Bronte Family: The Sisters of Literature

Table Of Content

• Princess Charlotte makes royal history in line to the throne
• Discover more from Interesting Literature
• The life and times of Britain's royal children
• Who is the forgotten Bronte sister?
• School project and study trip to Brussels
• MORE: Prince William shares 1st update on Kate Middleton since cancer diagnosis
• Anne Brontë’s Works

Patrick Brontė lived on at the Parsonage for a further six years, cared for by his son-in-law, and died there on 7 June 1861, at the age of eighty-four. While Charlotte was still reeling from the shock of Branwell’s death, it became apparent that Emily and Anne were ill. In fact Emily was also dying from tuberculosis, and never left the house again after Branwell’s funeral. Refusing to admit she was ill, she dragged herself out of bed every morning and continued to carry out her share of the household chores. George Smith accepted the book without hesitation, and the novel appeared on 19 October 1847. Wuthering Heights and Agnes Grey had already been accepted by the London publisher, Thomas Cautley Newby, and appeared as a three-volume set in December 1847.

Princess Charlotte makes royal history in line to the throne

With our current medical knowledge so different from that of the Victorian age, we can only guess at the combination of problems that robbed this world of these tormented, talented souls. Gifted with greater interpersonal skills, Charlotte Brontë enjoyed more social success in Belgium; aside from a visit to the parsonage after Aunt Branwell’s death, she continued her studies at the Pensionnat Heger. When she did return to Haworth a few years later, was she attempting to escape a broken heart caused by unrequited love for her teacher? There is evidence to support this conclusion, and her final novel, Villette, is thought to be autobiographical in its portrayal of the relationship between its protagonist and her teacher.

Discover more from Interesting Literature

She republished Wuthering Heights and Agnes Grey in December 1850, with a biographical note clarifying who her sisters, the authors, really were. The characterization of her sisters as the impractical but caring Emily and the self-denying, reclusive, not so original Anne, tended to persist once those impressions became public. Brontë heavily edited her sisters’ work, even while claiming to be advocating truthfulness about them.

The life and times of Britain's royal children

Like Agnes Grey it is significantly shorter than the other Brontë novels; also like Agnes Grey, the novel draws on its author’s own experiences (Charlotte lived in Brussels, the setting for the book, for two years in the early 1840s). Although overshadowed by her sisters, Anne’s novels courageously confronted societal taboos, gave voice to silenced women, addressed women’s need for independence, and explored alcoholism’s destructive effects. Anne’s portrayal of strong female characters and exploration of complex moral issues was more radical than her sisters – and ahead of her time, paving the way for future women writers. Anne, Charlotte and Emily made little attempt to mix with others outside the parsonage, instead finding solace in their shared love for storytelling and imaginative play. In 1826, their father gifted their brother Branwell toy soldiers (the ‘Twelves’), which sparked their creativity. They named the soldiers, developed characters, and built stories of an imaginary African kingdom ‘Angria’ around them.

Sent away to school with dire consequences

Anne’s mother died when Anne was 1, leading her aunt, Elizabeth Branwell, to move into the parsonage to care for the children. Despite showing little affection, Anne was Elizabeth’s favourite and shared a room with her, likely influencing Anne’s personality and religious beliefs. Anne Brontë, the youngest of the six Brontë siblings, was born on 17 January 1820 in Thornton, Yorkshire, and grew up in the parsonage at Haworth parish on the Yorkshire moors. Her mother was Maria Branwell Brontë, and her father, Patrick Brontë, was a poor, Irish, Church of England clergyman. This biography, along with Charlotte’s Biographical Notice of her sisters, have become key sources for interpretations of the family, and have ensured that the story of the Brontės’ lives continues to exert as much fascination as their fiction. Later in the year, Smith, Elder & Co. gained permission from Newby to reprint Wuthering Heights and Agnes Grey.

