The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

Welcome to our first week of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. The novel is set as a series of letters from our protagonist, Gilbert Markham, to his friend and brother-in-law (who does not yet feature in the main story) and tells the tale of a widow, Mrs. Graham, who, along with her small son Arthur, has recently moved into Wildfell Hall, a lonely and somewhat dilapidated stately home just outside of the village.

Gilbert, at the outset, appears a rather self-satisfied and settled young man who runs the family farm (as a gentleman-farmer, he is quick to point out) and has a sweetheart in Eliza Millward, the Vicar's daughter, and is clearly the petted eldest son of his widowed mother. All of his complacency goes out the window on becoming acquainted with Mrs Graham, a beautiful, talented, and intelligent woman in her mid-twenties who strives to be neighbourly and yet at the same time to keep everyone at arms' length. Her Landlord, Mr Lawrence, the young squire, may know more about her but is not telling.

In our final chapter, a rumour has begun to circulate concerning Mrs Graham, the possible illegitimacy of her son, and whether or not his paternity could be traced to the same Mr Lawrence. Gilbert shows by his fiery response to this gossip just how strong his feelings for the young widow have become.

Is this your first reading of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall? What are your impressions so far of our cast of characters, and of the opening chapters setting up our story? Does it call to mind other novels you have read, either by the other Brontës or other authors?

Pleased to find that Gilbert seems so convincing as a masculine character.

Bill wrote: "Pleased to find that Gilbert seems so convincing as a masculine character."

You don't find him so?

Yes, this is the first time I've read the book and I'm enjoying it so far.

It amuses me how Gilbert seems to have strong opinions, but they change fairly dramatically. At the beginning he thinks he likes women who are fun and lighthearted, but it seems he had a desire for depth which he might not have known about.

What do you think is her connection with Lawrence? I don’t think she is romantically connected with him, but perhaps she has been connected with a relative of his, maybe a cousin (townspeople probably would have known about a brother since everyone seems to be up in each other's business).

Mrs. Markham would drive me straight up the wall!

Is it your view that female authors usually can’t write convincingly from the point of view of male characters? Do you feel the same way about male writers writing female characters?

The two most famous Brontë novels, Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre, both take place in isolated households where visits from other families are rare; characters develop massive eccentricities in a sort of unnatural isolation. Although this book is also set in a rural northern county, the people it describes live much more in a society, with regular social visiting and all the gossip and normative pressures that go along with it. With her struggles to be sociable and her unprotected single-motherhood, Mrs. Graham seems like a ripe target for invidious speculation.

Gilbert seems like an odd type to choose as either narrator or protagonist. His life is uneventful (to date), centered on the concerns of agriculture, and he seems self-satisfied and a bit of a trifler. But Mrs. Graham is an interesting mystery (I’ve read the book before so I know what the mystery is, but Anne Brontë sets it up well in these early chapters). He seems interested in her because she’s prickly and likes to debate serious subjects, while Eliza is more into expressing herself through feminine wiles. Eliza’s older sister is a more serious-minded person but for whatever reason fails to intrigue Gilbert.

Like Wuthering Heights, the novel begins as a series of letters, though in this case the letter writer is more involved in the action and is looking back on events from a time well into the future. In a way this strategy feels more artificial than usual, because the writer is presenting Mrs. Graham as a mystery but he knows the truth about her at the time of writing.

Frances wrote: "Bill wrote: "Pleased to find that Gilbert seems so convincing as a masculine character."

You don't find him so?"

I said I was pleased so to find him.

Abigail wrote: "Is it your view that female authors usually can’t write convincingly from the point of view of male characters? Do you feel the same way about male writers writing female characters?

Goodness, I never meant to suggest any such things, especially as a writer who tries to create convincing female characters himself. But you'll have to forgive my relative ignorance, I'm not a Victorianist and the only Bronte male first person character I recall having encountered before is Mr Lockwood, who seemed more an authorial device than a realistic character. So I was surprised and pleased how much more developed Gilbert appears.

Oh, I get you now! Thanks for explaining. Actually, Charlotte Brontë has a male protagonist in The Professor, so it’s not unheard of.

Bill wrote: "Frances wrote: "Bill wrote: "Pleased to find that Gilbert seems so convincing as a masculine character."

You don't find him so?"

I said I was pleased so to find him."

Sorry Bill I assumed a "to you" on the end of your statement which wasn't there. I wondered if, where so many women find Dickens female characters unrealistic, you were finding the opposite with AB. I also found him believable, and where Abigail mentions him as a trifler I thought he was just a 24 year old single man who is going to find some young woman to be attracted to and in his limited social circle he lands on Eliza (and his mother doesn't think she is right for him, and is probably correct). Once someone who is perhaps more his intellectual equal, who can talk in more depth, and is somewhat aloof and mysterious and not falling easily into his arms appears, his affections are turned.

