Community Chat

[Oznell]

Tomorrow, January 4, is the anniversary of the seismic novel "Wuthering Heights" arriving at English publishers, T.C. Newby.

Can you imagine the shock this brilliant manuscript must have produced there, in 1847?  This piece of writing, by a literary nobody, an almost-recluse in a tiny parish on the Yorkshire moors.

I always wonder-- what kind of genetic bomb went off in the family of an obscure English/Irish clergyman, Patrick Bronte (nee "Brunty"), to produce Charlotte and Emily.  Even Anne was a very skilled novelist, although not approaching the unmistakable genius of her sisters.  And their poor, doomed brother, Branwell-- had he not succumbed to alcoholism, laudanum and opiate addiction, how would his talents have manifested?  He was apparently superbly gifted as well, in poetry, translation and painting.

The Brontes as a real life family, are at LEAST as compelling as their works of fiction!

Here's a wee bit about Emily and her sisters' route to publishing their works.  Of course, they went under the pseudonyms "Ellis, Acton and Currer Bell":

http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/novel_19c/wuthering/charlotte.html

[Plaid Pants2]

Eh, I wasn't impressed by it.

I liked "Animal Farm", and "Fahrenheit 451" better.

[proudlyfromNJ]

---

@Plaid Pants2 wrote:

Eh, I wasn't impressed by it.

I liked "Animal Farm", and "Fahrenheit 451" better.

---

@Plaid Pants2.  I wasn't either. Oh well.

[lovescats]

[Catiele]

I so enjoyed reading about the family. The books, the movies just remarkable. Will always read or watch again. Thanks Oznell for reminding me.

[catchersmom]

@Oznellhave to admit that WH didn't capture me until I was older....Heathcliff became almost instantly a fascination and a disappointment.....

truly great literary character however....

must confess though Mr. Darcy still holds my heart 

[Oznell]

I was trying to find something more comprehensive than the link I posted, that would address the revolutionary effect that "Wuthering Heights" had on the English novel, and how massively influential it was, and is--  and yet be brief and punchy enough for those interested to bother pulling it up and reading it!  

This guy at "The Guardian" I think does a pretty good job in a minimum of words:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/dec/16/emily-bronte-wuthering-heights-100-best

[Oznell]

You know, I'm one of those, for good or for ill, who's more of a Charlotte Bronte person than an Emily Bronte person.  "Jane Eyre", "Shirley", "The Professor" are more to my personal taste, if I'm honest. 

Yet I stand back in awe at the sheer talent and will of eccentric, wildly imaginative and ground-breaking Emily.  The convergence of gifts in that little islolated family is quite staggering.

[catchersmom]

@Oznelltalent is truly subjective, but.....when you start to factor in history, what was going on in the world at the time.....then yeah, it makes a difference

[Oznell]

@catchersmom, I so agree! Jane Austen mined pure gold when she created tthat literary and romantic enigma, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy!