Deborah Lutz's The Life of Emily Brontë Fri Jun 5th 10:00am - 11:00am Queen Street Methodist Church : Scarborough, Queen St, Scarborough YO11 1HQ, UK
DEBORAH LUTZ In conversation with Helen Boaden. At the opening event we immerse ourselves in the world of Emily Brontë. Scholar, author and Brontë specialist Deborah Lutz is here from the USA to share her expertise and introduce her new book This Dark Night. The first full biography of Emily in over two decades, it reveals the events, delights and tragedies of the Brontë world which inspired her writing and offers a fresh take on her short but momentous life. A must-see event for all lovers of Brontë storytelling.
Essie Fox, Wuthering Heights Reimagined Fri Jun 5th 12:30pm - 1:30pm Queen Street Methodist Church : Scarborough, Queen St, Scarborough YO11 1HQ, UK ESSIE FOX In conversation with Gerry Foley. You thought you knew Wuthering Heights… what if you were wrong? Staying in the Emily Brontë theme we welcome queen of the gothic and bestselling author of seven historical novels, Essie Fox. Essie has reimagined the Brontë classic from a new angle; in the narrative voice of Catherine Earnshaw. Essie’s novel Catherine is a haunting and atmospheric retelling. Nelly Dean told only half the story…this version sees Catherine rise from the grave to tell her own.
A Youngish Perspective interviews Eleanor Zeal, writer of the play Jane Eyre Convention.This piece brings together Jane Eyre and a modern-day fan convention. What first sparked that idea for you? Several years ago I became aware of several new film adaptations of Jane Eyre and even though I’d read it at school I wondered why it was so enduringly popular. Going back and re-reading made it clear that the rags to riches narrative was very compelling as is the complex central character of Jane Eyre, a plain and humble heroine. I discovered that Jane Eyre is the second most produced and adapted novel, after Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. It was then a natural leap to imagine obsessive fans/readers wanting to have their own convention where they could actually be the character they loved and follow her difficult path to happiness. [...] Jane Eyre continues to inspire such passionate audiences. What do you think keeps people returning to it? I think people just love the idea of an underdog being successful. Ordinary people can relate to Jane’s humble beginnings and be inspired by her extraordinary character and determination in the face of adversity. It’s also a story about women and class so we can appreciate the inequalities of her time and how she navigates that. Inviting audiences to bring “bonnets and emotions” creates a very particular atmosphere. What kind of experience are you hoping people step into? The wearing of bonnets is of course entirely optional and there are also imaginary bonnets beneath each seat. It’s a way of bringing the re-enactment convention to life and allowing the audience to feel part of the story and the convention. They are addressed as if they are fellow attendees and invited at various points to join in with the various strong emotions being expressed. The majority of the team are also drama therapists so they are used to facilitating emotional release. This is not therapeutic theatre per se but it may have a mildly therapeutic effect. Beneath the comedy, the show explores the dilemmas and emotions within Jane Eyre. What conversations are you hoping to open up through that? The piece is of it’s time but the plot device of a first wife and black woman locked in the attic feels like it should be explored so we attempt to rehabilitate Bertha and give her a voice. We also explore Charlotte Brontë’s early feminism as expressed through Jane. We know that originally the novel was published under a male pseudonym as women were not considered capable. The play then looks at how male voices are still louder and more powerful via the characters at the convention and the arguments/conversations they have. One character has a boyfriend who we learn is fairly abusive and controlling which echos some of the characters in the novel.
