{ [ THE BRONTES IN CONTEXT (NEW) (LITERATURE IN CONTEXT) ] } Thorm Hlen, Marianne ( AUTHOR ) Dec-31-2012 Hardcover

Literature in Context

by Marianne Thorm Hlen

Very few families produce one outstanding writer. The Bronte family produced three. The works of Charlotte, Emily and Anne remain immensely popular, and are increasingly being studied in relation to the surroundings and wider context that formed them. The forty-two new essays in this book tell 'the Bronte story' as it has never been told before, drawing on the latest research and the best available scholarship while offering new perspectives on the writings of the sisters. A section on Bronte criticism traces their reception to the present day. The works of the sisters are explored in the context of social, political and cultural developments in early-nineteenth-century Britain, with attention given to religion, education, art, print culture, agriculture, law and medicine. Crammed with information, The Brontes in Context shows how the Brontes' fiction interacts with the spirit of the time, suggesting reasons for its enduring fascination."

Genres: Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published November 30, 2012

Reviews

[Lona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the chapters "Dress" and "Sexuality."

[Edwin John Moorhouse Marr · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable book, offering a deep context to the Brontës' lives. Inevitably, some chapters are considerably better than others, and I found that the more specific the chapter, the more successful the content. The chapter on Dress was surprisingly the one I found most developed, deeply analytical and critically engaging. The chapters on Haworth life were the least successful, probably because of their ubiquitous nature. I found it strange that in one of the chapters Thormählen co-authored, she explicitly states which parts of the chapter she wrote, and which were written by the fellow author. I have never seen this before in academic writing. PS, trivial point, but I hate the cover.

[Petra · Rating 4 out of 5]

First half of the book very interesting, mainly about their life, life in Haworth and about their works, but second half was for some reason boring. Some chapters in second half of the book like about dress was very interesting, but others were not, but I am not sure why.
But I still recommend this book if you want to know something more about Brontes sisters... :)
Emily is still my favorite ;)
P.S Chapter about buildings which served to imagination of sisters and were a models for Wuthering Heights or Rochester´s house was the best chapter :)