The Life of Charlotte Brontë

by Elizabeth Gaskell

The author of Jayne Eyreis brought to life by her friend and fellow novelist in "one of the most remarkable literary biographies in English prose" (The Guardian).

One of the Guardian's 100 best nonfiction books of all time

First published in 1857, The Life of Charlotte Bront� presents an intimate portrait of the celebrated author through the eyes of Elizabeth Gaskell, a personal friend of Bront�'s and fellow trailblazer of Victorian-era literature. Drawing from hundreds of Bront�'s letters, Gaskell illuminates what she described as a "wild, sad life and the beautiful character that grew out of it."

Beginning with Bront�'s lonely childhood as a student at the Clergy Daughter's School in Lancashire, Gaskell chronicles her subject's development as a writer and first publications under the pseudonym Currer Bell, her relationship with her sisters and reluctant literary stardom, and finally her marriage at age thirty-eight and early death less than a year later.

Genres: Biography, Classics, Nonfiction, History, Victorian, 19th Century, Biography Memoir

435 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1857

About the author

Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, née Stevenson (29 September 1810 – 12 November 1865), often referred to simply as Mrs. Gaskell, was an English novelist and short story writer during the Victorian era. Her novels offer a detailed portrait of the lives of many strata of society, including the very poor, and as such are of interest to social historians as well as lovers of literature.

AKA:
Елізабет Гаскелл (Ukrainian)

Reviews

[Sawsan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlotte Bronte one of my favorite authors of classics, i think she's a fascinating person,her writings were emotional and honest reflecting life and people at that time, focusing on moral values and responsibility.
i read about her life before but i enjoyed reading this book too
this book is written by her friend Elizabeth Gaskell who used Charlotte's letters to her friends to write this biography,the letters showed some aspects of Charlotte's feelings and personality.
Charlotte Bronte lived a hard life, lost her mother and two older sisters while she was a little girl, she became like a mother to her younger sisters, and worked as a governess for almost two years.
the three sisters -Charlotte, Emily, Anne- were talented in writing, they first published their works under pseudonym, and after the success of their novels they revealed their true identities.
she was heartbroken and emotionally disturbed after the death of her brother and sisters Emily and Anne within eight months, but continued writing and published two novels, she married 1854 and died while she was pregnant 1855
the first novel she wrote was published after her death

[Magrat Ajostiernos · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://cronicasdemagrat.com/2016/11/...

Este libro me ha impresionado mucho más de lo que parecía posible

[Duane Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A biography of Charlotte Bronte written by one of her contemporaries and as biographies go it's very good. If you are interested in or are a student of Charlotte Bronte this is a must read. It's probably more subjective than one would like a biography to be, but it's obvious Gaskell liked Charlotte and wanted to show her in the best possiible light. But this is a very detailed work, full of interesting information about Charlotte and the entire Bronte family. And the fact that Gaskell is a very accomplished writer and novelist adds a style that you don't normally find in a biography.

[Lectora Empedernida · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 🌟

Me ha gustado mucho esta biografía de Charlotte Brontë, escrita por su amiga Elizabeth Gaskell. Cierto es que omite deliberadamente algunos temas y selecciona aquello que le interesa mostrar para dejar en el lector la mejor idea posible de Charlotte, pero aun así, y como dicen en la excelente introducción de esta edición de Alba: "Es imposible negar la veracidad general de su exposición".

Te puedes hacer perfectamente una idea de la vida y el carácter de Charlotte, y a día de hoy, que ya hay mucho publicado, se puede complementar para acceder a aquello que se oculta en esta biografía (también hay que entender la situación de Gaskell: fue el padre de Charlotte el que le solicita esta biografía, siendo admiradora de su amiga la protege cuando lo considera oportuno y además, menciona a personas aún vivas en ese momento por lo que tenía que tener cuidado, no tuvo que ser fácil y no lo fue, ya que recibió bastantes críticas, incluso amenazas de demanda y tuvo que editar y modificar partes). Pero como digo, creo que sí está genial en cuanto a que nos da una idea bastante cercana de Charlotte, accedemos a su persona a través de muchas cartas, muchas declaraciones de sus conocidos, vivencias, etc. La recomiendo muchísimo y además, Gaskell con su pluma, nos presenta todo de forma amena y atrayente.

Me ha encantado la experiencia, el conocer a Charlotte, su inteligencia y potencial, su contexto, su trágica vida (así como las de sus hermanas), su sufrimiento, su soledad, su anhelo de compañía, sus pequeñas alegrías, su perfil de escritora, la creación de sus obras y su relación con el mundo literario... Destaco que en esta edición accedemos a la primera biografía que fue publicada por Gaskell, es decir, a la primera que salió antes de ser modificada debido a las críticas.

Algo que no me ha gustado es que hay ciertas cartas y materiales en francés que no han sido traducidos, por lo que en mi caso que no manejo ese idioma, no he podido entenderlas.

[J.A. Ironside · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like Elizabeth Gaskell's work. She tells engaging stories and that is exactly what she has done here. Originally requested by Charlotte's father to write a biography of Charlotte's life. Patrick Bronte together with Charlotte's widowed husband, Arthur Bell Nicholls, wisely realised that if they did not select someone to write about Charlotte's life, then someone who was not their choice would certainly do so. Unfortunately, while Gaskell seemed the most suitable choice for a fair, unbiased account, they would have been better to have chosen one of Charlotte's many other female writer friends. Gaskell certainly does not allow the truth to get in the way of a good story. She certainly did do a fair amount of research, although she was happy to pass over various sources who had a better claim of intimacy with Charlotte than she herself did. Gaskell did visit Haworth during Charlotte's life and Charlotte visited Gaskell in London (where, it is to be noted, she was extremely uncomfortable and taken to gatherings where she would be considered an oddity with a curious lack of sensitivity in her host!) however the 'friendship' between them was not nearly so close as Gaskell intimates.

She also compounds the issue by giving an unequal and selective portrait of the rest of the Bronte family which does a great disservice to Patrick, Branwell and even Emily. Patrick wrote to Gaskell on several occasions to politely request that she clear up and amend certain inaccuracies; Gaskell never replied to any of these letters and went abroad just as the biography was published. In the end Patrick dropped the matter, preferring to let his daughter's memory rest.

