Excerpt

Excerpt from Biographical Notes on the Pseudonymous Bells, by Charlotte Brontë

Meantime, my younger sister quietly produced some of her own
compositions, intimating that, since Emily’s had given me pleasure, I
might like to look at hers. I could not but be a partial judge, yet I
thought that these verses, too, had a sweet, sincere pathos of their own.

We had very early cherished the dream of one day becoming authors. This
dream, never relinquished even when distance divided and absorbing tasks
occupied us, now suddenly acquired strength and consistency: it took the
character of a resolve. We agreed to arrange a small selection of our
poems, and, if possible, to get them printed. Averse to personal
publicity, we veiled our own names under those of Currer, Ellis, and
Acton Bell; the ambiguous choice being dictated by a sort of
conscientious scruple at assuming Christian names positively masculine,
while we did not like to declare ourselves women, because—without at that
time suspecting that our mode of writing and thinking was not what is
called ‘feminine’—we had a vague impression that authoresses are liable
to be looked on with prejudice; we had noticed how critics sometimes use
for their chastisement the weapon of personality, and for their reward, a
flattery, which is not true praise.

The bringing out of our little book was hard work. As was to be
expected, neither we nor our poems were at all wanted; but for this we
had been prepared at the outset; though inexperienced ourselves, we had
read the experience of others. The great puzzle lay in the difficulty of
getting answers of any kind from the publishers to whom we applied.
Being greatly harassed by this obstacle, I ventured to apply to the
Messrs. Chambers, of Edinburgh, for a word of advice; they may have
forgotten the circumstance, but I have not, for from them I received a
brief and business-like, but civil and sensible reply, on which we acted,
and at last made a way.

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Explanation

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Biographical Notes on the Pseudonymous Bells by Charlotte Brontë

Context of the Excerpt

This passage is from Charlotte Brontë’s Biographical Notice of Ellis and Acton Bell (1850), a preface she wrote for the posthumous reissue of her sisters’ works after Emily and Anne Brontë’s deaths. The Brontë sisters—Charlotte, Emily, and Anne—originally published their poetry under male pseudonyms (Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell) in 1846, fearing the prejudice female writers faced. The excerpt reflects Charlotte’s retrospective account of their early literary ambitions, the challenges of publication, and their strategic use of pseudonyms.

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Themes in the Excerpt

1. Literary Ambition and Sisterhood

   • The passage reveals the Brontës’ lifelong dream of becoming authors, a shared aspiration that persisted despite separation and hardship.
   • The phrase "We had very early cherished the dream" suggests a deep, collective longing, reinforcing the sisters’ bond.
   • Charlotte’s description of Emily’s and Anne’s work ("a sweet, sincere pathos of their own") highlights her role as both a supportive sister and a discerning critic.

2. Gender and Anonymity

   • The sisters’ decision to use pseudonyms stems from their awareness of gender bias in literature. Charlotte notes:

     "we had a vague impression that authoresses are liable to be looked on with prejudice"

   • They avoid overtly masculine names ("conscientious scruple at assuming Christian names positively masculine") but also reject overt femininity, fearing critics would judge their work based on gender rather than merit.
   • The phrase "the weapon of personality" refers to how female writers were often attacked for their personal lives (e.g., being called "unfeminine") or praised insincerely ("flattery, which is not true praise").

3. Perseverance Against Rejection

   • The passage underscores the difficulties of breaking into publishing. The sisters face silence from publishers ("the difficulty of getting answers of any kind").
   • Charlotte’s proactive approach—seeking advice from Messrs. Chambers—demonstrates resilience. The "brief and business-like, but civil and sensible reply" they receive becomes a turning point, symbolizing their eventual success through determination.

4. The Struggle for Recognition

   • The line "neither we nor our poems were at all wanted" reflects the harsh reality of the literary market, where unknown writers (especially women) were often ignored.
   • Their preparation for rejection ("we had read the experience of others") shows their pragmatic understanding of the industry’s challenges.

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Literary Devices and Stylistic Choices

1. First-Person Plural ("We")

   • Charlotte uses "we" to emphasize unity among the sisters, reinforcing their shared struggle and collective identity as writers.
   • This contrasts with the individual pseudonyms (Currer, Ellis, Acton), which mask their true selves while allowing them to present a unified front.

