"To our modern eyes, their lives seem lonely, threadbare, isolated"—this gave me a pang, because, as I was growing up (in a situation where I didn't know anybody within ten years of my age in either direction) I got obsessed with the Brontës because their tiny community of friendship seemed like the opposite of loneliness. Specifically, I envied their shared world of the imagination, Gondal. I became a bit of a yearning specialist in paracosms—besides the Brontë's Gondal, there was the Lewis brothers' Boxen, the Ejuxria of Coleridge's three children, and the De Quincy's Gombroon and Tigrosylvania. To this I would add (though it's different, somehow it's also the same) the political pseudonyms, Demosthenes and Lock, that Valentine and Peter Wiggin invent in Orson Scott Card's *Ender's Game*. I've never been able to imagine a more fully sociable world than being an intelligent child living in a world of the imagination that's also shared.
Thank you, Robert! I 100% agree—even though the stereotype of Emily especially is one of isolation, it’s really untrue when you learn about them and see what rich imaginative worlds the siblings built together. I relate to feeling a pang at that as an only child! Something I didn’t expect at all was from the book to get such a strong urge to have had sisters and brothers I could have played with—instead I was just drawing maps of imagined lands on my own!
Ramya, as always beautiful magic with your choice of words and your style of narration! that “if hypocrisy, cruelty, and ingratitude are exclusively the domain of the wicked, that class comprises everyone.” Yet not everyone was open to such an uncompromising vision, and when the novel was published, the reaction was largely one of distaste and discomfort. Yes I agree with Miss Brontë; as humans we are learning more and more to introspect our own wickedness and evolve.
Thank you so much, I'm so glad you enjoyed reading! Her vision was definitely something not everyone was open to at the time, and yet she shined a light on really crucial aspects of human nature.
Very enjoyable review!
"To our modern eyes, their lives seem lonely, threadbare, isolated"—this gave me a pang, because, as I was growing up (in a situation where I didn't know anybody within ten years of my age in either direction) I got obsessed with the Brontës because their tiny community of friendship seemed like the opposite of loneliness. Specifically, I envied their shared world of the imagination, Gondal. I became a bit of a yearning specialist in paracosms—besides the Brontë's Gondal, there was the Lewis brothers' Boxen, the Ejuxria of Coleridge's three children, and the De Quincy's Gombroon and Tigrosylvania. To this I would add (though it's different, somehow it's also the same) the political pseudonyms, Demosthenes and Lock, that Valentine and Peter Wiggin invent in Orson Scott Card's *Ender's Game*. I've never been able to imagine a more fully sociable world than being an intelligent child living in a world of the imagination that's also shared.
Anyway, great post.
Thank you, Robert! I 100% agree—even though the stereotype of Emily especially is one of isolation, it’s really untrue when you learn about them and see what rich imaginative worlds the siblings built together. I relate to feeling a pang at that as an only child! Something I didn’t expect at all was from the book to get such a strong urge to have had sisters and brothers I could have played with—instead I was just drawing maps of imagined lands on my own!
“I once took a quiz to find out whether my personality was more “masculine” or “feminine” … Nearly all my answers fit the “feminine” classification.”
Oh, I think your moodboards are better than any test for revealing that, Ramya!
Great writing as always. 👏
haha I definitely agree with you, Baird—it’s probably pretty obvious! thank you as always for reading!!
Ramya, as always beautiful magic with your choice of words and your style of narration! that “if hypocrisy, cruelty, and ingratitude are exclusively the domain of the wicked, that class comprises everyone.” Yet not everyone was open to such an uncompromising vision, and when the novel was published, the reaction was largely one of distaste and discomfort. Yes I agree with Miss Brontë; as humans we are learning more and more to introspect our own wickedness and evolve.
Thank you so much, I'm so glad you enjoyed reading! Her vision was definitely something not everyone was open to at the time, and yet she shined a light on really crucial aspects of human nature.
“I once took a quiz to find out whether my personality was more “masculine” or “feminine” … Nearly all my answers fit the “feminine” classification.”
Oh, I think your moodboards are better than any test for revealing that, Ramya!
Great writing as always. 👏