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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
Anne Bronte se merece las 5 estrellas por su valentía a la hora de mostrar la otra cara de la sociedad victoriana.
Su objetivo es aleccionar y prevenir sobre las consecuencias de los matrimonios apresurados, haciendo ver que no todos tienen un final feliz, tratando de abrir los ojos a las jóvenes que idealizaban el casarse, y hacer ver a los futuros esposos la conducta deseable.
El libro tiene algunos fallos, pero se compensan con una prosa ágil y la construcción de unos personajes que serán difíciles de olvidar.
Su objetivo es aleccionar y prevenir sobre las consecuencias de los matrimonios apresurados, haciendo ver que no todos tienen un final feliz, tratando de abrir los ojos a las jóvenes que idealizaban el casarse, y hacer ver a los futuros esposos la conducta deseable.
El libro tiene algunos fallos, pero se compensan con una prosa ágil y la construcción de unos personajes que serán difíciles de olvidar.
LOVE. The Brontes, all of them, produced something great, and this book is no exception. I'm just on chapter seven, but I wanted to write a little and just say how nice it feels to be reading this book. The Bronte sisters, really all of them, just fill me with complete happiness when I read their books. I love their writings. This is my first Anne Bronte book, of the two she wrote (the other being Agnes Grey). This book is different than I expected, as it is from the viewpoint of a man (Gilbert Markham) living near Wildfell Hall, and not the tenant at all.
4/27 - I have now finished the book, and I'm annoyed at myself for finishing so quickly. Alas, hard times (this is really only funny if you are me and know the next book I'm reading is called Hard Times) Almost right after I wrote that snippet above, the book switched to reading from Helen's viewpoint (from her diary), and stayed that way until near the close, when it switched back to Mr. Markham once again.
"I cannot get him to write or speak in real, solid earnest. I don't much mind it now, but if it always be so, what shall I do with the serious part of myself?"
The book starts with a mysterious widow moving into Wildfell hall, a dilapidated old mansion that has been untenanted for a while, with only her five year old son Arthur, and a nurse named Rachel. A woman living alone out in that lonely house, with no husband to speak of, and a past shrouded in questions, makes the talk of the neighborhood, and all of the neighbors gossip and chatter, trying to find out who this woman could be. Gilbert Markham finds himself enchanted by this woman, different than the silly girls he is accustomed to, and tries his best to attach himself to her affections without driving her away. She is skittish about his attentions and every time he gets close shuts down, or becomes cold. Eventually some nasty rumors start to circulate about her and her Landlord, Mr. Laurence, and this and that happens, and then she gives Mr. Markham her diary to explain her circumstances.
Her history is a tale of abuse in a time where woman are considered the property of the man they are married to. She marries Mr. Huntingdon, head over ears in love, and against the advice of many, thinking that under her influence she can help him lose some of his bad vices. But he is worse than she thought; and his vices and his extravagances get worse as time wears by. He spends much of his time away, leaving her alone at Grassdale Manor. She would willingly bear any abuse, until she has a child, and it is obvious that if young Arthur is left under the influences of his father, it could ruin him. She ends up running away with Arthur to Wildfell Hall, which is where the story originally began. (His indiscretions include infidelity, cruelly done might I add; the last straw to Helen staying is when he moves a mistress into their home under the guise of governess for Arthur.)
As the diary ends, and Gilbert finds out all, agrees against his heart to leave her be, as their being together is impossible at present. Time passes, and to Gilbert's horror, she goes back of her own will to Grassdale Manor when Mr. Huntingdon has a bad fall from a horse and is laid up in bed. His condition is worse than just his mere fall; he has very nearly destroyed his body from his excesses, alcohol in particular. He can't abstain, and he does die. This of course leaves Helen free, and a year passes before Gilbert sees her again, and another before they marry, ending the book.
