Venturing out of Yorkshire for the first time in their lives, the Bronte sisters Charlotte and Emily travelled to Brussels in 1842, and Charlotte returned for another visit in 1843. The journeys proved to be pivotal in both their writing careers. Under the tutelage of their teacher Constantin Heger, the young authors penned the 28 essays (devoirs) collected for the first time in this volume. Each essay, presented in its original French, is accompanied by an English translation and commentary to establish historical and literary context. Where M. Heger made comments, they are reproduced in full. Sue Lonoff offers information on the Brontes and their Brussels experience, exploring why the months in Belgium meant so much to the sisters and how their writing exercises affected their developing prose styles. In an introduction and extensive annotations, Lonoff investigates the Brontes' interests, imaginations, stylistic concerns, and methods of work at this key point in their writing careers. So important was the Brontes experience for Charlotte, Lonoff contends, that she might never have become a major novelist had she missed it. Lonoff's commentary also illuminates the strong reactions each of the sisters had to their mentor and the impact on their lives of their relations with him. For scholars of the Victorian period, women's studies, and English literature, and for general readers interested in the Brontes and women's education of the time, this book should be suitable reading.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
In 1842, Charlotte and Emily Bronte traveled from their father's home in Haworth to study at the Pensionnat Heger in Brussels. There, under the tutelage of their teacher, Constantin Heger, the sisters wrote a series of essays in French devoted to a variety of topics ranging from etiquette to the death of Napoleon to the relationship between art and genius. Lonoff (expository writing, Harvard) here collects the sisters' 28 extant devoirs, presenting each in its original French with English translation on the facing page. To demonstrate the powerful effect of teacher upon pupil, Lonoff reproduces Heger's comments on the sisters' essays and their responses. She also provides an excellent introduction and crisp commentary on each devoir that draw in vivid detail the biographical, historical, and literary context of this crucial period of the sisters' artistic development. These devoirs offer lucid insights into the evolution of the sisters, especially Charlotte, from sentimental poets to incisive novelists. Highly recommended.?Henry L. Carrigan Jr., Westerville P.L., Ohio
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Language Notes
Text: English, French
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More About the Author
Charlotte Bronte (1816-1855) was from an English family that produced three novelists: herself, Emily, and Anne. Besides Jane Eyre, other best known works include Shirley and Villette.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Obligatory for Bronte Experts,
By wumguero@aol.com (Evelyn Roth) (Nuremberg, Germany) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Belgian Essays: A Critical Edition (Hardcover)
Sue Lonoff has done a tremendous job in collecting, transcribing and translating the Belgian Essays of Emily and Charlotte Bronte. The essays are represented first in their original/French version, including M.Hegers corrections, then in translation. The comments Lonoff made are very instructive, however, this book will mostly attract the scientific Bronte enthusiast. After all it has to be admitted that school essays, however elaborate they may be, cannot be regarded at as literature.
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