她的情人阿瞿達侯爵巳由皇上批準和一個銀行家小姐結婚了。她叫拉斯蒂涅去阿瞿達那里討回了全部情書，流著淚把它燒了。為此，她看破紅塵，待舞會結束后，她便要藏身到諾曼的鄉下去了

。拉斯蒂涅把表姊送上別離巴黎的馬車。當他回到伏蓋公寓時，他感到“他的教育已經受完了”，并認為他是“入了地獄，而且還得耽下去”。

高老頭病危。臨死前，他要再見女兒一面。可是兩個女兒都推三阻四不來。雷斯多夫人和丈夫嘔氣不來；但斐納說夜里參加跳舞會著了涼不來。高老頭眼淚汪汪，這時他才明白他和女兒的關系是建立在金錢上面，他有錢就受到女兒的尊敬和親熱；錢沒了，就象個被榨干的檸檬的空殼一樣被扔到街上。他以一次歇斯底里地喊道：“社會、世界都靠父道做軸心的；女兒不愛父親，不是天翻地覆了嗎？”最后，雷斯多夫人來了一下，但父親巳咽氣了。

高老頭出殯時，沒有一個女兒女婿去送葬。只派了兩駕打著爵微的空車跟在棺柩的后面。棺木是由一個學醫的大學生皮安訓向醫院廉價買來的，送葬費由拉斯蒂涅賣掉了一塊金表支付。整個殯葬冷冷清清。拉斯蒂涅在高老頭棺木下士時，傷心起來，他瞧著墓穴，埋葬了他青年人的最后一滴眼淚。然后，他看著塞納河兩岸慢慢亮起的燈火，他氣概非凡地說了句：“現在咱們倆來拼一拼吧！”他為了表示向社會挑戰，晚上便上銀行家太太但斐納家去吃晚飯了。

第五篇：名著梗概：《萌芽》

名著梗概：《萌芽》

(法國)左拉著

[故事梗概]

艾堅·郎杰是個二十一歲的機器工人，有著褐色的頭發，強壯的身體，而且是個漂亮的男子。他因在里爾的鐵路工場，打了工頭的耳光而被開除，來到服婁礦場找工作。他向礦場的車夫汶森·馬安打聽礦上的情況。汶森·馬安是個矮小的老人。他家祖祖輩輩都在礦井當挖煤工人，他的父親和兩個叔叔及三個兄弟都死在井下。他自己在礦井工作了五十年，雖然長期井下的勞動損壞了他的腿腳，不能再下礦井了，但總算幸運地活下來了。為此工人們給他起了個稱號叫“善終”。

老“善終”的兒子都森·馬安是個倔強而熟練的采煤工人。他的采掘小組，剛好死了個女推車工，這樣艾堅便頂替了女工的位置，參加了馬安的采掘小組。服婁礦井的設備條件極壞，礦工必須跪著、爬著、仰面躺著干活，“活象夾在兩頁中間的一個蟲子，受著活生生被壓成一片的威脅”。由于煤層散發的熱氣，工人們悶得透不過氣來。推煤車的多半是些未成年的女孩子，肌肉鼓得緊緊的，肩膀和腰不停地使勁，累得汗流浹背，喘息不止。地下潮濕不堪，礦工四肢被水泡腫了；碎煤、石塊又把他們的腳都戳青了；矽土侵蝕著肺，把人們的肺都燒壞了；有的得了貧血癥，有的關節癱瘓了。

艾堅和馬安的十五歲的女兒嘉黛琳一同推煤車。這個女孩子有一對象“泉水一樣的淡綠與潔凈”的大眼睛。艾堅由于干的是女孩子的活，加上技術不熟練，人們都瞧不起他。善良的嘉黛琳則處處照顧著他。艾堅沒有下榻的地方，她便請求父親給他幫忙解決。馬安把艾堅介紹給“有利”小酒店的老板賴賽納。賴賽納認識艾堅的朋友普魯沙，便答應讓艾堅住在他的店中。

賴賽納是個三十八歲的胖子，“圓圓的面孔上，剃得精光，露著和善的微笑”。他原是個挖掘工，在三年前一次罷工風潮中，被公司開除了。后來，他便在服婁礦區開起酒店來，并成為礦區不滿工人的首領，但他只強調合法斗爭，反對暴力行為。

