Weekly Writing Prompt #29
Charlotte Brontë sent her manuscript of Jane Eyre to a publisher in London on this day in 1847 from the little railway station near her home at Haworth in the north of England. Fearing prejudice against a female author, Charlotte chose the pen name of Currer Bell. The first review of the novel from the Quarterly Review of Smith, Elder & Co was mixed, stating that it was 'a very remarkable book...it is impossible not to be spell-bound'. Their thoughts on the character of Jane, however, were decidedly less positive:
“Jane Eyre, in spite of some grand things about her, is totally uncongenial to our feelings from beginning to end. We acknowledge her firmness – we respect her determination – we feel for her struggles; but, for all that the impression she leaves is that of a decidedly vulgar-minded woman – one whom we should not care for as an acquaintance, whom we should not seek as a friend, whom we should not desire for a relation, and whom we should scrupulously avoid for a governess.”
Nevertheless, many applauded the work. It has even been said that the author William Makepeace Thackeray was so moved by it that he wept. Over the years, it has remained consistently in the bestseller lists and claims an affectionate place in bookshelves across the world, including mine.
This week's prompt is one of my favourites from the book. Enjoy!
