The Works of the Sisters Bronte (in 6 vols.)
- New York: Bigelow, Brown & Co., Inc, 1899
New York: Bigelow, Brown & Co., Inc, 1899. Later edition. Fine. A lovely, Fine set of the complete works of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë. 140 x 208 mm., together occupying approximately 25 cm. (10 in.) of shelf space. Frontispieces in each volume, including portraits of the Bronte sisters, and plates throughout. Bound in half red morocco over red cloth boards. Top edge gilt. Gilt spines in six compartments with raised bands. A very attractive set, fresh and clean throughout.
This set comprises the following works of the Brontë sisters: Charlotte's novels Jane Eyre, Shirley, Villette, The Professor, and Emma, plus her poems; Emily's Wuthering Heights; and Anne's Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.
The moorlands surrounding Haworth Parsonage "had a profound influence on the writing of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë...at their home the children created a rich imaginary world. Any books that came their way were eagerly devoured, and they produced their own books as well" (Brontë Society). As the sisters rose to adulthood, their novels began to focus on the complex emotional lives of women from all walks of life – from orphans to governesses to heiresses – but with the greatest emphasis on those whose educations and livelihoods most reflected their own. With clear-sightedness, they used their knowledge of gendered, economic, and social constraints to develop their best material. Again, the moorlands of their upbringing affected their writing. Anne's work was like a still day before a storm. And "if Charlotte's novels keep up a stiff wind, Emily's one novel is a thunderstorm. Their characters...have such a gust of life that they transcend reality" (Dean). Publishing under gender neutral pseudonyms of Currer Bell, Ellis Bell, and Acton Bell, the three talented authors were able to release their works to the public without the kind of criticism that fell on women of the time. It was with the publication of Anne's second novel, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, that the women were forced to reveal their true identities when an unscrupulous publisher attempted to use Currer Bell's name to sell another, less successful author's works. The literary fame that came with the Brontës' revelation led only to a short lived happiness, as all three died at early ages. Yet their legacy remains in the rich literary work they left behind, which continues to inspire scholarly attention as well as a range of popular interpretations and reimaginings. Fine.
This set comprises the following works of the Brontë sisters: Charlotte's novels Jane Eyre, Shirley, Villette, The Professor, and Emma, plus her poems; Emily's Wuthering Heights; and Anne's Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.
The moorlands surrounding Haworth Parsonage "had a profound influence on the writing of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë...at their home the children created a rich imaginary world. Any books that came their way were eagerly devoured, and they produced their own books as well" (Brontë Society). As the sisters rose to adulthood, their novels began to focus on the complex emotional lives of women from all walks of life – from orphans to governesses to heiresses – but with the greatest emphasis on those whose educations and livelihoods most reflected their own. With clear-sightedness, they used their knowledge of gendered, economic, and social constraints to develop their best material. Again, the moorlands of their upbringing affected their writing. Anne's work was like a still day before a storm. And "if Charlotte's novels keep up a stiff wind, Emily's one novel is a thunderstorm. Their characters...have such a gust of life that they transcend reality" (Dean). Publishing under gender neutral pseudonyms of Currer Bell, Ellis Bell, and Acton Bell, the three talented authors were able to release their works to the public without the kind of criticism that fell on women of the time. It was with the publication of Anne's second novel, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, that the women were forced to reveal their true identities when an unscrupulous publisher attempted to use Currer Bell's name to sell another, less successful author's works. The literary fame that came with the Brontës' revelation led only to a short lived happiness, as all three died at early ages. Yet their legacy remains in the rich literary work they left behind, which continues to inspire scholarly attention as well as a range of popular interpretations and reimaginings. Fine.