August 2006: C. Bronte Book: 'Shirley'

[Scheherazade]

In August, we are reading Shirley by Charlotte Bronte , who was the eldest of the three Bronte sisters.

I am neither a man nor a woman but an author.

Synopsis:

Following the tremendous popular success of Jane Eyre, which earned her lifelong notoriety as a moral revolutionary, Charlotte Brontë vowed to write a sweeping social chronicle that focused on "something real and unromantic as Monday morning." Set in the industrializing England of the Napoleonic wars and Luddite revolts of 1811-12, Shirley (1849) is the story of two contrasting heroines. One is the shy Caroline Helstone, who is trapped in the oppressive atmosphere of a Yorkshire rectory and whose bare life symbolizes the plight of single women in the nineteenth century. The other is the vivacious Shirley Keeldar, who inherits a local estate and whose wealth liberates her from convention.

http://www.online-literature.com/brontec/shirley/

The Online Copy

Book Club Procedures

[Shea]

Yay Shirley! I've been wanting to read this one! *goes to bookshelf, pulls it out the the 'b' section, cracks it open*

[Pensive]

Yay, I am going to try it too! *smiles at the online copy*

[Scheherazade]

Today I got my copy from the library too and have already started reading while waiting at the hairdresser's. Love this quote:

Something real, cool, and solid, lies before you; something as unromantic as Monday morning, when all who have work wake with the consciousness that they must rise and betake themselves thereto.

Mondays were as unpopular 200 years ago it seems like!

[Scheherazade]

I have read 1/3 of the book and am wondering if we will ever meet a character named Shirley...

Having said that, I am loving the social issues discussed in this book. The place of women and their role in the society always fascinates me. Many things do not seem to change: women are always judged based on their looks.

Also, the events which took place at around the Industrial Revolution in the UK. It is interesting to see that not everyone was excited and positive about the changes.

[Nightshade]

I got shirley yesterday but I have a build up of things to read before friday when I go down to London so Iprobaly wont start it till the 23rd or so looking forward to it though

[Shakira]

I wanted to read The Professor. However, Shirley also is a really good work. I'll try finding some time to start reading it since I'm already reading 3 books right now.

[Scheherazade]

I am not sure if anyone else has read this book but I am wondering if someone can translate these lines:

'Mon cher,' replied Hortense, 'Robert - c'est tout ce qu'il y a de plus precieux au monde: a cote de lui, le reste du genre humain n'est que du rebut. N'ai-je pas raison, mon enfant?' she added, appealing to Caroline.

Caroline fell ill after hearing these words.

I loved the first 2/3 of the book, till Caroline's illness. After that it turned into a typical tragedy with hard-to-believe coincidences (mother and daughter reunion! ) so I had to force myself not to give up and carry on.

[Peano]

[CENTER]

In August, we are reading Shirley by Charlotte Bronte , who was the eldest of the three Bronte sisters.

Actually, Charlotte had two older sisters, Maria and Elizabeth, who died when they are about 10 or 11 years old.

[Logos]

Actually, Charlotte had two older sisters, Maria and Elizabeth, who died when they are about 10 or 11 years old.

And a brother, Patrick Branwell (1817-1848) who also did some writing and painted portraits, died of tuberculosis (like Charlotte, Emily and Anne) an alcoholic and opium addict.
.
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[BrontëMania]

'Mon cher,' replied Hortense, 'Robert - c'est tout ce qu'il y a de plus precieux au monde: a cote de lui, le reste du genre humain n'est que du rebut. N'ai-je pas raison, mon enfant?' she added, appealing to Caroline.

Translated thus: 'My dear,' replied Hortense, 'Robert is all that is precious in the world: besides him, the rest of humankind are only rejects. Am I not right my child?' she added appealing to Caroline.