The life of Charlotte Bronte

*Born April 21, 1816 in Yorkshire, England.*Third of Six Children (oldest of the three Bronte sisters)*At age four the family moved to Haworth . A year later mother passed away of cancer leaving the eldest daughter Elizabeth to care for the family.*1824 Charlotte and her three sisters were sent to the Clergy Daughters’ School in Lancashire(she would call this school Lowood School in Jane Eyre). Because of the poor conditions at the school, Charlottes health was permanently affected and consequently accelerated the death of her two older sisters Maria and Elizabeth who both died of tuberculosis in 1825.

Charlotte continued her Education at Roe Head, Mirfield from 1831-1832. During this period she wrote her first novel The Green Dwarf under the pen name Wellesley. She continued teaching from 1835-1838 then She began the position of governess for many families till 1941.

WRITING ROOTSIn 1826 Mr. Bronte brought his son Branwell some wooden soldiers which Charlotte and her sisters began to play with and wrote about an imaginary world called Angria. This would be the root of Charlotte’s writing abilities which she continued during her adulthood.

Why did she use pseudonym’s?

Charlotte used the pseudonym’s (pen name) Wellesley and Currer Bell because she felt that “ the mode of writing and thinking was not what is called “feminine””. She felt that if people thought a man wrote her work it would be more acceptable but unfortunately that did not stop them from banning “Jane Eyre” in the 1860’s for a period of time because it was said to be “unsuitable for young ladies”.

What was her Profession?Charlotte earned a living by teaching and by being a live in nanny for many families in Yorkshire. In 1842 She taught at a boarding school in Brussels where she taught English. She wasn’t very happy at the boarding school so she left in 1844 to go back to Haworth. She used her time at the boarding school for inspiration for some of her writings in “The Professor” and “Villette”.

Love Life and DeathIn 1852 Charlotte was proposed to by Arthur Bell Nicholls who was a pastor and her father’s cleryman. Her father disapproved and thought Arthur wasn’t good enough to marry his daughter as a result Charlotte was torn and declined the proposal. Although she knew her father disapproved, Charlotte and Arthur married in June of 1854 without the presence of her father. Soon after she was pregnant and her health rapidly declined. Charlotte died March 31, 1855 of pregnancy complications along with her unborn child.

Charlotte’s WorkIn 1833 Charlotte wrote her first novel “The Green Dwarf” under the name Wellesley.

1846 Charlotte, Emily and Anne published a collection of poetry called “Poems” that they wrote under the names Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell.

1847 Published “Jane Eyre” under the name Currer Bell

1848 Published “Shirley”

1853 published “Villette”

1857 published “The Professor”