C/D: Jane Eyre

Incidentally, my Penguin classic edition has that great drawing of Charlotte in a grey tint.

I thank Penguin for printing a family tree in the front of the book too. I would have gone potty without it.

I got to see Bronte's original handwritten draft while I was in London last month. It was pretty awesome.

Lizlet, as it in the British Library? Pray do tell, young lass.

If you would just try sometimes, Mikey G., to read my mind than I wouldn't have to be more clear. However, though they are fine Elliots all, the ones you listed, the one I meant was The Girl Named George.

My loudest complaint about Jane Eyre is that she fluffs the Bertha plotting, reducing her to an easily-missed shadow, rather than allowing her status as a menacing presence in the wings.

JE is easily my favorite book. I reread it a couple of times a year. I did my senior thesis on Charlotte and, more specifically, her juvenalia. My university has quite a bit of her original, youthful work.

I don't dislike WH but it never has captured me the way JE has. I've tried to reread it a couple of times but usually get bored and quit. I've read all of the Bronte's work and Charlotte is easily my favorite. I think Anne is often overlooked. Tenant of Wildfell Hall is great.

Anyone else visited Haworth?

Jane is marvelous. Dont know why I didnt name my daughter after HER! (Oh -- maybe to spare her some of the heartbreak, and steer her ever-so-gracefully away from men who want impose missionary wifehood upon her.)

The other pilgrimage site is Branwell's smeary painting of the three sisters in the National Gallery in London.

Their father outlived them all, I think.

yes I visited this three times. He painted himself out!

I don't remember a time limit on being in the house. . .

yes, their father outlived them all.

There's a fantastic biography of them by Juliet Barker who later went on to compile their letters into another great read.

Hmm. .. I think I have the beginnings of my summer vacation set out for me. :)

The only exhaustive collection comes from Christine Alexander but they are very hard to find. If you're at a large university or have a good inter-library program you might be able to track them down.

Juliet Barker also put together a small collection for Penguin and there's Penguin volume that combines a few of Charlotte's stories with a few of Austen's juvenalia pieces. These should be fairly easy to find.

Part of my senior thesis was a collection of these stories collected and edited to serve as a middle-school reader - complete with lesson plans. I had no plans to teach middle-school then and find the ironing delicious. I wouldn't attempt to teach my proposed book now.

This whole thread has made me excited. In college I was heading along the lines of going to English grad school and making the Brontes my speciality. But the excitement I got out of finally getting Alexander's volumes in my hands was a bit muted when I realized I was the first person to check them out in about 15 years. In the end I couldn't hang with a career that would only interest an odd scholar or two every other decade or so.

One other Howarth pilgrimage site (and then I'll shut up), the Black Bull. For all the strict religious ferver and harsh Victorian atmosphere, someone had to take solace in drink and drugs. Step forward, Branwell. Unfortunately, you can't toke up your opium pipe in the bar now. It's the law. I think he used to buy it from the apothecary in Howarth (which is also still around).

I can't link pictures, but some photos of Howarth, the moors and NP Gallery picture wouldn't go amiss.

Wide Sargasso Sea is possibly even better.

http://cheshiredave.com/mastication/covers/200310/images/bronte-full.jpg

HOW CLEAR SHE SHINES

by: Emily Brontë (1818-1848)

HOW clear she shines! How quietly
I lie beneath her guardian light;
While heaven and earth are whispering me,
"To morrow, wake, but dream to-night."
Yes, Fancy, come, my Fairy love!
These throbbing temples softly kiss;
And bend my lonely couch above,
And bring me rest, and bring me bliss.

The world is going; dark world, adieu!
Grim world, conceal thee till the day;
The heart thou canst not all subdue
Must still resist, if thou delay!

Thy love I will not, will not share;
Thy hatred only wakes a smile;
Thy griefs may wound--thy wrongs may tear,
But, oh, thy lies shall ne'er beguile!
While gazing on the stars that glow
Above me, in that stormless sea,
I long to hope that all the woe
Creation knows, is held in thee!

And this shall be my dream to-night;
I'll think the heaven of glorious spheres
Is rolling on its course of light
In endless bliss, through endless years;
I'll think, there's not one world above,
Far as these straining eyes can see,
Where Wisdom ever laughed at Love,
Or Virtue crouched to Infamy;

Where, writhing 'neath the strokes of Fate,
The mangled wretch was forced to smile;
To match his patience 'gainst her hate,
His heart rebellious all the while.
Where Pleasure still will lead to wrong,
And helpless Reason warn in vain;
And Truth is weak, and Treachery strong;
And Joy the surest path to Pain;
And Peace, the lethargy of Grief;
And Hope, a phantom of the soul;
And life, a labour, void and brief;
And Death, the despot of the whole!

anyone read Madwoman in the Attic by Gilber and Guber?

I haven't read much of their poetry but then I don't really enjoy poetry too much.

I had a pint (or two) at the Black Bull. :)

Young Jane has a good joke about avoiding hellfire: "I must keep in good health and not die."

Skip ahead to the Rochester-Jane exchanges. "Do you find me handsome, Ms Eyre?" "No, sir."

Saw this tonight. I sheepishly admit to not having read the novel or seen any of the previous versions...Anyway, Michael Fassbender's resemblance to Daniel Day-Lewis was the most distracting lookalike to me since the guy in Tetro who looked so much like Leonardo DiCaprio.

I loved this movie -- the best costume drama since Bright Star and a superb adaptation.

yeah, was surprised at how good and faithful it was

anyone read the professor? i'm three chapters in. the prose is a bit stiff but i'm hoping it'll pick up

the only other C. Bronte novel I've read is Villette. I couldn't stand the heroine.

supposedly the one i'm reading is pretty similar to that one, but wasn't picked up by any publishers and was only published posthumously