2. Understatement and Restraint

   • The tone is measured, avoiding melodrama despite the sisters’ hardships. For example:

     "the great puzzle lay in the difficulty of getting answers" (Understates the frustration of being ignored.)

   • Charlotte’s "I could not but be a partial judge" acknowledges her bias but also her genuine admiration for her sisters’ work.

3. Irony

   • The sisters’ pseudonyms are a form of dramatic irony—readers now know their true identities, but the original audience did not.
   • The line "we had not at that time suspected that our mode of writing and thinking was not what is called ‘feminine’" is ironic because their works (e.g., Wuthering Heights, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall) were later criticized for being "unwomanly."

4. Metaphor and Imagery

   • "the weapon of personality" personifies criticism as an attack, emphasizing how female writers were vulnerable to personal scrutiny.
   • "a vague impression" suggests an unspoken but deeply felt societal bias.

5. Foreshadowing

   • The passage hints at future struggles (e.g., the difficulty of publication foreshadows the initial failure of their poetry collection, which sold only two copies).
   • The eventual success of their novels (Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights) is implied in Charlotte’s determined tone.

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Significance of the Excerpt

1. Historical Context: Women in 19th-Century Literature

   • The Brontës’ use of pseudonyms reflects the limited opportunities for female writers in Victorian England. Women were expected to write "proper" domestic fiction, not the bold, emotional, or Gothic works the Brontës produced.
   • Their strategy was both practical (to avoid prejudice) and subversive (to challenge gender norms indirectly).

2. The Brontës’ Literary Legacy

   • This passage is a rare firsthand account of the sisters’ collaborative process, offering insight into their motivations and challenges.
   • It humanizes them—not just as geniuses but as determined, vulnerable women navigating a hostile industry.

3. Feminist Reading

   • The excerpt can be read as a proto-feminist statement on the struggles of female artists. The sisters’ reluctance to reveal their gender highlights the double bind women faced:
     • If they wrote as women, they risked being dismissed.
     • If they wrote as men, they risked being exposed as frauds.
   • Their success under pseudonyms exposed the arbitrariness of gendered expectations in literature.

4. The Power of Pseudonymity

   • The pseudonyms (Currer, Ellis, Acton Bell) allowed the Brontës freedom from stereotype while maintaining a unified authorial identity.
   • The names’ ambiguity ("not positively masculine") reflects their resistance to binary gender roles in writing.

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Line-by-Line Analysis of Key Passages

1. "Meantime, my younger sister quietly produced some of her own compositions..."

   • "quietly" suggests modesty, contrasting with the boldness of their literary ambitions.
   • The phrase "intimating that, since Emily’s had given me pleasure" shows Charlotte’s role as the sisters’ first reader and critic.

2. "We had very early cherished the dream of one day becoming authors."

   • "very early" emphasizes that writing was a lifelong passion, not a sudden whim.
   • "dream" conveys both aspiration and the almost fantastical nature of their ambitions in a society that discouraged female intellectualism.

3. "we veiled our own names under those of Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell"

   • "veiled" implies concealment but also protection—a shield against prejudice.
   • The names’ androgyny (not "positively masculine") was a deliberate middle ground.

4. "we had noticed how critics sometimes use for their chastisement the weapon of personality"

   • "weapon" frames criticism as violent and unfair, especially toward women.
   • "chastisement" suggests moral judgment, implying that female writers were punished for stepping outside societal norms.

5. "The bringing out of our little book was hard work."

   • "little book" downplays their effort, though the poetry collection was a bold first step.
   • "hard work" underscores the labor behind literary success, often invisible to readers.

6. "from them I received a brief and business-like, but civil and sensible reply"

   • The contrast between "business-like" (impersonal) and "civil and sensible" (helpful) shows how rare constructive feedback was for unknown writers.

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Conclusion: Why This Excerpt Matters

This passage is more than a historical footnote—it is a manifestation of the Brontës’ defiance, sisterhood, and literary ingenuity. Charlotte’s account reveals:

• The practical and emotional challenges of being a female writer in the 19th century.
• The strategic use of anonymity to bypass gender bias.
• The resilience required to persist in a field that initially wanted neither them nor their work.

Ultimately, the excerpt demystifies the Brontës’ legend, showing them not as isolated geniuses but as collaborative, determined women who had to outmaneuver a system stacked against them. Their story remains relevant today as a testament to the power of persistence, the cost of prejudice, and the enduring need for women to claim their voices—even if, at first, they must do so in disguise.