Alexander, Christine, and Margaret Smith. The Oxford Companion to the Brontës. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. Everything you need to know about the Brontes’ lives and works in an accessible format.
Brownstein, Rachel. Tragic Muse: Rachel of the Comédie-Française. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1993. Brownstein’s lively study of the French actress Rachel (Elisa Félix), the model for Brontë’s Vashti.
—. Becoming a Heroine: Reading about Women in Novels. New York: Viking Press, 1982. Brownstein pays particular attention to Villette in these excellent studies.
Eagleton, Terry. Myths of Power: A Marxist Study of the Brontës. London: Macmillan, 1975. An important Marxist analysis of the Brontë’s work in terms of its relationship to material culture.
Glen, Heather. Charlotte Brontë: The Imagination in History. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. A study of Brontë’s relationship to Victorian literature and society.
Lane, Christopher. Hatred and Civility: The Antisocial Life in Victorian England. New York: Columbia University Press, 2003. Explores the antisocial dynamics of Victorian culture; includes a compelling chapter on Charlotte Brontë.
Miller, Lucasta. The Brontë Myth. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004. Part biography, part literary criticism, this wonderful study looks at the ways in which the Brontës have been mythologized both in their day and in contemporary culture.
Peters, Margot. Charlotte Brontë: Style in the Novel. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1973. An analysis of the form and artistry of Brontë’s narratives.
Shuttleworth, Sally. Charlotte Brontë and Victorian Psychology. Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996. A critical study that examines the influence of nineteenth-century psychology in Brontë’s works.
a Bed hidden by draperies.
b That is, was an aristocrat.
c Originally designed as small boxes for men’s shirt collars; also used as luggage for hats and clothing.
d Term for an Ottoman sultan.
e Irish and Scottish legend about a supernatural being that cries underneath the home of a person who is about to die.
f Coarse gray cloth.
g That is, London, seen here as a venue of sins and transgressions, particularly for women.
h Of St. Paul’s Cathedral.
i In the Bible (Jonah 4:5-6), when Jonah leaves the city, God creates a small, fast-growing tree to give him shelter from the elements.
j In Greek mythology Charon is the ferryman who rowed the dead across the River Styx to the underworld.
k Quakers, members of a sect known as the Society of Friends that arose in mid-seventeenth-century England, dressed plainly, often in gray.
l Unaffected (French; translations are from French unless otherwise noted).
m Passengers on a sea voyage who travel at the cheapest rate.
n Lovely maiden (German).
o Thing.
p One who is not actively serving or who is retired.
q Fortunately, I can make things happen on my own.
r Quote from Richard Lovelace’s (1618-1657) “To Althea, from Prison.”
s Dining room in a hotel.
t What’s going on here? That’s my trunk!
u Ladies’ Boarding School.
v Only Englishwomen would do these sorts of things; they are completely shameless.
w That is the call for evening prayers.
x And what do you say? Well, lots of things.
y Well, it will always be a good deed.
z It was a tradition among Irish and Scotch nobility to give a child to a tenant to be nursed and brought up.
aa Goddess of the dawn.
ab Tyrant king of Crete.
ac Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) founded the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) .
ad Silent shoes.
ae Vacation days.
af Primer.
ag Biblical saying (2 Samuel 1:20) that means “Don’t let your enemies hear you.”
ah Tell me then, are you really feeling that weak?
ai Onward.
aj They are Labassecouriennes, on the level, frank, blunt, and a bit rebellious.
ak It’s true.
al Having the air (appearance) of doing nothing.
am That’s good.
an That will do.
ao I have lied many times.
ap God, this is difficult. I don’t want to do it. It bores me.
aq Because, when you die—you will immediately burn in hell .... Do you believe that? ... Certainly, I believe it: everyone knows it; and what’s more the priest told me.... To assure your salvation above, it is better to roast alive down here.
ar That’s enough.
as So they say.
at Handsome, but more of a fine man than a pretty boy.
au Sky-blue sash.
av Stoic and cynical Greek philosopher (c.412-323 B.C.).
aw Someone is here for Miss Fanshawe!
ax Listen, darling grump!
ay Impetuous youth.
az But not at all! ... I am his queen, but he is not my king.
ba The thinkers, the passionate and profound men, these are not my type.... Give me the handsome players and the pretty scoundrels! Long live joys and pleasures! Down with noble passions and strict virtues!
bb I love my handsome colonel.... I will never love his rival. I will never be a bourgeois wife, not me!