Part of the problem with writing a biography of the Brontes, is that they wrote such strong and enduring characters that they frequently became confused with their creations. This biography gives a flavour of the times and certainly tells us a lot about Elizabeth Gaskell but get your Bronte facts elsewhere. Julet Barker's The Brontes is excellent.

[Katie Lumsden · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly brilliant, moving and engaging read - more letters and commentary than a biography at times, but well worth a read.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some brilliant Brontë biographies out there. This is not one of them.

Fabulous - though intrinsically unengaging – propaganda. Gaskell almost single-handedly gave breath to the Brontë myth, depicting Charlotte as a suffering saint, establishing the opinion that the works of Emily and Anne were negligible and implying Patrick Brontë was a family tyrant – among other static images. As a dedicated Brontë fanatic, I would be lying if I said my blood did not boil as I attempted this one.

Ulterior motives aside, this is not so much a biography as a rather dull curation of Charlotte’s correspondence. Fragmented letters and juvenilia are strung together with Gaskell’s dry guiding voice making this one an exceptionally slow read with little to offer seasoned Brontë fans.

I entirely understand and appreciate the historical value of this literary biography, but my god is it a slog.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

After I read that wretched book by Gelsely Kirkland, I was refreshed and encouraged to read a biography of Charlotte Bronte. I recently read "Cranford", and Elizabeth Gaskell became of interest to me. In searching other books that she had written, I found that she had known and been a friend of Charlotte Bronte's, and was asked by Charlotte's father to write a biography of her after her death. Hence the beginning of reading "The Life of Charlotte Bronte".

It is a very worthwhile book, based largely on the lovely letters written by Charlotte herself over the course of her lifetime to friends, publishers, and acquaintances. Oh what enjoyment to read letters that expressed such real and genuine depth of understanding about literature, art, character, and the place of Christians in a fallen world! (I am thinking here of the comparison of Charlotte's letters to so many blogs that are tepid, shallow, and so flabby in their language and intellectual structure! Whipped out in a "fast food" world of seconds and minutes contrasted with a "slow food" world where her letters took hours or days to write and evidenced long and deep thoughts, carefully considered and mulled over before being put on paper.)

I had always heard of the grim existence and life of the Bronte sisters. Mrs. Gaskell puts real faces to each of the Bronte children, and shows how the difficulties in their lives actually was used probably to mold them into the creative people they became. Six children were born into the home of Patrick Bronte, an Anglican priest and Maria, his wife. Tragically, the father outlived his wife and all six children. The first two daughters, Maria and Elizabeth, died within a month of each other when they were 12 and 11 years old respectively. They had contracted TB at the girls school they had attended for clergymen's daughters. Charlotte became the older sister caring for her younger sisters, her aging father and for her chronically ill brother. Branwell, the only son, died when he was 30, a broken and tragic young man. Seduced by the older wife of his employer, he suffered the loss of his job because of her, then was rejected by her and became an alcoholic and opium addict. Less then 3 months after Branwell died, younger sister Emily died from TB and grief at the age of 29. Less than a year later, youngest sister Anne also died, probably of TB, at the age of 27. Charlotte was left alone to take care of her aging father in his parish in Yorkshire.

While the environs in Haworth, Yorkshire were indeed severe and difficult, and the family situation filled with great trial and sorrow... I would not describe any of the Bronte's as grim. Charlotte was a deeply devoted Christian, who understood that much of our lot in life on earth involves suffering. Her father being an Anglican priest, she knew from her teaching in the church and from the Bible the truth of the fallen world we live in, and that truth enabled her to live with courage in very difficult circumstances. While she struggled with discouragement, poor health, and grief for long periods of time, she never despaired or projected any sentiment that would have reflected poorly on Christ who is her Lord. She loved her family, loved her father, and with her sisters banded together to write poetry and books suitable for publications. The perseverance of the three daughters, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne, to get their work published shows amazing tenacity and grit.

After reading "Jane Eyre", Charlotte's most famous book, I was struck by the vast education Charlotte had from the Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, from the book of nature, and from books she read to educate herself. An interesting article to read alongside "Jane Eyre" is at http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/b... . The article is "Specific dates: the link between Jane Eyre, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Bible" and provides a fascinating link between the Bible Charlotte was so familiar with... the Book of Common Prayer used daily in their readings and prayers, and dates in the book of Jane Eyre. Fascinating reading!

She married when she was 39, and died a mere 9 months after her marriage, most likely of severe dehydration from terrible nausea and weakness from her pregnancy. She and the baby died and are buried in Haworth.

[Iza Brekilien · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is particularly interesting to me because it combines two factors : one, Elizabeth Gaskell *and* Charlotte Brontë (two for the price of one) ; two, this is the first biography that a man (Patrick Brontë) asked a woman to write. Apparently, no woman novelist had written a biography before about a woman novelist. It was published in 1857, so 2 years after Charlotte's death.

This is a strange biography : at the very beginning of the book, Elizabeth Gaskell tells us about Yorkshire and its inhabitants and it's really funny ! Because she was well bred and respectable and the people of Yorkshire tended to be... rougher. At least, the one she chose to describe, I'm afraid she was an unreliable narrator, she chose a certain aspect of life in Yorkshire to display.

Then she moves on to the life of Charlotte. She visited people she knew, she wrote to her friends, she gathered information, of course she talked with her father (I'm not sure she really liked him ?) and so we learn about her childhood and that of her famous siblings. But as soon as we reach the stage when Charlotte has made friends and corresponds with them, there are a lot (and I mean a lot) of letters, commented by Elizabeth from her point of view.

Since Charlotte's father was at the origin of this biography, and Elizabeth was a friend of Charlotte, there are certain details that you feel she holds back out of delicacy I guess (and fear of trials), about Branwell of course - he's barely there, but not only. Reputation was important in those days so never lose sight that the biography was subjective. One detail pops to my mind (not written, I learned otherwise) : Elizabeth never let her own daughter read Jane Eyre before she turned 20 ! Charlotte in here is portrayed as a rather depressed, but a very wise and obedient daughter - she lacks the spark that must have existed when you read her books and see her personality shine through. Even if I think that her mental health must have been in cause (but hey, dead mother, dead siblings, sick father, ill health, gloomy winters), not only her physical health as Elizabeth says. But still, you catch a glimpse of that spark here and there. And you know that Charlotte was her father's daughter : he left Ireland at a very young age to make a life for himself, Charlotte, obscure daughter of a Yorkshire clergyman, managed to bring her sisters' books and her own to lasting world wide fame. She must have felt trapped in the monotony of her life as the eldest daughter replacing her mother, literature was a means of escape.