Just based on this opening section, this felt more like an Austen novel to me than a Brontë one-lots of scenes set in drawing rooms or over meals, social manoeuvring and gossip, intergenerational issues, even the picnic reminded my if the ?Box Hill excursion in Emma. Wildfell hall alone, with it's empty rooms and likely gloomy feel, is the only classic Brontë touch so far.

I think that’s why so many people say Anne is their favorite Brontë, Frances—because she writes about a more “normal” world, as opposed to especially the strange world of Wuthering Heights, which feels very gothic and exaggerated. But those who feel that way, read on—her Brontëness emerges!

This is not my first or even second reading of this novel, but I always look forward to reading it. Gilbert has had many detractors in the world of literary criticism but I like him. There is an honesty about him that smacks of realism. The way he keeps putting his foot in it, both with Mrs. Graham and his mother, and how he learns to adapt to the situation he is in, is quite refreshing.

Contrary to what many say, I admire Gilbert for his passion. He is stuck with the life of a farmer but yearns for something better, something that his intellect and energy would thrive on and be more fulfilling. But he also has his faults and one of them might be not being ambitious enough to break away from the comfortable life he has.

In Aurora Leigh, Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote:-
’ And this of mine,–well, granting to myself
Some passion in it, furrowing up the flats,
Mere passion will not prove a volume worth
Its gall and rags even. Bubbles round a keel
Mean nought, excepting that the vessel moves.
There’s more than passion goes to make a man,
Or book, which is a man too.

Passion can be both a positive and a negative force. Gilbert has some way to go yet but he has an essential goodness even if his mother mocks him for it.

‘It will do me good, mother; I was not sent into the world merely to exercise the good capacities and good feelings of others—was I?—but to exert my own towards them; and when I marry, I shall expect to find more pleasure in making my wife happy and comfortable, than in being made so by her: I would rather give than receive.’

These might be words given without experience but at least they show an intent to give something of himself when up to now all he has done is accept the praise of others.

Mrs. Graham has already shown her passionate side on a number of occasions even if she has remained in control for most of the time. Her care for her son and her need for privacy stand out but she also shows a passion for her art.
Even if she has to make a living by painting, her work is the best she can make it. On the visit to the coast she seeks out a narrow ledge above a high cliff to get the best aspect possible. Is this a metaphor for her lack of fear, her willingness to stretch boundaries in order to achieve, or in her case, survive? Gilbert is surprised when she hardly reacts to his appearance on the ledge even though she said he startled her.
In wanting to do the best she can Mrs. Graham willingly asks for and acts on recommendations from Gilbert to make the picture better, which, of course, draws him in and deepens his fascination further.

Gilbert's longing is a classic part of the hero myth. It is the "I want" song in musicals, for instance, from "Somewhere over the rainbow" to "My Shot". In Beauty and the Beast, Belle sings, "There must be more than this provincial life". On the other hand, the musical Newsies takes place in New York City and the young man wants to go to the magical-sounding place of Santa Fe. (You can tell my literary references aren't all from classic literature!)

Very interesting comments, Trev! I can see that Gilbert’s callowness in the first couple of letters has biased me against recognizing his better qualities.

Trev wrote: "Gilbert has some way to go yet but he has an essential goodness even if his mother mocks him for it."

I agree-you can see this in his attempt to let Eliza down gently as he withdraws his interest, and what sounds like genuine willingness to play with little Arthur, even bringing him a puppy, which doesn't appear to be simply a ploy to win the mother's affection. He also has capacity to change his opinion of others.

Frances wrote: "Just based on this opening section, this felt more like an Austen novel to me than a Brontë one-lots of scenes set in drawing rooms or over meals, social manoeuvring and gossip, intergenerational i..."

That's a great observation! And I definitely agree. Wildfell Hall seems like the typical setting of a Brontë novel, but so far Gilbert spends far more time in town than at Wildfell. Instead of being in the thick of that gloomy gothic atmosphere like in Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights, we're more like a visitor, which is new to me in a Brontë book.

This is my first time reading The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, and I'm really liking it so far. My first impression is that Gilbert is a far more flawed narrator than I was expecting (which I enjoy). The narrators in Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights were either innocent strangers entering a strange situation or a bystander witnessing the events of a story, but this narrator seems to be caught up in his own desires and sense of superiority to his peers. He's one of the Brontë protagonists I've read who's shown the most agency in pursuing his goal (as of now, Mrs. Graham's love). Jane Eyre's agency was inherently confined because of her gender and class, and although Heathcliff is so active and presents so much conflict he's also an antagonist, we never get to hear the story from his perspective. With Gilbert, we get his view of the story and the greater freedom of being a man, albeit only a farmer.

