Emily Brontë

Emily Brontë is one of the most renowned British authors of all time. She was born in 1818 in Thornton, Yorkshire. She was the fifth of six children and the sister of famous authors Charlotte and Anne.

She was not formally educated and the majority of her education was taught by her parents and her siblings at home. Emily was a very creative and introspective child, who showed a love for nature and the outdoors from a young age. This is clearly reflected in her famed novel, Wuthering Heights, in which nature is a reoccurring theme.

Emily often wrote poetry and stories for her sisters, but her poems were never published during her lifetime. Her first published work was ‘Gondal Chronicles’, which she wrote with her sister, Anne, in 1845. In 1847, Emily anonymously published her only full length novel Wuthering Heights, which became her masterpiece.

The novel was heavily criticized by the public due to its dark and brooding setting, but nevertheless it gave Emily the critical recognition she deserved. Despite the criticism, it is now recognized as a classic in the English literature canon and remains one of the most famous novels of all time.

The novel explores themes of love and obsession in detail, along with a recurring focus on the environment and natural elements, as they affect both characters and storyline. The characters are complex and intense, and their actions are portrayed as driven by their emotions and feelings, rather than rational decisions.

The novel is considered one of the earliest works of Gothic literature, as it incorporates traits from Romanticism such as love and tragedy, along with the brooding atmosphere of a Gothic novel.

After the success of Wuthering Heights, Emily went on the write other short works such as poems, most of which were not published until after her death in 1848. Despite her short life, Emily Brontë remains one of the most important authors of the 19th century and her legacy continues to be felt in literature today.

Emily Brontë was a passionate and daring writer who used her works to explore complex issues in an unconventional way. Her writing is an inspiration to many poets, writers and readers alike, and she continues to influence literature to this day.