bc Their future.
bd Take care, my child!
be What a pest that Désirée is! What a nuisance that child is!
bf Désirée needs a particular kind of surveillance.
bg This child has a broken bone.
bh And someone go find a carriage immediately.
bi Sugar water.
bj That will be better.
bk Thank you Madam: very good, well done! ... That was an opportune time to be self-possessed, worth a thousand bursts of misplaced sensibility.
bl That is, solid.
bm Nebuchadnezzar (c.630-561 B.C.), depicted in the Bible as a cruel ruler, was the second king of the neo-Babylonian empire. The reference is to the book of Daniel 3:1: “Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits” (King James Version).
bn Openness and frankness of a good woman.
bo Poor Dr. Jean! ... that dear young man. The best creature in the world.
bp Fresh breeze.
bq Venice.
br Evil angel from Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress (1678).
bs The Bible’s oldest man, he lived for 969 years (Genesis 5:27).
bt Take a look! ... Look how neat Miss Lucy is. You like this alley then? ... That’s right.
bu Love letter.
bv A real prudish English woman, from what you say—a species of monster, blunt and rude like an old grenadier corporal, and crabby like a nun.
bw The gray dress, the straw hat.
bx What a story! ... Nobody was there.
by What a beautiful night.... How nice it is! What fresh air!
bz Good night, my friend; sleep well!
ca Thirteenth-century religious and spiritual figures.
cb Pious lecture.
cc Characters in Sir Walter Scott’s Old Morality (1816) .
cd In the Bible, Moses strikes a rock at Meribah and water appears for the children of Israel (Exodus 17).
ce Delicate green hat.
cf There’s nothing wrong with the pest, is there? ... Not much.
cg Ah, that! There isn’t anything behind it then, a mystery or a secret love affair? ... Nothing more than what is in my hand.... Too bad ... and I was beginning to have ideas.... Truly! you have something for your pains.
ch I know well that she doesn’t have principles, nor perhaps morals.... Her manner in class is always moral, and even full of a certain dignity: that is all that is expected. Neither the students nor the parents require more, and neither do I.
ci Large arbor.
cj Quickly.
ck Very well! Two or three silver spoons and forks.
cl Listen.
cm You are only dolls then? ... You have no passions, no feelings? Your flesh is snow, your blood is ice? I want all of that to be aflame, and wish it to have a life and a soul!
cn Tailor.
co So sad, so unassuming.
cp Respectably, decently.
cq ... mature women ... as for St. Pierre, she has the air of an old coquette who acts the ingenue.
cr That’s it! ... I know her! It’s the Englishwoman! Never mind. Though she is completely English and consequently completely prudish, she will do what I want or I will know why.
cs God knows, I hate them like the plague ordinarily.
ct Hurry to work!
cu I have heard everything. It’s good enough. Again! ... Again! And no pained faces! Away with your shyness!
cv At least she knows it.
cw Well, what is it, miss? ... I am very hungry.... What, you are hungry? What about the light meal?
cx Yes, that’s true.
cy Isn’t it beautiful? the first classe from the grande salle. This cabinet dazzled me, it was so full of light: it deafened me, it was so clamorous with voices: it stifled me, it was so hot, choking, thronged.
cz Courage, my friend! A bit of self-composure, a bit of nerve, M. Lucien, and all will go well.
da It is perhaps finer than your model ... but it isn’t correct.
db Young people.
dc Beautiful blonde ... pretty brunette ... that magnificent girl with jet-black hair.
dd Shut up! ... You won’t get past me unless it is over my dead body, and you’ll only dance with the nun of the garden.
de Get out, get out, and immediately.
df It is him.... oh, heavens!
dg That’s enough: I don’t want him.
dh So! ... You will be enthroned like a queen; tomorrow—enthroned by my side? Without a doubt you are savoring in advance the delights of authority. I think I see in you a kind of radiance, you ambitious little woman.
di How harsh you are!
dj I took it as a warning.
dk The sun, the moon, the stars—have I said it right?
dl Give me your hand.
dm Father, I am Protestant.
dn François Fénelon (1651-1715), French bishop and author who had liberal views on politics and education.
do Character from the The Arabian Nights who while he is sleeping is carried by spirits to the gates of Damascus.
dp Angel of death in the Koran.
dq Excessive depression.
dr Characters from Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Titania, the Queen of the Fairies, is tricked into falling in love with Nick Bottom, a weaver wearing the head of an ass.