Firstpost wonders, 'Why does every period drama character look like they have an iPhone face?' The issue here is rarely about the acting talent involved, but rather the cumulative effect of current beauty standards on the performer’s face. Take, for example, the recent discourse surrounding Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Wuthering Heights. The casting of Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi prompted significant online discussion, with some viewers noting that their appearances, while undeniably striking, felt jarringly modern. They appeared less like inhabitants of the desolate Yorkshire moors and more like figures poised for a contemporary social media grid. Similarly, the criticism directed toward Dakota Johnson in her adaptation of Persuasion (with very arched eyebrows) highlighted how modern grooming and the omnipresence of current cosmetic trends can shatter a narrative’s historical illusion. When the faces of our protagonists are so visibly shaped by today’s beauty trends, it becomes difficult for the viewer to suspend their disbelief. (Treya Sinha)
According to Soy Carmín, Jane Eyre is one of '5 Romantic Novels That Sparked Outrageous Scandals When First Published'. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë When Charlotte Brontë released her Gothic romance in 1847 under the male pseudonym Currer Bell, it became an instant bestseller but deeply divided Victorian society. Critics were absolutely horrified by the sheer independence and fierce determination of the main character. One reviewer even claimed it would be no credit to anyone to be the author of such a book. The massive scandal centered around the fact that Brontë placed genuine intellectual power, passion, and authority squarely into the hands of a young woman who dared to overstep conventional rules. Conservative readers viewed this display of female autonomy as entirely anti-Christian and anti-authority. Personal opinion: this is the best part because the exact qualities that nineteenth-century critics attacked as vice are the precise reasons why millions of readers still love the book today. (Jesús López)
Writer Cynthia Gómez writes about reading Gothic classics in an article for CrimeReads. I’ve been a fan of Gothic literature since before I even knew what the word meant. When I was eight or nine our family listened to Dracula (an abridged version) on a road trip; I was reading The Secret Garden for fun when I was ten. Together, those served as my gateway drug, leading me to the trashy Goth wonderland of V.C. Andrews, and then to Jane Eyre, which I read in the basement guest room of my grandparents’ house in the mountains, a place only reachable by a narrow, winding road.
An alert for tomorrow, June 4, in Haworth:
Thu 4 Jun, 6:30pm Brontë Event Space at the Old School Room
This Dark Night: The Life of Emily Brontë – a rare event with globally renowned scholar, author and Emily Brontë expert Deborah Lutz Come along for your chance to meet the globally renowned Emily Brontë expert Deborah Lutz and be among the first to hear her speak about her just released book This Dark Night: The Life of Emily Brontë (publishing 28th May and available to buy from the Museum shop). The first full biography of Emily Brontë in over two decades,This Dark Night is unique, eye-opening and offers a fresh take on her short but momentous life. In this event, Deborah Lutz will take you inside the world of Emily’s irrepressible spirit and wild imagination like never before. Deborah will be in discussion with Yvette Huddleston offering illuminating readings of Emily’s poems and a greater understanding of the politics and events of the era, as well as the delights and tragedies of family life that Lutz shows directly inspired much of Emily and her sisters’ writing in her book.
In The Guardian, Ioan Marc Jones pretty much writes a love letter to reading in the time of screens based on The Guardian's recent list of 100 best novels. Or perhaps read old books that continue to define our world, old books that feel profoundly new. Frankenstein resonates with those of us concerned by the inflated egos of any given tech bro. Critics tend to focus on the philosophy of the novel, the vitalism, the social contract of it all, but Mary Shelley writes with prose that feels sharp enough to perform surgery. Or turn to Wuthering Heights, a novel that reinvented the novel several times over, a book that speaks to contemporary narratives of class and race. [...] Good reading begets better reading. In The Novel: a Biography, Michael Schmidt writes: “Reading is a cumulative act, adding skills, increasingly creative as it goes. To become a ‘good reader’ one must give oneself over to a regime of concentrated pleasure.” The more you read, the richer the reading. You’ll start to appreciate how novels speak to each other. Connections will often appear obvious, as Wide Sargasso Sea responds to Jane Eyre.
Coincidentally, BBC Radio 2 mentions the following as one of '66 reasons why 1966 was a great year for Britain'. 15. Jean Rhys published her acclaimed novel Wide Sargasso Sea, a postcolonial response to Jane Eyre.
