Amongst all of the classic authors, it’s fair to say that the Brontë sisters own the seasons of autumn and winter. Each sister has at least one novel that is slightly eerie, very moody, and undoubtedly brilliant. Not only were these sisters excellent authors; they were also poets. So, in honour of Brontë season, here is the best from each sister.
Charlotte Brontë
The oldest of the sisters, and perhaps the most famous. Charlotte’s best-known work is Jane Eyre. The romantic story of a young woman choosing her own destiny in the 1800s. Charlotte and her sisters lived in the Yorkshire all their lives, surrounded by the eerie dales. The landscapes they found themselves in serves as inspiration for their work. Charlotte’s work certainly adopts the moody atmosphere they lived in.
Charlotte has four novels to her name, Jane Eyre, The Professor, Shirley and, Villette. She also wrote poems. Many of her poems are very personal and discuss her thoughts and ideas. Lots of them also detail the misty, murky Yorkshire moors. She also wrote about the death of her sister, Anne. Her poems are great to read right now, because they’re all about this colder and darker time of year.
Emily Brontë
Perhaps the most brooding Brontë there ever was. Emily only wrote one novel, the infamous Wuthering Heights. Emily’s novel went on to inspire many films and one of Kate Bush’s most famous (and one of her best) songs. Wuthering Heights is a story of romance between Katherine and Heathcliff. It’s a dark and slightly spooky love story perfect for autumn reading.
Not much is known about Emily herself, but she is the subject of an upcoming biopic. We’ll get to learn more about her in that. In the meantime, if you want to read more of Emily’s work, she has many poems. Similar to Charlotte’s poetry, it’s perfect if you want some moody autumn reading.
Anne Brontë
Anne is the least known sister, but still a great writer. She doesn’t have as many poems as her sisters, but still nails the eerie themes that her sister wrote on. One of Anne’s poems is called Lines Composed in a Wood on a Windy Day. You can’t really get more autumnal than that.
Anne wrote two novels, Agnes Grey, and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Her works are often considered as some of the first feminist texts. Not much is known of Anne, as she died at the young age of 29.
The Brontë family had several tragedies, with all of the family dying young. Because of this, the sisters do not have many books between them. But what they have written is nothing short of amazing. Why not dive into the Brontë sisters this autumn?