So you’ve probably heard about the new Wuthering Heights movie, but did you know about the Brontë sisters? Emily, Charlotte and Anne Brontë were three authors and sisters who wrote classic stories – including the original Wuthering Heights. The sisters are often seen as trailblazers, defying gender stereotypes by writing such worldly, emotional and successful stories of independence and passion in the 1800s – even though they sometimes even had to publish those using men’s names! All in all, they’re pretty cool. Time to find out about their most famous stories – you might be surprised how many you’ve heard of! Ready to impress your friends?
Wuthering Heights
Wuthering Heights has just been released in cinemas starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, but did you know it’s originally a book that’s nearly 180 years old?! This story was written by Emily Brontë, who had to publish it under the male name Ellis Bell to have her book accepted at the time – what a joke! The book tells the story of the fictional Catherine Earnshaw and the orphan Heathcliffe, who fall dramatically in love, but are challenged by class and family struggles. The story is a tragic love story, steeped in passion and revenge. Clearly, it’s good enough to stand the test of time as not only is it now in cinemas, but it’s been in print ever since its release in 1847, making it one of the most popular books of the last century! Not bad Emily, not bad…
Jane Eyre
You’ll have likely have heard of Jane Eyre, another iconic story that has been told for decades and even made into movies. The story of Jane Eyre, written by Charlotte Brontë (again under a pen name of Currer Bell), tells the tale of a young orphan Jane, who faces extreme hardship in her life, including cruel treatment from her aunt who brought her up, a death of a friend and her heartbreak over her true love Rochester who marries someone else. That said, she’s a bit of an independent icon, and through her courage and resilience she bounces back and gets through it all to a good end. Many say Jane Eyre mirrors some aspects of Charlotte Brontë’s own life – like the horrid conditions at Jane’s school and the death of her sisters through illness.
Agnes Grey
Agnes Grey was written by Anne Brontë in 1847 (the same year as her sister Emily published Wuthering Heights – quite the talented family!). It’s a Victorian book about a young woman (Agnes) who tries to help her family through their difficult financial situation. Along the way she suffers through a lot of grim treatment abuse by horrible rich employees, but eventually makes it through, in love and on the other side of her struggles. It’s very inspiring – especially for young women at the time who would likely be able to relate to Agnes’s unfortunate experiences – go Agnes and Anne!
Shirley
Shirley is the second book published by Charlotte Brontë, released in 1849 (oh, only like 177 years ago!). Charlotte apparently based the lead character Shirley on her sister, Emily (who wrote Wuthering Heights), who died while she was writing it in 1848. Meanwhile, the other protagonist Caroline is meant to depict the nature of her sister Anne (mentioned above), who died just a short time later – how tragic! Shirley is independent, opinionated and engaged in politics, in a way that was fairly unusual at the time for a woman, while Caroline is shy and neglected. The novel is set in Yorkshire during the Napoleonic wars during a countrywide economic struggle – and like all the classic Brontë novels, it’s a passionate tale of friendship, hardship, romantic misunderstandings and ultimately love. Given Charlotte’s grief stricken time, there’s a much needed happy ending!
