Far from the Madding Crowd - A Maddening Classic
This is the only work by Hardy I have read, so maybe I picked the one which didn't happen to suit my own tastes in novels. Although I sound critical, this book is still worthwhile reading and I recommend it for the enjoyment it brings in depicting rural English life and society in the mid 1800s.
Based on overwhelming positive reviews of this classic work I had high expectations and hoped to get more in terms of plot, characterization, and writing style. In spite of my disappointment, I did find enough intrigue to satisfy my curiosity and encourage me to read the book to its end.
I enjoyed the country folk and the descriptions of their bucolic and simple lives in the English countryside in the 1800s. The peasants obediently accepted their places in society and performed their duties by plowing fields, sheering sheep, and picking apples, while eking out the tiniest morsels of fun and enjoyment they could under their circumstances. Their honest excitement in the simple pleasures of ale and cider, meals and markets, and gossip and rumors were the essence of the story to me, offering a fascinating glimpse of pre-industrial-revolution English country-life and society.
As to the criticisms I have, I felt Hardy took longer than necessary to express what he was doing with this story. It's not that I don't like long books. I have read some over 1,000 pages and never wanted them to end. With this novel, however, I just didn't get that "reading high" to where I couldn't let the book get out of my hands.
The self-sacrificing Gabriel Oak, as his namesake says, portrayed a man as strong as an oak, with a rock-solid and virtuous character. He was so dependable and upright that he came across as self-righteous, in my opinion. On the other hand, he was so love-struck by Bathsheba that he often turned into mush, mirroring the love-sick, whining, pining John Ridd who exasperated me in Blackmore's Lorna Doone.
Bathsheba was as tough as nails with the men who loved her most, but turned into jelly when dealing with the one man whom she adored but who did not requite her love in kind.
Farmer Boldwood was a very mild-mannered, stoic, and proper layman farmer, exhibiting a latent, mentally disturbed personality. I am not sure if I was supposed to dislike the guy, feel sorry for him, or root for him in his obsessive pursuit of Bathsheba's hand in marriage.
And when it came to Troy's behavior and personality, you couldn't figure him out. He came across as either a very commendable but misguided individual or an absolute evil louse. You didn't know until the end, but I guess that is what holds our interest in novels.
When I finished the book I noticed on the back cover a commentary stating that FFTMC was not well received after it was published. In fact, it said that Hardy's peers were quite critical of the work. I too agree with them to some extent. One author quoted as expressing his dislike of this book was Henry James, who in my opinion is a much better writer.
Although I am inclined to leave Hardy alone and read books written by authors I prefer more, I plan to read another of his books to satisfy my curiosity to know whether this story was an anomaly or whether I personally cannot find enjoyment in reading Hardy. The result, I hope, will be the latter.

Hills, bagpipes, mist, the word “Scotland” written along the bottom of the screen – it can only be one place. That’s right, Wales. Nah, only joking – as if anyone would ever make a film about Wales.
Mel Gibson both directed and starred in this tartan-clad epic about William Wallace, the legendary Scottish freedom fighter/terrorist who, even way back in the 14th Century, had already had enough of the English going on about winning the World Cup in 1966. So, armed with just some rocks, a few hundred muck-dwellers and an extremely peculiar accent, he led a nation to fight for freedom from English tyranny. Or something along those lines.
It’s actually fairly appropriate to be so vague about all of this, because nobody really knows all that much about the real Wallace (and most of what we do know comes from a poem). You could spend a lifetime picking apart the historical inaccuracies in the flick, and there would still be those who’d disagree with what you found.
Because of that, how much enjoyment you can get from this 177-minute beast depends largely on your willingness to accept Wallace as a charmer with biting wit and a permanently clean-shaven chin. As the sort of bloke beautiful French princesses would hand over national secrets to simply because of the way he looks at them. Or even just as a guy who doesn’t smell like moss.
The most breath-taking, if gruesome, parts of the movie are the incredibly lifelike battle scenes. Putting them together must have been an immense project to undertake, but you’ve got to hand it to Gibbers – he does it very, very well. He also makes a likable hero figure, providing you can put to the back of your mind the fact that he’s basically playing the original ned.
