Customer Reviews

The Brontes

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Regardless of one's opinions about Juliet Barker's impression of Charlotte, and the rest of the Brontes, one can argue neither with the credibility of the author nor with her incredible research. The author has lived within a few miles of Haworth her entire life; was librarian and curator at the Bronte Parsonage Museum for six years; and researched this book for 11 years before publishing. The biography is 830 pages long, with an additional 150 pages of notes, and 30 pages of index. I would recommend this to those who are already well acquainted with the Brontes. It won't change your own personal myth of the Brontes, but it will shed light on trivia that might help explain background, names, and places in the various Bronte novels. For example, Charlotte's pseudonym, Currer Bell, now makes sense, though I disagree with Juliet's suggestion. This is much more than a biography; Juliet Barker includes the politics of the time, origins of modern Christian religious offshoots, the labor movement (the Luddites), and even the architecture (for example, the Late Perpendicular movement). Barker's description of the English landscape is wonderful, if a bit stilted. (When one is as emotionally linked with Yorkshire as I am, it's hard not be judgmental on descriptions of that wonderful place.) This book was meant to be read by the fire, on a cold and dark winter night, preferably in Haworth, with a soul mate who appreciates Yorkshire and all it has to offer.

Barker is a meticulous scholar, and I enjoyed her notes as much as her main text. Her descriptions of the Bronte's home, village, and schooling were lively, engaging, and believable. The book educates, occasionally entertains, and sometimes annoys.

I knew nothing of any of the Brontes before I read the book: that's why, in fact, I read the book. Since we have more documentation about Charlotte, and some of Charlotte's comments aren't so nice, then Charlotte gets the brunt of Barker's judgement. Since we seem to know so little about what actually happened inside Anne's head, it is possible to canonize Anne, as Barker seems to do. We can make Anne what we want: she didn't tell us otherwise--the way Charlotte did. Why, for instance, did Barker expect Charlotte to "do" something for her brother, and yet Barker has no castigation for the other siblings? I'd hate to think of my personality being judged by the sometimes petty and selfish things I write in my own! journal; and I would like to extend the same indulgence to Charlotte.

On a positive note, though, I admire Barker's gutsiness for taking a position about Charlotte at all. I liked Barker's revisionist attitude toward the interpretation of all the Bronte's works. Perhaps Barker's devotion to *all* of the Bronte's work--not just Charlotte's--will bring more interest in Agnes Grey or the Tenant of Wildfell Hall. That would be fabulous.

I first read this book in 1995. I only recently bought my own copy.

In this book, Juliet Barker provides a feast of information about the lives, times and writings of the Brontes. She is not the first to traverse this territory, but I believe that she does it more comprehensively than anyone else. The book itself is both a delight to read as well as a wonderful reference.

My only (slight) quibble is the greater focus on Charlotte. Perhaps this is inevitable: Charlotte did outlive her siblings, and published more novels.

I am biased. I have been a fan of the Brontes (especially Emily and Anne) for over 40 years.

Highly recommended to all Bronte fans.


Jennifer Cameron-Smith


Please note: this review was first published on July 28 2006

If you only read one Bronte biography, let it be this one. Juliet Barker has written a magisterial and authoritative work which, barring new information, will remain the definitive Bronte biography.

Justice is done at last for Patrick Bronte, who emerges from this book as an affectionate father, a faithful servant to his parishioners, and something of a liberal on the social issues of the day. Indeed, if this book has a 'hero', it is Patrick. In contrast, whilst the author pays due compliment to her undoubted qualities, Charlotte Bronte's less sympathetic attributes are here for all to see, including her bossiness, manipulativeness, and her mostly unflattering opinion of her sibling's literary efforts. Her husband, Arthur Bell Nicholls, also emerges as a decent and good man, who truly loved Charlotte for herself, not her literary fame. Although a long (1,000 pages) book, this is one of those rare unputdownable works which will have you reading right through to the end.

That the Brontes were talented and have left an enduring legacy to the world of lituature is an unchallenged fact. That this book is the most exhaustive study of that family to date will probably also be undisputed. For anyone who has ever wanted to aquaint themselves with every cobblestone trod upon, every house lived in or visited, every sermon attended, every note written, every dress sewn - THIS is the book for you. In a book of 1000+ pages, the years in which the great Bronte lituature was produced is covered in a mere 125+ pages. Almost a footnote in a body of work of this size. Slightly less perhaps would have left us with much more

Barker's book is a celebration of minutia. She has presented us with a vast amount of it (which will be of use to someone, I'm sure) but doesn't provide a insightful interpretation into what it all means. (I realize that much of this is up to the "dear reader"; however, direction often helps when trying to interpret a life) The scathing criticism of the Bronte Society in her introduction forshadows the rather "school-marmish" tone she adopts within the text. I found it condesending and unecessary - anybody reading the book is going to know Bronte Basics, so no need for lecturing! The title suggests that the book will consider all of the Brontes, but unfortunately, it is an uneven study. The book comes dangerously close to becoming just another Charlotte Bronte bio. I closed the book knowing little more about Emily or Anne, and far too much about Patrick. Still, I'm sure it will be a valuable research tool for Bronte scholars who wish to explore how Patrick's cravat influenced the Bronte's work, and similar stuff.

Barker's expansive biography of the Bronte family opens up a new world of scholarship and shakes up many old and prevalent myths. Deeply researched and lovingly detailed, this book is a massive treasure trove of information that almost completely "reinvents" the Brontes, showing them not merely as pale, passive victims in an unhealthy atmosphere of renunciation and disease, but as determined and spirited people whose creativity burst from their souls and put its eternal stamp on the literary landscape. This book is a landmark of its kind, and thoroughly worthwhile.

I finished this last week and really enjoyed it. It is a very absorbing biography of the Bronte family through their letters. Charlotte Bronte's life was just as dramatic as her novels, and in fact formed the basis for them. The epistolary format works very well, and allows a more personal view into their lives than a regular biography can. The focus is mostly on Charlotte as Anne and Emily didn't correspond with many people.

A book that presents the Brontes, warts and all. I think a lot of the people who disagree with the vision of Charlotte presented in this book have bought into the legend that she and Mrs. Gaskell tried to create. I think Barker's book presents a wonderfully balanced view of Charlotte. I only with the information was available for her to write more vividly about Emily and Anne

Juliet Barker's "The Brontes" is meticulously researched and extremely thorough. But for me the book is marred by Barker's relentless critique of Charlotte Bronte. She argues that Charlotte did nothing to help her brother in his alcoholism and depression, and "could" or "should" have done more. Even more distorted is her portrayal of Charlotte's involvement with her sisters' writing. Barker absolutely insists on the existence of another novel by Emily after "Wuthering Heights" (pure speculation based on an inquiry EB sent to her publisher). She then condemns Charlotte for having burned this hypothetical manuscript which in fact may not have existed! I finished the book wondering why on earth Barker would spend so much time reading and writing about someone she so clearly does not like.