Elizabeth Gaskell's "The Life of Charlotte Bronte"

     Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books, and ever since reading it, I was curious to learn more about the novel's author. And Elizabeth Gaskell's The Life of Charlotte Bronte did not disappoint.

     At the time they were published, Bronte's novels sparked great praise as well as great criticism. They were considered too "coarse" to have been written by a woman, and when it was found out that a woman was, indeed, the mysterious "Currer Bell" who wrote Jane Eyre, Shirley, and later, Villette;  Bronte was attacked personally.

     Written by a friend of Bronte, The Life provides an interesting point of view. The book was written in part to defend the "coarseness" of Bronte's writing. Gaskell speaks directly to the reader, begging him/her to separate Charlotte Bronte the daughter and sister, from Currer Bell, the author.

     It is for this reason that Gaskell, at times, bends the truth to portray Bronte in the most socially acceptable way possible. But Bronte is not entirely shut out. The majority of the book is of letters written by Bronte.

     However, to get the most out of this book, it would be advisable to read a copy with good footnotes. I read the Barnes & Noble edition of the book with the notes and introduction written by Anne Taranto. The notes and introduction were almost as interesting as the book itself, however (to be nitpicky) there were a couple typos in the end-notes.

     While the historical accuracy of some of the content may be slightly skewed, this is in no way a fault. Through Gaskell's strong, ever-present voice, the reader gains a sense of Gaskell's character as well as Bronte's. Gaskell appeals to the reader's pity, presenting an emotional, rather than factual, account of Bronte's life.

     It is so crucial to get a copy of The Life with notes because the most interesting aspect of the book is what Gaskell has left out or skewed. The fact in and of itself that Gaskell had to write the book to defend Bronte's good name provides a fascinating insight into the way society viewed women writers during the 19th century.

     Overall, I give Elizabeth Gaskell's The Life of Charlotte Bronte a creamy beige rating. It is a long, dense biography, and is the type of book that may only be interesting to selective groups of people. Before reading it, I would suggest being somewhat familiar with Charlotte Bronte's work (and perhaps even that of Emily and Anne Bronte).

     But overall, The Life is most definitely a worthwhile read.