Emily Bronte - Did the Writer of Wuthering Heights Have Asperger's Syndrome?
92When researching an article about Emily Bronte, I became interested in the little bit of information that is known about her behavior and personality traits. Born in 1818, Emily Jane Bronte produced a single novel, Wuthering Heights. Unappreciated in Emily's time, Wuthering Heights eventually became a must-read novel in English literature classes.
Emily Bronte herself became an intriguing figure, beloved of many young girls with a love of Victorian English literature, the dark hero, and the Gothic novel.
In my reading, I could not help but wonder if Emily Bronte had Asperger's syndrome.Her self imposed isolation, difficulty with social situations, and her ongoing obsession with the fantasy kingdom created in childhood reminded me of some of the symptoms of Aspergers.
Emily Bronte
What is Asperger's Syndrome?
Asperger's syndrome is a form of autism that does not cause developmental disabilities or language problems. Defined and described by Hans Asperger in 1944, Asperger's syndrome symptoms include social and communication problems that can lead to social isolation; an intense interest in unusual topics; and an obsessive need to follow routine. Studies have shown anorexia occurring among young women with Aspergers' with greater frequency than in the general population.
Most of us remember kids with Asperger's syndrome back in high school. They were often those students who had social anxiety problems - the brightest science student with the pocket protector who said strange things; or the kid whose fascination with a particular subject made him far more knowledgeable than the teacher. The single minded, intense interest in unusual topics is often a hallmark of people with Asperger's syndrome.
Social Isolation and Apparent Rudeness in People With Asperger's
Emily Bronte had few, perhaps, no friends outside of her family. Her older sister, Charlotte Bronte (writer of Jane Eyre) seems to have been a guiding force in the life of the motherless child. Emily followed Charlotte into boarding schools and later into teaching positions at girls' schools.
Each of her forays away from home met with failure. She objected to the grueling schedules, and missed her lack of liberty, and her time spent alone with nature.
In her final teaching position at a school in Belgium, her supervisor, M. Heger, claimed that she was one of the most brilliant people he had ever met. Yet, this job, too, met with failure. The homesick Emily returned to Haworth in Yorkshire, England.
Emily's attitude toward other people was often perceived as rude and the few stories of her relationships with neighbors and townsfolk come down to us as being aggressive and confrontational in nature. Such apparent rudeness if often associated with Asperger's.
She was a forceful presence in her own family. Charlotte referred to Emily as one of the strongest people that she ever met.
Emily Jane Bronte
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Intense Interest in Unusual Subject Matter - a Symptom of Asperger's
Emily took her pleasure in long, solitary walks in the moors. Accompanied by her constant companion, a frightening and reputedly vicious mastiff named Keeper, and occasionally by her pet hawk, Emily spent an inordinate amount of time engrossed in nature.
As a child, Emily and her sisters and brother created the fantasy kingdom, Angria; populating their fictional world with interesting characters, romances, wars, and political intrigue. Feeling that Charlotte and Branwell dominated the game, Emily and her younger sister, Anne created the rival kingdom of Gondal. Long after her siblings moved on, and well into adulthood, Emily wrote poetry, took notes, and worked on the fantasy saga until her death at age 30. An intense interest in unusual subject matter is a familiar Asperger's behavior trait.
Wuthering Heights features topics that were unusual for Victorian female writers and was published under the pen name, Ellis Belle. Domestic abuse, romantic obsession, and generational revenge were prominent themes. Shocked reviewers were aghast at the singular nature of the novel, while modern readers not the complicated relationships and complex plot line.
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Emily Bronte - Asperger's and Routine
Emily Bronte appeared to be hardworking in her domestic duties, and was recalled by Charlotte as being extraordinarily strong, both physically and mentally. Emily spent much time in the kitchen and was an excellent cook. So intent was she on her domestic chores, that she performed homemaking tasks even while dying of tuberculosis. Mere hours before her death, Emily was at work on a sewing project. At one point, she dropped something near the fire but was too weak to retrieve it and had to call for assistance. When her sisters sprang to her aid, they found her unable to walk on her own. She died shortly after.
