Anne's novel was short and in my own opinion not that interesting, compared with Charlotte's or Emily's work. Emily's novel got some good critical attention but did not sell well and was also criticised for its violence and amoral characters.
Anne was working on her second novel, Tenant of Wildfell hall.. which was largely written as a warning against drink and debauchery. It was very popular but many were shocked by the subject matter. It is the story of a young girl who marries a rake believing that she can improve him.. and she finds that he becomes a drunkard, has mistresses and begins to teach their son to drink as well. Helen, the wife leaves her husband.. and Anne Bronte makes it clear that she thinks she was right to walk out on him. Eventually she does return to look after him when he is dying and then she makes a second marriage to a young respectable gentleman farmer, Gilbert Markham.... Anne's depiction of the husband's drunken ways, and Helen's leaving him roused a lot of criticism. Charlotte felt that her sister was wrong to choose such depressing and sordid subject matter but believed that Anne had done it with the best of intentions, in order to show that rakes don't usually reform and to portray the evils of drink.. based loosely on the problems suffered by Branwell Bronte....
No comments:
Post a Comment