Personally I find the movie far too long, particularly as parts of it play like a TV advert for the Scottish Tourist Board. In one scene, for example, Wallace sprints to the top of a mountain and just stands there, kilt billowing, for no apparent reason. Anyone who’s ever worn a kilt will of course know that the last place you’re likely to linger is a-top a windy Scottish mountain. Talk about “freedom”!!
2
Long before The Passion of the Christ, Mel Gibson directed another cinematic masterpiece, Braveheart. Filmed against the backdrop of majestic mountains and rolling meadows, it tells the historically-based (yet not entirely accurate) story of William Wallace, a common man’s warrior who led the Scottish people in rebellion against King Edward I, also known as “Longshanks”. Written by Randall Wallace, an American tourist fascinated with a Scottish statue of his namesake, the script collected dust in Hollywood for over a decade before Gibson made the brilliant decision to put it on the big screen. Just like The Passion, it’s a decision he would not regret.
Set in the 11th Century, Braveheart catalogues the struggle of Scottish serfs who labor under the brutal oppression of English occupation forces. Amidst these terrible conditions, William Wallace (Mel Gibson) falls in love with Murron MacClannough (Catherine McCormack). Insistent on not sharing his wife (a proclamation by the king gives local rulers “first-night rights” to new brides) Wallace secretly marries Murron. Nevertheless, an English knight assaults her, sparking a fight with Wallace. Fleeing the village, Wallace believes Murron has escaped and will soon meet him at a secret rendezvous point. But Murron is captured and executed by the king’s emissaries.
Angered by his wife’s murder, Wallace instigates a local rebellion, slaughtering all the king’s loyalists in his village. As his rebellion grows, a distraught Longshanks (Patrick McGoohan) dispatches his fabled Northern Army to destroy it. But the heroic Wallace delivers a stirring speech to rouse his men, while deploying an ingenious battlefield trick to defeat the king’s cavalry.
With the power and legend of Wallace growing day by day, Longshanks relies on his daughter-in-law, Princess Isabelle (Sophie Marceau) to broker a truce. But Isabelle’s power is limited, and Wallace realizes his people can only win freedom if backed by the Scottish nobles. Their appointed leader is Robert the Bruce (Angus MacFadyen) who vacillates between his own idealistic views and his father’s pessimistic pragmatism. Will the nobles join with Wallace? Will the Scots win their freedom? Only history tells us the answer.
With elaborate costumes, vivid battle scenes, and a noble hero as its focal point, Braveheart is more than your typical run-of-the-mill action movie. Part history, part Hollywood heroism - its timeless idealism strikes a cord with every viewer. In fact, the movie itself led to a revival in nationalistic pride that fueled the successful Scottish independence movement of the 1990s. It’s a testament to the strength and character of the real life William Wallace. A thousand years later, his enduring legacy continues to transform the European landscape, and Mel Gibson captures the noble warrior’s passion with an awe-inspiring Academy Award-winning masterpiece.
3
BRAVEHEART is set in Scotland in the 1200s. It tells the true story of William Wallace who was a famous commoner who led his people in a rebellion against the English. The movie is of epic proportions, length and grandeur. We learn the entire history of William Wallace from the age of 8 until his death.
Mel Gibson, in what I found to be his best role ever, plays the grown up Wallace. Gibson directs the movie as well. The story is full of fascinating history of which I knew little. I have a good English history background but was surprised at what little early Scottish history I knew. Wallace wants to live in peace and ignore the English atrocities he has witnessed, but circumstances force his hand, and he declares war on the English. His battle cry is freedom and many poor people follow him in his quest. The story itself is quite compelling, and the script is excellent.
The political intrigue among the Scottish nobles makes you wonder whose side they are on. As the story unfolds, you come to realize that they are only interested in enriching themselves and do not care about their own people. They constantly counsel Wallace to compromise his ideas in order to achieve some lesser, but more practical solution. His vision is a singular one of freedom for his people. I found myself thinking of Gary Cooper in THE FOUNTAINHEAD and the similarity between his role and that of Gibson's. All of the leaders who were the "wisest" urged constant compromise on their rising young stars in both movies.
