Anne Brontë was born 200 years ago today and to mark this occasion I’ve been reading “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall” over the past couple of weeks. This is the first time I’ve read this novel, but I’ve been keen to read more books by the Brontës given the bicentenary celebrations for the sisters which have been occurring recently. In the past few years I’ve read “Wuthering Heights” for the first time and Anne’s first novel “Agnes Grey” – as well as taken a trip to Haworth and the Brontë parsonage last year. While I enjoyed “Agnes Grey” (especially the comic depiction of several shallow adolescents the protagonist governs) I didn’t find it a hugely memorable novel. Many readers encouraged me to read “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall” as it’s popularly considered a more accomplished novel and I have to say I agree.
It’s a novel with a compelling mystery at its centre about Mrs Helen Graham, an enigmatic widow who has recently moved into a dilapidated country estate. Naturally many of the locals are intrigued by this newly arrived figure, gossip frequently about her and try to pry out the story of her origins. However, only the narrator Gilbert Markham discovers the truth when (after a rocky initial acquaintance) Mrs Graham finally takes him into her confidence by entrusting him with her diaries. These are reproduced in a lengthy second part of the novel wherein we learn about her turbulent marriage and the reason why she’s moved to this remote location with her son and why she so fiercely tries to preserve her anonymity.
The novel gives a striking depiction of alcoholism and a psychologically abusive marriage. It’s so interesting reading this classic text after reading the recently published memoir “In the Dream House” which also gives a frank portrayal of an abusive relationship from a very different angle. Common traits of manipulative behaviour can be traced through such relationships where the abusive spouse tries to control, dominate and make their partner depend on them. And a tragic aspect of such relationships is that the abused spouse romantically hopes that their partner will eventually reform even after they repeatedly fail to make promised changes. It’s heartrending and effective the way Anne Brontë traces how Helen enters into such a marriage and eventually realises that her husband Huntingdon is an irredeemably vicious scoundrel.
Although I found the central story really effective, I did feel this novel was overlong as some parts felt repetitive and unnecessarily drawn out. The structure is also somewhat unwieldy as the opening and closing chapters of the novel are written in the form of letters Gilbert is sending to his brother-in-law. It’s difficult to root for Gilbert as a romantic hero as he’s cantankerous and overbearing in the way he persistently sniffs around for Helen’s affection. After everything she went through I was hoping for a better partner for her. But it’s interesting having read novels by all the Brontës now how none of them offer a romantic male lead who isn’t deeply problematic in some way. Compared to Heathcliff and Mr Rochester, Gilbert is probably the most stable and even-tempered of the lot. Nevertheless, Helen probably deserved better.
Actress Nancy Coleman played Anne Bronte in the film ‘Devotion’
A character I greatly enjoyed is Eliza Millward, the daughter of the local vicar who Gilbert initially harbours romantic feelings for before the arrival of Mrs Graham. Having been tossed aside by Gilbert she makes it her business to taunt and tease him about his obvious pining for the mysterious lady. She frequently soaks up and circulates any gossip she can gather about Helen and then casually drops it into conversation around Gilbert to drive him into a fury. I found these scenes very funny and, as similarly demonstrated in “Agnes Grey”, I think this shows how Anne had a real talent for creating humorously superficial and conniving characters. Eliza pleasingly offsets the character of Helen who (although she is sympathetic) is also tediously pious and ardently sincere in her manner. Helen can also be frustratingly oblique in her dialogue resorting to soporific metaphors rather than being candid about her own feelings and desires.
Recently I watched the 1946 film ‘Devotion’ which is an enjoyably silly and fancifully romantic portrayal of the lives of the Brontës. However, it includes some curious opening text which explains how the Brontës included two geniuses (presumably they mean Charlotte and Emily since these are the figures the film mostly focuses on.) It’s another indication how Anne has frequently been considered a lesser writer compared to her sisters. This seems a shame since “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall” is still a good novel, especially in its frank portrayal of difficult subject matter. Since I don’t know a detailed history of the Brontës beyond the basics, it wasn’t until I read this recent article by Tracy Chevalier that I was aware of this novel’s difficult history and how a much edited version was the one which was frequently republished for many years. Now that I’ve read novels by all the sisters, I’m very keen to get knotted up in all the debates and mythology surrounding the Brontës and read some more biographical accounts to better understand them. Of course, many have been written so let me know if you have any suggestions about where to start.
