Tag: Brontë Family

Random

What about Anne Brontë? Part 3

Geoff W

As you’ve read in Part 1 and Part 2 of this random mini-series, I had a visceral reaction to Mary Ward’s preface of The Tennant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë.  It has however inspired me to do a bit of research to read up on the life of Anne and her sisters, and to reflect more on Anne’s books and writing than I probably would have without the preface.

Upon digging further I found a pretty solid (and somewhat revealing) biography of Anne based at the University of Pennsylvania Digital Library. And it definitely shed light on a few things.  Living to only 29 years of age, (photo of her grave in Scarborough, North Yorkshire right) Anne was not the ethereal non-entity she has been made out to be throughout history, and she certainly wasn’t as meek or as quiet as her sisters’ would have us readers believe.  She has been ‘left out in the rain’ because her works are so starkly different in comparison to her sisters, however I don’t believe this is solely due to the public or even her publishers – a large portion of this rests upon Charlotte’s shoulders.

Click here to continue reading.

Random

What about Anne Brontë? Part 2

Geoff W
Anne Brontë, by Charlotte Brontë, 1834
Anne Brontë, by Charlotte Brontë, 1834 (Wikipedia)

On Wednesday I wrote about Mary Ward’s introduction to  The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë. And the more I think about it, the more I realize it wasn’t so much an introduction to the novel as it was a critique of Anne in comparison to her sisters. It does talk about the novel briefly, but mostly serves as a diatribe of the weakness of Anne’s literary contributions in comparison to Emily and Charlotte Brontë. IF you’re interested in reading What about Anne Brontë? Part 1, click here.

One of the great things about the Kindle version I am reading is that it is the second printing of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall and it contains a forward by the author. In the forward she, writing as Acton Bell, has quite a bit to say in response to her supporters and detractors. Something else to note is that at publication, aside from Jane Eyre, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall was the most successful of the Brontë’s novels. Without further ado let’s see what Anne has to say:

To represent a bad thing in its least offensive light is, doubtless, the most agreeable course for a writer of fiction to pursue; but is it the most honest, or the safest?  Is it better to reveal the snares and pitfalls of life to the young and thoughtless traveller, or to cover them with branches and flowers?  Oh, reader! if there were less of this delicate concealment of facts—this whispering, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace, there would be less of sin and misery to the young of both sexes who are left to wring their bitter knowledge from experience.

Click here to continue reading.

Random

What about Anne Brontë? Part 1

Geoff W
Portrait of the Brontë sisters – painted by their brother, Branwell. (Found on Google.)

When ever I think of writing a post like this I usually talk myself out of it because I don’t have an English degree or 50 years of reading experience.  However, I realized I am a reader and I share my thoughts on the books I read so why not share my thoughts on the prefaces of the books I read. So keep in mind this is my own internal dialog as I finished reading Agnes Grey and started reading The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Agnes Grey and couldn’t figure out why Anne Brontë’s novels weren’t as talked about as Charlotte’s Jane Eyre or Emily’s Wuthering Heights and then I came across a quote in the preface of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Mary A. Ward that riled me up. See for yourself:
Click here to continue reading.

2012 Challenges, Books, The Classics Club

Book 108: Agnes Grey – Anne Brontë

Geoff W

A love story to make you smile. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Agnes Grey and although it was somewhat predictable, I felt it was well written and worthy of its place in the Brontë compendium. (Not the right word, someone help me!)

Reading Agnes Grey has even inspired me to follow it up with The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Anne’s second novel. Agnes Grey counts for both my Mount TBR Challenge (13 of 25 – 52%) and The Classics Club (3 of 85 – 4%).

Let’s start with the end. I rarely leave the last line of a novel uncovered because it might hint at something, but this one doesn’t reveal anything and it was so finite that it just made me laugh and truly appreciate the way in which Anne Brontë wrote the novel.

“And now I think I have said sufficient.”

The finiteness of this line is perfect. It doesn’t allow for conversation or for interpretation – it says what it means and closes the novel succinctly. I feel as if I should close all of my email sand blog posts with said line, as it’s so cheeky and yet, somewhat humorously, sufficient.

Click here to continue reading.

2012 Challenges, Books

Book 94: Becoming Jane Eyre – Sheila Kohler

Geoff W

I purchased this novel back in September at the Border’s going out of business sale and I’m glad I did, even if it was a whim purchase that I didn’t need at the time. Although the novel wasn’t what I expected, it was a quick read and served its purpose of tiding me over for a week until I could pick up my Books into Movies book group book (Dashiell Hammett’s The Thin Man) from a friend. This book serves as the third book I’ve read for the Mount TBR 2012 Reading Challenge.

I did have some issues with the novel, but it was very well written (I’d go so far as to say over-written at some points). But looking back, I think part of the problem was my perception, the fact that I enjoyed the idea of the novel itself more-so than the execution and actual novel. I’m thinking back to Becoming Jane, the film starring Anne Hahaway – I haven’t read the novel but will at some point, where I enjoyed the concept of characters and authors merging.

Click here to continue reading.