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Emily Bronte


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Emily Bronte (1818-1849), English author and one of the famed Bronte sisters wrote Wuthering Heights (1847);

Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living! You said I killed you—haunt me, then! The murdered do haunt their murderers. I believe—I know that ghosts have wandered on earth. Be with me always—take any form—drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh God! it is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!

First published under Emily’s pseudonym Ellis Bell, the combination of its structure and elements of passion, mystery and doomed love as well as social commentary have made Wuthering Heights an enduring masterpiece. Set in 18th Century England when social and economic values were changing and land ownership did not always the man make, it is a world of patriarchal values juxtaposed with the natural elements. Bronte explores themes of revenge, religion, class and prejudice while plumbing the depths of the metaphysical and human psyche. Bronte’s own home in the bleak Yorkshire moors provides the setting for the at-times other-worldly passions of the Byronic Heathcliff and Catherine. Also having written much poetry, Emily Bronte’s works did not receive wide acclaim until after her death at the age of thirty. Wuthering Heights is still in print today and has inspired numerous television and feature film adaptations. As with most of the Bronte sister’s popular novels, people have tried to find biographical parallels in them. Emily has been characterised to mythic proportions as deeply spiritual, free-spirited and reclusive as well as intensely creative and passionate, an icon to tortured genius.

Emily Bronte was born on 30 July 1818 at 74 Market Street in Thornton, Bradford, Yorkshire, England. She was the fourth daughter of Maria Branwell (1783-1821), who died of cancer when Emily was just three years old, and Irish clergyman Patrick Bronte (1777-1861). After her youngest sister Anne (1820-1849) was born the Bronte’s moved to the village of Haworth where Patrick had been appointed rector. Emily had four older siblings; Maria (1814-1825), Elizabeth (1815-1825), Charlotte (1816-1855) and Patrick Branwell “Branwell” (1817-1848). Emily’s “Aunt [Elizabeth] Branwell” (1776-1842) had moved in to the Parsonage after her sister Maria’s death to help nursemaids Nancy and Sarah Gars raise the six young children.

In 1824, Emily, with her four sisters entered the Clergy Daughter’s School at Cowan Bridge, near Kirkby Lonsdale. When Maria and Elizabeth died there a year later of tuberculosis, she and Charlotte returned home to Haworth. Their father was a quiet man and often spent his spare time alone, so, the motherless children entertained themselves reading the works of William Shakespeare, Virgil, John Milton, and the Bible and played the piano, did needlepoint, and told each other stories. The four often ‘paired up’; Charlotte and Branwell started writing of their imaginary world ‘Angria’, Emily and Anne writing of its rival, ‘Gondal’. Penning their kingdoms’ histories and developing characters to populate them, the young Bronte girls found a creative outlet in writing stories and poetry. Emily was becoming an independent and opinionated young woman as her poem “The Old Stoic” reveals;

And if I pray, the only prayer
That moves my lips for me
Is, ‘Leave the heart that now I bear,
And give me liberty!’

In 1835 Emily enrolled at Miss Wooler's school at Roe Head, Mirfield where Charlotte was teaching, but she soon returned home when she became profoundly homesick and ill. After a few years as governess at Law Hill Hall in Halifax, West Yorkshire, Emily and her sisters Charlotte and Anne travelled to Brussels, Belgium in 1842. There at the Pensionnat Heger under teacher Constantin Heger they immersed themselves in the study of French, German and literature with the aim of starting their own school someday. When their Aunt Branwell died Emily alone returned to Haworth for her funeral and stayed on there, just her and her father. She helped around the home and continued writing and editing her poems. By 1845 her sisters had given up their dream of starting their own school and the three were together at Haworth again. It was Charlotte’s idea to publish the poems of Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell in 1846. The following year Wuthering Heights was published to mixed reviews, although it was soon lauded as an original and innovative tragic romance. Tragedy loomed large in Emily’s life as well: her brother Branwell had become an alcoholic and addicted to opium and the family were constantly dealing with his depressions and at times mad ravings. He died in 1848 and while at his funeral Emily caught a cold and died soon after, on 19 December 1848. She now rests with her mother and father and sisters Charlotte, Maria, and Elizabeth and brother Branwell in the family vault at the Church of Saint Michael and All Angels in Haworth, West Yorkshire, England.

Yet, still, in evening’s quiet hour,
With never-failing thankfulness,
I welcome thee, Benignant Power;
Sure solacer of human cares,
And sweeter hope, when hope despairs!—“To Imagination”

Biography written by C. D. Merriman for Jalic Inc. Copyright Jalic Inc. 2007. All Rights Reserved.

The above biography is copyrighted. Do not republish it without permission.