馬安的兩個兒子柴沙里、襄倫都在礦井工作，但工資低，不夠維持一家的生活，常常面臨著斷炊的危險。艾堅來到礦井時，他們一家又揭不起鍋蓋了。馬安嫂便去向商人梅格拉借貸。梅格拉是個外表彬彬有禮，內心齷齪冷酷的胖子，而且是個大淫棍。他經常以借貸來奸淫礦工的妻女。他的店鋪開在礦場總經理海納波公館的隔壁，由于他得到工頭們的庇護，生意十分興隆。他看馬安嫂沒有什么油水可揩，便拒絕了她的借貸要求。

馬安嫂又到礦業公司股東格雷歌亞先生家借貸。格雷歌亞夫婦裝出一副假慈悲的嘴臉，讓其女兒珊茜爾把一些他們用不著的衣料施舍給馬安嫂，而拒絕借給馬安嫂急需的五法郎錢。馬安嫂想到井下的丈夫和兒女回來將要挨餓，只得又回到梅格拉的店中來。梅格拉想起馬安嫂有個十五歲的女兒嘉黛琳，便同意把食物和錢賒借給她。

嘉黛琳吃過晚飯后到蒙楚鎮上去買帽帶，路上，她遇見了同在礦井工作的大個子薩瓦爾。薩瓦爾用暴力強奸了她。這事剛好被正在散步的艾堅撞見了。艾堅感到既難過又嫉妒，因為他自己正喜歡嘉黛琳呢。

艾堅在“有利”酒店認識了另一位房客蘇瓦林。他是服婁的機器工人，年紀三十左右，身材瘦長，面孔細嫩，頭上的金發很濃密，兩邊的頰須卻很稀疏。他是俄國貴族的兒子，因企圖謀殺沙皇未成，逃到法國。他信奉無政府主義，主張“殺掉頑固的人們，鏟除一切陳舊的事物，當這腐爛的世界不再留下半點東西時，一個更好的社會或者會茁長起來”。他不同意艾堅提倡工人集會結社的主張。

三星期后，艾堅成了礦井里最好的推車工，人們改變了對他的看法，尤其是一向尊重出色工人的馬安，對他產生的親切的友情。他認為這位年青人不僅勞動好，閱讀、書寫、繪圖樣樣都能干。他邀艾堅搬到他家里住宿，并讓他轉為采掘工。

艾堅與“國際”勞工組織有聯系。他的朋友普魯沙經常寄些小冊子來給他閱讀。他在馬安支持下，在礦區發起了一個互助會社--“準備金庫”。參加的會員每月得繳納二十個銅子，以便工人在急難時互相救助。這樣一來，艾堅在工人中贏得了信任，并在他周圍團結了一批群眾。這時，礦業公司借口工人在礦井裝塞木頭馬虎，用罰金來懲處工人，并實行所謂新的工資制，使工人每月收入大大降低，引起了工人的普遍不滿。再加上一次礦井崩塌，壓死了礦工樹根，壓斷了馬安小兒子襄倫的腿，礦工的憤怒情緒達到了頂點。艾堅和馬安便領導工人起來罷工。馬安是服婁礦場最受尊敬的工人，被人們推舉為向總經理交涉的代表。

總經理海納波先生在家里大擺筵席，因為他要促進他的外甥保羅·內格萊爾和格雷歌亞的女兒珊茜爾的婚事。內格萊爾是服婁的工程師，對待工人十分苛刻。同時，他靈魂卑鄙，背著舅舅，暗中與舅母海納波太太私通。席間除格雷歌亞夫婦外，還有格斯東·瑪麗礦場的經理，格雷歌亞的外甥德內林，他們正在談論服婁工人罷工的事，擔心這次罷工會影響到別的礦場。海納波則認為工人罷工不會堅持太久，等到他們肚子餓了就會回到礦井去；何況，工人一罷工，他們剛成立起來的“準備金庫”就要塌臺了。

馬安等工人代表來見總經理。他們向海納波嚴正指出，公司苛扣工人的工資是不合理的；提出每車煤要增加五個生丁的要求。總經理態度十分蠻橫，斷然拒絕，還罵工人想加入“‘國際’這個強盜的隊伍，夢想破壞整個社會”。談判破裂了。