Path Through the Moors Near Haworth
Charlotte & Emily - A Novel of the Brontes
 | Although this novel relates the story of all 4 famous Bronte siblings, focusing on Charlotte, Emily is presented in a manner that reminds me of a person with Asperger's Syndrone. Amazon Price: $3.67 List Price: $14.99 |
Emily Bronte and Anorexia Nervosa
Studies have found that anorexia nervosa occurs more frequently in people with an autism spectrum disorder than in the general population. According to one study by the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust Eating Disorder Unit, one in five anorexic young girls met the criterion for an autism spectrum disorder. Other studies suggest that 18% - 25% of teen-aged girls diagnosed with anorexia nervosa met some or all of the symptoms of Asperger's syndrome.
Some scholars claim that Emily Bronte was a life long anorexic. Her early bouts with starvation came when she was sent away from home, at boarding school, and later teaching positions. She hated employment, the grueling routine set by others, and pined for the liberty she found at Haworth and on her long hikes through the moors.
In Wuthering Heights, both Catherine and Heathcliff starve themselves. In a time of powerlessness, the only way to exercise control was the power over the self, in Emily's case, a refusal of nourishment. Anorexia probably contributed to her death, weakening her system in the face of the tuberculosis that killed her. The carpenter who built her casket claimed that it was the narrowest coffin he had ever made for an adult and measured only 16" wide.
The Enigmatic Emily Bronte
Of course, we will never really know Emily Bronte. She was a private person, and amazingly creative individual. How ironic that this stand-offish, reclusive woman, who called solitude liberty, who lived her life mostly friendless, came to be so beloved of so many today. If Asperger's syndrome made Emily the unique individual and gifted writer that she was, the condition, though it caused her suffering during her life, was a gift to literature and humanity.
Is Kate Bush Channelling Emily Bronte in Her Song Wuthering Heights?
Fall Leaves Fall - A Poem by Emily Bronte
What do you think?
Do you suspect that Emily Bronte may have had Asperger's Syndrome?
See results without votingA Short Biography of Emily Bronte
- Emily Bronte - the Free Spirit And Visionary Genius Who Wrote Wuthering Heights
Emily Bronte wrote Wuthering Heights, a complex Victorian novel of love and obession. Emily Bronte, the quintessential Gothic writer - brilliant, reclusive (agoraphobic), possibly anorexic, socially awkward in a house on a hill, writing in secret and
How Could a Recluse Like Emily Bronte Create a Novel of Such Complex Interpersonal Dynamics Like Wuthering Heights?
- How Did a Recluse Like Emily Bronte Create Wuthering Heights - A Novel of Complex Interpersonal Dyna
Many people have wondered how a sheltered and reclusive person like Emily Bronte could have written Wuthering Heights, a book of such interpersonal complexity depicting the coarser side of life. Emily had no...
Summary of Wuthering Heights
- SparkNotes: Wuthering Heights: Plot Overview
A short summary of Emily Bront's Wuthering Heights. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of Wuthering Heights.
A Reader's Guide to Wuthering Heights (This site is fantastic!)
- The reader\'s guide to Emily Bront\'s masterpiece
A guide to Emily Bronte's masterpiece "Wuthering Heights"
Isabella Snow Provides an Excellent Example of Someone Who Has Asperger's That Write Fiction!
- Asperger's Syndrome: What's It Really Like?
I was first diagnosed with Aspergers about 12 years ago. At the time, I was at university and knew very little about it, apart from what had been studied in my psych class. After all, it wasn't a...
Excellent Hub on Woman and Girls With Aspergers
- Autism Spectrum Disorder:: Aspergers Syndrome:: Women and Girls
Undiagnosed Asperger's Girls; Undiagnosed Asperger's women are the lost generation. In the past women and girls have been undiagnosed and mis-diagnosed in the field of autism. The term autism spectrum disorder sounds like a beautiful array of colour,
Information About Asperger's
- Info about Asperger's Syndrome
Aspies like structure and order, so trains and LEGO are a common obsessive interest Asperger's Syndrome (AS) is a neurological condition where the brain is wired differently to the majority. It is considered...
Lovely Hub About Haworth, Yorkshire
- Haworth Yorkshire
The village of Haworth in Yorkshire nestles on the Pennines and is home to the Bront sisters. Often referred to as Bront Country, it's one of the most starkly beautiful places in England.
