Charlotte Brontë’s quarrel with the English Gentleman in Villette

 A Zoom alert for tomorrow, October 7:

Brussels Brontë Group
Talk by Zoom
Wednesday 7 October 2020

19.00 Talk by Karen Hewitt: Charlotte Brontë’s quarrel with the English Gentleman in Villette

Charlotte Brontë, the daughter of an Anglican parson, was very aware of her status as the daughter of a ‘gentleman‘. Who exactly was a gentleman in the early nineteenth century, and why did his role matter so much to Brontë? We can see her confidence in handling this theme in Jane Eyre, and examining it without much controversy in Shirley. In the more mature and complex Villette suddenly the whole concept of an English gentleman and the values attached to him are called into question for Lucy Snowe and for her creator. Where exactly does Lucy stand, and how do all the assaults on her consciousness affect her beliefs about what matters?

Karen Hewitt is a long-serving Tutor in Literature at Oxford University Department for Continuing Education. She also teaches English Literature and British affairs in various Russian universities, and is an Honorary Professor of Perm State University. She was awarded an MBE for her academic and cultural work in developing relationships between Russia and the UK. She enjoys discussing the work of many writers across different historical periods in order to explore puzzling questions about human nature through the medium of literature.