What shocked me was how unsanitary Haworth was, not only because of the weather, the cold, the lack of heating, but also because apparently when it rained, the waters washing the cemetary contaminated the town's water supplies (anyone who has seen pictures of Haworth will understand why, there's a very steep road there) ! No wonder so many people died young in this family and in the surrounding neighbourhood. At one time, there were eight people buried in one day in Haworth !

As a conclusion, I would say that it's a very interesting biography, not only when it comes to Charlotte, but also about Elizabeth herself and the era they were living in and the memory they wanted to leave for posterity. It's worth reading also for Charlotte's letters and the stories you learn, details about her life, how she and Elizabeth Gaskell's daughter held hands when they were together - some things that make her more alive to us, more human.

I don't intend to read this biography only. I heard that Elizabeth's book was making a saint out of Charlotte, now I have Laura El Makki's biography, who I heard was turning Charlotte into a villain, then I have the book written by Peggy Hewitt who worked at the Brontë parsonage. Those two are on my shelves, but I'm mostly looking forward to reading Juliet Barker's books - the ultimate reference, so I heard. Great reads to come !

[Gabril · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Era una signora giovane e minuta, così bassa di statura da sembrare una bambina, vestita interamente di nero e a lutto, impeccabile come una quacchera, bei capelli castani e lisci e occhi acuti e penetranti; dall’espressione si intuiva l’abitudine all’autocontrollo.”

Elizabeth Gaskell conobbe Charlotte Brontë nel 1850, quando ormai era noto che sotto lo pseudonimo di Currer Bell si celava una scrittrice talentuosa e indomita, che nemmeno l’appartata vita da zitella, in un remoto angolo dello Yorkshire, aveva potuto oscurare.

Nel lontano villaggio di Howarth, tra l’impervia brughiera e l’insalubre vicinanza del cimitero locale, la vita delle sorelle Brontë, destinate tutte a morte prematura, scorreva nella fede, nella devozione alla casa e al padre reverendo, nell’applicazione ai lavori donneschi e nella sottomissione al proprio ruolo sociale.

Ma in tutte e tre le sorelle ardeva la fiamma della creazione artistica e il coraggio di applicare il loro talento alla prodezza della scrittura fu ciò che rese intensa e degna di essere vissuta quell’anonima convenzionale esistenza, totalmente immersa nell’humus della società vittoriana.

Fra tutte Charlotte fu la più prolifica (e la più longeva). La sfida di creare un’ eroina atipica come Jane Eyre venne vinta, non solo a favore di lettrici e lettori futuri, ma anche per la cultura letteraria del suo tempo e fece di lei un’antesignana del femminismo.

Nel ricostruire la vita di Charlotte la Gaskell utilizza un vasto apparato di testimonianze epistolari che ci riportano nel vivo delle esperienze, delle emozioni, dei pensieri e dei tormenti della Brontë. La quale, per la maggior parte del tempo isolata e lontana da tutto, manteneva viva la sua relazione col mondo attraverso una fitta rete di conversazioni scritte (500 soltanto all’amica Ellen Nussey).

La biografia, ponderosa e minuziosa, mette a dura prova chi volesse cimentarsi in una lettura accurata e pedissequa. Interessante, certo, perché documentatissima e col valore aggiunto della conoscenza diretta, ma anche snervante, essendo estremamente doviziosa di particolari.

Bisogna aggiungere però che, in linea con la morale vittoriana dell’epoca e data la contemporaneità degli eventi, la Gaskell omette di raccontare alcune liasons dangereuses dell’ardente ma compassata Charlotte: l‘innamoramento per il suo sposatissimo insegnante di francese (le sorelle andarono per un periodo a Bruxelles per apprendere la lingua con l’intenzione di fondare una loro scuola a Howarth) e la relazione, che rimane misteriosa, con il suo editore.

E pensare che a 38 anni Charlotte si sposò con il reverendo Nicholls (che la amava da sempre) e conobbe davvero l’amore. Soltanto per nove mesi però, quando morì per una complicazione della gravidanza e raggiunse così le sue amate sorelle, come lei sepolte tra le zolle della tanto amata brughiera selvaggia.

3.5

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a remarkable discourse this is on the life of Charlotte Bronte, as assembled by her friend, Elizabeth Gaskell. Having been written so soon after her death, this biograph might perhaps lack in the objectivity which a later biography could present, but whatever might be lacking in that quarter is well made up for in spirit and understanding.

Much of Gaskell's approach is to quote from the considerable correspondence of Charlotte herself, which gives this a pointedly personal flavor. We are seeing Charlotte's life as she herself saw it, and while that cannot be all of the truth of a life, it can surely be most of what is significant.

I was struck by how much of what makes Jane Eyre so gripping is torn from actual experience. That Charlotte was subjected to many of the events at school that parallel those at Eyre's beginning is horrible to think and the death of her own sister, Maria, is the event that precipitates her character of Helen. With such a somber beginning to life, she had every right to expect more happiness and comfort in later years, but little of that was forthcoming.

Her determination in completing her novels in the face of some real criticism, is a testament to the strong character she possessed and her belief in God's presence in her life. She accepted herself as a faulted human being and she was welcoming of constructive criticisms that she felt might increase her understanding of her own foibles.

Speaking about stories she read when quite young, she says "...for I read them in childhood, and childhood has a very strong faculty of admiration, but a very weak one of criticism." I found that a poignant observation, for I too have a great love for some literature that came to me young and still impresses my soul although I would be forced to confess that they are inferior to other works which touch me less.

Of course, among the more touching parts of the biography are the deaths of her sisters, Emily and Anne. Our familiarity with them as authors no doubt increases our distress at their deaths, but I was struck at how perfectly her view of death aligns with what we ourselves feel upon the loss of those we love. Speaking of another young acquaintance, Charlotte says, "Wherever I seek for her now in this world, she cannot be found, no more than a flower or a lead which withered twenty years ago. A bereavement of this kind gives one a glimpse of the feeling those must have who have seen all drop around them, friend after friend, and are left to end their pilgrimage alone. But tears are fruitless, and I try not to repine." How hauntingly predictive of her own situation to come, but even in the face of her serious personal losses, she held to the last part of this statement and refrained from sinking into her sorrows.

