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The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is the second and last novel of Anne Brontë, which was published in 1848.
Overview of plot:
Warning spoilers!!! 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.
JanetRochester |
Latest page update: made by JanetRochester
, Oct 18 2007, 11:24 AM EDT
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | ||
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| Anonymous | the character of huntingdon | 0 | Nov 18 2009, 6:05 PM EST by Anonymous | ||
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Thread started: Nov 18 2009, 6:05 PM EST
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its features how she dipicted it to what extent
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