Emily Bronte Biography

Emily Brontë Biography

(July 30, 1818 – December 19, 1848)

Emily Brontë was born on July 30, 1818 in Thornton, England- the fifth of Patrick and Maria Branwell Brontë's six children. In 1820 the family moved to Haworth where, shortly after, Maria Branwell died of ovarian cancer, leaving Maria, Elizabeth, Charlotte, Emily, Anne, and Branwell motherless. Emily, Charlotte, Maria and Elizabeth were sent to Cowan Bridge Clergy Daughter's School, where the bad conditions caused Maria and Elizabeth to be sent home with the tuberculosis that led to their deaths and the complete removal from the school of Charlotte and Emily. In 1837 Emily spent some time teaching in Halifax, and in 1842 she and Charlotte went to Brussels to improve on their accomplishments, especially French, and to teach a little. However, in October of that year the girls were called home at the death of their Aunt Branwell, and Emily decided to stay home when Charlotte returned the next year. Emily spent much of her life at Haworth and was never happier anywhere else. The moors seemed to be apart of her, and whenever away she would languish over the separation. Because of her rather withdrawn and reclusive life, not much is known about her. A few years later, Charlotte alighted upon a book of Emily's poems and read through them. This enraged Emily, but the poems were so magnificent that Charlotte was determined to have them published. After much coaxing and persuading, Charlotte was able to convince Emily to allow her poems, with some of Anne's and Charlotte's, to be sent off to a publisher. Secrecy was very important to the girls, especially Emily; so that , and the fear of prejudice against female writers, cause them to publish the poems under male pseudonyms. Emily was Ellis Bell, Charlotte was Currer Bell, and Anne was Acton Bell. Emily cared not for literary fame, but the publishment of this work only added fuel to the fire for Charlotte's desire to become a successful writer, for her and her sisters. So in 1847 they all decided to write novels. Emily called her novel 'Wuthering Heights'. Although receiving harsh reviews from critics, her novel still sold relatively well, though not quite so well as Jane Eyre. Though through this single work and through her poetry, Emily is today considered by the majority to be the most talented of the family. In 1848, the year after the sister's novels were published, Branwell fell ill, and Emily diligently cared over him. Unfortunately he died on 24th September of 1848. Emily attended the rain drenching funeral, to everyone's ultimate regret. She fell ill from a cold she caught at his funeral, and on 19th December 1848, she followed her brother's footsteps as she was laid to rest in the family vault under the Church of St. Michael and All Angels, where the entire family, save Anne, is laid till this day.