I could quote at length from the letters she wrote regarding this loss. Having lost a close sister myself, I could feel the impact of all her words and feelings. Of Emily, "not a branch of fern, not a young bilberry leaf, not a fluttering lark or linnet, but reminds me of her." She was as expressive in her letters, as ever she was in her novels. I was delighted to read her own expressed opinion of Jane Austen, a curiosity that I never thought to have satisfied.

There is not a moment of boredom in this book and Mrs. Gaskell exhibits her own great talent of writing and exposition. I am ashamed at not having read all of Charlotte Bronte's writings and am quite anxious in the light of this better understanding of her character to now rectify the omission. I will happily undertake both Shirley and Villette before the year's end. I am also stirred to re-read Jane Eyre and the works of both Emily and Anne.

[Dorothea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not the one book to read about the Brontës, but certainly not to be skipped if one is reading several.

It was completed and published only two years after Charlotte's death, by a personal friend of Charlotte's who was also a friend of her father's and who gained access to many of Charlotte's letters and who traveled to all the places that were important to Charlotte and interviewed people there who knew her.

So, despite the omissions, the softenings, the biases that Mrs. Gaskell wrote along with the truth, her Life of Charlotte Brontë is important, nearly as a primary source. In it are not only long excerpts from many letters (which can, of course, be found elsewhere) but also Mrs. Gaskell's own reports of conversations with Charlotte and clear descriptions of Haworth, the Rue d'Isabelle in Brussels, and other places that were so important to Charlotte's life and writing.

The Life is also very beautifully written. I'm now eager to read Mrs. Gaskell's novels, but I think one pleasure to be expected from them -- her ability to describe a landscape -- is probably greatest in this biography, since the landscapes are real. As I'm not a Victorian reader with boundless patience, I often skip over descriptions of scenery, and I almost did so at the beginning of the Life. That would have been a mistake! This chapter, which carries the reader from the Leeds and Bradford railway, to Keighley station, to the steep hill of Haworth village, leads the reader into the Haworth church, to stand before certain inscriptions to the right of the communion table.

Anyone familiar with the story of the Brontë family will of course know what these are: the grave-markers of a family marked by death. Mrs. Gaskell gives their texts in full. A more powerful, somber, and appropriate beginning to Charlotte Brontë's biography, I can't imagine.

I read the Penguin Classics edition, edited and introduced by Alan Shelston in 1975. He explains that the text given is that of the first edition. The biography was substantially revised for a third edition: some new material was added at that time but two major episodes (that of the Cowan's Bridge school for clergymen's daughters, upon which Charlotte Brontë based Lowood in Jane Eyre, and that of Mrs. Robinson's role in Branwell Brontë's downfall) were revised to be less scandalous. Notes and an appendix give the important additions and changes of the third edition.

Shelston's introduction is a bit more severe on Mrs. Gaskell than I thought justified (although I'm easily swayed by good writers) but I was glad of his argument that she was compelled to write this biography because she perceived Charlotte Brontë as a real-life version of one of her own heroines -- a moral paragon. This was a good thing to keep in mind while reading the Life; it explains not only the major omission of Charlotte's feelings for M. Heger (an omission which can also be explained by readers' sensibilities and the need for approval by Charlotte's still-living father and widower) but also some minor smoothed edges.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of us now know how wrong Gaskell got some things. That being said, if she had not recorded the life of "her dear friend", the Brontës as we know them would not have been propelled to the mythical heights which have fueled their popularity. Gaskell does a good job of weaving Charlotte's life into a fantastical story, but left out major elements -- things that would have been improper or embarrassing to publish, and totally skewed and falsified other things to add to the romance and intrigue of the story. However, she above all wanted to do her friend justice and defend her from the vicious rumors that were circling around the London literary society. Her portrayal of Charlotte was a highly romanticized one that was constructed as an explanation for the "coarse" things that the Brontës wrote about. The biography is very apologetic as Gaskell was trying to explain why sisters were the way they were. Despite all of this, the story is a very good read, and does provide insight into the lives of the family in a very poetical way. Read this and then pick up Juliet Barker's definitive biography "The Brontës" which also explains, in great detail, the strengths and flaws of this, the first, of the Brontë biographies.

[Dafne · Rating 5 out of 5]

La biografia di Charlotte scritta magnificamente dalla sua amica Elizabeth Gaskell (autrice inglese, ahimè, stranamente poco conosciuta in Italia) è un’opera bellissima, commovente e tristissima.
Attraverso una vastissima raccolta di lettere (ai familiari, agli amici, all’editore, ai personaggi della scena letteraria), di aneddoti, episodi e testimonianze raccolte direttamente tra coloro che l’hanno conosciuta, l’autrice ci racconta non solo la vita di Charlotte, ma di tutta la famiglia Brontë; la testarda Emily, la dolce e mite Anne, e il loro amato e sfortunato fratello Branwell, sullo sfondo della canonica di Haworth e della bellissima brughiera dello Yorkshire.
Ne viene fuori un ricco ed interessante ritratto sulla vita di questa magnifica scrittrice e della sua famiglia, sfortunata e appassionata di letteratura. La sua vita costellata dai lutti e dalla salute cagionevole sin dalla tenera età; la morte della madre, l’infanzia solitaria nella canonica, la morte delle sorelle maggiori nell’istituto che lei descriverà nel suo libro più famoso, Jane Eyre, il suo soggiorno a Bruxelles per imparare il francese, il sogno irrealizzato di aprire una scuola con le sue sorelle, l’ansia e la sofferenza causata dall’amato e infelice fratello Branwell, poi la morte, di uno dopo l’altra di suo fratello e delle sue amate sorelle, la preoccupazione per la salute del padre, la sua carriera letteraria e il suo breve matrimonio con il curato Arthur Nicholls.
Ahimè, però, un piccolo neo quest’opera ce l’ha, ed è l’omissione, da parte dell’autrice, dell’amore non corrisposto di Charlotte per il suo professore, sposato e con figli, Monsieur Héger.
Tema, questo dell’amore tra allieva e professore, che sarà presente nella maggior parte dei suoi libri.
Una biografia che mi è piaciuta tantissimo, mi ha permesso di conoscere meglio Charlotte sia come persona sia come scrittrice, la sua vita, il suo carattere, la sua bella e speciale famiglia, che amavo già e adesso adoro ancora di più.

