The Bronts - Christopher Martin

This illustrated book is part of a series which provides an introduction to the life and work of selected writers. Each book is intended to develop a critical understanding of a selected writer's work through detailed commentary on a few texts which the student is most likely to encounter. The series is designed to be used as background reading for GCSE studies and Standard Grade in Scotland.;This particular sequel is an introduction to the lives and work of the Bronte sisters looking closely at their major novels and discussing their symbolism, structure and themes, whilst placing them against the background of their lives and the times in which they lived.;The author questions the reasons for three young women from a quiet country parsonage writing such notable works as Charlotte's "Jane Eyre", Emily's "Wuthering Heights" and Anne's "Agnes Grey".;He tells the story of their family and reveals how their early lives and educational background fostered their passion for writing. An explanation of the attitudes facing women writers in the 19th century is given as well as an insight into the reasons for the Brontes' writing under assumed men's names.;The text is illustrated with quotations from works and letters and by manuscripts, drawings and photographs.