Actually, the movie most like BRAVEHEART is GETTYSBURG for both had huge and realistic battle scenes with wave after wave of humans charging each other and dying. Of course, many people will compare BRAVEHEART with ROB ROY. They are both about old Scottish heroes, and in my book, BRAVEHEART wins hands down. Finally, you may find yourself thinking of the Judas story from the Bible except here the movie has a plethora of Judases.
One example of the quality of the script is that the writer manages to introduce a very funny character without it seeming like merely a plot device, which of course it is. This character is a mad Irishman who steals every scene he is in with his dialog. I laughed out loud many times. Although there was little humor in this serious tale, there was just enough to keep me from ever tiring even though I had to stay seated for three hours.
Too often period pieces seem like merely exercises in style. I found QUEEN MARGOT to be one such movie. Here the wonderful costumes and set decoration feel totally authentic but in a natural way. I felt like I was actually in the thirteenth century where people's faces were frequently dirty and in general personal hygiene was minimal. When they made their kills in battle or in revenge, I could sense how close they were to animals then. The blood would splat on their faces, and they could just as easy have been wolves.
I have been to Scotland many times and it is gorgeous. In a low key but quite impressive way, the cinematography makes one feel the beauty and the isolation of countryside. The music with the recurring and haunting melody of the lone Scottish bagpipe sets a sad and yet serene tone and mood.
BRAVEHEART runs a long, but well worth it, 2:52. I would not want it shorten. It is rated R, but NC-17 would be more appropriate. It is THE goriest movie I have ever seen and that too I would not change because it allows one to vicariously live through what actual battles in that period would be like. Please be warned that you will see almost every part of the human body being chopped off or stabbed in one scene or another. Imagine any physical horror, and there is probably a scene of it in BRAVEHEART. Nevertheless, there was not one scene where I thought the violence was gratuitous. I would let older teenagers see the movie, but would be careful with impressionable younger ones.
4
When pagan Saxons invaded Britain pushing the native Celtic tribes back in the mountains of the west and the north of the country they couldn't have known what difficulties they leave to future generations. One of the difficulties were Scots, though they weren't much affected by the pagan invasion.
Throughout the history, Scots (as a tribe from Ireland was in 360 mentioned by Romans) had a changing luck in battles, whoever they fought. They had had many various allies and fought against many various enemies, including their former or future allies (politics).
Originally based in Ireland, the Scottish tribe later established their kingdom on the west coast and isles of today's Scotland (between years 501 and 503). Generally, they were never good friends with tribes which lived on the isle, called Britannia by the Romans, before them; perhaps because they came from Ivernia, today's Ireland...
The intolerance between the two sides resulted in many battles and rebellions. In 600, 300 Edinburgh horseman were killed by the English, in 1014 king Malcom II defeated the Danes, four years later another victory was won on the river Tweed, at Carham, against the army of Anglo-Saxons (particularly Northumbrians). On the other hand, king Duncan was defeated by the English and killed by famous character of the Scottish history, MacBeth, who is defeated in 1057 by Malcolm Canmore in the battle of Lumphanan etcetera etcetera.
Then, in the year of approximately 1272, William Walace is born in Ellerslie. He is fated to become one of the most important characters of the history of Scots. In age of twenty-five years, he kills sheriff (originally shire-reeve) of Lanark and a revolt is unleashed. Perhaps many Scots were waiting for a leader to emerge, because the same year Wallace defeats the English at Stirling Bridge.
His luck changed when he was defeated at Falkirk in 1298. In 1305, he is betrayed and executed brutally, his head being mounted on London Bridge.
That is a very rough outline of a life so very important, of the life of William Wallace, a thorough Scot, exactly the William Wallace about whom this movie is. His father was killed by the English, his wife was murdered by the sheriff of Lanark (which is a reason why the sheriff ended up equally) - no mercy could have been awaited from a man that had never seen mercy on the side of his enemies.