[Lorena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book because Truman Capote recommended it in one of his letters, and so far he's batting 100. It explains so much about this very serious, judgmental, somewhat dour woman and the darkness in her work. My God, she lived across the lane from an overpacked cemetery whose rotting bodies leaked into the town water supply and caused much sickness and death, including many members of her family. I was fascinated to read that she admired the French writer George Sand, who was her temperamental and philosophical opposite, and yet, under the skin, a kindred spirit. On several occasions in the book Gaskell mentions that Charlotte was not fond of Jane Austen for her preciousness, lack of depth, and sheltered life. So interesting! I myself have never been able to get more than 100 pages into Jane Austen without falling into a deep sleep.

Charlotte Bronte was a fascinating woman, who lived in a dark country. She lived without hope. Death was more familiar to her than life. And we are so lucky she wrote it all down.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as a stand-in Gaskell while I was waiting for more of her fiction to arrive at the library. I can see why this biography is still considered one of Gaskell's important works.

First of all, Gaskell makes heavy use of letters to and from Bronte to illustrate Bronte's life and character. This is good biography practice, of course, but it also lets you see just how much more intellectual Bronte had become by the end of her life. Her letters become much more interested in ideas, and much more thoughtful as the book draws to its conclusion. The letters and conversations Gaskell chooses to include give the sense of a character developing through life, even if they are a bit rose-colored.

The book also did much to make me overcome my distaste for the Brontes. Their whole childhoods seem to be made up of Edward Gorey illustrations come to life - a mother who died soon after bearing the 6th of her children, a distant, though accomplished, father, a creepy manse for a home with an aunt for governess, little neighborhood society, two older sisters who die young, and the rapid deaths of Charlotte's remaining brother and two sisters just as their literary productions became recognized. Gaskell clearly loved Charlotte Bronte and thought she was brilliant, but maintains a Victorian insistance that Bronte was Finally Whole when she got married, even better when she got pregnant, despite the miserable illness and death that quickly ensued.

Gaskell-as-author is very present in the book, and since that is something I enjoy in biography & history, I loved her interpolations. The OUP edition I had was made from the 3rd edition that Gaskell put together, which eliminated some of the names and scenes mentioned in earlier editions because people had objected or Gaskell had been threated with libel suits. As usual, Gaskell doesn't shy away from difficult topics - like Bronte's distress with Harriet Martineau's book to do with atheism, or the fact that Bronte didn't see how indelicate Jane Eyre could be, etc. This sounds all fussy - it isn't - it's a firm statement of Bronte's character in the face of what must have been quite a lot of criticism. Because the book is made up mostly of recounted conversations and letters, Bronte's voice shines nearly as clearly as Gaskell's.

I was surprised to like it so well. Good stuff.

[Jo Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Madre mía... Que maravilla. Este libro ha estado casi un año en mis estanterías porque

1) quería leerlo después de terminar de leer la obra de las Brontë
2) me intimidaba un montón pensar que sería un tostón, con datos y historia...

Estaba demasiado equivocada... Ha sido sumergirme en la vida de esas pobres hermanas, conocer como eran, como se sentían, como se querían... Nunca había sentido semejante conexión con ninguna escritora, y puedo deciros que estoy enamorada de las 3: de Emily, Anne y Charlotte.

Ha sido de los libros más duros que he leído este 2019, porque se ve mucho la depresión que sufrió la pobre Charlotte, y también me rompió el alma ver morir a las tres hermanas... Pero sin duda ha sido una de las mejores lecturas de este año, y probablemente una de las mejores que he hecho en mi vida.

No hace falta haber leído a las Brontë... Más bien, creo que te recomendaría empezar con este libro y luego leer todas sus novelas, porque así podrás leer entre líneas y ver reflejado todo aquello que Gaskell te cuenta en esta biografía.

Sin duda, mis autoras favoritas de todos los tiempos.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

2017: DNF at 33%. I had the wrong expectations for this work. This is a collection of letter fragments written by Charlotte Bronte, which Gaskell has curated and contextualized. I was expecting a Gaskell novel about Charlotte Bronte. Gaskell's writing does not shine or entertain in this volume like it does in most of her other works (at least, for me). I may attempt to finish this in the future, now knowing what to expect. I recommend you pick this up if you want to learn about Charlotte Bronte, not if you are a fan of Gaskell's writing. I wanted both, but it turns out the Gaskell part was more important to me at this time.

2020: DNF at 40 pages. This is just so dry! It reads like Gaskell did her best to sound like a serious nonfiction writer rather than herself. I’d much rather put the effort into Barker’s 900 paged Brontë biography, that is more accurate, than this one.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha gustado mucho pero realmente es más bien una recopilación de la correspondencia de Charlotte Brontë, y precisamente por eso hay momentos en que se hace un tanto pesado leer carta tras carta, además de que algunos fragmentos me parecen irrelevantes.

[Manuel Alfonseca · Rating 3 out of 5]

ENGLISH: An interesting biography, based on a direct relationship and many letters from Charlotte Brontë herself, plus a few received by her.

It begins stating the dates of death of the six children of Reverend Brontë. The British custom is curious. When one's age is asked, they sometimes name one year too much. This reminds me of Lizzy Bennet, saying to Lady Catherine de Bourgh: I am not one-and-twenty, by which she means that she is twenty years old.

I have noticed a curious detail in this biography: Gaskell includes a few French composition exercises carried out by Charlotte during her study trip in Brussels.

A very interesting paragraph that expresses very well what our relationship with our closest people should be (in this case, her sister Emily): ...if she be not quite so tractable or open to conviction as I could wish, I must remember perfection is not the lot of humanity; and as long as we can regard those we love, and to whom we are closely allied, with profound and never-shaken esteem, it is a small thing that they should vex us occasionally by what appear to us unreasonable and headstrong notions.

ESPAÑOL: Interesante biografía, basada en una relación directa y en numerosas cartas de la propia Charlotte Brontë, más unas pocas recibidas por ella.

Empieza con las fechas de defunción de los seis hijos del reverendo Brontë. Es curiosa la costumbre británica, cuando se pregunta la edad, de dar a veces un año más de los que se tienen. Me recuerda a Lizzy Bennet, diciéndole a Lady Catherine de Bourgh: I'm not one-and-twenty, con lo que quiere decir que tiene veinte años.

Un detalle curioso de esta biografía es que Gaskell incluye algunos ejercicios de composición francesa realizados por Charlotte durante su viaje de estudios en Bruselas.

