Reflection of Nineteenth Century Societal Pressure and Personal Trauma in Selected Poems of Emily Bronte

English

The Bronte sisters are considered to be celebrated writers of English Literature and the two novels, Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights have been acclaimed as important novels of the nineteenth century. Charlotte Bronte and Emily Bronte are hailed as important writers of this period but at the time they were both living in the shadows of typical nineteenth century discrimination against women and personal tragedy. Emily Bronte, apart from being an accomplished novelist, was a talented poetess. This article takes into account a couple of her poems ‘The Night Wind’ and ‘Hope’; in one she personifies a beautiful night but refuses to enter a new world described by it and in the other poem she points out the hopelessness of her life using her unique craft. This article aims to analyze and find out what is actually meant by the world into which the night wind wants to take the poetess into and why she refuses its beckoning. Secondly, it also analyses the inherent hopelessness that surrounds her. Could it be the nineteenth century society’s attitude towards women or the tragic atmosphere at home which made her averse to meeting her full potential and lose hope?

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