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A member of my family has Asperger's Syndrome and this description fits her to a tea. Very interesting hub. Never knew that Emily Bronte suffered from this affliction. Thanks, Dolores.
lalese - I only wish that we could know more. Thanks!
alek - I am not saying that she had Asperger's, just that I think she may have, a suggestion only. I am not qualified in any way to make anything more than a suggestion. Thanks a lot, Alek.
off topic a little...I love that song and dance by Kate Bush, she is so theatrical.
So interesting! I love reading anything about the Brontes. Your suggestion about Asperger's makes a lot of sense. Too bad we'll never really know.
EnLydia - thank you for dropping in! I've never really watched that video, but knew of it, and it seemed to fit with the topic, glad that you saw the connection.
Lee - sometimes I wonder if that isn't part of Emily's allure; how much we don't know makes her so enigmatic. Thanks!
A fascinating hub, Dolores. You did some solid detective work on possibilities about Bronte's health.
Your suggestion makes a lot of sense. As you said, it answers so many questions. Obviously, there was something 'dysfunctional' about the family, and if Emily did have Asperger's, that sheds a bright light on it.
Interesting idea. I love the Bronte sisters and haven't heard much about Emily. Thanks for the great observations.
Richard, when I wrote up my other Emily hub, I really read a lot and it just seemed to me that she had a lot of the behaviors of a person with Asperger's syndrome. So I did some more reading about both Emily and Asperger's. I am waiting for someone to tell me that I don't know what I'm talking about.Thanks for dropping in!
shiela - I didn't say the Brontes were dysfunctional, but that the people in Wuthering Heights were dysfunctional. Maybe the Bronte's were a bit strange, but they managaged to function very well, if you think that a family producing 3 great writers is functioning well. But, wait, they were writers. Oh well, thanks for commenting!
MissE - there is not much information about either Emily or Anne. Charlotte was the last sister left standing so it kind of makes you wonder doesn't it? Thanks!
Dolores - this hub is so fascinating and almost spooky in a way because it seemed to just tie up all the loose ends and questions. It could just explain so many things in her life and maybe what is more relevant to so many readers, it could explain her characters. There's something about Catherine and Heathcliff that grabs the reader and stays with them forever. Maybe she poured her obsessiveness into her main characters!
Thank you - for me, you just put the pieces of what seemed fragmented together! Simply brilliant!
Sorry - I had to come back to tell you that video was wonderful too! I love Kate Bush!
Interesting -she certainly seems to tick many of the appropriate boxes,as do many of the great writers ,musicians and scientists.
That is so interesting because I just read a book by Jodi Picoult (sp) House Rules - it is all about Asperger's syndrome. It really gives you an insider's view of the life they live and then how very talented they can be. Great hub and very timely for me since I just finished that book!
Shalini, thank you so much, I really appreciate your kind comment. I'd like to write a hub about why we love Heathcliff and Catherine because they really are both pains in the ass and Heathcliff is a terrible person. Emily Bronte is one fascinating enigma. I am not a Kate Bush fan, but ran across this when surfing youtube and her strangeness plus the song just gave me the feeling that she was 'channeling' Emily.
itakins - glad you enjoyed the hub. While reading up on Emily, I could not help but notice the Asperger like personality traits.
akirchner - I just read that book as well! Funny thing was, I was putting the hub together and found House Rules at the library, sort of a hubincidence! haha
Stunning review about the special traits and proclivities of that unusual writer. I'm partial to Charlotte & "Jane Eyre", but it's not difficult to see the thread of a somewhat dysfunctional family, no matter how charmingly it led to outstanding literature! Realizing that Emily probably suffered from more specific physical ailments certainly makes her work more understandable. Somehow the entire 19th century seems a bit gloomy, though, as though a thick cloud hovers over it.
Thanks for this extremely well-done hub, Dolores!
That was just one of her good ones - Picoult's - I do wonder if that is really true though about the immunizations causing it nowadays. I do medical transcription and it certainly is on the rise like you would not believe. But then how did Ms. Bronte contract it so that gives you thought about it being genetic 'all by itself'. It is a hard syndrome to understand but I think the more we know about how hard it is for the person afflicted, the kinder view we can have.