Another quality that's neat to me is that, at least as of now, Helen strongly resembles a Byronic hero, and her arrival at Wildfell is what begins the story. Byronic heroes overwhelming tend to be men, including Heathcliff and Rochester. I can name barely any even from modern books I've read (all I've got right now is Marisa Coulter). Seeing a troubled, enigmatic woman in that role instead and with that ability to move the story is a neat inversion, and works especially well since a widow moving into a mansion with only her son and a servant already provokes mystery.

Lori wrote: "What do you think is her connection with Lawrence? I don’t think she is romantically connected with him, but perhaps she has been connected with a relative of his, maybe a cousin (townspeople probably would have known about a brother since everyone seems to be up in each other's business)."

I agree, I don't think they're romantically involved, but it's very mysterious. Since a) he's the landlord of Wildfell, and b) she's mentioned that she has friends from whom she wants to keep her whereabouts concealed, and is leaving behind what seems to be an unhappy marriage, I think they must have some deal where he's agreed to let her live at Wildfell in secrecy, and she repays him with something else (entirely virtuously).

Eden wrote: "Seeing a troubled, enigmatic woman in that role instead and with that ability to move the story is a neat inversion, and works especially well since a widow moving into a mansion with only her son and a servant already provokes mystery"

Yes! Great point.

Hello everyone! I've been lurking on this group for over a year, but this is the first time I've managed to line up with one of your reads... I've been wanting to as you always have real conversations about them.

I'm seven chapters in and, after a rough first few pages (writing seemed stilted) really enjoying it. I enjoy Gilbert's priggishness. I am unconvinced about his ultimate goodness, but time will tell. I love Eden's point about Helen as the Byronic heroine; I had not thought of it like that, but it does seem to be the case.

I was reflecting on how so often 19th century fiction selects a seeming nonentity as narrator/protagonist, often in turns telling a story that happened to someone else. Gilbert seems to fit with this framing device so far, but I expect he'll have a more active role.

I am particularly enjoying Bronte's evident rage (much like her sisters') as seen in the argument about how to educate a boy vs a girl. I really liked Gilbert's refusing to concede the argument, even though he clearly has no response.

And I'm going into this novel blind. I have vague recollections of what it might be about, but I haven't read it before nor even read the back cover, and so I can say with authority that Bronte is setting up the mysterious elements very well -- I have guesses but no certainties at this point!

Great to have you joining us, Emily!

I read this last year and was impressed. The discussion about education was amazingly feminist for the time.

Emily wrote: "Hello everyone! I've been lurking on this group for over a year, but this is the first time I've managed to line up with one of your reads... I've been wanting to as you always have real conversati..."

So glad to have you joining us-it's always great to have new people join the conversation.

I agree with you about Brontë's rage coming through Helen's argument, and we see that in so many of the Brontë heroines' embodiment of the injustices that the authors themselves suffered. I also expect that this was the first time that a woman ever stood up to Gilbert and he was quite taken aback, but to his credit it appears to make him like her more rather than turning disdainful and condescending.

I have been pondering where the location of outing to the coast may have been. Anne was a frequent visitor to Scarborough and would have known the coast well both north and south of the town. Both areas have high cliffs and sweeping bays.

https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/north...

To the north there is Ravenscar and Robin Hood’s Bay, both of which would fulfil the scenario as described in the book.

To the south, the massive chalk cliffs of Flamborough Head overlook the more gentle Bridlington Bay. Although a more populated area, this location would be closer in proximity to farmlands.

I have found this interesting Anne Brontë blog which might be of interest and also describes the areas mentioned above.

http://www.annebronte.org/2021/07/18/...

http://www.annebronte.org/2017/04/09/...

Emily wrote: "I am particularly enjoying Bronte's evident rage (much like her sisters') as seen in the argument about how to educate a boy vs a girl. I really liked Gilbert's refusing to concede the argument, even though he clearly has no response...."

Great to have you here! And I agree, I liked reading the exchange between Helen and Gilbert about how boys and girls are educated. I read some Wollstonecraft in one of my last semesters of uni, and Brontë's critiques on how the sexes are educated differently also lines up with Wollstonecraft's belief that women and men would behave the same way if they were educated the same way, and women are only superficial and infantile because they're taught to be.

