Author Profile: Charlotte Bronte

Author Profile

Name Charlotte Bronte

Birth Date April 21, 1816 Place Thornton, Yorkshire, North England

Death Date March 31, 1855 Place Haworth, Yorkshire, North England

Best-Known Works: Jane Eyre, & Villette

Charlotte Bronte was born on April 1^st 1816 at the Thornton Yorkshire in the North of England. Her Parents were Patrick and Maria Bronte, she also had two older sisters, Maria and Elizabeth. Her mother died of cancer in1820. She attended Cowan Bridge School with her sisters Maria, Elizabeth, and Emily. They left the school when Maria and Elizabeth became sick with tuberculosis and died. After this they were taught from home by their father, and aunt, Elizabeth. The four children left often played together, and they made up all kinds of fantastic adventures for their imaginary characters. Latter they wrote these stories down; this prepared them for their latter writing. Charlotte became a governess for a time, but grew homesick. She and her sisters, Emily and Anne, published a book of poems. It sold only two copies. Latter in 1847 she published Jane Eyre under the name of Currer Bell. It was met with instant success. She latter would publish the books Shirley, and Villette. She married Arthur Bell Nickolas in 1854, they were only married for a few months. She died on March 31^st of 1855.

One of the things that Charlotte uses from personal experience in Jane Eyre is the boarding school. Charlotte went to Cowan Bridge School. Her experience there is the basis for Lowood school in Jane Eyre. Charlotte’s sister Marie was the basis for her Character of Helen in Jane Eyre. Charlotte also went to school in Brussels, she used this experience as the basis for her novel Villentte. The two men that Lucy Snowe falls in love with are based on two men that Charlotte Bronte knew and was in love with her self.

The poet, Robert Southy, was one of Charlotte’s role models, and effected her writing. She addresses what he said to her in Jane Eyre. William Thackeray, another poet, is also one of Charlotte’s inspirations. She also read many books this would have affected her writing as well.

Much of Jane Eyre takes place in the country side which is where Charlotte Bronte grew up. There is very much the feel of a Yorkshire moor throughout the book, although where to book takes place exactly is kept hidden from the reader. You only know that it is the country.