Nellieanna, high praise from such a good writer as yourself! It was not the book, Wuthering Heights that set me on this idea, but reading about Emily herself. I think I am turning into an Emily Bronte nut!
akirchner, I do enjoy Jodi Picoult's novels. She really gets into family situations, into people's problems with such compassion and insight. My family and I were part of a study on autism, as a control group because of my daughter who has Down syndrome which is a non inherited genetic condition. Anyway, they believed that autism has some gentically inherited traits. Just like in the book that akirchner mentioned, some people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders have a family member who shows some mildly autistic traits. The thinking of some researchers is that the tendancy is there, but some component of immunizations, some kind of mercury, is not cleansed out of the body by certain individuals and leads to a full blown case of autism. Of course, there are many different ideas about it, and I really don't know enough. Asperger's was identified in 1944, way after Emily's death, and not really paid attention to until not that long ago.
As far as a familial connection, Patrick Bronte, Emily's father was rather distant, took meals in his room, and seemed to talk at people rather than have discussions with them. He did not even know that his daughters were writing books, in his own little world.
Quite interesting :)
Vamp - thank you!
I have Asperger's syndrome and a long history of anorexia nervosa. In fact, it was only through treatment of my anorexia nervosa (and accompanying social anxiety, OCD and depression) that my psychiatrist recognised that Asperger's syndrome explained many of my mental health difficulties.
It is often said that anorexia nervosa is caused by cultural pressure to look a certain way (e.g. like a model or skinny celebrity). My anorexia had NOTHING to do with desiring a thin or 'perfect' body. Rather, it was a means of trying to 'disappear' from the stressful, adolescent world that I felt I didn't fit into. I never tried to lose weight, but developed an obsession with counting calories and all nutrients in foods. I made charts and tables of everything I would eat and all the exercise I would do because it made me feel more in control of my existence.
Anorexia nervosa is all about rules, routines and rituals. In some people those rules, routine and rituals are borne out of a fear of weight gain and body dissatisfaction, for others, like me, it is the routines that are important. I was not terrified of getting fat, but terrified that without my anorexic routines the world would be a chaotic and unpredictable place, just as it felt to be in the months before I became anorexic.
Sorry about the long comment... I thought I might be able to 'shed some light' on the relationship between anorexia nervosa and Asperger's syndrome by explaining my own experiences. It does sound as if Emily Bronte had many symptoms of Asperger's syndrome and anorexia nervosa; however, people with Asperger's syndrome tend to find it difficult to write fiction. I certainly do. This is because social imagination is limited in Asperger's syndrome.
Cathy - thank you very much for your thought provoking comment. Not too long at all, dear. I hope that your anorexia is under control. Maybe, the very idea of charts and routine could be of help to you in a systemised plan for a healthy diet.
When I first suspected that Emily Bronte may have has Asperger's syndrome, I wondered about someone with Asperger's ability to write fiction as well and, in fact, read that the creation of such work would be difficult for someone with Asperger's. But, and I may be wrong here, there are many conditions that vary. When we were involved with a study on autism, as a control group because my daughter has Downs syndrome, one of the things about Downs that came in handy as a control, was that a person could not have a slight or mild case of Downs. The psycologist explained that a person could have a milder form of autism. Could not a person have a milder form of Asperger's?
From my reading, I found that Emily created Wuthering Heights in a very organized manner, with charts, lists, and outlines. Of course, I could be wrong. But I thought it was such an interesting observation, I just had to write about it.
Emily's anorexia came from a need to control her life when it spun out of her control. Several times, she refused nutrition in order to have herself sent back home. Some think that all 3 sisters were anorexic. The powerlessness of women in Victorian times affected them (as shown in their fiction) and this was a way to gain some power over their lives.
Thanks for your reply Dolores... I am better in control of my anorexia nervosa - thanks. Actually, I am quite recovered - after 4 years of intensive one-to-one therapy and > 30 pounds weight gain.
I can appreciate Emily Bronte's need to control her life - and why she felt anorexia nervosa was a means to do so. Not only does anorexia nervosa provide an illusory means of control, it also instils the person with an illusory sense of power. It's difficult to articulate precisely what I mean by that and it only became clearer to me how anorexia nervosa had controlled me when I started my recovery journey. Eating more terrified me. I felt desperately out of control of 'something' and quite powerless. The anxiety lessened with time, but the process of recovery has been hellish. And now I am trying to survive the world with Asperger's!
