Villette

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Again, readers, apologies for the tardiness of reviews and the break in rhythmic flowing of the literary reservoir that is Hannahbelle’s Shelf, it is true that life is filled with many struggles and they take some time to get through. One such struggle for me has been the latest book I endeavoured to become absorbed in. In a considerably unwise move, I went from a long bout of fantasy (with the Skulduggery Pleasant series) to non-fiction (with Best Foot Forward and Boys Will be Boys) and then thought, ‘you know what would be great right now, a little Victorian literature!’… Definitely not my smartest move.

Villette chronicles the life story of Miss Lucy Snowe, a stoic and solitary woman who leaves an unhappy life in England and flees to France without the aid of family, friends, money, or class. There, she finds work as a teacher in Madame Beck’s Rue Fossette. Soon her solitary and demure nature are thrown into disarray as she finds herself drawn to the charismatic and enigmatic schoolmaster, Monsieur Paul Emmanuel and, despite the jealous interference from Madame Beck, Lucy is inspired to assert her right to love and be loved.

The book is based largely in part on Charlotte Bronte’s own experiences in Brussels and is primarily flavoured by themes of loneliness, identity obscurity, Depression, and self-worth, inspired by Bronte’s own feelings after the deaths of her sisters and brother. This autobiographical edge, coupled with its intimate first-person register makes Villette a very – sometimes even uncomfortably- personal book and thus, offers an incredibly voyeuristic experience.

Sometimes it can feel that this form of narrative is dense; definitely a bit of a struggle to get through if you’ve been out of practice with Victorian lit., but at the same time the book takes on another genre that keeps the reader enthralled. Much like Austen’s retreat into the tamer and slightly gloomy version of her biting and exhilarating wit in Persuasion, Villette can still very much be considered a Gothic romance in the same vein as Bronte’s first novel, Jane Eyre. A turbulent love story does, of course, ensue; not just between Lucy and Paul, but amidst a number of the supporting characters and there are glorious elements of social commentary, religious influence, class systems, and even the supernatural. There may not be a mad woman in the attic, but that theme of hidden horrors is still prevalent and serves as a strong hook for turning pages.

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Bronte injects her world with colourful and recognisable characters that continue to make the book accessible even though the language and structure of her prose can prove a little challenging, and this is what makes her writing transcend generations.

Despite struggling a little, being out of practice with Victorian lit., I rather enjoyed Villette and found that it was a book that I could indeed become entirely enthralled in. Obviously, Bronte’s not an author for everyone, but those who are curious about her writing, Victorian literature, and Gothic romance, will appreciate and enjoy Villette.

Villette was written by Charlotte Bronte and first published in 1853. A large portion of it is autobiographical, based on Bronte’s own experiences as an English teacher in Brussels in 1842; her sister Emily taught music.