工人連續進行了三星期的罷工。艾堅在工人中做宣傳鼓動工作，他成了群眾一致擁戴的首領。與此同時，他的虛榮心也滋長起來，幻想將來能有一天當上議員。工人們在戴西爾寡婦家舉行秘密集會。關于是否加入“國際勞動者協會”的問題，引起了激烈的爭執。艾堅主張工人加入國際團體，賴賽納和蘇瓦林都持反對的意見。賴賽納認為工人一加入國際組織，他們的生活不僅不能得到合理的改善，公司將用更嚴厲的辦法懲罰工人。蘇瓦林認為加入國際組織是一件蠢事。他主張“破壞一切??不再有不同的民族，不再有政府，不再有財產，不再有上帝和崇拜”。幾種意見正在相持不下時，艾堅的朋友普魯沙從里爾城趕到會場。這是一個有著細長身材和小白臉的工運活動家。他因為歷次講演的成功，流露出一種洋洋自得的神氣。他的聲音已經嘶啞了，但他以有力的倒證說明了工人加入“國際”組織的好處。這樣一來，艾堅一派的主張獲得完全的勝利。會后，蒙楚一萬礦工便成了“國際勞動者協會”的會員。

罷工進行了一個月。礦工們早已斷炊了。從倫敦“國際”工人組織寄來四千法郎的聲援款，但不足工人們購買三天的面包。馬安嫂把家里一切能賣的東西都賣光、當光了。她的兩個最小的兒女在路邊向人乞討，襄倫進行偷盜活動。不久，馬安嫂的小女兒婀茜爾餓死了。大女兒嘉黛琳已和薩瓦爾同居，她送了些糖和咖啡來給母親，但被她男人發現了，被說成是倒貼給她心愛的男子艾堅的。嘉黛琳受到薩瓦爾的踢打。礦場中一些工人迫于饑餓，開始復工了。薩瓦爾所在的礦場約翰·巴爾的工人復工得最早。于是三千名堅持罷工的礦工在森林里舉行了集會，討論下一步的策略。艾堅主持了會議。在他的啟發下，礦工們決心把斗爭進行到底。他們罵那些復工的工人是奸賊，要到各個礦場去懲罰他們。薩瓦爾也參加了大會，大伙鄙視他。但他在會上保證：明天他將和他礦場的工人，不再下井了。

薩瓦爾加到約翰·巴爾后，并沒有履行他的保證。他被經理德內林收買了。第二天，服婁的罷工工人開到約翰·巴爾。他們把下井的工人全部轟了上來。工人們對薩瓦爾最為惱恨，對他進行了嘲罵和踢打，然后又把他挾持在游行隊列中，從一個礦區游行到另一個礦區，把他當作奸賊，去教訓那些出賣自己同伙的人。罷工工人不斷補充到游行隊伍中來，最后隊伍擴展到兩千五百多人，組成一股浩浩蕩蕩的人流。他們一面行進，一面高喊：“面包，面包，面包！”

在總經理公館門前，游行工人攔截了野游歸來的太太和小姐們，砸碎了梅格拉開的店鋪。梅格拉逃到房頂，但他從那里滑跌下來。女工們想起這個淫棍一貫對她們的侮辱，便對他施行報復。如焚嬤嬤跑上前去，拔下了梅格拉的陽物，把它戳在木棒尖上，高高地舉起，象一面旗幟似地在空中搖晃著。

薩瓦爾乘人們不注意時逃跑了，他引來了大批憲兵。罷工工人開始潰散了。接著整個礦區都被軍隊包圍起來。公司對罷工工人實行了殘酷的鎮壓，開除了馬安等三十四個工人。艾堅在軍隊開來時躲藏到一個已報廢的礦井里。突然的事變，把他的頭腦也搞亂了。這時，他感到改變工人現狀十分渺茫。白天他不敢露面，晚上他去看馬安一家。當人們問他該怎么辦時？他認為目前只有和公司和解。為此，他遭到馬安嫂的嘲罵。當艾堅出現在賴賽納的酒店里時，又受到賴賽納的挖苦。蘇瓦林則說：“全體都是懦夫。”這時，薩瓦爾帶了嘉黛琳到酒店中喝酒。由于罷工的事件和愛情的怨恨，薩瓦爾見到艾堅格外眼紅，便撲上去要殺死艾堅，于是在他們之間進行了一場激烈的搏斗。在搏斗中，嘉黛琳偏袒艾堅一方。斗敗的薩瓦爾便把她臭罵了一通，不準她回家了。

資本家一面利用反罷工分子下井勞動，另一面準備雇用比利時人來代替罷工的工人。再次引起礦工的憤怒。人們擁向礦場與軍隊發生了沖突。開始工人用石塊投擲他們，后來軍隊開槍了，打死了馬安等十四個工人和小孩，二十二人受傷，釀成嚴重的流血事件。