From what I have read, Asperger's can present quite differently in girls/women than boys/men. Girls may appear 'normal' unless people spend a long time with them and observe their style of play and human interactions. Asperger girls' 'special interests' are often less obscure than Asperger boys' interests.
My brother and father have Asperger's and they are very different to me. I am better than them socially, mainly because I have made the effort to engage with people, while they spend a lot of time avoiding social situations. I am certainly not the most social creature on this planet; I struggle with groups and 'small talk' and I prefer to be on my own. However, I have been told many a time that "no (wo)man is an island". We all need other humans for support.
Thanks for this interesting post!
Cathy, thank you for coming back and letting me know how you are doing. Maybe you are better socially than your father and brother because you are female. I really appreciate your input. You sound as if you are very capable - you sure are good at expressing yourself! People like you can help nuerotypical people, as well as other folks with Asperger's syndrome by sharing your views and experiences. Thank you!
This is really interesting, and has inspired me to re-read Wuthering Heights!
Beth - great that you are going to re-read WH. Great books deserve a re-read. Sometimes you look at the books with a new eye, notice new things, and enjoy it all the more. Thanks!
I was rather put off the Brontes by having Jane Eyre as a setwork in high school. I found it a depressing book. So I have never read WH. Maybe should give it a try sometimje. This Hub though was very interesting. I think most creative people are "different" in some way or other. And the need to control is often poart of that difference.
There is in South Africa a long-running pop music quiz show and a contestant some two or three years ago had an uncanny ability to recognise songs and to make associations with songs and so scored very high. His ability to do this was accompanied by a high level of social anxiety - he appeared highly uncomfotable on the show and in the final, when he was up against another finalist he could not answer some question and his anxiety came through so clearly - he couldn't handle that fact that he did not win. Interesting the link with the obsessive interest.
Thanks for this very interesting hypothesis.
Love and peace
Tony
Tony - although Wuthering Heights is a great book, and often offered to kids in school, I really think it is more appropriate to read it as an adult. Jane Eyre is depressing. I loved it! It's a good thing I was born in the 50's so I missed out on being a Goth, loving the dark stuff as I did, haha. Victorian literature is often wasted on the young, but it's a great way to teach kids focus. If a kid can become comfortable with that language,they will be able to read anything! Thanks for sharing!
i have asperges syndrome and i think that i sounds quite likely that emily bronte had it. a lot of talented people have this and even now it is hard to get diagnosed if you don't have signifcant learning difficults.
laura - thank you for your interest in my article! I appreciate the input of people who have Asperger's as they are the ones who would have the best take on the subject. As Cathy pointed out, a lot of Aspies have trouble writing fiction or imaginative writing, so that does give me pause. But still.....
Interesting hub. Reading your research, I think is is possible she may have had Asperger's, but more likely mental illness associated with anorexia (which would have made her irritable and confrontational). I remember talking to a recovering anorexic and she said her mental state was very altered when under the grip of her illness - obsessive thoughts etc
that is really interesting.
Baailey - I am so glad that people come to discuss their own views. Very helpful as I am merely suggesting that Emily Bronte may have had Aspergers. The thing about the anorexia was that it was often used as a means to gain control. Victorian women had little control over their lives, something that may be difficult for today's young women to really understand. Also, all 4 Bronte siblings experienced bouts of anorexia. I think that, in the case of many anorexics, including your friend, the anorexia results from the obsessive thoughts.
If it was just the anorexia, that would be one thing. But her social isolation, apparent rudeness, strong interests in unusual topics, and devotion to routine still point me in the direction of Aspergers, though some question it due to her gift of fiction. Thank you for your input. It is greatly appreciated.
Cuselax - thanks!
I do agree the traits you point out sound like AS. I have read that those with AS are more likely to suffer an eating disorder. From what you describe, anorexia has roots in OCD too? (which also has overlap with AS, but can be co-morbid with AS).
Bailey - thank you for your interest in this hub, especially since you have such an interest and knowledge about Asperger's. The whole anorexia tie in came from the knowledge that Emily suffered anorexia her whole life and that studies have shown that young women with Asperger's have an increased risk of anorexia. What I was saying in the comment - you mentioned that your friend could have drifted into anorexia due to an obsessive compulsion. Not that I am an expert, but have been reading about it and your friend's situation may be like one of those - which came first, the chicken or the egg, things.
