The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
| Author | Anne Brontë [Pseud. “Acton Bell”] |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Novel |
| Publisher | T[homas] C[autley] Newby |
| Publication date | [June] 1848 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 3 vols., 358, ?, ? |
| ISBN | NA |
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is the second and final novel by English author Anne Brontë, published in 1848. It is framed as a letter from Gilbert Markham to his friend and brother-in-law about the events leading to his meeting his wife.
Plot summary
The novel is divided into three volumes. The first part, narrated by prosperous farmer Gilbert Markham, describing the arrival of the mysterious widow Mrs. Helen Graham to a nearby, tumbledown mansion, Wildfell Hall. She is a source of intrigue and curiosity from the outset, for the small community. Although reticent, Helen and her young son Arthur are slowly drawn into the social circles of the village. Initially, Gilbert Markham is casually courting Eliza Millward, though his disapproving mother believes he can do better. However, his infatuation starts to wane as he becomes better acquainted with Mrs. Graham. In revenge for his change of heart, scandalous rumours and gossip about Helen start to be spread amongst the people, with Eliza often a carrier, if not the originator.
As conjecture and rumour fly wild, Gilbert is led to believe Helen is being pursued by his best friend. Mr. Lawrence. A violent encounter on the road ensues between the two men, with Mr. Lawrence injured. Unaware of this, Helen refuses to marry Gilbert, but gives him her diaries when he accuses her of loving Mr. Lawrence.
The second and third parts of the novels include Helen's diaries, which document her naive marriage to charming, but immoral and unworthy Arthur Huntingdon. At first, she is blinded by love and convinced that she will be able to bring about his reform with gentle persuasion and good example. Huntingdon is portrayed as a spoilt, selfish, self-indulgent man, but handsome and witty. When their son Arthur is born, he becomes increasingly jealous of the child's claims on her attention and affections. Huntingdon's friends become frequent visitors to their home, Grassdale, forming a dissolute pack indulging in unrestrained drinking and frenzied merriment. Moral decay is an overriding theme, with the wicked subjugating and tormenting those of finer character. No particular discrimination is made between men and women however, with Lady Lowborough an equally unfaithful partner for her melancholy, but devoted and kind husband, Lord Lowborough.
Walter Hargrave, the brother of Helen's friend Milicent Hargrave, is established as a rival for Helen's affections. He refrains from much of the wildness of his fellows, but is an unwelcome admirer, for Helen senses his predatory nature - most poignantly displayed in a silent struggle when they play chess. He alerts her to the infidelity of her husband, who had been carrying on an affair with Lady Annabella Lowborough. In the wake of his friends' departure, her husband's torments increase, openly pining for his paramour and deriding her. The corruption of his son, encouraging him to drink and swear at his tender age, becomes the last straw for Helen. She lays plans to flee, taking her son away from his father's disastrous influence.
These are thwarted, when her husband lays claim to her journals, reading of her desire for escape. His burning of her artist's tools, the means by which she had hoped to support herself, and violation of her diaries illustrates the complete control exerted by a husband in this era. Eventually, with the assistance of her brother Mr. Lawrence, she is able to flee with her son and find a hiding place at Wildfell Hall.
Soon after Gilbert is enlightened as to Helen's true circumstances, she bids him to leave her be, for she is unable to marry him with her husband still living. He obeys, though distressed at the prospect of never being united except in the afterlife. Shortly after, he receives word she has returned to Grassdale to nurse her husband through an illness, in the name of duty. Huntingdon's death is painful, fraught with doubts and terror at what awaits him. Helen is unable to comfort him, for he refuses to accept responsibility for his own actions and wishes for her to instead come with him, to plead for his salvation.
A year passes. Gilbert follows the heels of a rumour regarding Helen's upcoming wedding, only to find his friend Mr. Lawrence marrying Helen's friend, Esther Hargrave. He views her old home at Grassdale, then discovers she is staying at her estates in Staningley. Doubts plague him, for it becomes readily apparent that she is landed gentry (which is inherited from her marriage) while he is a simple farmer - he is almost driven to leave, until overtaken by Helen, young Arthur and her aunt by the gates. The two lovers reconcile and are soon married.
Analysis
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall challenged the prevailing morals of the Victorian era. Especially shocking was Helen's slamming of her bedroom door in the face of her husband after continuing abuse, thereby overturning the sexual politics for the time. A critic went so far as to pronounce it "utterly unfit to be put into the hands of girls," though other critics cited it as "the most entertaining novel we have read in a month past." It is considered to be one of the first feminist novels. The main character, Helen, is spirited and forthright, unafraid to speak to the men in her life with frankness. Anne Bronte portrays this as desirable, compared to the meekness of Milicent, who is trampled and ignored by her unrepentant husband.
Vice is not isolated to the men however; the adultery of Lady Lowborough has a particularly devastating effect on her husband and the malice of Eliza Millward is poisonous to the entire community. The eternal struggle between good and evil is emphasised by heavy use of Biblical references, but sinners who repent and listen to reason are brought within the fold, while those who remain stubborn tend to meet violent or miserable ends.
The novel also seems to be Anne's response to the novels of her sisters.[citation needed] Arthur Huntingdon bears many similarities to Mr. Rochester in her sister Charlotte's Jane Eyre . Also, the preponderous of "H" names (Halford, Helen, Huntingdon, Hattersley, and Hargrave) recalls Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, as well as the estate itself-- Wildfell Hall and Wuthering Heights.
Adaptations
The novel was adapted into two television films, both of which were made by the BBC. The 1968 version starred Janet Munro, while Tara Fitzgerald, Toby Stephens, Rupert Graves and James Purefoy starred in the 1996 version.
External links
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