Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855) was born on April 21, 1816, the third daughter of Rev. Patrick and Maria Brontë, and was followed by Branwell (1817), Emily (1818), and Anne (1820). In 1820, the family moved to Haworth in the west riding of Yorkshire. Soon after, the Brontë children lost their mother to cancer and their two eldest sisters to tuberculosis. Charlotte would survive her younger siblings and out of a life of personal loss and hard struggle, became one of the greatest novelists the world has ever seen.
Painted by Evert A. Duyckinick, based on a drawing by George Richmond [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
The Brontë sisters hoped to leave their positions as governesses and set up their own school. To this end, Charlotte and Emily went to Brussels in 1842 for further instruction in French. There, Charlotte received individual attention from her teacher, Constantin Heger. Charlotte returned to Haworth in 1844 and wrote passionate, yearning letters to her beloved (but married) teacher:
'I will not resign myself to the total loss of my master's friendship - I would rather undergo the greatest bodily pains than have my heart constantly...
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Charlotte Brontë
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| # | Title | Description | Contributor |
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| 1 | The Classical Feminist Tradition (lecture) |
Lecture by Professor Paul H. Fry, part of Open Yale course 'Introduction to Theory of Literature... |
OpenYale |
| 2 | The Victorians: Gender and Sexuality (lecture) |
Free public lecture by Professor Sir Richard Evans FBA. From Gresham College. Available as video... |
Richard Evans |
| # | Title | Description | Contributor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Writers Inspire Great Writing |
Alex Pryce considers how writers are readers, influenced and inspired by the works of other... |
Alex Pryce |
| 2 | Rewriting Jane Eyre: The Avenging 'Angel in the House' in Michael Faber's The Crimson Petal and the White |
Erin Nyborg draws parallels between Michael Faber's 2002 novel The Crimson Petal and the... |
Erin Nyborg |
| # | Essay Title | Description | Contributor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Literature and Victorian Religion |
Most of the high profile female writers of this period were committed Christians. The Broad... |
Julian Thompson |
| 2 | Feminist Approaches to Literature |
This essay offers a very basic introduction to feminist literary theory, and a compendium of... |
Kate O'Connor |
| 3 | Victorian Poetry and Fiction |
The years 1837-1901 in which Queen Victoria reigned were highly influential in the development... |
Charlotte Barrett |
| 4 | Victorian Publishing History |
During the nineteenth century, the population of England grew from 8.9 to 32.5 million. This... |
Charlotte Barrett |
| 5 | Charlotte Brontë: A Wish for Wings |
Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855) was born on April 21, 1816, the third daughter of Rev. Patrick and... |
Erin Nyborg |
| 6 | Anne Brontë: the third sister |
By Erin Nyborg |
Erin Nyborg |
| 7 | Spiritualism, Science and Atavism |
In the Victorian era, Gothic fiction had ceased to be a dominant literary genre. However, the... |
Charlotte Barrett |
| # | Title | Description | Author |
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| 1 | Wuthering Heights |
ebook version of Wuthering Heights |
Brontë, Emily, 1818-1848 |
| 2 | Jane Eyre |
Illustrated by F. H. Townsend |
Charlotte Brontë |
| 3 | Wuthering Heights |
Full text of 'Wuthering Heights' by Emily Brontë.
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Emily Brontë |
| 4 | Woolf on Behn |
Chapter four of Virgina Woolf's critical text 'A Room of One's Own' discusses the influence and... |
Virginia Woolf |
| 5 | Villette |
By Currer Bell (pseud.) In 3 volumes.
|
Charlotte Brontë |
| 6 | Shirley |
by Currer Bell (pseud). In three volumes. |
Charlotte Brontë |
| 7 | Jane Eyre : an autobiography |
By Currer Bell [pseud.] In three volumes ...
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Charlotte Brontë |
| 8 | The professor |
The professor, by Currer Bell [ed. by A.B. Nicholls].
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Charlotte Brontë |
| 9 | Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell. |
By the Brontë sisters (pseudonymously) |
Charlotte Brontë |
| # | Resource Title | Description | Contributor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlotte Brontë |
Painted by Duyckinick, Evert A. Portrait Gallery of Eminent Men and Women in Europe and America... |
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| 1 | Prismatic Jane Eyre |
The website Prismatic Jane Eyre: An Experiment in the Study of Translations is now live at ... |
Matthew Reynolds |
| 2 | A famous novel and its readers: Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre (1847) |
Essay with images and links by Rosalind Crone. Part of the OpenLearn unit 'History of reading:... |
Rosalind Crone |