Un párrafo muy interesante que expresa muy bien cómo debe ser nuestra relación con las personas más próximas (en este caso, su hermana Emily): ...si ella no es tan tratable o fácil de convencer como yo podría desear, debo recordar que el destino de la humanidad no es la perfección; y mientras podamos considerar con estimación profunda e inquebrantable a quienes amamos, con quienes estamos estrechamente relacionados, no importa que ocasionalmente nos fastidien con lo que nos parece opiniones testarudas y poco razonables.

[Carol, She's so Novel ꧁꧂ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

I should never think about reviews! Once I decide I have Something To Say, it just drags on & on!

I now have recent reads that prove that writing a biography or memoir when the subject or close friends & family are still living is no easy task. Memories differ, things happen that some want to forget. Take by David Niven where he allegedly borrowed other peoples' memories, amalgamated some of his own & for obvious reasons didn't want to admit that his second marriage was deeply unhappy. & the biography of Reg Spiers proves in the internet age that changing names won't give you any privacy.

So I can understand some of the difficulties Mrs Elizabeth Gaskell would have faced when the recently deceased Charlotte's father invited her to write the biography. Charlotte & Elizabeth were friends, but the friendship was relatively recent. It must have been a very delicate act balancing Rev Bronte's feelings & the truth. I guess to good Reverend didn't think there was anything very odd about his ideas on children's nutrition (the young Brontes lived mostly on potatoes, even though there was enough money for better food) because that is in the book! Even with EG's restrained writing Charlotte's father comes across as selfish & a bit of a nutter.

I think EG stands her ground on the subject of Branwell. As delicately as EG writes about him, there is no doubt that Branwell was a favoured & spoilt child. Except for one poem, I have never read any of his written works, but certainly his paintings can most charitably be described as uneven. On the other hand, just take a look of this painting of Charlotte's! Just full of joy.

I would like to read one of the CB biographies that show up in my GR recommendations. Or better still one about all three Bronte sisters. I think they will show a far more passionate & vital woman than comes across in EG's writing. The book comes to life when Charlotte's letters are used – CB is a most eloquent correspondent!

The edition I have is a 1971 by Heron Books. It's well illustrated & has extensive appendices, one of which mentions that EG was given access to some of the Brontes' juvenile writings, but gave them only the most cursory of studies. (in EG's defence they were tiny!)

I'm intending to reread Jane Eyre later in the year & will try another Bronte biography then.

[Marijana☕✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝑨𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒓 𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒆, 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒍𝒚, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒃𝒅𝒖𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅, 𝒊𝒇 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆, 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒚. 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒊𝒏 𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍.”

This book gave me depression.

Proteklih dana sam bila u Havortu, u kući koja se naslanja na groblje i koja još uvek krije mnoge tajne. Dozvolite mi da 175 godina kasnije nastavim da se nerviram što je Emili mesecima odbijala lekove i doktore i što je tek dva sata pre smrti rekla kako je sad spremna da je neko pregleda. Definitivno sam obogatila svoje znanje o stanarima, obnovila gradivo i ponovo propatila zbog njihovih sudbina.

Koliko god obožavala sestre Brontë, dugo sam odbijala da čitam ovu knjigu jer sam videla dosta negativnih komentara. U suštini mislim da je Gaskelova uradila pristojan posao za to vreme i uzevši u obzir da su joj Šarlotin otac i muž naložili da napiše njenu biografiju pre nego što je rastrgnu neki trača gladni lešinari. Ne čudi što je oprezna, čista, što ne podiže prašinu. Ova biografija je pre svega izbor pisama koje je Šarlot slala prijateljicama, poznanicima, ljudima iz književnog sveta. Gaskelova tu i tamo ostavi neki komentar, dodatno pojasni, ali zaista nema kod nje nekih sočnih detalja. Sigurna sam da nije bilo lako skupiti sve i istražiti. Možda sam joj najzahvalnija na ovom otkriću:

𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒃𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅, 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆, 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 “𝑱𝒂𝒏𝒆 𝑬𝒚𝒓𝒆” 𝒊𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝑹𝒐𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓’𝒔 𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒄𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆, 𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚, 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆. 𝑰 𝒅𝒐 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝑴𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆̈’𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒅, 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆, 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉, “𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈; 𝒊𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒅.”

Ipak, nemamo ni ovde neku dublju analizu Šarlotinih misli i emocija, osim činjenice da je u tom trenutku ostala sama sa ocem, zarobljena u večitoj čežnji za preminulim sestrama, koje su je jedine razumele i sa kojima je mogla da razgovara o svemu.

“𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕, 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒐𝒓𝒔 - 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰 𝒈𝒐 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆, 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒎 𝒂 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒚, 𝒔𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑴𝒚 𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑬𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒂 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂 𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒏, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒇 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂 𝒇𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒐𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒕 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒓. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝑨𝒏𝒏𝒆'𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅, 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒍𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒛𝒐𝒏. 𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒍-𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒑𝒐𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒃𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒛𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒚 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅: 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒕, 𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝑰 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒊𝒕, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒎 𝒅𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒐𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝑰 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕, 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔, 𝑰 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒕.”

Patrik Bronte me je prilično zaintrigirao. Počela sam da razmišljam o nekim njegovim potezima, recimo pohvalno mi je što se nije odrekao Branvela (u to vreme bi neko drugi to svakako uradio) i ostao je uz svog sina do poslednjeg dana, uprkos alkoholizmu, opijumu, laudanumu i dugovima. Opet, možda je i njegov način roditeljstva ukanalio svu decu Bronteovih. Pitala sam se i zašto nikad nije terao ćerke da se udaju (to mi je isto nekako logično za to vreme), a onda nam Gaskelova pred kraj kaže kako je oduvek bio protiv brakova, bez dodatnog objašnjenja.

Mogu samo da zaključim da nam Gaskelova ostavlja previše prostora da se pitamo i dodatno istražujemo. Upućuje nas na određene ljude i recenzije Šarlotinih romana, ali sve moramo sami dalje da preuzmemo. Drago mi je što sam iskopala i pročitala jednu recenziju “Jane Eyre” koja nije mogla bolje da opiše sentiment koji osećam prema toj knjizi:

𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔, 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒅, 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕; 𝑰𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍; 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒏 𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒉𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒈𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒔𝒖𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉-𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒕: 𝒔𝒖𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒂 𝒅𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒇𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒔!