Braveheart is a heroic epic told compactly and relatively objectively, noticing everything important that most probably happened in the life of William Wallace. After all, it doesn't have to be historically exact - it is a legend and even if it was "only" a legend, it would be a most impressive one.
5
Back in 1995 when I first saw this movie I was wowed, it was a cinematic epic and one which I thoroughly enjoyed.... a few years later when I met my future spouse I was subjected to this movie on a weekly basis and now I cannot bare to watch it.
Anyway back to the movie, if you have been living under a rock and haven't seen it here's the basic story Mel Gibson plays William Wallace a Scottish highlander who leads his people in a uprising against the English monarch.
Now just so you know this film however "based" on historical events is completely inaccurate, Wallace was in actual fact a Scottish Noble (his family was rich), Wallace never had a wife, and the French princess Mel gets jiggy with would've been around 8 years old at the time, the only real truth in the movie was that he was hung drawn and quartered and he lead an uprising...the rest is Hollywood bullsh*t.
I'm giving the film 4 stars because if you are unaware of the historical inaccuracies and you haven't seen it 100 times you will be entertained, its a good movie.

《勇敢的心》观后感
Set in the late 13th century, 'Braveheart' is the story of one of Scotland's greatest national heroes Sir William Wallace. leader of the Scottish resistance forces during the first years of the long, ultimately successful struggle to free Scotland from English rule...
Crucially charismatic in the title role, Gibson plays the heroic figure and emerges as a remarkable hero with wit and romantic soul, determined to rid his country of its English oppressors...
Wallace's revolution was set in motion, with great obstacles from his countrymen... Many Scottish nobles lent him only grudging support as most of them were more concerned with wealth and titles than the freedom of the country... In fact, the Scottish leaders are in favor of revolt-or not-depending on English bribes... Wallace, by comparison, is a man of honor, incorruptible and righteous... He was knighted and proclaimed 'guardian and high protector of Scotland,' but as much as he railed against the Scottish nobles, submitted to Edward I, King of England, he was astonished and in shock to discover the treachery of the leading Scot contender for the throne—Robert, the Earl of Bruce—to whom he confided , 'The people would follow you, if you would only lead them.' Sophie Marceau is exquisite as the distressed princess Isabella of France who ends up falling in love with Wallace, warning him out of several traps...
Catherine McCormack is a stunning beauty who ignites Wallace's revolution...
Patrick McGoohan is chilling, brutal, and vicious as the ruthless Edward I, known by the nickname 'Longshanks.' This king remains simply the embodiment of evil...
While Angus McFadyen moves as a nobleman torn between his conscience and political aspiration, and Brendan Gleeson brings strength and humor to his role as the robust Hamish, David O'Hara is very effective as the crazy Irishman who provides much of the film's comic relief from even the most tensed moments...
Mel Gibson has reason to be proud of 'Braveheart.' It is a motion picture that dares to be excessive... Gibson presents passionately the most spaciously impressive battles (yet staged for films) even excessively, and it is his passion and excess that make the motion picture great... The horror and futility of massed hand-to-hand combats are exciting rather repulsive... It is epic film-making at its glorious best...
Gibson's 'Braveheart' focuses on the human side of Wallace, a character so immense, so intelligent, and so passionate, exploring the definitions of honor and nobility, pushing us to follow the hero into his struggle against injustice and oppression...

INFO
Ramen is a very popular type of Japanese noodles. Although ramen is a relative newcomer to Japanese cuisine, it was reportedly eaten in the late 17th century, but it was only during the Meiji period that the dish became widely known.
Orginating from Kyushu Japan, Ajisen Ramen is famous for its white broth, made from the slow-cooking of tender pork ribs. First opened in 1968, Ajisen Ramen now has over 300 branches worldwide. With branches in China, Singapore, USA, Philippines, Thailand, Australia, Indonesia and Canada, Ajisen's emphasis on simple, hygienic, convenient, tasty and healthy noodles, Ajisen Ramen redefines the dining experience.
We are very excited with the opening of Ajisen in Canada and invite you to experience the taste of Ajisen in Canada today!
Bowls Of Ajisen
Throughout the years, Ajisen Ramen has used many different bowls for its ramen. Displayed on the walls of the Ajisen Ramen shops you will find the collection of bowls used throughout the years.
