Brontë-esque undulations

The National (Abu Dhabi) has article discussing the pros and cons of sequels and prequels to literary works. As usual, Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea plays the role of benchmark.

In 1966, some 30 years after the publication of her previous novel Good Morning, Midnight, Jean Rhys achieved huge success with Wide Sargasso Sea, the tale of the white Creole heiress Antoinette Cosway: her Caribbean childhood, unhappy marriage and relocation to England where, imprisoned at Thornfield Hall, she becomes the “madwoman in the attic” Bertha Mason, the first Mrs Rochester in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.
Wide Sargasso Sea is now a classic in its own right and a fixture on reading lists for postcolonial literature degrees. But it is, first and foremost, a prequel, albeit one written without any kind of commercial premeditation. Its release wasn’t marked by publicity screaming: “Jane Eyre – the saga continues!” Rather, its connection to Jane Eyre is intellectual and so, in a funny sort of way, incidental. Rhys wasn’t trying to extend the Brontë brand, and if she’d tried to frame her intentions in those terms, nobody would have understood what she was on about. (John O'Conell)

On quite a different level, Publishers' Weekly announces a forthcoming book with Jane Eyre influences for children over 12 (check this previous post for additional information)

Magic Under Glass Jaclyn Dolamore. Bloomsbury, $16.99 (240p) ISBN 978-1-59990-430-6
Back home, 17-year-old Nimira was the daughter of an honored artist, but in Lorinar she’s just an exotic singer in a music hall, hating the smoky, cutthroat city. When the sorcerer Hollin Parry offers her a luxurious life in return for singing with his piano-playing automaton, she accepts immediately. Hollin’s country estate is splendid but unwelcoming, and Hollin, though attractive, is a man with secrets. Having heard rumors, Nimira is not entirely surprised when the automaton begins to stare at her and make noises that have nothing to do with the piano. She learns that the automaton is actually Erris, a lost fairy prince, and Nimira faces both personal and political challenges as she attempts to release Erris from his clockwork enchantment. Debut author Dolamore draws heavily on Jane Eyre and its themes of sexual and class prejudice for her plot, reshaping the source material with skill. Nimira is not as high-minded as Jane, and her apotheosis is not as sweet, but hints of a sequel indicate that readers may learn more about Nimira in the future. Ages 12–up. (Jan.)

And as you know, sportsmen - or sport journalists, more accurately - can also be 'influenced' by the Brontës. The Telegraph looks back at the 'sports personalities' of the past decade:

[Martin] Johnson did not fit the nation's image of itself. He was a bit rough and ready. A little bit Heathcliff. (Mark Reason)

The Times reviews a recent performance of singer Little Boots.

To the best of everyone’s knowledge, Echo wasn’t a Kate Bush song, but its melodramatic, Brontë-esque undulations were more than worthy of her name. (Pete Paphides)

Well, judge for yourselves whether it is 'Brontë-esque' or not. At any rate on that recording she does describe it as 'kind of Twilight'.

Unlacing the Victorians reviews PICT's Jane Eyre and on Articlesbase a new adaptation of Wuthering Heights is proposed.

Categories: Books, Jane Eyre, Music, References, Theatre, Weirdo, Wide Sargasso Sea