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Emily Brontë was born on July 30, 1818, in the parsonage at Thornton in Yorkshire to the Reverend Patrick Brontë and Maria Branwell Brontë. She was one of the most enigmatic and extraordinary literary figures of the 19th century. Her life cut short at thirty, was marked by remarkable creativity and dedication to her family. She is remembered for her only novel, “Wuthering Heights,” and her poetic genius has left an indelible mark on the world of literature.
Emily was the fifth of six children born to Patrick and Maria Brontë. She was only three and her eldest sister Maria barely seven when their mother died in 1821. The Brontë children were raised in the Haworth parsonage on the Yorkshire moors by their father and their aunt, Elizabeth Branwell. The siblings, Charlotte, Emily, Anne, and their brother Branwell, formed an unusually close-knit group, finding solace and companionship in one another.
They created intricate fictional worlds, known as the “Glass Town” and “Angria” sagas, which weaved their early literary efforts.
Her idiosyncrasies set her apart from others. She was reclusive and had a deep connection to the wild moorlands of Yorkshire, often featuring the rugged landscapes and the harsh beauty of the Yorkshire moors in her poems. Poems like, “The Night-Wind” and “The Prisoner” show her fascination for freedom, nature, and the soul’s inner turmoil. Though less discussed than her novel, Emily's poetry delineates her profound understanding of human emotions and nature.
In 1846, three Bronte siblings, Emily, Charlotte, and Anne together published a collection of poems using their pennames Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell. Although the collection garnered little attention, it was the beginning of Emily’s impactful literary career. These were the only poems by Emily Brontë that were published in her lifetime The following year, Emily published “Wuthering Heights,” a novel that would eventually become one of the most revered works in English literature and considered a masterpiece of Gothic fiction.
“Wuthering Heights” is a tale of intense passion, revenge, and the supernatural. Set against her own wild and windy Yorkshire moors, the novel dives deep into the destructive and redemptive power of love through the tumultuous relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw. Emily’s ability to create complex characters and her unconventional narrative structure were groundbreaking, challenging the norms of Victorian literature. The novel’s dark themes and raw emotional intensity shocked the Victorian critics, but over time gained recognition for its originality and depth.
Between 1826 and 1829, Emily took music lessons and was busy drawing and sketching the landscapes, birds, animals, plants, and the changing skies over Haworth.
Emily’s dedication to her family was unwavering. After her aunt’s death, she selflessly took care of the family and was a caregiver for her ailing father. When her brother Branwell descended into alcoholism and drug addiction, Emily stood by him, offering support despite his erratic behavior. She had strong bond with her sisters, Charlotte and Anne, and they supported each other in their literary endeavors.
Tragically, Emily’s life was cut short when she died of tuberculosis on December 19, 1848, at the age of 30. Tuberculosis stood as the devil over the Bronte family, taking the lives of all her siblings and parents.
Brontë was no romantic child of nature but a pragmatic, self-interested Tory and her legacy endures and in the annals of literary history she will ever remain as a figure of fascination and admiration.