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Recent Forum Posts on Emily Bronte

Wuthering Heights and class conflict

I was thinking about this novel the other day, and thought that maybe the characters of Heathcliff and Cathy represent different sides of the economic spectrum. Heathcliff is a gypsy, at the very bottom of the social ladder, almost a pariah. He is an orphan/abandoned child, and gets a chance to raise his social status after being adopted by the Earnshaws. However, he becomes angry when the rich, represented by Cathy, remain just as aloof and indifferent to him after he becomes wealthy as before. Then, Cathy dies, thus symbolizing the destruction of the upper class, leaving Heathciff lost in grief. After Heathcliff's death the two are reconciled; implying that the only way the upper lower classes can be reconciled is through the destruction of both. Maybe this is obvious theme I am just now noticing, or perhaps it's something not regularly touched upon. What are your thoughts?

Posted By Stendhal at Tue 13 Jul 2010, 8:39 PM in Bronte, Emily || 1 Reply

Master pls come in plsss!!!

1. How are the revolutions in France and America in 1771- 1801 portrayed in the novel? 2. How did the revolutions in France and America in 1771-1801 portrayed the attitude of people during that time? 3. How did the romantic period in England affect the theme of the novel Wuthering Heights? please answer guys i need it badly... thanks!

Posted By JoshuaLandicho at Tue 16 Feb 2010, 7:24 AM in Bronte, Emily || 1 Reply

Is Heathcliff tragic figure ?

Dear everyone, Help me to find the answer of question Do you agree that Heathcliff is a tragic figure who evokes sympathy? Give reasons in support of your answer. Waiting for reply Jasvinder

Posted By Rupal at Sat 23 Jan 2010, 9:58 AM in Bronte, Emily || 3 Replies

How did the romantic period in Englad affect the themeof the novel?

guys can you help me in the answer here? How did the romantic period in england affect the theme of the novel Wuthering Heights? i need your answer as soon as possible pls....:bawling::bawling::bawling::bawling:

Posted By JoshuaLandicho at Wed 13 Jan 2010, 8:33 PM in Bronte, Emily || 2 Replies

what did he mean? (heathcliff)

hey there, before heathcliff died he said he had to reach something (talked of struggling to reach a shore..metaphore thing) and that he was close to his aim... but what was this aim.. this chases me since I've finished the story. did he want to die to be united with cathy in death or did he want something else?? help me, take a look at the end of the story, remember the facts and tell me what you think .. thx:wave:

Posted By inbetween at Sat 12 Dec 2009, 3:53 PM in Bronte, Emily || 2 Replies

(hey girls)ain't heathcliff hot?

hey girls... this is no sublime topic and no intellectual discussion .. I just want to know if I'm the only one who wished she could have jumped into the story to console heathcliff (or perhaps quarrel with him)... tell me if my taste in men is strange or if you share my opinion (I do apologise to all boys for most of them won't be able to say anything about this)

Posted By inbetween at Sat 12 Dec 2009, 3:47 PM in Bronte, Emily || 15 Replies

ITV's Wuthering Heights

Did any one catch Wuthering Heights on ITV over the bank holiday? It showed once again how good the BBC is at costume Drama. ITV should stick to soaps, game shows and the X factor.

Posted By prendrelemick at Fri 4 Sep 2009, 3:08 AM in Bronte, Emily || 7 Replies

How is the "dark side" of love explored in Wuthering Heights?

I'm writing a dissertation right now on the "dark side" of love in literature. I'm supposed to comparing Wuthering Heights, Othello, and A View From a Bridge (Arthur Miller). If anybody has any good comparisons then that'd be amazing, but, for now, I'll just concentrate on getting some good notes down for Wuthering Heights. Thank you :D

Posted By Super_Saiyan at Wed 12 Aug 2009, 8:05 AM in Bronte, Emily || 1 Reply

I Need Help Interpreting a Poem by Emily Bronte.

So, my language arts teacher gave me this poem by Emily Bronte, because I loved Wuthering Heights and I need help figuring out what it's about. I've never been really good with poetry. "No Coward Soul Is Mine" by Emily Bronte No coward soul is mine, No trembler in the world's storm-troubled sphere: I see Heaven's glories shine, And faith shines equal, arming me from fear. O God within my breast, Almighty, ever-present Deity! Life--that in me has rest, As I--undying Life--have power in thee! Vain are the thousand creeds, That move men's hearts: unutterably vain; Worthless as withered weeds, Or idlest forth amid the boundless main, To waken doubt in one Holding so fast by thine infinity; So surely anchored on The steadfast rock of immortality. With wide-embracing love Thy spirit animates eternal years, Pervades and broods above, Changes, sustains, dissolves, creates, and rears. Though earth and man were gone, And suns and universes ceased to be, And thou were left alone, Every existence would exist in Thee. There is not room for Death, Nor atom that his might could render void; Thou--THOU are Being and Breath, And what THOU art may never be destroyed Sorry if there's a huge amount of typos. Anyway, is it about Love or God or what? I have no idea. :redface:

Posted By AshleyMare at Wed 10 Dec 2008, 3:36 PM in Bronte, Emily || 2 Replies

Help me now. You will forever be praised.

