How did Charlotte know?
Posted by Pam B on October 12, 1997 at 20:57:12:
In response to how in the world did charlotte bronte know?, written by greg on October 12, 1997 at 01:16:02
And, where did Jane get her ideas about marriage? She never lived with anyone who was married (except the Reeds when she was very young), never saw married people at Lowood - yet when her teacher marries she says her new husband almost deserved her and she tells Rochester that bit about - he will love her for about 6 months and then grow cool towards her, etc. It just amazes me - she's so cynical about it.
omething that has amazed readers of jane eyre over the generations, and fascinates me, is how bronte was able to describe one of the most passionate love affairs in fiction, when she apparently was so inexperienced herself. she's the daughter of a country clergyman, poor and plain like jane eyre, and married an apparently pedestrian man late in life(after writing the novel). she had experiences of her own similar to lowood school, but how did she come to describe her abuse at the hands of john reed so compellingly? seems to me one can't get those experiences from a book. does anyone know or have any ideas? i'm reviewing elizabeth gaskell's "life of charlotte bronte", but haven't come upon any good explanations for this yet.
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