Set on the Yorkshire moors, the novel chronicles the tumultuous relationship between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, an orphan brought to Wuthering Heights by Catherine’s father. “Wuthering Heights” continues to captivate readers with its deep psychological insight, intense emotions, and the haunting beauty of its setting. Emily Brontë, known for her fiercely independent spirit and her novel “Wuthering Heights,” is not known to have had any romantic relationships during her lifetime. She was deeply private and preferred the company of her family and the solitude of the Yorkshire moors to socializing. Emily also never married and lived at the family home in Haworth until her untimely death at the age of 30. There is no record or mention in biographical accounts of Emily having any romantic relationships, reaffirming her image as a solitary figure in literature.

School project and study trip to Brussels

She took Emily along, but Emily soon became ill, an illness attributed to homesickness. Emily returned to Haworth and the youngest sister, Anne, took her place. The sisters turned domestic constraints into grist for brilliant books.

Socially, they were not; Emily and Anne were unable to thrive in the wider world and could only be happy in the company of their family members. Charlotte’s social skills were greater, but she too kept a small social circle. All three poured their longings, their rage, and their ideas into works that transcended the mores of the Victorian age. Isolated and constrained physically, they broke free and perhaps living even more deeply than many blessed with more years. While their time on this earth was short, their writings have survived the test of time and continue to bring joy and thoughtful consideration to generation after generation of readers. Surely the three would prefer to be remembered that way, as writers who took the straw they were given, using pen and ink to spin it into gold.

Anne Brontë’s Works

A lost library of works by the Brontë sisters was destined for sale. Then Britain rallied. - The Washington Post

A lost library of works by the Brontë sisters was destined for sale. Then Britain rallied..

Posted: Sun, 02 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT [source]

The sisters, however, returned to their favorite childhood pastime, focusing their collective attention on their writing. In 1846, a group project, Poems, was published under the names Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell. During that same year, Charlotte attempted to sell a novel, The Professor, but it was rejected. Success would come for her a year later with the publication of Jane Eyre in 1847; in that same year, Wuthering Heights (Emily Brontë) and Agnes Gray (Anne Brontë) also saw print.

Sisters' lifelong bond continues as teachers at hometown school - Inside UNC Charlotte

Sisters' lifelong bond continues as teachers at hometown school.

Posted: Wed, 23 Oct 2019 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Published in 1848, the novel was disowned by Anne’s own sister, Charlotte, who thought it had been a mistake to publish it. Lucy attracts the attention of several suitors, including a professor and the school’s doctor. The novel’s romantic plot recalls the earlier and more famous Jane Eyre in certain details (Villette was published in 1853).

A once-weekly e-newsletter to inspire your desire to read and live a life filled with books. This iconic novel was actually penned by her elder sister, Charlotte Brontë. “Jane Eyre” is widely celebrated for its progressive exploration of female independence and identity, and it stands as one of the most significant works in the canon of English literature. Emily Brontë, on the other hand, is best known for her equally significant novel, “Wuthering Heights,” a passionate tale of love and revenge set against the bleak backdrop of the Yorkshire moors.

Branwell Brontë died at age thirty-one in September 1848, the official cause of death listed as “chronic bronchitis-marasmus,” a form of tuberculosis (then called consumption). His condition was surely aggravated by alcoholism and addiction to laudanum and opium. In 1855, Charlotte died at the age of thirty-eight, just a month shy of her thirty-ninth birthday, of complications due to pregnancy. Soon, the reading public accepted that the Bells were indeed three separate people; gradually, the sisters’ true identities came to light. “It was said that this was an earlier and ruder attempt of the same pen which had produced ‘Jane Eyre,’” Charlotte wrote, “Unjust and grievous error! We laughed at it at first, but I deeply lament it now.” Newspaper coverage of the books seemed to reinforce the notion that Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell were the same person.

Unlike Emily, she followed all recommended medical advice, and wrote her last poem, A dreadful darkness closes in, reflecting her acceptance of terminal illness. Anne visited Scarborough in May, hoping sea air might aid her recovery, yet her condition worsened and she died on 28 May 1849, aged 29. Undeterred, in July 1846, the Brontë sisters sent manuscripts of their debut novels to various publishers in London. Charlotte’s novel was titled The Professor, Emily’s Wuthering Heights, and Anne’s Agnes Grey. Although Wuthering Heights and Agnes Grey were accepted, it was Charlotte’s second novel, Jane Eyre, that was published first, achieving immediate success.