ENG 403 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Cowan Bridge School, Agnes Grey
Class notes 8/24/16
"Jane Eyre" Chapters 1-7
I. Background on Charlotte
1. Born April 21, 1816 in Thornton
2. Enrolled in Cowan Bridge school in 1824
i. Said to be "clever, but lacking in systematic knowledge"
3. Removed from school after a breakout in sickness that led to the death of her two older
sisters
4. After Cowan Hill, educated at home by an aunt
5. Her mother died in 1821
6. Begins writing with Branwell in 1826
7. Attends Roe Head school in 1831 at age 15
8. Returned to Haworth at 1832-1835
9. Letter to Robert Southey—Charlotte wrote to him about her poetry
i. Receives a sharp response about the business of women, saying that writing will
distract from her other "womanly duties"
10. Charlotte also produces a large number of drawings
11. Returns to Roe Head as a teacher in 1835
i. Sister Emily comes as a student at the same time
ii. Emily is terribly homesick, so she returns to be replaced by Anne
12. Friend Ellen's brother proposes to Charlotte, but she turns him down
13. Becomes a governess in 1839
14. In 1842, Charlotte and Emily travelled to Brussels to attend school
i. Return on Aunt Branwell's death
15. Charlotte returns to Brussels without Emily in 1843
i. Said to have developed an attraction to Madame Heger's husband
16. On her return to England, the sisters attempt to start a school
i. It fails
17. Poems of Emily, Charlotte, and Anne published in 1846
18. Attempts to get "The Professor," "Agnes Grey," and "Wuthering Heights" published—all
but "The Professor" are eventually accepted
19. Writes "Jane Eyre" in 1847—well received
20. September 1848—Branwell dies
21. December 1848—Emily dies
22. May 1849—Anne dies
23. "Shirley" is published in October 1849
24. Charlotte travels in 1850 to meet other famous writers—Thackeray, Martineau, Scott,
Gaskell
25. Republishes her sisters' works in 1850 with a biographical notice
26. Rev. Arthur Nicholls proposes in 1852 and Charlotte refuses
i. He proposes again in 1854 and is accepted
27. They marry and Charlotte becomes pregnant, but she dies in 1855 at age 38.
II. Novel Influences
a. Sister Maria is inspiration for Helen in "Jane Eyre"
b. Draws from experiences as a governess
c. Early deaths of mother and sisters impact narratives.
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