This year, April 21 marks the 200th anniversary of Charlotte Bronte’s birth.
To celebrate, there’s much ado going on across the pond in the tiny village of Haworth in England where Charlotte and her family lived much of their lives until their respective deaths. Here, though, we can celebrate with books.
So, as a Bronte fan, I’m recommending the following books for April:
After Charlotte’s death in 1855, her father the Rev. Patrick Bronte sought out the help of Mrs. Elizabeth Gaskell, herself a noted author of the age and one who had befriended Charlotte after the publication and success of Jane Eyre in 1847. The two exchanged letters and visited each other at their respective homes. The Rev. Bronte asked specifically that Mrs. Gaskell write the official life of his daughter, which Gaskell did. Hers was the first biography of Charlotte Bronte, and it created some controversy as a result of Gaskell’s treatment of the Rev. Bronte, his purported treatment of his children, and Gaskell’s representation of Haworth. Some claimed that Mrs. Gaskell took liberties in order to present Charlotte in a more favorable light, given that some had taken offense to her writings. The Life of Charlotte Bronte, however, does offer a fascinating look at Charlotte as Mrs. Gaskell was able to track down many who knew Charlotte and she uses Charlotte’s correspondence with friends and with many of the day’s literary luminaries to paint a picture of the solitary writer from Yorkshire. For any reader seeking to learn more about Charlotte Bronte, Mrs. Gaskell’s biography remains the go-to book from which to start.
Harman. Released in time for the 200th celebration of Charlotte’s birth, Harman’s biography is the latest in a long-line of Bronte biographies. It’s a recent introduction to our library lineup, and so taken in light of Mrs. Gaskell’s earlier work, it, too, can provide a solid introduction to the life of one of England’s and the world’s most enduring writers.
Both The Life of Charlotte Bronte and Charlotte Bronte: A Fiery Heart, as well as other Bronte biographies, are available from the Lafourche Parish Public Library.