Now for a few thoughts on the characters, if I may. Helen is a wonderful protagonist. She is one of those characters feminists screaming for "more heroines!" should grab hold of (though I've never found the world lacking female heroines, perhaps they know not where to look). She is brave, kind, and principled in an era of unfairness and abuse. This is one of those books where religion does not bother me in the least. I find it beautiful here. I think the difference is that in a book like Uncle Tom's Cabin the author seems to be preaching to the reader, whereas with Helen Huntingdon her very faith is a part of her being, and her mentioning it does not seem out of place. She's a great character.
Gilbert I find less appealing, although I enjoyed him as a narrator. He comes across as aloof, somewhat young, though not incapable. He is in charge of his families farm, and does his work well. He thinks very highly of himself, and is a bit egotistical. He also has very high passions at times, and lets them run away with him: such as when his jealousy of Mr. Laurence (who is Helen's brother, unknown) causes Gilbert to hit him with his whip, causing him to fall off his horse and weeks in bed of recovery. His guilt from that experience is minimal, and seems to only be felt from a worry that Laurence will mention it to Helen and lower her opinion of the oh so holy Gilbert. Their romance baffles me; not on the side of Gilbert, really, for his infatuation seems plausible; but more how does Helen love this man? He is no Mr. Huntingdon, sure, but he is also no angel.
The ending gives the impression of a happy ending, and perhaps it was. Perhaps Gilbert's faults were not enough to cause any unhappiness, and perhaps his faults were the kind that did not interfere; perhaps as he grew he became more selfless and kind. I feel like the ending was incongruous to Helen; but maybe it is that sad truth that people often are drawn into the same mistakes of the past, the same mistaken people still fill their lives. I suppose maybe I am wrong and it wasn't a mistake, but Gilbert felt so wrong for her. He seemed simply full of passionate ardor, and not a lasting love. I suppose he did wait years for her - and after they finally were reunited they waited a year before marriage, in which they could have gotten to know each other much more.
Despite my grumblings about the ending, I found the book wonderful. I absolutely loved it. I am amazed at the Bronte sisters; every single one of them produced something great. They have their similarities, but they also have their differences. This is one of my new favorite books, I think. And it hasn't even settled in my mind, because I only finished it last night, in bed!
“What is it that constitutes virtue, Mrs. Graham? Is it the circumstance of being able and willing to resist temptation; or that of having no temptations to resist? - Is he a strong man that overcomes great obstacles and performs surprising achievements, though by dint of great muscular exertion, and at the risk of some subsequent fatigue, or he that sits in his chair all day, with nothing to do more laborious than stirring the fire, and carrying his food to his mouth? If you would have your son to walk honourably through the world, you must not attempt to clear the stones from his path, but teach him to walk firmly over them - not insist upon leading him by the hand, but let him learn to go alone.'
'I will lead him by the hand, Mr. Markham, till he has strength to go alone; and I will clear as many stones from his path as I can, and teach him to avoid the rest - or walk firmly over them, as you say; - for when I have done my utmost, in the way of clearance, there will still be plenty left to exercise all the agility, steadiness, and circumspection he will ever have. - It is all very well to talk about noble resistance, and trials of virtue; but for fifty - or five hundred men that have yielded to temptation, show me one that has had virtue to resist. And why should I take it for granted that my son will be one in a thousand? - and not rather prepare for the worst, and suppose he will be like his - like the rest of mankind, unless I take care to prevent it?”
4/27 - I have now finished the book, and I'm annoyed at myself for finishing so quickly. Alas, hard times (this is really only funny if you are me and know the next book I'm reading is called Hard Times) Almost right after I wrote that snippet above, the book switched to reading from Helen's viewpoint (from her diary), and stayed that way until near the close, when it switched back to Mr. Markham once again.
"I cannot get him to write or speak in real, solid earnest. I don't much mind it now, but if it always be so, what shall I do with the serious part of myself?"
