There have been many female artists, poets, authors, and filmmakers that have had an impact on furthering the acceptance of women in artistic fields. As an English Literature major, I have always been particularly interested in women who were influential in challenging the boundaries of literature and helping to expand authorship to include women. Some of these women were the English authors and poets now known as The Brontë Sisters.Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë were all born in Thornton, Yorkshire, England in 1816, 1818, and 1820 respectively. Their parents were Patrick Brontë, a curate, and his wife, Maria Branwell Brontë, who passed away in 1821. Originally, there were six Brontë siblings; the eldest sisters, Elizabeth and Maria, died in 1825, leaving only Charlotte, Anne, Emily, and their older brother Branwell. From their childhood, all three Brontë Sisters were fond of reading and storytelling and were educated in various schools in England and abroad. In 1845, Charlotte found some poems that Emily had written, which led to the publication of the sisters' poems entitled “Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell.”
The Brontë sisters published this first collection of poems and their following novels under male pseudonyms to increase the likelihood of their books being accepted for publication and purchased after publication. Although there had been female authors prior to the Brontë sisters, these women, such as Jane Austen and Mary Shelley, chose to publish under gender-neutral pseudonyms or anonymously to either ensure the success of their books or to avoid backlash regarding the content of their books. At the time, authorship was not considered an appropriate occupation for women. Most women at this time were maids, cooks, governesses or teachers, laundry women, or other domestic positions. Intellectual and academic positions beyond the education of children were mostly held by men, and most works of literature were also written by men.
Continuing their authorship from their first collection of poems, Charlotte (under the pseudonym Currer Bell) published her first novel “Jane Eyre”in 1847, “Shirley”in 1849, “Villette”in 1853, and her final novel “The Professor” was published in 1857. Emily only published one novel (under the pseudonym Ellis Bell), “Wuthering Heights” in 1847, and Anne published two novels (under the pseudonym Acton Bell) “Agnes Gray” in 1847 and “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall” in 1848. Sadly, Emily Brontë died in December of 1848, and Anne Brontë died five months later in May of 1849. Charlotte Brontë lived for six more years and died in 1855. Before their deaths, Charlotte had revealed her and her sisters’ identities to her publisher in 1848. In 1850, Charlotte Brontë wrote a letter that was included at the beginning of a republished edition of “Wuthering Heights” and “Agnes Gray” that revealed her and her sisters’ identities as the authors of their books. Since then, all books written by the Brontë sisters have been published under their own names, and all credit has been given to them.
Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë pushed the boundaries of what was considered acceptable for women, and helped, alongside many other female authors, to expand authorship to include women. Although they originally published under pseudonyms, their revelation of their womanhood gave them the chance to be recognized for their work, and opened the door for other women to do the same. The Brontë sisters are part of a long journey towards granting women authorship and credit for their work, and their novels have remained some of the most influential novels of Victorian literature, and are considered to be some of the first feminist novels. During Women’s History Month, it is important to remember and highlight women such as the Brontë sisters, who opened the pathway for women in the arts.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.