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Friday, January 18, 2019

Friday, January 18, 2019 9:50 am by Cristina in , , , , ,    No comments
The National Student considers Anne Brontë's The Tenant of Wildfell Hall a 'forgotten gem'.
Brontë’s novel shocked readers when it was first published and for good reason. Helen stands up to her husband in an act unprecedented by any female character in literature. Her unwillingness to back down or be passive was practically unheard of in a society in which women were expected to bow to the will of their husbands. Unlike women in her sisters' novels, Anne’s characterisation of Helen does not have her trapped under the thumb of a toxic, controlling and repulsive male character but rather has her defy her husband, breaking convention and setting the tone for a new kind of heroine.
Despite this, Anne’s novel is pragmatic. Her characters are well-rounded and appear realistic whilst her language is effortlessly beautiful, weaving together an exciting, heart-breaking yet fulfilling narrative. Anne Brontë’s novel, although perhaps not literally feminist, set the tone for a better representation of women in literature. Her brave and feisty heroine deconstructs the common trope of the passive female character, paving the way for others like her and inspiring generations to come. (Megan Kenyon)
Speaking of Anne, yesterday both Brontë Babe Blog and Rachel Sutcliffe celebrated her birthday.

Hand Luggage Only explores the Peak District.
Thankfully, it wasn’t all doom and gloom as we headed over to North Lees Hall. Now, the hall itself might seem pretty iconic, but the thing that makes this really famous is that Charlotte Brontë stayed here and came up with the idea of writing the classic, ‘Jane Eyre’. (Notice the resemblance to the real-life family name?)
It’s this very spot where Charlotte Brontë really brought the idea of Jane Eyre to life. (Lloyd)
Firstpost (India) features writer Ruskin Bond.
He emphasises on the importance of style — about how a writer must have an individual, distinct style in order to stand out among others. This reflects in the writers he admires, such as Somerset Maugham, MR James and Algernon Blackwood. Bond also enjoys — unsurprisingly — literature that is considered classic and Gothic. Charles Dickens, Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, Walter De La Mare's stories and poems like The Listeners are his favourites. (Neerja Deodhar)
The Guardian is rather suspicious of so-called 'conscious uncoupling'.
“Conscious uncoupling”, and its counterpart “conscious coupling”, are phrases that suggest the possibility of a certain level of control over the emotionally volatile matters of love, sex and attachment. At its worst, the implication is that, if you are a clever, decent person, you should be able to manage your relationships in such a way as neither to cause, nor suffer, extremes of pain, and to preserve the dignity of both parties at every point in the romantic or sexual encounter.
A brief flick through literary history might suggest that this is a tall order, but Shakespeare, Stendhal and the Brontës didn’t know what it was like to contend with the constant, baleful gaze of social media. In the old days people could have tantrums, wreak revenge and die of heartbreak when their love stories didn’t go according to plan. Now it is de rigueur to retain a consistent appearance of sentimental hygiene given that everything you do or say needs to be fed into the like-machine. It’s become a competitive sport. What would people think of you if they knew you felt hurt, rejected, brimming with envy or rage? Perhaps it would seem at odds with your job as guarantor of the possibility of the charmed life. (Anouchka Grose)
Kerrang! educates readers on 'How 10 Of Rock's Most Beloved Subgenres Have Evolved', including
GOTH
What It Was: Goth began as a general aesthetic, but it’s always been an avenue through which to describe big, dark emotions. Inspired by silent films, European architecture, and the foggy atmosphere and sad humanity of novels like Wuthering Heights and Frankenstein, post-punk bands like The Cure, Joy Division, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and even The Smiths created a sound drenched in death and drama. Sure, they wore black clothing, chunky boots, and too much eyeliner — but more importantly, they sang some of the most emotionally vulnerable music of our time.
Actualidad Literaria (Spain) comments on the fact that 17th-century Spanish writer Calderón de la Barca and Anne Brontë share the date of their birthday. Door County Pulse has a post on Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights song.

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