The book starts with a mysterious widow moving into Wildfell hall, a dilapidated old mansion that has been untenanted for a while, with only her five year old son Arthur, and a nurse named Rachel. A woman living alone out in that lonely house, with no husband to speak of, and a past shrouded in questions, makes the talk of the neighborhood, and all of the neighbors gossip and chatter, trying to find out who this woman could be. Gilbert Markham finds himself enchanted by this woman, different than the silly girls he is accustomed to, and tries his best to attach himself to her affections without driving her away. She is skittish about his attentions and every time he gets close shuts down, or becomes cold. Eventually some nasty rumors start to circulate about her and her Landlord, Mr. Laurence, and this and that happens, and then she gives Mr. Markham her diary to explain her circumstances.
Her history is a tale of abuse in a time where woman are considered the property of the man they are married to. She marries Mr. Huntingdon, head over ears in love, and against the advice of many, thinking that under her influence she can help him lose some of his bad vices. But he is worse than she thought; and his vices and his extravagances get worse as time wears by. He spends much of his time away, leaving her alone at Grassdale Manor. She would willingly bear any abuse, until she has a child, and it is obvious that if young Arthur is left under the influences of his father, it could ruin him. She ends up running away with Arthur to Wildfell Hall, which is where the story originally began. (His indiscretions include infidelity, cruelly done might I add; the last straw to Helen staying is when he moves a mistress into their home under the guise of governess for Arthur.)
As the diary ends, and Gilbert finds out all, agrees against his heart to leave her be, as their being together is impossible at present. Time passes, and to Gilbert's horror, she goes back of her own will to Grassdale Manor when Mr. Huntingdon has a bad fall from a horse and is laid up in bed. His condition is worse than just his mere fall; he has very nearly destroyed his body from his excesses, alcohol in particular. He can't abstain, and he does die. This of course leaves Helen free, and a year passes before Gilbert sees her again, and another before they marry, ending the book.
Now for a few thoughts on the characters, if I may. Helen is a wonderful protagonist. She is one of those characters feminists screaming for "more heroines!" should grab hold of (though I've never found the world lacking female heroines, perhaps they know not where to look). She is brave, kind, and principled in an era of unfairness and abuse. This is one of those books where religion does not bother me in the least. I find it beautiful here. I think the difference is that in a book like Uncle Tom's Cabin the author seems to be preaching to the reader, whereas with Helen Huntingdon her very faith is a part of her being, and her mentioning it does not seem out of place. She's a great character.
Gilbert I find less appealing, although I enjoyed him as a narrator. He comes across as aloof, somewhat young, though not incapable. He is in charge of his families farm, and does his work well. He thinks very highly of himself, and is a bit egotistical. He also has very high passions at times, and lets them run away with him: such as when his jealousy of Mr. Laurence (who is Helen's brother, unknown) causes Gilbert to hit him with his whip, causing him to fall off his horse and weeks in bed of recovery. His guilt from that experience is minimal, and seems to only be felt from a worry that Laurence will mention it to Helen and lower her opinion of the oh so holy Gilbert. Their romance baffles me; not on the side of Gilbert, really, for his infatuation seems plausible; but more how does Helen love this man? He is no Mr. Huntingdon, sure, but he is also no angel.
The ending gives the impression of a happy ending, and perhaps it was. Perhaps Gilbert's faults were not enough to cause any unhappiness, and perhaps his faults were the kind that did not interfere; perhaps as he grew he became more selfless and kind. I feel like the ending was incongruous to Helen; but maybe it is that sad truth that people often are drawn into the same mistakes of the past, the same mistaken people still fill their lives. I suppose maybe I am wrong and it wasn't a mistake, but Gilbert felt so wrong for her. He seemed simply full of passionate ardor, and not a lasting love. I suppose he did wait years for her - and after they finally were reunited they waited a year before marriage, in which they could have gotten to know each other much more.
Despite my grumblings about the ending, I found the book wonderful. I absolutely loved it. I am amazed at the Bronte sisters; every single one of them produced something great. They have their similarities, but they also have their differences. This is one of my new favorite books, I think. And it hasn't even settled in my mind, because I only finished it last night, in bed!
