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Villette
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The Ultimate Bronte heroine?
There is something about Lucy Snowe which changes her from being a detached, independent woman who after a struggle at lasts finds love i.e. an instant Victorian heroine. (I know I'm generalising here). Lucy Snowe appeals to the reader as an underdog, and there is something inherently painful about her experiences which touches the heart and not just the mind. She is undoubtedly the most human character in all Bronte's novels. At first I felt that she was being used as a tool to make the reader think in a particular way, but by the end I saw a real woman there, struggling to match her intellectual ideas with genuine, raw emotions. But is Lucy Snowe intended to be Bronte's ultimate heroine, or a representation of herself - or both? Whatever the intention, I think this is Bronte's best.
Posted By brambleshire at Sat 5 Jan 2008, 6:26 PM in Villette || 0 Replies
Ending??
I went through couple of other threads.. I didn't find any topics regarding the ending of the story. I just finished reading the book and curious to know what other people thought about the ending. For me, this book is the best book ever. When I got this book from library, and began to read some pages, it really made me bored looking how long the book was. But I am glad I didn't return it. Slowly I got the hang of this book and kept reading it all day long. I wish she made the happy ending of Lucy Snowe. I was really looking forward to see it. But so many hints were pointing out that he died on the voyage to meet her.:bawling: :bawling: :bawling: Think back on thier last meeting, when M Paul stopped after saying "When I come back___" He didn't say any more. And those three years were the best of her lives cuz she had hopes of him coming and have a happy ending. Also, how she described the storm and stuff when he was about to arrive. This really makes me sad.. Ughh.. Oh well, I hope there are other people out there who want happy ending as well. All the other people did, why not she? If M. Paul was to die, how terrible it would be??
Posted By suju at Tue 7 Aug 2007, 10:47 PM in Villette || 1 Reply
Discuss Villette by Charlotte Bronte
I am in the progress of writing an essay on the book Villette and I'm having some difficulty with wrting enough on the topics. Can anyone comment on some of the topics i chose such as the obvious social class differences, the impact of the theatre or the integration of nature or ghosts in the book.
Posted By jcfl at Wed 28 Mar 2007, 3:24 PM in Villette || 1 Reply
Some like 'em plain
Because my sister and I share the same unwavering predilection for British Literature we always feel the need to show off our so called reading-prowess via animated and lengthy discussion (sounds weird I know).On reading I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith, the question: would you prefer to be in a Bronte or Austen novel caught my interest and this I applied to my sister. "Jane Austen, hands, down!”:crash:-here was accompanied by a thumping action to emphasise her point. Upon inquiring why she felt so, she came back with “Because there’s always a happy ending and you’ll almost certainly end up with a nice husband.” "Yes, but that’s not sufficient enough for me. What are you’re other reasons?” I observed that my sister had an almost unconcealed prejudice against Bronte books (what can I say, I have a sixth sense?) "Well,” I don’t think she meant to sound so superficial; she’s very candid in her ways, “why does Charlotte Bronte feel the need to make her characters so homely looking? Wouldn’t it kill her to make a good-looking heroine?” I can see my sister was still very bitter about the whole Paullina-Doctor Bretton falling in love thing. Clearly, she felt Lucy Snowe had more rights to him than little Polly ever did. "I know, it would have been nice for Lucy to run off with the handsome doctor. Too bad she wasn’t handsome enough,” this last part I said and assented good-humouredly. “I mean I know the approach she’s getting at; she’s trying to be practical and everything…etc, etc” on this point my sister starts condemning the whole plain heroine and unprepossessing hero route Charlotte Bronte always takes ( Jane Eyre to her Rochester and Lucy Snowe to her Paul Emmanuel). In other words my sister's reasoning can be explained by imagining half of England’s population as beautiful and the other ugly. So why did she have to portray the ugly half?! Lengthy discussion, see? Anyway, if you followed the above transaction between my sister and I, you’d probably want my point. Readers, take this into consideration, it is only an opinion and without any intention of sounding shallow: why does Charlotte Bronte- undoubtedly brilliant as she was-feel the need to make her heroines plain and not prepossessing, homely and never beautiful. My sister and I wonder, my sister especially. We can’t help contemplating that if Lucy Snowe had some beauty in addition to her other charms as a character, would she have been able to capture Dr. John’s affections? Can you sense how badly we wanted them two to get together? Life it seems is full of contradictions and can we not doubt that a person’s attractiveness renders even the most reserved character personable? Especially in the eyes of a man who becomes impressionable by beauty and loveliness in a woman? By this I’m talking about Dr. John by Ginerva then by Polly. :ladysman: In my estimation readers, it seems in order to get the leading role in a Charlotte Bronte novel, homeliness and a quiet, perceptive nature is a job requirement. Feel free to discuss.
