In Search of Anne Brontë by Nick Holland

Charlotte's wild flashes of temper, the dark moods that often overtook her, were the external symptoms of the grief that had been growing within her since she last the three people she loved most in such quick succession. Anne would see how she suffered and understand why.

Despite being close to her brother and sisters in age, she herself acted like a mother as well as a sister, with all that entails.Ĭharlotte made decisions for them, always doing what she felt was best, however others may judge her actions, but the cost to her was too great. In Search of Anne Brontë: An extract from the bookīrontë Moon - a collage by contemporary artist Amanda White © Amanda White / Dave Zdanowicz“Charlotte, having just turned nine, became the oldest child, and she changed from that moment. As we celebrate Charlotte Brontë's 200th birthday, let's watch the films and TV adaptations, read the amazing books, and toast Charlotte Brontë, the Queen of Yorkshire.”

In another sense, they, with Emily, were sisters like no other, conjuring magic from their own imaginations. Thankfully, today it is being reclaimed as the masterpiece that it is, but just why did Charlotte Brontë prevent its republication? Was she jealous of its success, scandalised by its feminist doctrine, or horrified of its thinly veiled depiction of her alcoholic brother Branwell? The truth is that it was probably all three.Ĭharlotte and Anne Brontë were sisters like any other, full of sibling rivalry, and yet they did undoubtedly love each other. While researching my biography of Anne Brontë I learned a lot about Charlotte as well, and the complex relationship between the two sisters is at the heart of my book.Īnne Brontë, What you Please (1840) © Courtesy Brontë SocietyAfraid to fall foul of their star writer, the novel was suppressed, and wouldn't see the light of day again until ten years after Anne's death, by which time it had been largely forgotten. This had a major impact on Charlotte Brontë's life and character, and while it meant that she suffered from depression throughout her life, it also led to the works of genius such as 'Jane Eyre' that the world has come to know and love. Just as tragically, Charlotte was to witness her brother Branwell and Emily and Anne die within an eight-month period in 18. Tragedy arrived in triplicate for the Brontës, with the death of Charlotte's mother in 1821 being followed by the deaths of her eldest and beloved sisters Maria and Elizabeth in 1825. It may sound like a shockingly young exit to us, but in that time Charlotte outlived all five of her siblings, including her fellow literary greats Anne and Emily Brontë. The Brontë Sisters (left to right: Anne, Emily and Charlotte), also known as the pillar portrait, by Branwell Brontë (circa 1835) © National Portrait Gallery, London“Charlotte Brontë was born on the 21st of April 1816, and died during pregnancy on March 31st 1855.

In Search of Anne Brontë by Nick Holland