Dolores,
What an awesome job on this hub. It was very interesting reading about the life of Emily Bronte. You have researched this one well. As far as the AS, I think you are probably right on. Makes perfect sense to me.
Sage
Sage, there is so much we don't know about Emily, so much conjecture. Charlotte destroyed much of Emily's work after her death, for whatever reasons,such a loss! Funny, how someone as reclusive as Emily should be so loved by so many, maybe because she is such an enigma. Thank you for your comment.
We always learn something new. Great job!
Juana - thank you! But don't think you learned anything here, I am merely speculating.
interesting hub..I learned something new today :)
lilly - well thanks. I thought it was interesting.
I found this fascinating for many reasons. One, I'm a complete literature nerd. Two, I am someone with Asperger's. One thing that is interesting is that while most boys with it are obsessed with facts and figures, many girls (like me) become obsessed with literature. I've spent much of life reading and writing. Of course, we'll never know for sure, but I'd be willing to bet that she was somewhere on the spectrum.
thecarrielynn - very interesting! I was told, and read, that a lot of people with Asperger's have trouble with imaginary story telling, but have also heard that female's with Asperger's are a whole different bunch. Just like everybody else! Good to hear from a literature nerd!
Pat writes - I probably think about "Wuthering Heights" more often than any other book that I have ever read. This may be because my usual walk from home to the shops is via a grave yard. However, one of my recurring thoughts is that the plot is so weird - one of the main characters is dead about 1/3rd of the way through the story.
It never occured to me that Emily Bronte may have had Asperger's. Don't know, but it could explain the extraordinary story.
2patricias - I did not think so much of the plot of Wuthering Heights as Emily's known behaviors. I got myself into a kind of Bronte-mania and the behaviors started to add up and sound familiar. I've got another idea about her, how such a recluse could have concocted such a story. Again, after reading about what she was like. But so little is known about Emily Bronte. Thanks for commenting!
Wonderful hub! It was a pleasure to read--the Brontes were such an interesting family.
Btw, that Kate Bush music video brought back memories of my senior year when we read Wuthering Heights. Someone brought in the song and we'd play it whenever the teacher was out of the room. It became sort of our class anthem! The video's quite...strange, ha ha! I'll have to share it with my friends.
Seahorse - thank you and thank you for sharing that great memory. It is a rather strange video, though I am not familiar with Kate Bush's other stuff. But weird is good as far as the Brontes are concerned.
I would suggest a good short read of "An Enigma of Brontes" by Maureen Peters. Its a wonderful history of the Brontes and I found I felt, after reading how Charlotte's life ended, very close to her. I'd always loved Jane Eyre and enjoyed WH also but the strangeness of it was less attractive to me. I guess I love a happy ending and wish that Charlotte could have lived out her life with her Rodchester also.. alas it was not to be. I am currently reading "Charlotte and Emily" by Jude Morgan, a fair book also. I'd like to know if her child(Charlottes) lived and if there are any relations of hers alive yet today? Very interesting hub Delores!!
Hmmm- I will check out Maureen Peter's work. It sounds familiar, I wonder if I read some if it when I started my Bronte research. It's sad how Charlotte died so soon after her marriage to Arthur Bell, he sounded like a wonderful man. And a lot more pleasant than the pain in the ass Edward Rochester. Charlotte died in pregnancy and the child did not survive. There are no known descendants of any of the Bronte siblings. Sad that the line died with them. Thank you for commenting.
There are many answers and perspectives to the questions which an author poses through his writing. This hub presents a brilliant insight. Thanks.
Thank you, saket!
Great insight on a great author. This is a well written hub. I'm doing a series on literary origins, if you want to check it out.
Great, such a super read, thank you.
cdub - thank you, glad that you enjoyed it!
Lovingu - thank you for stopping in!
I'd be interested to know if you've had the opportunity to visit the Bronte Parsonage in Haworth. It's only an hour's drive from my home and I've been there many times with overseas visitors. The sofa upon which Emily died is still there to see and also her dog Keeper's massive collar.
Maggie - oh I would love to visit the Bronte Parsonage! It's my dream trip. I'd be a mess, though. I'd probably cry like a baby.
