The Tenant of Wildfell Hall in Catching up on Classics (and lots more!)

Sep 20, 2020 Anne rated it it was amazing

Shelves: classics, 2020, audio, banned-books, 19th-century, 1001-books, britain

4.5
This novel surprised me. I have been reading a lot of Victorian literature lately and this was quite a departure. Anne Bronte was a brave woman, writing about matters that Victorian society preferred to keep under wraps and by having a heroine, in the end, do a very modern thing, live life by her own rules and not that of the society in which she lived. In many ways, this is a very modern novel. On almost every page Anne Bronte holds a mirror up to Victorian society and in the end, shows that 4.5
This novel surprised me. I have been reading a lot of Victorian literature lately and this was quite a departure. Anne Bronte was a brave woman, writing about matters that Victorian society preferred to keep under wraps and by having a heroine, in the end, do a very modern thing, live life by her own rules and not that of the society in which she lived. In many ways, this is a very modern novel. On almost every page Anne Bronte holds a mirror up to Victorian society and in the end, shows that society her answer to some of the difficulties for women of that period. Once published, Anne Bronte was criticized heavily by critics and by her own sister Charlotte for writing this book (though Charlotte had her own reasons which I won’t go into here).

The novel unfolds in the form of a letter that Gilbert Markham, a neighbour, writes to his friend explaining events in the village. We hear the story through his eyes. Helen, the protagonist, has moved to the neglected Wildfell Hall with her young son Arthur. She uses her mother’s maiden name, Graham. However, she is not accompanied by a man, a catalyst for rumours, despite Helen’s attempts to keep a low profile.

As Gilbert becomes acquainted with Mrs Graham and his friendship with Helen and her son grows they fall in love but must keep their distance due to Helen’s concerns about gossip, much to Gilbert’s consternation. Helen is suddenly forced to flee Wildfell Hall and the novel changes to the voice of Helen as she lends Gilbert her diary of the events in her life which lead her to flee her husband in the first place. These diary entries account for almost all of the remainder of the book.

These diary entries recount her relationship with Arthur Huntington, her husband. I was surprised by the detailed depictions of men behaving badly in the early1800s. Arthur and his friends are alcoholics most of them treat their wives very badly. The drinking and “partying” was so intense that when friends came to visit it was the the Victorian equivalent of a frat party for days or weeks. Helen also submits to emotional abuse (Arthur swearing at her, demeaning her, stealing her possessions, and destroying her art work). Add to that, an affair her husband has with a married friend of Helen’s. The stern and the pious Helen suffered her fate to live with her husband’s debauchery and ill treatment for a long time. Anne Bronte believed in redemption, as did Helen which accounts for her staying as long as she did and for “future interactions” with her husband.

Eventually , Helen leaves her husband partly for her own sake but also to protect her child from growing up like his father who has purposely taught his young son to swear and enjoy wine and hard liquor. Helen’s leaving her husband without his consent (or knowledge) is also a Victorian no no.

Helen is very relieved once she leaves her husband and so was I. The Intensity of her pious suffering was endless and hard to take. Then we get to the final part of the novel in which Gilbert takes over the narration and suffers the lengthy process of waiting to hear of Helen’s whereabouts. Months and years go by. She does not return to Wildfell Hall and he is in torment for a long time before he sets eyes on her again. This occurs at the end of the novel. Acutally, he sets eyes on the mansion in which she lives before he ever sees Helen and his heart sinks and he decides to leave. He is a farmer while Helen is wealthy and of significant social status and he believes there is no hope, given the societal norms of the day. As he is walking away, he rests a moment and Helen pulls up in her carriage. The rest I will leave to your imagination. ...more

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Dec 17, 2018 Katy rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle, classics

A very good classic. I imagine that its depiction of men at the time was not favorably reviewed. But a happily ever after story in the end.

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Dec 19, 2014 Melanti rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, e-book, 1001-books, group-reads, 2015

I've decided that Anne Brontë is my favorite Brontë sister.

I love how all three of the sisters write about such strong women, but Helen is my hands-down favorite of all their main characters.

My eyes did glaze over from time to time during the longer moralizing passages, and you can certainly tell that it was written by a pastor's daughter. But the religious aspect makes the plot even more impressive given the era in which Brontës lived - and even more so when you realize that it was partially ba ...more

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Feb 18, 2021 Teri-K rated it it was ok

Shelves: classic, 1800s

I'll say up front that this isn't a bad book - it's excellently written, but I didn't like reading a lot of it, so I don't think I can give it more stars.

At first it was better than I expected. There was a little humor - unintentional perhaps, but I smiled a few times. ("I respect you - at least, I would respect you, if you would but behave like a sensible man...") And the author's anger came through clearly as she wrote about the differing treatment between men and women.

I found the middle ha I'll say up front that this isn't a bad book - it's excellently written, but I didn't like reading a lot of it, so I don't think I can give it more stars.

At first it was better than I expected. There was a little humor - unintentional perhaps, but I smiled a few times. ("I respect you - at least, I would respect you, if you would but behave like a sensible man...") And the author's anger came through clearly as she wrote about the differing treatment between men and women.

I found the middle hard going. I just don't like reading depressing books about selfish people, and it hurt to see Helen so caught up in that terrible relationship. In fact, all of the relationships were appalling to read about. It hurt even more to know that today these destructive patterns are still played out in many people's lives.

I don't really see that this book has an HEA. Gilbert is better than Arthur, but mostly because he has a more mild temperament. He's a step in the right direction for Helen and her son, but not the equal, respectful partner she craves.

Also, there's the theme of a good woman reforming a rake, which I've never cared for, even in fiction. As a young girl everyone knew I loved to read, and another girl urged me to try some romances, though I mostly read classics and mysteries. She recommended a particular Regency, which I dutifully read. A very young girl fell in love with a much older rake, who showed no redeeming values at all. In the end he married her, and I remember thinking "That's supposed to be a happy ending? She'll be miserable - he'll keep going off with other women, leaving her stuck at home." It was a long time before I tried another book like that. (To set the record straight, I now often read and enjoy romances, but not with men who are real jerks.) I see this "being a good influence" idea enticing Helen into making a bad marriage decision. Unfortunately, it still happens today, I think.

Helen's art was interesting. It gave the reader insight into her personality and also revealed how other people really saw her. I think if you respect someone you will try to learn about and respect what they value. Mostly the men treated her art like they owned it and the women dismissed or saw it as something to compete with.

Overall this book is well written, and not at all like the other books I've read by the Brontes, (which I'm not a fan of), but the subject matter was too dark for me to be able to say I enjoyed it. And I probably wouldn't have finished it if I didn't need it for a big challenge. ...more

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Jun 20, 2020 Lekeshua rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-2020

I’ve enjoyed reading The Tenant it Wildfell Hall not only because it set place during the Victoria Era but it challenged the female position, demeanor, and morals in society. The story opens like any Victorian Era novel but it turned quickly when we met Helen. She keeps high morals but she’s a forward thinker. If I say more, I might unintentionally spoil it. Good read.

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