S1 E8: With... Adam Sargant

Published in 1847, 'Wuthering Heights' is a novel that tells the story of the tumultuous relationship between Catherine Earnshaw and the foundling Heathcliff, whom her father brings home to Wuthering Heights. The narrative, framed by the visitor Lockwood and the housekeeper Nelly Dean, explores themes of love, revenge, and the cyclical nature of life. Heathcliff's bitter vengeance against those who wronged him drives the plot, which spans generations and delves into the dark, passionate, and often destructive aspects of human nature. The novel is renowned for its dramatic and poetic presentation, its unique structure, and its vivid depiction of the Yorkshire moors as a reflection of the characters' inner lives.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, published in 1848 under the pseudonym Acton Bell, is the second and final novel by Anne Brontë. The story is framed as a letter from Gilbert Markham to his friend and brother-in-law, detailing his encounters with Helen Graham, a mysterious and secretive widow living at Wildfell Hall with her son. As Gilbert's fascination with Helen grows, he discovers through her diaries the details of her tumultuous past, including her marriage to the abusive and alcoholic Arthur Huntingdon and her subsequent escape to protect herself and her son. The novel is a classic of English literature, known for its unflinching portrayal of social issues such as marital cruelty, infidelity, and the rights of women to choose their own path in life.

The novel follows Jane Eyre from her childhood at Gateshead Hall, where she is mistreated by her aunt and cousins, to her education at Lowood School, and later her employment as a governess at Thornfield Hall. There, she falls in love with her enigmatic employer, Edward Fairfax Rochester, but discovers a dark secret about his past that forces her to make a difficult choice. The novel explores themes of love, independence, and social justice, and is known for its realistic portrayal of the inner life of a woman during the Victorian era.