Alexandra Lewis, a lecturer in English and Creative Writing, Marianne Thormählen, a Professor Emerita in English Studies, and John Bowen, a Professor of Nineteenth-Century Literature, delve into Anne Brontë's groundbreaking novel, 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.' They discuss its contentious publication history and themes of male violence and autonomy. The guests explore Helen Graham's rebellious spirit, the impact of addiction, and the societal critiques inherent in the story. They also reflect on Anne's legacy and her literary significance alongside her sisters.
49:33
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
Early Critical Reception
Critics said the novel's portrayal of male violence and alcoholism was so revolting that it was unfit to print.
One reviewer, Charles Kingsley, acknowledged the novel's satirical value but deemed it unfit for women.
insights INSIGHT
Anne Bronte's Defense
Anne Bronte defended her novel, saying the pain of reading grim truths is necessary.
She compared herself to a cleaning lady who gets more abuse for the dust she raises than praise for cleaning.
insights INSIGHT
The Novel's Didactic Purpose
Anne Bronte's novel had a didactic purpose: warning young people about addiction, vanity, and the limits of human agency.
It explores the unorthodox notion of universal salvation and emphasizes that God is the only constant helper.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
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.
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Anne Bronte's second novel, published in 1848, which is now celebrated alongside those of her sisters but which Charlotte Bronte tried to suppress as a 'mistake'. It examines the life of Helen, who has escaped her abusive husband Arthur Huntingdon with their son to live at Wildfell Hall as a widow under the alias 'Mrs Graham', and it exposes the men in her husband's circle who gave her no choice but to flee. Early critics attacked the novel as coarse, as misrepresenting male behaviour, and as something no woman or girl should ever read; soon after Anne's death, Charlotte suggested the publisher should lose it for good. In recent decades, though, its reputation has climbed and it now sits with Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights as one of the great novels by the Bronte sisters.
The image above shows Tara Fitzgerald as Helen Graham in a 1996 BBC adaptation.
With
Alexandra Lewis
Lecturer in English and Creative Writing at the University of Newcastle (Australia)
Marianne Thormählen
Professor Emerita in English Studies, Lund University
And
John Bowen
Professor of Nineteenth Century Literature at the University of York
In Our Time 