Elizabet Gaskel nam takođe nije otkrila istinu Šarlotinog odnosa sa belgijskim profesorom, umesto toga nam daje neko nebitno pisamce i to na francuskom koje se engleski izdavači nikad ne potrude da prevedu, bien sûr. O Šarlotinom braku isto nema dovoljno informacija. Koliko god Gaskelova trubila o njenoj velikoj sreći tih poslednjih meseci, i dalje sam ubeđena da se udala zato što se umorila i da nije bilo onoga što je napisala u mladosti, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆 𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒊𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒊𝒎. Doduše, živela bi duže da se nije udavala.

Kraj mi je takođe bio razočaravajuć. Kada smo se suočavali sa smrću Emili i En, imali smo Šarlot, koja je ostala da pati za njima i da im odaje poštu, da u svojim pismima iskazuje tugu. Gaskelova brzinski privodi biografiju kraju i nema nekih većih emocija, kao ni dodatnih informacija o poslednjim trenucima Šarlot Bronte. Zašto njen muž, gosn Nikols, nije mogao da da neku izjavu, da napiše par redaka Gaskelovoj i da ova to uvrsti u knjigu?
Opet se pitam i overthink-ujem, tako da ću definitivno istražiti još Šarlotinih biografija, ovo je bilo samo zagrevanje.

Konačna ocena je slika mog emotivnog stanja za koje su pre svega zaslužna pisma drugarice Šarlot💜, a i prijalo mi je da upadam u wikiholes i da dodatno istražujem.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth Gaskell y Charlotte Brontë eran amigas. Al morir Charlotte, la Gaskell emprendió una ardua labor de documentación, investigación sobre el terreno y lectura de cartas y testimonios de quien conoció a la autora de “Jane Eyre”, “Villette” o “Shirley” en vida con el fin de escribir esta biografía. Algunos dicen que la encargó el padre de la autora, otros dicen que fue por iniciativa propia y luego revisada por los familiares que quedaban vivos: Patrick Brontë y el viudo de Charlotte. Lo que queda claro es que bien por la censura de estos dos hombres, bien por la amistad de Gaskell con ella (y son meras conjeturas), esta biografía no debe, bajo ningún concepto, entenderse como rigurosa. A pesar de la extensa colección de cartas y testimonios que aporta Gaskell, lo cierto es que el amor por Charlotte Brontë hace que este recuento de su vida esté un poco manipulado, aun con buena intención: hay hechos que no son ciertos y partes que faltan. Eso no quita que este libro sea una joya por diversos motivos.

En primer lugar es un claro homenaje no ya a una autora excepcional, sino de una amiga a una amiga, y además contiene todo el cariño de otras amigas hacia Brontë (en las cartas queda comprobado). En segundo lugar sigue siendo un buen punto de partida para quienes quieran conocer un poco más a la autora de “Jane Eyre”, su familia, su entorno y el contexto de que se sirvió para crear sus obras: constantes momentos de este libro hacen referencia directa a obras diversas de Brontë, e incluso dan pie a recordar las obras de sus hermanas, como por ejemplo remarcando el amor de Emily por los páramos entre los que creció (escenario de “Cumbres Borrascosas”). Finalmente, Gaskell realiza un excelente retrato sociocultural del condado de Yorkshire, de sus gentes, sus costumbres, sus creencias y sus supersticiones. Parece que lo que intenta es que comprendamos la situación de los Brontë en aquel rincón de Inglaterra, pero en ocasiones se va por las ramas, en mi opinion, y realiza un cuaderno viajero de aquellos que se escribían en el siglo XIX y principios del XX: Gaskell explora Yorkshire o Bruselas como quien exploraba Egipto y las pirámides por primera vez.

Dicho todo esto, como libro es altamente disfrutable, el estilo narrativo de Gaskell es, una vez más, impresionante y es la puerta de entrada a que el gran público conozca a tres hermanas y un hermano irrepetibles que, en una sola familia, reunieron el talento más grande de la historia de la literatura. Aunque, por circunstancias vitales, unas pudieran desarrollar ese talento a pesar de sus restricciones y el otro, con toda la libertad de que podía disponer, lo tiró todo por la borda. Imprescindible.

[Hermien · Rating 5 out of 5]

I especially liked the historical feel of the biography and Elizabeth Gaskell's perspective as a close friend of Charlotte's.

[m. · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting little book... unlike my goodreads peers, i enjoyed the style and formatting of it: where the bulk of it is mainly extracts of brontë's letters, and gaskell serves as a contextualizer of such words. i find that more compelling than simply picking up a collection of letters, and it was moving to be able to hear brontë's own voice in regards to the events of her life.

however, this book was so boring at times. to quote the woman herself: nothing happens to me. the few interesting moments of her life (her relationship with her family, the situation at cowan bridge, her writing process and inspirations) are dulled by gaskell's choice of subject, such as endless letters containing brontë's literaty reviews and opinions. also there was a lot of name dropping in this. like, i do not give a fuck about thackeray!! stop talking about him!!!!!

this is definitely not the book to pick up if you want an honest, thorough biography. but it is kind of fun to read sometimes, especially with jay's notes, which reek with disdain for gaskell.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

"laughed at occasionally by a few, but always to her face"


This is my second Gaskell, after her novel North and South. Though now rather infamous for its omissions, this biography remains very worthwhile reading for Bronteites, if only because a great part of it is comprised of quotes from Charlotte's own letters; so it feels, in part, somewhat like a fifth book written by herself.

It is neat to see in one of Charlotte's 1851 letters what I suspect is an earlier version of her iconic line "Happiness is not a potato": "Tell [name redacted] I will try to cultivate good spirits, as assiduously as she cultivates her geraniums."

I had previously read elsewhere that Harriet Beecher Stowe once claimed to have made contact with Charlotte's ghost in a seance. Thus, I was tickled to read that Charlotte was herself curious about mesmerism (on one occasion she strongarmed Harriet Martineau into "mesmerizing" her), and, moreover, she reciprocated Stowe's interest in herself: "it evidently harmonised well with some theory of hers to hear that the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin was small and slight."

Also interesting: It is well known that the character Paul Emanuel in Villette is based on Constantin Heger, but did you know that the scene wherein Paul eagerly seeks Lucy's feedback after a public oration may have been based on an incident in which W.M. Thackeray (!) solicited Charlotte's opinion on a lecture he gave (in 1851, concurrent to her writing of Villette)?