Eden wrote: "Brontë's critiques on how the sexes are educated differently also lines up with Wollstonecraft's belief that women and men would behave the same way if they were educated the same way, and women are only superficial and infantile because they're taught to be. ."

It's an interesting point, because I do find the Brontës contradictory about this sometimes. They make these arguments about how women would be something else if they were educated/allowed to be, but their portrayals of women who aren't their heroines are often extremely harsh* (Blanche Ingram and Adele in Jane Eyre, Eliza Millward and Jane Wilson here, and someone I've forgotten the name of in Villette). Considering their stance, they do seem to reserve a great deal of their rage for other women.

*in an unforgiving way that seems to suggest these women have extreme moral failings, not just a lack of opportunities.

Emily wrote: "It's an interesting point, because I do find the Brontës contradictory about this sometimes. They make these arguments about how women would be something else if they were educated/allowed to be, but their portrayals of women who aren't their heroines are often extremely harsh* (Blanche Ingram and Adele in Jane Eyre, Eliza Millward and Jane Wilson here, and someone I've forgotten the name of in Villette). Considering their stance, they do seem to reserve a great deal of their rage for other women.."

That's a good point, but I wonder if that is just allowing women to be either heroines or villains or something in between, in the same way that men can be. At least they are being condemned for their actions/behaviours rather than for things beyond their control-being poor or old or unattractive, or for their social status.

Frances wrote: "That's a good point, but I wonder if that is just allowing women to be either heroines or villains or something in between, in the same way that men can be. At least they are being condemned for their actions/behaviours rather than for things beyond their control-being poor or old or unattractive, or for their social status. ..."

I agree with that take. It shows the consequences of women only being encouraged to value qualities like beauty or status, which results in them developing into conceited, superficial people, as opposed to a woman like Jane Eyre, who was effectively cut off from that upper class circle and didn't become as caught up in the same concerns (from what I remember - I read Jane Eyre once half a year ago).

It seems like a literary necessity, if the author is going to make the heroine a superior being who challenges the status quo, that she create other female characters who exemplify the status quo. Having them all playing on the same team would make for a conflict-free plot, I imagine.

Frances wrote: "Emily wrote: "It's an interesting point, because I do find the Brontës contradictory about this sometimes. They make these arguments about how women would be something else if they were educated/al..."

That's a good point. I've often felt reading Charlotte Bronte that she picks on (goodlooking) women in particular, but as I read further into The Tenant of Wildfell Hall I see there's a nice juicy male villain as well, with some of the same failings.

This is a second read for me, and I’m actually enjoying it more this time. It seems Eliza represents the typical woman of the time with a typical education. She comes across as shallow and catty to me. Helen, on the other hand, seems to represent what an educated woman could be - strong and opinionated (not a bad thing, just having strong beliefs).

I see great kindness in Gilbert so far even as he plots to get closer to Helen. I enjoy the fact that he seems to appreciate, at least for now, her strength.

The book is a mix of the gothic (empty, crumbling house; isolation both geographical and self imposed; the mystery) and day to day life in a rural setting. It’s an interesting contrast.

I just finished the first nine chapters and I am hooked. The above discussion on this thread is fantastic, and I second the feeling of Austen, but for some reason I am liking this better. Bronte's commentary on education and parenting is something that I want to come back to and reread. The discussion of the differences in exposure to sin for a male vs. female child I think is another interesting point. I am enjoying seeing Markham trying to make sense of his mother's opinions, his complacency with Eliza, and the stimulation/challenging opinions he receives from Helen. I also am curious about Helen and why she is so "protective" of her child. There must be a reason - which we will learn - but the idea that she would want to "protect" her child seems so foreign to the people in this society that she finds herself in. I am quite intrigued to learn more.

Marie wrote: "I just finished the first nine chapters and I am hooked. The above discussion on this thread is fantastic, and I second the feeling of Austen, but for some reason I am liking this better. Bronte's ..."

I think there is an interesting notion of a stranger coming into a somewhat closed community and shaking things up-she may have different opinions and experiences from those that this little village has lived through all together. It is indeed fascinating as we learn more about Helen and her previous life.

My brother recently mentioned that there were 2 basic plots in literature and film. One of them was "a stranger comes to town". I've forgotten the other one!

Robin P wrote: "My brother recently mentioned that there were 2 basic plots in literature and film. One of them was "a stranger comes to town". I've forgotten the other one!"

Someone goes on a journey

Hahaha. Maybe we can boil them down to one plot as "something changes."

Emily wrote: "Hahaha. Maybe we can boil them down to one plot as "something changes.""

Pretty much, yeah. The journey is not always a physical one.