Alright, so I have just finished the book (Wuthering Heights). I need to write an essay about recurring events/parallel structures in the book, and its significance. I found this essay on bookrags.com, which had to be paid for unfortunately ($7), don't call me stupid. I'm not in the mood.:flare: hehe. Anyway, here it is: In Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë's, the author uses repetition as a device to give us the full understanding of the characters and how they develop and repeat the past unknowingly. This is shown through the names of the characters and their actions throughout the novel. It would seem that nothing ever ends, but rather runs itself in a cycle, bringing the past into the present. This is first shown when the older Catherine names her daughter after herself. The older Catherine dies before the younger Catherine could grow to really know her mother, but is able to show a distinguished quality of her mother through her actions. This could be seen in the younger Catherine's taunting of Joseph's evangelical ways. Both mother and daughter share a tendency towards headstrong behavior and sometimes, even arrogance. However, no matter how much both were alike, the younger Catherine shows a transformation from the older and is given into compassion. The repetition of the characters' names from generation to generation gives meaning to the novel through other characters who interact with them. For example, Heathcliff often mistakes the younger Catherine for her mother in both her looks and her manners. There is also a repetition of abuse that becomes apparent through Heathcliff by Hindly. Heathcliff later displays the abuse he was once implemented with through Hareton. Heathcliff's abuse did not stop at one person, however. It continued on to Isabella, who witnessed the hanging of her dog by Heathcliff, was also forced to witness Hareton hang a litter of puppies. Linton becomes, more or less, much like the father and son, and is soon torturing cats. Another less evident display of repetition is abuse, in which the older Catherine is shown in rather bad light. The older Catherine became addicted to controlling the will of others, as well as manipulating them. The second Catherine shows her mother's dispositions to gain sympathy by manipulating others through her illness. ------------------------------------------------------------------- That's only 321 words, I need 750....I won't be copying word for word, cause that's plagarism. But what I need help on is...what 3 specific things could I talk about, IN DETAIL? And yes, I did waste money, but it has helped greatly, and I am desperate because this is a summer assignment. I apologise to those who will judge me from this one thread (because I find it unfair for people to be judgmental of someone, and it's easy to do that on the internet.) I want THREE body paragraphs. I know my first one will be about Catherine and her daughter....what stuff is there to discuss exactly...how are they alike, and how are they different? My second one will be about abuse.... the Heathcliff/Hareton/Hindley thing....but what's there to discuss, and what is its significance? There's not much to say, and how can I write more than 6-8 sentences about it?? What should my last paragraph be about, also? This is what I've written down myself so far, but I would appreciate some editing and advice: Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights is an enthralling tale of romance and tragedy. One of the tactics you will notice the author has used is repetition - it seems that nothing ever ends in the story. Character's names are recycled, and all horrors of the past are repeated in the present This is first noticed when Catherine Linton, whose maiden name is Catherine Earnshaw, names her daughter after herself. This is the most clear example in the book. Mother and daughter do not only share name, but specific characteristics also. Young Catherine treats her cousin Hareton with pity; she mocks him, and laughs at his misfortune of not being able to read or write. Likewise, Catherine treats her adopted brother Heathcliff in the same way - she laughs at him as he is a gipsy, a boy with no background. However, both Catherines learn to love their companions later on, yet each end their love story differently. Catherine prefers to marry the rich and graceful Edgar Linton, as she tells Nelly Dean, 'it would degrade me to marry Heathcliff'. Her daughter, however, has a happier ending - she marries the one she loves. The name of Catherine Earnshaw is recycled - the daughter of Mr and Mrs Earnshaw gives birth to Catherine Linton, who marries Hareton Earnshaw. Thus, the story starts and ends with a woman of the same name. Now, what I want to know is...what is the SIGNIFICANCE of all these recurring things? I need to discuss that just as much as I discuss the actual events. Also, my introduction is terrible, too short and doesn't say enough...I don't know what to say. (Excuse any grammar and spelling mistakes, I'm typing this late..)

Posted By Castaway at Thu 24 Jul 2008, 12:02 AM in Bronte, Emily || 21 Replies

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