In Japan, two calendar systems are used: 1) The Western Common Era and 2) The Japanese Era Name systems. While we are all familiar with the first as it is the one we refer to daily, the second system is based on the reign of the current emperor. Underneath each bowl you will find tags indicating when the particular bowl was used with reference to the Japanese Era Name. The first two characters refer to the emperor that was in reign and the number corresponds with the year of reign. Ajisen Ramen has used over 16 different bowls over the years.
Ramen is best served hot and it is crucial that broth is hot. Each bowl at Ajisen Ramen is kept warm before the ramen is even cooked to ensure that when the ramen and broth is served that no heat is lost to a cold bowl. This is just one example of the many details that Ajisen Ramen pays attention to serve you the best Japanese ramen.
源于官网介绍
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Originating from Kumamoto, Japan, Ajisen Ramen is famous for its white broth, made by simmering different kinds of bones and fishes for many hours. Ajisen Ramen has been called the ‘King of White Broth’. First opened in 1968, Ajisen Ramen now has over 400 chains of restaurants worldwide, with restaurants in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and other countries. Now, Ajisen Ramen is the largest Ramen shop chain in Japan.
Ajisen serves Tonkotsu Ramen with extensive garnishing in its Ramen line-ups. The ingredients in the preparation of Ajisen Ramen soup are imported from Japan. Briefly and lightly cooked, Ramen noodles remain springy and smooth to the taste.
Ajisen’s special nutrients can all found in the soup. The Ramen’s Tonkotsu soup contains collagen which helps to delay the process of aging. And more and more, the Calcium in the soup was 4 times compared to milk, so while you are eating the Ramen, you can definitely consume the calcium that you need in one day.
味千拉面店始创于1968年，发源地是日本九州的熊本，自负拥有九州白汤之雄的美誉，独特的白汤采用猪的排骨、肉骨、豚骨及各类鱼骨经长时间熬制而成。味千拉面其实拥有一流的日本拉面产品及文化。不只大马，它甚至扩展至日本、新加坡、印尼、泰国、中国大陆等地拥有超过400家日式餐饮连锁店。
味千拉面的上汤，全部都是从日本进口，纯粹正宗日本口味。汤色纯白，口感独特就是他们的特色。而味千拉面品种繁多，别具一格的新风格，迎合不同年龄、不同阶层顾客的味蕾。
值得一提的是，味千拉面的骨汤料中含有丰富的胶原蛋白，胶原蛋白是人体骨骼和皮肤的自然成分，有利于皮肤的更新，以及骨骼、软骨、关节等部位损伤的复原。不仅如此，味千拉面的汤底更是含有多种矿物质，其中钙含量最特出，是牛奶的4倍，所以在吃一碗拉面的同时，就已经达到补钙了！
3
Ajisen Ramen was founded in Kumamoto, Japan in 1968. It is the original Kyushu Ramen. Because of its popularity and good reputation, there are now about 400 Ajisen Ramen restaurants around the world including Japan, China, Australia, USA, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia etc.
We are using Tonkotsu based soup which is “the most popular flavours of ramen in Japan” and is “the most time-consuming and difficult” to make of all the soups. There are hundreds of Japanese restaurants in Sydney but not many have Tonkotsu based soup ramen in their menu because it is very time consuming and difficult to make. Most of other restaurants only have soy sauce based or miso based ramen soup.
In Japan, China and many Asian cities, Tonkotsu Ramen soup is very popular as it can also help your skin to stay young because it has plenty of collagen !
This protein is the essence of life and the Japanese Society of Nutrition & Food Science announced that, “The intake of collagen contained in the bones and cartilage etc. can help to prevent aging!”
Ajisen World Wide most popular menu is Tenderous Ribs Ramen (Paiku Ramen) which is made of “soft boned meat” that needs to be cooked for hours and taste fantastic. The other popular menu is Volcano Ramen (mild hot) and of course Chashu Ramen and the original Ajisen Ramen.