Posted By I3rit-lit-lover at Mon 25 Dec 2006, 6:53 AM in Villette || 3 Replies
Just finished reading Villette
Hi, I've finished reading Villette by Charlotte Bronte and if anyone else has read it, i'd like to know what they think of it. I liked it alot but I think the way that the characters all kind of coincidentally came together again was pleasant but made it seem somewhat unrefined to a degree. It shows the strength of female independence (perhaps exaggerated a little as are the rest of the characters) but I particularly liked it because it really portrays all the shades of isolation, lonliness and to an extent unrequited love however, I think Bronte could have shown the pain and desperation of unrequited love far more, i think it just scrapes the surface of the reality of unrequited love. Please tell me what you thought of it
Posted By JiaXiong at Fri 3 Mar 2006, 5:09 PM in Villette || 2 Replies
No Subject
This book was one which i really enjoyed, for it was a book about not just a woman, but a woman who shares her joys and sorrows with you. A woman who faces all the challenges of life boldly, and a woman who makes a place for herself in this world. Charlotte Bronte indeed has brought this character to life.
Posted By Unregistered at Sat 21 Feb 2004, 1:00 AM in Villette || 1 Reply
name
Hi just interested on where the name Villette comes from ,and what it means
Regards
Jason
Posted By Unregistered at Sun 27 Jul 2003, 1:00 AM in Villette || 4 Replies
Charlotte Bronte's Villette
Villette is truly a great novel. Although underestimated like the author herself, Villette is one of the greatest portraits of love, loss and longing in all of English literature. What is more poignant than Lucy saying, "Good night, Dr. John. You are good, you are beautiful but you are not mine. Good night and God bless you." And what is more touching in its simple sweetness to watch as Lucy finds her true match in love, the crusty professor, whom we have known loved her all along. Villette is a masterpiece of emotion and Charlotte Bronte was a true master of emotion. Unlike Jane Austen, who always so unfairly overshadows Charlotte, Charlotte Bronte was not afraid of her feelings. Too often Charlotte is overlooked as her characters were overlooked because they were too plain, too poor and perhaps too wise for society. Too often even today far too much emphasis is placed on beauty and carefully manufactured charm. Anyone who has ever felt heartbreak, anyone who has ever felt out of place and overlooked and especially, anyone unafraid of emotion can identify with Lucy. Knowing something of Charlotte Bronte's tragically sad life gives anyone reading Villette the idea that Charlotte's heart was very close to Lucy's. Villette is a book that is no doubt too long and too depressing for the emotionally and mentally immature. But for anyone who has ever shed a tear for things that can never be and things that must be endured whatever they may be, Villette will always be treasured. Villette is certainly a treasure on my book shelves as Charlotte Bronte's words are a treasure in my heart.
Posted By Claire Copeland at Tue 24 May 2005, 6:07 PM in Villette || 7 Replies
Villette
i love Villete- which is probably an understatement as i've reread it at least 3 times. it is my favorite Charlotte Bronte book- i think it is an improvement on Jane Eyre and The professor. it has such a broad range of emotions. being someone who've suffered from melancholia and one way or the other poverty, i can understand. i think the characters are more developed than in any other of her books- i especially like how she paints the portrait of Genievre, and little Polly as a child, and little Polly grown up. this book is heartbreaking and wonderful- i think it is a fall read.
Posted By Unregistered at Thu 17 Mar 2005, 10:41 AM in Villette || 1 Reply
Plath/Bronte
Has anyone notices the similarities between Villette and The Bell Jar's narrators? Esther as a modern Lucy Snow, discuss....
Posted By Alex at Tue 24 May 2005, 6:07 PM in Villette || 1 Reply