Charlotte Brontë is renowned as one of the greatest literary figures of the 19th century and is celebrated for her timeless novel, Jane Eyre. However, behind the words of her iconic writing, lies a lesser-known story of perseverance, isolation, and unyielding passion for writing.
Born in 1816 in Thornton, England, Charlotte was the third of six children in the Brontë family. Her mother, Maria, passed away when Charlotte was only five years old, and her father, Patrick, was a stern and distant figure who was mainly preoccupied with his duties as a clergyman. Despite the challenges of her childhood, Charlotte found solace in her siblings, Emily, Anne, Branwell, and her beloved younger sister, Branwell.
Despite the lack of formal education for girls at the time, Charlotte and her sisters were blessed with a curious and imaginative mind, and they were encouraged by their father to read and write. They would create fantastical worlds and write stories about them, cementing their love for writing and storytelling from a very young age.
In 1831, Charlotte and her sister, Emily, were sent to the Clergy Daughter’s School in Lancashire, a notoriously strict and harsh institution. This experience would later inspire Charlotte’s novel, Jane Eyre. However, it is believed that Charlotte was not a happy student, and the strict rules and religious pressures took a toll on her mental health.
After returning home, Charlotte became a governess, a common job for unmarried girls at that time. However, she did not find satisfaction in this role and eventually left it to teach at a school in Brussels, along with her sister Emily. This experience exposed Charlotte to a wider range of cultural and literary influences, including the works of renowned Belgian author and poet, Constantin Heger. Charlotte also fell in love with Constantin, whose rejection of her caused her immense emotional pain and influenced her writing greatly.
In 1846, Charlotte returned to Haworth, her hometown, and began writing Jane Eyre, a novel based on her experiences as a governess and her unrequited love for Constantin Heger. Initially, she used the pen name “Currer Bell” to hide her gender, as female authors were not taken seriously during that time. However, the novel was a sensational success, and Charlotte became an overnight celebrity.
Despite the fame and success, Charlotte experienced immense heartbreak when her sisters, Emily and Anne, passed away within a year of each other in 1848 and 1849. This tragedy, combined with the loss of her brother, Branwell, in 1848, plunged Charlotte into a deep depression and led to her questioning her own mortality and purpose in life.
To cope with her grief and find solace, Charlotte turned to writing letters. She would pour her heart and soul into her correspondence, expressing her deepest fears, struggles, and joys. These letters not only give us a glimpse into the remarkable woman behind the iconic novels but also shed light on the challenges and hardships she faced.
In addition to being a prolific writer, Charlotte was also a passionate advocate for social reform and women’s rights. Her letters contain a continuous thread of social commentary, highlighting the injustices and inequalities faced by women in Victorian society. Her words paved the way for future feminist writers and empowered women to claim their voice and take control of their own narratives.
Sadly, Charlotte’s prolific writing career was cut short when she passed away at the young age of 38, in 1855. However, her legacy lives on through her impactful novels and her candid and intimate letters, giving us a deeper understanding of the woman behind the words. Through her struggles and triumphs, Charlotte Brontë continues to inspire and captivate readers, reminding us of the power of perseverance and the enduring legacy of the written word.