艾堅參加了馬安的葬禮。他的軟弱與無能，遭到工人的唾棄，在他背后不斷發出了噓聲。馬安嫂公開對他說：“我若站在你的位置，給伙伴們惹起那么多的損害，我早已憂悶死了。”他在工人住宅區經過，有人向他伸著拳頭，有人向他拋擲石塊。這時，艾堅反埋怨工人野蠻和畜牲一樣愚蠢。賴賽納見到工人圍攻艾堅的場面很高興，他對工人宣傳說：“暴力從來不會成功，人們不能于一天之內改造世界。答應你們一下子改變一切的人們，只是不負責任的荒唐鬼或有意欺騙的卑劣小人。”于是，他在工人中重新獲得了失去的威望。

嘉黛琳被薩瓦爾拋棄后，回到娘家和馬安嫂住在一起。眼看一家大小挨餓，她決定下礦井去工作。艾堅也表示要和她同去。這時，艾堅想起了達爾文的進化論學說，認為人類在進行一種生存斗爭，瘦的吃掉胖的，強的吃掉弱的。

蘇瓦林不滿人們的懦弱，他暗中在進行一項冒險的破壞活動。他偷偷地下到礦井，鋸開了護井壁的木板，破壞了礦井的排水設施，使大水淹沒了礦井。恰好，這天艾堅和嘉黛琳一道下井去，由于礦井充水，出口處已被崩坍堵塞了。工人上不來。礦外工人組織了搶救隊。柴沙里知道妹妹嘉黛琳被埋在礦井，參加了挖隧道的工作。他干得特別賣勁，但他疏忽了安全設施，引起煤氣爆炸，結果他被炸死了。總經理海納波先生和股東格雷歌亞一家也來到現場。格雷歌亞為了討好工人，對馬安一家遭難表示同情。他和他的女兒珊賽爾到馬安嫂家慰問。家里只有“善終”老人一人在家。他被一連串不幸的事變，弄得麻木和癡呆了。格雷歌亞夫婦送了一雙老人無法穿的大皮鞋給他。當他們走開后，珊賽爾想單獨留下來和老人談談話。“善終”出于一種瘋狂的舉動，把珊賽爾掐死了。然后，他自己也跌倒在珊賽爾的尸體旁邊。

被埋在井下的工人，由于坍方、饑餓、缺氧，大部分人都死去了。最后，只剩下三個人：艾堅、嘉黛琳和薩瓦爾。薩瓦爾和艾堅因爭奪嘉黛琳，又展開了一場激烈的搏斗。艾堅用石塊擊碎了薩瓦爾的腦殼，薩瓦爾死了。礦井中的水位越漲越高。艾堅和嘉黛琳半身都浸泡在水里，接連幾天沒有東西吃，他們餓得發昏。最初，他們吃一小段朽木頭，木頭吃光了，便只好挨餓了。嘉黛琳無法再支撐自己的身體了，她倒在艾堅的懷里死了。當人們挖通隧道后，艾堅也昏死過去，但他被人們救上來了。

艾堅是這場災難的唯一幸存者，他在蒙楚醫院躺了六星期。公司給了他一百法郎救助費，但把他開除了。艾堅拒絕接受一百法郎。當他傷好出院后，看到工人們迫于饑餓都下井工作了。馬安嫂為了養活一家，也只好重新當起推車工來。她和艾堅分別時，對他說：“經過這一切屠殺之后，我曾有一會兒，很想打死你。但是人們必須反省，不是嗎？人們發覺這到底不是任何人的過失??不，不，這并不是你的過失，而是大家的過失。”她原諒了艾堅。艾堅一面離開礦區；一面放慢了腳步，看著周圍的一切。他感到自己在礦井底下的艱苦經歷，已使他鍛煉成熟。他的教育已結束，“他武裝著知識離開，他已變成革命的，有理性的戰士，將對他所看見的和所判決的社會宣戰。”他準備去找普魯沙，做一個象普魯沙那樣使人們“言聽計從的首領”。同時，他相信在礦井底下“無數的人，暗暗茁長起來，一個復仇與黑色隊伍的胚種已在犁痕底下慢慢萌芽與長大，為了未來世紀的收獲，不久就要裂開壓蓋著的土地”。于是，他動身到巴黎去了。