ds Typical Englishman.
dt Joseph’s favorite brother in the Bible; he receives more from Joseph than anyone else (Genesis 43:34).
du What are you doing here? ... But, sir, I am amusing myself.... You amuse yourself! and at what, if you please? But first, give me the pleasure of helping you up: take my arm and we’ll go to the other side.
dv Be quiet and sit down there! There! ... But monsieur.... But mademoiselle. Sit down and don’t move—are you listening? Stay there until someone comes to get you or until I give you permission.... What a sad corner! ... What ugly pictures!
dw A woman’s life, in four depicted stages: Jeune Fille. young girl; Mariée: young married woman; Jeune Mère: young mother; and Veuve: widow.
dx That is, cemetery. Père la Chaise is a famous cemetery in Paris.
dy Angel.
dz Truly! You aren’t worth much.
ea That doesn’t matter. A magnificent woman—the figure of an empress, Junoesque, but someone you would not want for a wife or a daughter or a sister. Also, you won’t cast one single look in her direction.
eb For the benefit of the poor.
ec In the Bible (Genesis 25), twin sons of Isaac.
ed Novel by Oliver Goldsmith (1766).
ee In Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Europa; one of the three judges of the dead in the underworld.
ef Miss, you are sad.... Monsieur, I have the right to be.... You are ill in your heart and your mood.
eg Bluestocking; literary woman.
eh Giant step.
ei Wild angel.
ej Female bear.
ek That is, a wax seal.
el Do you intend to insult me? anger—a kind of passion of emotion—that specially tended to draw tears. I was not unhappy, nor much afraid, yet I wept.
em The young woman has nothing but time.
en I understand, I understand: one knows what a friend is. Good day, miss.
eo I see clearly that you scoff at me and my things.
ep Candle.
eq But of course, darling, you can have two if you want.
er Attic.
es A subtle air.
et Daughter of Zeus, wife of Hercules, goddess of everlasting youth and cup-bearer to the gods.
eu There is someone for you in the salon.
ev The brightest star in the night; associated with summer.
ew Character in Sir Walter Scott’s novel The Talisman (1825), set in the time of the Crusades. Saladin proves his facility with the scimitar by slicing a down cushion in half with one stroke.
ex Seventeenth-century painter known for his depictions of large, fleshy women.
ey Old Testament term for a graveyard or place for relics.
ez Or Asclepius; Greco-Roman god of medicine.
fa Poppy.
fb Regarding big Jean.
fc Yes, yes, my good friend: I give you permission willingly and from my heart. Your work in my house has always been admirable, full of prudence and warmth: you certainly have the right to amuse yourself. Go out and do as you please. Regarding your choice of company, I am happy; it is wise, dignified, and commendable.
fd There is something remarkable in the English character.... I’m not sure how to tell you “how”; but in short, the English have their own ideas on friendship, on love, on everything. But at least there is no need to watch them.
fe Biblical character associated with an expression of regret; the name means “Where is the glory?”
ff That is what I will do.
fg Dévouement: self-devotion; recueillement: meditation; juron: curse, swearword; sacré: sacred; mille: thousand.
fh Friedrich von Schiller’s “The Maiden’s Lament”: “Oh holy one, call your child back. / I have enjoyed earthly happiness. / I have lived and loved.” should thus view me; but you know and shall learn to acknowledge that I am verging on my nineteenth year.’
fi What do you say about it?
fj Little cat, sweetness, coquette! ... You seem very sad, submissive, dreamy, but you are not; it is I who tells you: Savage! your soul is aflame, your eyes on fire.... Yes, my soul is ablaze, and it has a right to be.
fk Look, the dawn is breaking. Say then that you are my friend.... I forgive you, M. Paul.
fl Knox (c.1514-1572) was famous for his harsh attacks against Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots (1542-1587).
fm My god! ... What will become of me? Monsieur means to kill me, I’m sure, because he is in a rage.
fn From this moment!—the classroom is forbidden. The first person who opens that door or passes that division will be hanged—even if it is Madame Beck herself!
fo I can’t take it anymore!
fp What do you want with me?
fq I want the impossible, extraordinary things.
fr There I am, bereft of my spectacles.
fs A strong woman—a dreadful English woman—a little break-it-all.
ft An expression that suggests that Lucy wants Ginevra to go. In the Bible, David’s servants, whose beards had been shaved off, were told to wait at Jericho until their beards had grown again (2 Samuel 10:4-5).
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