| Charlotte, Emily and Anne
were the three Brontë sisters whose novels have become enduring classics
of English literature. They were influenced by their father's library of
Walter Scott, Byron, Tales of the Genii and The Arabian Nights. The three
sisters and their brother Branwell Brontë created imaginary lands
(Angria, Gondal, Gaaldine), which featured in stories they wrote. They
began chronicling the lives and struggles of the inhabitants of their imaginary
kingdoms. Charlotte and her brother Branwell wrote stories about their
country - Angria - and Emily and Anne wrote articles and poems about theirs
- Gondal. The sagas were elaborate and convoluted (and still exist in part
manuscripts) and provided them with an obsessive interest in childhood
and early adolescence, which prepared them for their literary vocations
in adulthood.
To evade contemporary prejudice
against female writers, the Brontë sisters adopted androgynous first
names. All three retained the first letter of their first names: Charlotte
became Currer Bell, Anne became Acton Bell, and Emily became Ellis Bell.
In May 1846, Charlotte, Emily,
and Anne published a joint collection of poetry under the assumed names
of Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell. Although the book failed to attract interest
(only two copies were sold) the sisters decided to continue writing for
publication and began work on their first novels. Charlotte continued to
use the name 'Currer Bell' when she published her first two novels. |