Of course at Ajisen, we also have Miso Ramen, Curry Ramen, Tom Yum Ramen (famous Thai based soup), Tonkatsu Ramen, Kim Chi Ramen, Spicy Meat Ramen (hot), Takana Ramen, Negi Ramen etc. New popular menu are Tan Tan Ramen, Beef and Salmon Teriyaki ramen.
There are also many side dishes and Bento box dish including Gyoza, Karaage, Salmon Teriyaki, Chicken and Beef Teriyaki Bento, Soft Shell Crab, Salt Pepper Squid, Crab Claws etc.
Our Gyoza is freshly made from high quality ingredients and it is the best “real Japanese Gyoza” in Sydney (of course with unique Ajisen Gyoza sauce).
Ajisen is also famous for its Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken) and Tonkotsu (Deep Fried Pork) and its Japanese Curry Rice taste very nice.
Ajisen Chahan (Japanese Fried Rice) is very popular once you have tried it you will come back again. Popular Chahan including Unagi (Eel) Chahan, Volcano Chahan and Ajisen “Aso Takana” Chahan.
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Ajisen Ramen started out in the late 1960’s as a ramenya in Kumamoto, Japan, serving “Kumamoto Tonkotsu” ramen, a tonkotsu ramen served with a garlic and onion brown sauce. Since their humble beginnings, they’ve expanded to more than 300 stores worldwide and their Chinese joint venture even trades as a public company on the Hong Kong stock exchange.
I have to admit I’m biased against Ajisen Ramen…they’re a franchise chain, and my years-ago first experience with Ajisen Ramen in Shanghai didn’t exactly make me jump for joy. Ok, I actually thought it was horrible. On the plus side, though, I found their decor to be elegant, and I was charmed by the winking mascot (who also has a cartoon series and is apparently fond of throwing cleavers). Of course, nice decor and cute mascots can’t make up for subpar ramen. When I heard that Ajisen’s Irvine branch finally opened this week, I approached the news with something akin to morbid curiosity.
Ajisen’s most popular dish seems to be their Paiku Ramen (”Tender Pork Ribs” ramen), but I decided to start my day off with the namesake Ajisen Ramen. One thing I noticed while seated at the counter: all the servers scurried about at a “gotta get to where I’m going” pace. If you’ve ever been to Hong Kong, where even the elevators and escalators are sped up, you know what I’m talking about. Don’t get me wrong, the servers were all extremely friendly and professional. But I felt just a bit compelled to order, eat my ramen, and leave as quickly as possible.
When I got my ramen, I was a bit dismayed: the chashu slices looked like miniature versions of what I saw pictured on the menu. With so many strikes so far, I was still determined to keep an open mind, and I took my first sip of the soup…it was good! Now, it wasn’t mindblowingly good, but still, it was good. The Ajisen web site claims that the tonkotsu soup is cooked for over 10 hours to give it a rich and deep taste. Well…not quite. The soup was a bit on the light side, but the mild garlic flavor and creaminess blended well.
The noodles were a bit thicker than the thin noodles I typically associate with tonkotsu ramen, and also not as hard. While Kumamoto ramen is supposed to have slightly softer noodles, I couldn’t help but wish they were a bit more chewy. The softer noodles did contrast well with the crunchy cabbage and the result tones down the overall flavor even more. A variety of other toppings… negi, wakame seaweed, half a hard boiled egg, and chashu round out the ramen. The hard boiled egg was disappointingly hard boiled, and it tasted like the marinade consisted of one ingredient: soy sauce. I’d heard good things about the chashu, but was slightly disappointed to find that it wasn’t particularly fatty. The chashu had browned edges, and was slightly sweet and carmelized. It reminded me more of the kind of chashu you’d find in Chinese cooking (which does tend to have a harder texture and a sweeter taste) than in Japanese ramen.
Overall, I found Ajisen Ramen to be “good enough.” If you’re a hardcore ramen fanatic, looking for that genuine Japanese Ramen, you might want to keep looking. But if you’re new to ramenyas, or you want to try a lighter tasting ramen, you should give Ajisen a try.

写大意·新概念的书里面有教怎样写摘要的。新概念英语二