内容简介
CoketownisdominatedbythefigureofMrThomasGradgrind,schoolheadmasterandmodelofUtilitariansuccess.Feedingbothhispupilsandhisfamilywithfacts,hebansfancyandwonderfromyoungadultminds.AsaconsequencehisobedientdaughterLouisamarriesthelovelessbusinessmanand'bullyofhumanity'MrBounderby,andhissonTomrebelstobecomeembroiledingamblingandrobbery.And,astheirfortunescrosswiththoseoffree-spiritedcircusgirlSissyJupeandvictimisedweaverStephenBlackpool,Gradgrindiseventuallyforcedtorecognisethevalueofthehumanheartinanageofmaterialismandmachinery.ThiseditionofHardTimesisbasedofthetextofthefirstvolumepublicationof1854.KateFlint'sintroductionshedslightonthefrequentlyoverlookedcharacterinterplayinDickens'sgreatcritiqueofVictorianindustrialsociety.