The Book Club is meeting tomorrow at 19.00 UK time to discuss the Life of Charlotte Bronte by Elizabeth Gaskell. You can leave any questions or comments in this thread and get the discussion started.
Here’s a starter for ten—should Elizabeth Gaskell have spent more time discussing Bronte’s novels?
Well, you could argue that Gaskell could have written a more rounded account but that wasn’t the purpose of the book as she saw it. I think she wanted to counter the hostile reception (in some cases invective) that JE elicited from some quarters, and that was Gaskell’s main objective. Did she achieve that goal - debatable.
Yes, it does give an intimate portrayal of how she and her sisters worked but that wasn’t the main reason she was asked to write it. Her brief was to correct the perception of Charlotte by some outraged critics - who were generally out of step with the general public and for the most part loved it. I think she stuck to the brief pretty closely and would argue that Gaskell, if anything, overcooked it.
She massively over cooked it! I think it’s most valuable today as a record of how a great writing talent develops works and emerges. Critics of her are just less interested in that than the more directly literary question.
Well, you could argue that Gaskell could have written a more rounded account but that wasn’t the purpose of the book as she saw it. I think she wanted to counter the hostile reception (in some cases invective) that JE elicited from some quarters, and that was Gaskell’s main objective. Did she achieve that goal - debatable.
I agree! I also don’t think biographers have to be critics. She was writing a study of how talent worked.
Yes, it does give an intimate portrayal of how she and her sisters worked but that wasn’t the main reason she was asked to write it. Her brief was to correct the perception of Charlotte by some outraged critics - who were generally out of step with the general public and for the most part loved it. I think she stuck to the brief pretty closely and would argue that Gaskell, if anything, overcooked it.
She massively over cooked it! I think it’s most valuable today as a record of how a great writing talent develops works and emerges. Critics of her are just less interested in that than the more directly literary question.
Yes, agreed. It is a fascinating read and I loved it for that reason above all others.
So glad you enjoyed it on your birthday 🥳