It seemed to me that the origins of writing could be found in episodes from childhood. It also seemed that recounting this episode, which caused me lasting shame and guilt, might provide a key. That last sentence shows that this attempt failed. In truth, I spent my entire childhood making up stories—of which I was the heroine—inspired by the ones I read in books. But those weren’t frightening. I transported myself to distant lands, into aristocratic circles, or into the past, to the time of horse-drawn carriages, or even to the first humans. I imagined that I was Scarlett O’Hara or Jane Eyre, wandering in the desert, on the streets of Calcutta, living in a cabin in Alaska. . . . When I actually started writing, it wasn’t to invent stories, or to project myself into fiction—which I’d always wanted to do. On the contrary, it was to interrogate reality. I wasn’t trying to move or horrify readers, only to uncover a hidden truth. In this story, I shed light on a form of cruelty in which I was involved. (Deborah Treisman) Banbury Guardian talks about the upcoming the Banbury Cross Players' production of Underdog : The Other Other Brontë. From the minute the spirited and energetic cast clatter onto the stage in their proper Yorkshire boots, we are transported to the wild moors of West Yorkshire. The cold, austere atmosphere of the parsonage in Haworth is filled with the edgy, excitable spirit of the Brontë family. The play follows the efforts of the sisters to become published authors and is an intriguing recreation of their journey to success focussing on the part Anne played. It is humorous and poignant and has a remarkable gift to make these incredible writers come to life in front of our eyes. The modern interpretation - first produced at The National Theatre in 2024 - goes behind closed doors to reveal the dreams, fears and aspirations of this most talented of families. (Linda Shaw)
In The Times, writer Naomi Ishiguro mentions Jane Eyre as one of her favourite books. According to Artículo 14 (Spain), Jane Eyre is also one of Spanish writer Teresa Cardona's favourite books. Express recommends the BBC's wonderful To Walk Invisible.Another recent scholarly book that, for some reason, was never reported in BrontëBlog:
Editor: Robert C. Evans Salem Press ISBN: 978-1-63700-073-1 January 2022
The Brontë sisters, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne, are well known English poets and novelists of the nineteenth century. This volume closely examines Charlotte’s masterpiece Jane Eyre, Emily’s influential Wuthering Heights, and Anne’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, to give readers a deeper sense of the themes throughout these important works and the influences behind their creation. Common themes throughout the sisters’ works are love, gender, class, and the intersections of all three, and this volume explores these topics and more, setting the work of the Brontë sisters into various contexts, such as biographical, historical, social, cultural, and aesthetic.
The book includes the following essays: - “The air swarmed with Catherines”: Moving Words and Stereoscopic Narrative in Wuthering Heights, by Kara M. Manning
- The Myth of the Brontës, by Brandon Schneeberger
- “It is only English girls who can thus be trusted to travel alone”: Class, Travel, and Work in Charlotte Brontë’s Villette, by Sarah McNeely
- Lucy Snowe in Belgium: Work and Colonialism in Charlotte Brontë’s Villette, by
Sarah McNeely - Charlotte Brontë’s The Professor: Overbearing Men and the Gleam of Female Intellect, by John Rignall
- Emily Brontë: The Man Branwell Should Have Been, by Tracy Hayes
- The Experience of Marriage in Anne Brontë’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, by Jeremy Tambling
- Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë: A Survey of Editorial Introductions, 1950–1989, by Robert C. Evans
- Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë: A Survey of Editorial Introductions, 1990–2020, by Joyce Ahn
- Wuthering Heights, by Emily Brontë: A Survey of Editorial Introductions, 1950–1989, by Robert C. Evans
- Wuthering Heights, by Emily Brontë: A Survey of Editorial Introductions, 1990–2020, by Joyce Ahn
- Charlotte Brontë’s “Other” Novels: A Survey of Editorial Introductions, 1974–2008, by Robert C. Evans
- Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, by Anne Brontë: A Survey of Editorial Introductions, 1969–2020, by Robert C. Evans
- The 1996 Film of Jane Eyre: A Survey of Reviews, by Jordan Bailey
- The 2009 Film of Wuthering Heights: Critical Problems and Possibilities, by McKenna Odom
- The 2011 Film of Wuthering Heights: A Survey of Reviews, Mikia Holloway
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