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This biography with a twist unravels myths and delves into the work of the great author for answers to the question: Who was the real Emily Brontë?
Emily Brontë occupies a special place in the English literary canon. And rightly so: the incomparable Wuthering Heights is a novel that has bewitched us for almost 200 years, and the character of Heathcliff is seen by some as the ultimate romantic hero—and villain. But Emily herself remains an enigmatic figure, often portrayed as awkward, volatile, as a misanthrope, as “no normal being.” That’s the conventional wisdom on Emily as a person, but is it accurate, is it fair?
In this biography with a twist, Claire O’Callaghan conjures a new image of Emily and rehabilitates her reputation by exploring the themes of her life and work—her feminism, her passion for the natural world—as well as the art she has inspired, and even the “fake news” stories about her. What do we really know about her romantic life, for example, or about who and what inspired her characters and stories?
What we discover is that Emily was, in fact, a thoroughly modern woman. So now, two centuries on, it’s time for the real Emily Brontë to step forward.
"Thoughtful...an informally written, no-nonsense reappraisal...much more readable than most jargon-riggen academic articles." Times Literary Supplement
"Intriguing…O’Callaghan writes feelingly." Telegraph
"A fascinating read." Mail on Sunday
"O'Callaghan clearly knows her stuff... An original, valuable contribution that goes a long way to rehabilitating the image of one of the most influential female figures in English literature." Northern Soul
"A highly accessible biography offering a refreshingly open-minded interpretation of Emily…I felt that I got closer to the weirdest of the three weird sisters than I ever had before." Girl With Her Head In A Book Blog
The Life and Works of Emily
Emily—The Biographers’ Tales
Ellis Bell
Emily in Nature
Emily and Feminism
Emily’s Afterlives
Emily—Real and Fake News
Notes & References
Selected Bibliography
Index