Emily Brontë is a figure shrouded in mystery, known for her solitary nature and her powerful contribution to English literature. Best recognized for her only novel, Wuthering Heights, Emily’s reserved demeanor and reclusive lifestyle have made her an enigma, challenging biographers for decades. Though she has been characterized in various ways by those closest to her, including her famous sister Charlotte Brontë, Emily’s true nature remains elusive, wrapped in the rugged landscapes of the Yorkshire moors and the intricate characters of her fictional world.
A Life of Solitude
Born on July 30, 1818, in the small village of Thornton, West Yorkshire, Emily Brontë was the fifth of six children. The Brontë family moved to Haworth, a remote village surrounded by the moors, where Emily would spend most of her short life. Known for her extreme shyness and introverted personality, Emily developed few relationships outside her immediate family. Her closest companion was her younger sister Anne, with whom she shared a deep bond that extended beyond sisterhood into the realm of imagination.
Together, Emily and Anne created the imaginary world of Gondal, a fantasy island kingdom where they wrote elaborate stories and poems about its inhabitants. Gondal served as a creative outlet for the sisters, a space where Emily could channel her vast imagination and explore themes of love, loss, and power. Ellen Nussey, a close friend of Charlotte, described Emily and Anne as “like twins” who were “inseparable companions.” The Gondal saga, though mostly lost to time, played a crucial role in shaping Emily’s literary development.
Unlike her sisters, Emily made no effort to seek out friends or social connections beyond her home. Her solitary nature became a defining feature of her life, with Charlotte later describing her as someone who rarely ventured out, preferring the company of her family and the wild, untamed moors surrounding their home. Emily’s introversion has often been interpreted as aloofness or unsociability, yet it seems that her intense connection to nature and her inner world left little room for the conventional social life that others might expect.
The “Smoke-Screen” of Charlotte Brontë
Much of what is known about Emily comes from the accounts of her sister Charlotte. However, modern scholars argue that Charlotte’s portrayal of Emily may not be entirely accurate. Charlotte, who outlived Emily by several years, took it upon herself to manage her sister’s literary legacy. She wrote the preface to the second edition of Wuthering Heights, in which she described Emily as someone who was deeply attached to the natural world but shy and withdrawn in human company.
While Charlotte’s portrayal has shaped much of the public’s understanding of Emily, some biographers suggest that her account may have been influenced by her own views and experiences. Claire O’Callaghan and other scholars have pointed out that Charlotte may have rewritten elements of Emily’s life to suit the expectations of a Victorian readership. Elizabeth Gaskell, another prominent biographer of the Brontës, also contributed to this reimagining of Emily, portraying her as frail and shy—perhaps too much so for the fiery mind that created Wuthering Heights.
Stevie Davies, a literary critic, has gone so far as to accuse Charlotte of creating a “smoke-screen” around Emily, casting her sister as a mysterious and distant figure. According to Davies, Charlotte may have been unsettled by Emily’s unconventional nature, even going so far as to question her mental state. This reinterpretation of Emily’s character continues to spark debate among scholars who seek to disentangle the myths from the reality.
The Moors and Nature: Emily’s True Companions
One aspect of Emily’s personality that remains undisputed is her deep love of nature, particularly the Yorkshire moors that surrounded her home. The moors were not just a physical landscape for Emily; they were an emotional and spiritual refuge. Many biographers and literary critics have noted that Emily’s connection to the natural world was profound, and it is often reflected in her writing. The wild, untamed beauty of the moors mirrors the tempestuous passion found in Wuthering Heights, where the landscape itself becomes almost a character in its own right.
Anecdotes from those who knew her reveal Emily’s affection for animals and her ability to form close bonds with the creatures of the wild. A particularly touching story describes Emily returning from her walks with a young rabbit or fledgling in hand, softly talking to the animal as if it could understand her. Her affinity for animals extended to her own pets, most notably her dog, Keeper, who was said to have been her loyal companion until the very end of her life.
Emily’s relationship with Keeper is a testament to her compassion and loyalty. While some stories, such as one told by Elizabeth Gaskell, suggest that Emily was harsh with Keeper, striking him in a moment of anger, many biographers have dismissed this account as exaggerated or even false. Instead, other accounts describe a warm, loving bond between Emily and her dog, with Keeper remaining by her side as she lay on her deathbed.
The Creation of Wuthering Heights
Emily Brontë’s most enduring legacy is undoubtedly her novel Wuthering Heights, first published in 1847 under the pseudonym Ellis Bell. At the time, the novel shocked readers with its dark themes of passion, revenge, and violence. Unlike her sister Charlotte’s Jane Eyre, which had been published earlier that same year, Wuthering Heights was not a straightforward coming-of-age story but rather a complex narrative filled with morally ambiguous characters.
The novel’s structure, which employs multiple narrators and a non-linear timeline, baffled some early critics, who found it difficult to follow. However, it was the raw emotional intensity of the novel that truly set it apart. Victorian readers were unaccustomed to such unflinching depictions of primal human emotions, and many assumed that the book must have been written by a man. The brutality and passion of characters like Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw challenged the norms of Victorian literature, leaving an indelible mark on English fiction.
Although Wuthering Heights received mixed reviews at the time of its publication, it has since been recognized as one of the greatest novels in English literature. Emily’s untimely death in 1848, just a year after the novel’s publication, meant that she never fully witnessed the impact of her work. Nevertheless, her singular vision and uncompromising approach to storytelling have secured her place in literary history.
A Life Cut Short
Emily Brontë’s life was tragically short, ending at the age of 30. Following the death of her brother Branwell in 1848, Emily caught a severe cold that developed into tuberculosis. True to her independent spirit, she refused medical treatment, declaring that she would have “no poisoning doctor” near her. Her health deteriorated rapidly, and on December 19, 1848, she died at home, surrounded by her family.
Emily was buried in the family vault at St. Michael and All Angels’ Church in Haworth, leaving behind a legacy that would only grow in significance over the following decades. Though her life was brief, her work continues to resonate with readers, offering a glimpse into the mind of a woman who defied societal expectations and embraced the wildness of both nature and the human heart.