“What is it that constitutes virtue, Mrs. Graham? Is it the circumstance of being able and willing to resist temptation; or that of having no temptations to resist? - Is he a strong man that overcomes great obstacles and performs surprising achievements, though by dint of great muscular exertion, and at the risk of some subsequent fatigue, or he that sits in his chair all day, with nothing to do more laborious than stirring the fire, and carrying his food to his mouth? If you would have your son to walk honourably through the world, you must not attempt to clear the stones from his path, but teach him to walk firmly over them - not insist upon leading him by the hand, but let him learn to go alone.'
'I will lead him by the hand, Mr. Markham, till he has strength to go alone; and I will clear as many stones from his path as I can, and teach him to avoid the rest - or walk firmly over them, as you say; - for when I have done my utmost, in the way of clearance, there will still be plenty left to exercise all the agility, steadiness, and circumspection he will ever have. - It is all very well to talk about noble resistance, and trials of virtue; but for fifty - or five hundred men that have yielded to temptation, show me one that has had virtue to resist. And why should I take it for granted that my son will be one in a thousand? - and not rather prepare for the worst, and suppose he will be like his - like the rest of mankind, unless I take care to prevent it?”
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
a month to read 125 pages is a sign that it’s time to say “Sorry Anne, I love your sisters but you? Not so much.” 🫣
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Anne Bronte's second novel is often overshadowed by her sisters' more famous novels, Charlotte's [b:Jane Eyre|10210|Jane Eyre|Charlotte Brontë|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41GT7KJHSVL._SL75_.jpg|2977639] (and three others) and Emily's [b:Wuthering Heights|2370800|Wuthering Heights (Everyman's Library, #243)|Emily Brontë|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg|1565818], but it is equally worth reading. It tells the story of Helen Huntingdon, a mysterious woman who comes to live at Wildfell Hall with her child and one servant, and Gilbert Markham, the young man who is powerfully drawn to her and eventually learns her secret: that she left her dissolute, drunken husband in order to shield their son from his influence. The first and last sections are from Gilbert's point of view; the central, and most powerful, from Helen's, as Gilbert reads the diary in which she narrates the events of her marriage.
Victorian readers found the scenes of Huntingdon's drunkenness and infidelity revolting and coarse, and they remain powerfully compelling today, though the subjects are less shocking to today's readers. Helen is a strong, willful, intelligent heroine, and to my mind, the novel's one real fault is that too much of the narrative is given to the less interesting Gilbert; once finished with Helen's diary, the story loses much of its power, though it regains some through the use of Helen's letters in the chapters leading up to the climax.
Anne Brontë's voice is as passionate as her sisters', and her fierce truthfulness pervades the novel; as her preface to the second edition says, in response to the censures of critics and readers, "I wished to tell the truth, for truth always conveys its own moral to those who are able to receive it." In penning this challenge to the conventional morals of Victorian society, Brontë told truths about the role of women and the potential pitfalls of marriage that are meaningful more than 150 years after the publication of her book.
Victorian readers found the scenes of Huntingdon's drunkenness and infidelity revolting and coarse, and they remain powerfully compelling today, though the subjects are less shocking to today's readers. Helen is a strong, willful, intelligent heroine, and to my mind, the novel's one real fault is that too much of the narrative is given to the less interesting Gilbert; once finished with Helen's diary, the story loses much of its power, though it regains some through the use of Helen's letters in the chapters leading up to the climax.
Anne Brontë's voice is as passionate as her sisters', and her fierce truthfulness pervades the novel; as her preface to the second edition says, in response to the censures of critics and readers, "I wished to tell the truth, for truth always conveys its own moral to those who are able to receive it." In penning this challenge to the conventional morals of Victorian society, Brontë told truths about the role of women and the potential pitfalls of marriage that are meaningful more than 150 years after the publication of her book.
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes