Anne Brontë Reimagined: A View from the Twenty-first Century

by Adelle Hay

'An important contribution to Brontë studies that reinforces why Anne Brontë is such a significant Victorian writer and why her books remain relevant to contemporary culture.' Claire O'Callaghan

'Sensitive, thoughtful, and enriching shines a vibrant new light on Anne Brontë.' - Dr Sophie Franklin

Anne: the boring Bronte? Or talented author, feminist, pioneer? Anne's writing has often been compared harshly with that of Charlotte and Emily - used as a measure of her sisters' genius. But her literary and personal reputations have changed drastically since she was first published in 1846. `Agnes Grey', with its governess protagonist, was assumed by some to be a first novel by Currer Bell. Reviews were mixed, some critical of `crudeness' and `vulgarity', yet the book sold well during Anne's lifetime. Her second and most famous work, `The Tenant of Wildfell Hall', was groundbreaking in its choice of subject matter: marital abuse (physical and emotional); gender equality; education; alcohol abuse; and its effect on family life; and married women's rights - married women were then viewed as the property of their husband. Anne's reputation changed from coarse and vulgar to strident, moralising, pious, reserved and, eventually, just plain boring. Who, then, was the real Anne, how was her reputation destroyed, and why has she been so overlooked?

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Literary Criticism

248 pages, Paperback

First published January 16, 2020

Reviews

[roos verheijen · Rating 4 out of 5]

[4.5 stars]

Nothing could make me hate Anne Brontë.

[Isabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great biography. Very readable and informative.

[Toni Kely-Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

With a challenge to read more "classics" in 2021 I wanted to find out more about Anne Bronte. "Jane Eyre"by her sister Charlotte is one of my all time favourite books but I have never read Anne Bronte's novels or poetry. She's the forgotten sister - consigned to history as the boring one who didn't have the genius of her sisters Charlotte and Emily.

Adelle Hay has inspired me to read "Agnes Grey" and the "Tenant of Wildfell Hall" and maybe some of Anne's poetry (even though I'm not a poetry fan) because she shows by use of themes (which I found worked really well), rather than narrative form how Anne's values, beliefs, etc. were woven into her novels and why they were considered scandalous at time of publication.

I didn't realise that after Anne's death, Charlotte edited a lot of Anne's work, even rewriting some of her verses in her poetry but maybe she felt she was protecting her sister and did it out of love? It's difficult to speculate Charlotte's reasons but I will make sure I find the original and unedited version of Anne's novels.

[Elaine Graham-Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anne has always been my favourite Bronte, so I was delighted when I found this in a charity shop. In many ways I enjoyed this canter through the reasons why she has been overlooked, and why she shouldn't be. Hay makes a good case for Anne as a brave and thoughtful young woman and has some interesting details on the way that Charlotte, after Anne's death, edited both her poems and her novels, to their detriment. I had no idea I had been reading the bowdlerised version of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall all these years.

Unfortunately though it's not very well structured - the last chapter, Reading like a Bronte, is tacked on without much attempt to make it part of the argument. I kept imagining the publisher's email: 'We need another 2,000 words!' I note that it's part of a series of books on the Brontes and that's possibly the problem - it reads like something written for a commission rather than from authorial inspiration. It's a decent synthesis but if I was setting out to buy a modern biography of Anne, I wouldn't choose this one.

[Jane Fudger · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intereresting book solely relating to the lesser known of the Bronte sisters, Anne. The book focuses on Anne's underestimated life from her own day to current times and how the treatment of her work has changed. Original manuscipts, such as that of her two books, diaries and letters have not survived. What is available is either in museums or privare collections even her "fantasy" work Gondal which she wrote in collaboration with her sister, Emily.
This book concentrates on herlife in connection with her two sisters and the two novels n "Agnes Grey" and "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" both of which were criticised by critics. A sensitively and thoughtful rendition of her life when she was working in the shadows of her two sistersnd how she coped with the criticism incurred The book also explores how the plots of her novels resonate still in the modern age.

[Philip Marsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this timely book, Hay makes a compelling case for Anne Bronte being not only as important a writer as her sisters, but also for her importance as a fore-runner of the feminist movement who was prepared to risk addressing issues around the rights of women, female education and the dominant religious beliefs of the day. Far from the quiet, fragile presence of her reputation, the Anne Bronte who emerges from these pages was forward-thinking and fierce in her commitment to challenging the injustices of society that she saw around her. At last, the literary injustices against her have been thoroughly debunked. Essential reading for anyone interested in the Brontes or the literature of the period.

[Esther O'Neill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rediscovering and recognising Anne, not the timid and under achieving sister, but an independent and outstandingly courageous young woman, who didn't flinch from the truth .
In an early 20th C London publisher's list, Charlotte is credited with almost every Bronte novel, including Agnes Grey and Wuthering Heights.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Accessible and informative and a new insight into the literary Brontë I knew the least about!

[ramlah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*
Anne is always cast as the forgotten sister so it was nice to know more about her. Very much appreciated the Sufjan Stevens reference

[Emma Conally-Barklem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Factual and knowledgeable write which sheds light on the life of Anne Brontë.

[Karen Kohoutek · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent overview and introduction to Anne Bronte's life and work, which addresses the fact that she's often tagged as the boring sister, despite having written the most controversial Bronte novel (The Tenant of Wildfell Hall), and why that novel isn't a departure from her character. It made me want to re-read both that novel and Agnes Grey, even though I definitely don't have the time! I ordered it from the museum at the Haworth Parsonage, which seems like a very cool place and worth supporting.

[Tiffany Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book combines a comprehensive overview of what is known about Anne Bronte, her writing and her life, with a sensitivity all of its own that truly bring Anne to life. I loved the way it was organised: each chapter was dedicated to a particular theme, but the questions being addressed also very much interlinked with each other, and so, if you wanted to, you could read it as a narrative or dip in and out. I also thought the writer discussed the differences and similarities in values around religion, employment, nature etc. in Anne's time and ours with a lot of care and consideration. I loved The Tenant of Wildfell Hall when I read it, but now I can't wait to read it with new eyes.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

#teamAnne all the way.

If you would like synthesized information about Anne Brontë, this book provides it. It is informative and broad and at the same time, easy to read.

I will be re-reading and referencing back to this book, for years to come.

[Danae Lamond · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's decided. Anne is my favourite Brontë.

[Steph Pomfrett · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read most of the biographies of the Brontës and, although this is a great introduction to Anne, I don't feel that there's anything new added by this book.