Even more intriguing to me is the correspondence between Charlotte and G.H. Lewes, which began when he wrote a fan letter about Jane Eyre to the pseudonymous Currer Bell in late 1847. From the moment that Bronte's publisher sent him a comp copy, Lewes was proactively supportive of the unknown author and took the initiative to get a favorable review of Jane Eyre placed in Frazer's Magazine. The two had amicable debates in their letters about the respective roles of realistic observation and romantic imagination in fiction (Lewes favored realism; Bronte partially acquiesced but was reluctant to exclude romantic imagination altogether). Lewes later wounded Bronte by putting too much emphasis on her femaleness in a review of Shirley (he perhaps thought he was doing a service to women's rights advocates by writing a review with this slant, one that ran under the heading "Mental Equality of the Sexes?"). Still, their friendship more or less survived. They finally met in person in 1850, at which time Bronte was struck by that fact that Lewes's "eyes, features, nose, somewhat prominent mouth, forehead, even at moments the expression" reminded her of her dead sister Emily (!), such that she proclaimed, "Whatever Lewes says, I believe I cannot hate him." This was about a year before Lewes met his future common-law wife of 25 years, George Eliot, and it's interesting to speculate about parallels between his enthusiasm for getting to know first this genius woman author and then the other.

[Benjamin Stahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolutely brilliant biography, and understandably a quite ground-breaking one for its time. I was hardly a fan of Gaskell before reading this, having only read The Moorland Cottage, of which I remember nothing but the indicatively boring title. Nor, in all honesty, can I say I'm a major fan of Charlotte Bronte's books themselves, having liked but not loved Jane Eyre and enjoyed The Professor perhaps just a little more (mostly for its unique Belgian setting).

But there's something about Charlotte the woman, along with her talented and tragically short-lived sisters, I just find so fascinating. I also read another biography of C.B. back in 2018 called A Fiery Heat by Claire Harman, which was another five-star book and high on my recommendation list for any fans of classic Gothic fiction, or nineteenth century British literature.

Initially, in choosing this book, I did so with a mild resignation that I would probably be reading much of the same stuff again. I just decided I was fine with that since it was a few years ago that I read the other book, and I really enjoyed it. But the two are actually very different, and both merit full marks in their own way.

Gaskell does a remarkable job in bringing Charlotte and her confined little world to life. It is written with true love and devotion, all infused with a moving level of piety in that simple and submissive Christian sense that, to those who do not share the faith, must appear quite confounding at times. I am not ashamed, nor am I exaggerating or employing a cliched phrase, to say I truly fell in love with Charlotte reading this book. I mean, I literally developed quite an abstract crush on her, real-life Jane Eyre that she truly was. And I struggled not to tear up reading about her untimely and so undeserved death in the midst of her more-than-earned domestic happiness. That she died so horribly in her early pregnancy, and that not even her child survived as a result of her final sacrifice, is utterly heart-wrenching and hard to emotionally reconcile with.

This is, without reservation, one of the best books I have read this year. Indeed, it is one of the best books I have read, period.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's amazing to be able to read a biography of Charlotte Bronte written by someone who knew her. Ms Gaskell used her skill developed as a novelist in presenting events, and in some places she was so strongly indignant on the Brontes' behalf--the Lowood school, Branwell's relationship with his employer's wife--that she had to make modifications in the third edition. (This version has all the third edition changes highlighted in the notes so the reader can compare for themselves) She made extensive use of Charlotte's letters, and there are interesting excerpts about writing and literature.

“You warn me to beware of melodrama, and you exhort me to adhere to the real. When I first began to write, so impressed was I with the truth of the principles you advocate, that I determined to take Nature and Truth as my sole guides, and to follow in their very footprints. I restrained imagination, eschewed romance, repressed excitement; over-bright coloring, too, I avoided, and sought to produce something which should be soft, grave and true.

My work (a tale in one volume) being completed, I offered it to a publisher. He said it was original, faithful to nature, but he did not feel warranted in accepting it; such a work would not sell. I tried six publishers in succession; they all told me it was deficient in “startling incident” and “thrilling excitement”…

Jane Eyre was rather objected to at first, on the same ground, but finally found acceptance.” Charlotte Bronte letter to W. H. Lewes, Nov 6 1847

Ms Gaskell did not have all the information that has since turned up (the Bronte children's Gondal and Agrian writings, Charlotte Bronte's "crush" on her Brussels tutor M. Heger) and she respected the sensibilities of Charlotte's father and husband (including little info on her other marriage proposals, for ex.) so a modern biography would have better information in those areas.

[Ali Nazifpour · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I have read, and definitely the best autobiography. It has all the merits of a great novel, but it is real.

It can be read for many reasons. It can be read by those interested in literature as an account of three great novelists, as the book completely captures its three characters, and it enriches our understanding of the novelists and their novels. It can be read by the historian because it also captures the spirit of its time and its place. It can be read by the scholar of gender studies because it consciously depicts the situation of women and especially women writers at the time of its writing. For all of this it could be a great valuable biography, and it is that. But it's also much much more than that.

It can also be read as a sad, heartbreaking tale of three wonderful sisters, living in a claustrophobic world, dealing with depression and grief, and yet going beyond that world with the power of their imagination. It is for this human tale that this book is a masterpiece. You don't simply know the Bronte family. You LIVE with them. They become your dear ones.

Gaskell writes like a master-writer. Mingling narration and letters and diary excerpts, she uses a simple yet very moving prose that takes you into the heart of the matter and moves you beyond words. It broke my heart many times. I felt physically ill when I read Emily Bronte's death scene. I wept many times. However, it never devolves into sentimental melancholy because what you ultimately take away is Bronte sisters' imagination, pride, and integrity of the character.

To me, to capture humanity and the zeitgesit so perfectly is the aim of the literature. And it can be contributed to nothing but Gaskell's incredible skill and genius as a writer.

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've heard this biography disparaged by others who love Charlotte Brontë, and so I fully intend to read other biographies for the sake of comparison. However, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this account of Ms. Brontë by one of her contemporaries.

ETA a few quotes (from Charlotte's letters) that really resonated with me:

"I have some qualities that make me very miserable, some feelings that you can have no participation in—that few, very few, people in the world can at all understand. I don't pride myself on these peculiarities. I strive to conceal and suppress them as much as I can; but they burst out sometimes, and then those who see the explosion despise me, and I hate myself for days afterwards."

"[T]hings that nobody else cares for, enter into my mind and rankle there like venom. I know these feelings are absurd, and therefore I try to hide them, but they only sting the deeper for concealment."