I enjoyed your hub and found it very interesting. I’ve been fascinated with the Bronte family for a long time, especially Emily. Wuthering Heights is my favorite book. I‘ve made one trip to Haworth, the Bronte Parsonage and the surrounding moors. That was a wonderful visit that I will always remember.
Alicia - oh I would love to visit Haworth! If you are a Bronte fan, visiting the Parsonage must have been a wonderful opportunity! Thanks for reading!
If you are interested in the Bronte family, then come and see 'The Bronte Boy', detailing the life and times of Branwell Bronte. Produced by Encore Theatre Company, this play explores why Branwell failed where his sisters succeeded. Was it the amount of expectations placed on his shoulders?
The play is at the Leeds Carriageworks 14-16 April 2011, and at the Halifax Arts Chapel 20 & 21 April 2011.
Vicki - sounds like a wonderful look at Branwell, but way out of my way. Branwell himself is fascinating and a sad story of failure and alcoholism.
I have a daughter with Asperger's, so I am quite familiar with it. I was recently reading a Bronte biography and wondered the same thing about Emily for many of the same reasons: need to be alone or with just a few familiar people; social reclusiveness/awkwardness; seeming inability to read (disinterest in reading) others' emotions; fixed 'special' interests; extreme creativity/genius. I definitely buy this theory.
JP - so glad that you left a comment. And that you agree with me, haha. While I was researching Emily, I was reading a book about a character with Asperger's, so did some research on that for my own information, and that light bulb went off. And it's one of those topics that if I bring it up to my friends or family, they say, uh huh, and could not care less. It was good to hear from someone such as yourself. I hope things are working out well for your daughter. Special children bring us special blessings. I know, my own daughter has Down syndrome. Thanks again.
Very interesting hub! Wuthering Heights is my most favorite book from the Bronte sisters beside Jane Eyre. In fact I have seen different television films of Wuthering Heights made by Americans and British Productions. The British version is still the best. Voted up. Thanks for sharing.
Thelma - yes, there have been so many versions of both books. Someone on here has a hub about the many different versions of Jane Eyre, I think it was. Thank you!
Thank you very much for sharing this information! Wow, I've read "Wuthering Heights" a dozen times, but with these new theories about its author I think the book will be even more fascinating. You did a great job proving your theories; thanks again.
Elizabeth - a dozen times? You are worse than me, haha. I became so interested in Emily Bronte and was so curious about her life and writing. She was an unusual person and I could not help but speculate on her reclusive behavior. Thank you!
I always loved that story, 'Wuthering Heights!' It is a definite possibility she suffered with this mental illness, as you describe it. But, even so...she was a great and powerful author. Her story has moved on, way beyond her time. : ) Great hub, found it not only interesting but enlightening. Thanks for the share.
Interesting observations. Excellent point about the restricted lives of women in that era. Emily Dickinson was also reclusive. As you say, we can never know everything we'd like -- whether Emily Bronte had this syndrome or not, it makes sense that she developed ways of coping with being a brilliant woman in a society that limited women to such confined roles. A preoccupation with fantasy also provides a way of dealing with loneliness and alienation. Thanks for your work on this.
September - I wouldn't call Asperger's a mental illness. It is not. It is a disability, not something you can talk out or medicate. Emily was a unique individual and I wish there was more information about her. But due to her reclusive behavior and the destruction of most of her notes and papers, I guess we'll never really know her. Thank you.
Hike Guy - I don't feel as if Emily was limited by the social constraints of the day. I think Charlotte was. But Emily did not care what traditional society thought or what other people thought. She was a free spirit and loved her alone time, what she called, her liberty. Thank your for commenting.
Interesting angle! The title caught my eye because our little guy has some Asperger's Syndrome symptoms but his actual diagnosis is autism. I love the way you reflected back on forth from the AS to Bronte. Great read, I've shared it with my social network.
I work with service users with Asperger Syndrome and as soon as I read a biography of Emily Bronte I googled her name linked
with Asperger. There seems a very strong likelihood that she had the syndrome to me.
Another sign may be Emily's reaction to her brothers alcoholism. She seems to have appeared to be less affected by it than the rest of the family, to be more removed and dispassionate, more observational. This was seen as being more sympathetic but it may be that she wasn't able to empathise in the same way. It would be interesting to look at empathy in Wuthering Heights, I wonder if there is much ( can't remember!)
Lorna - well thank you so much. I think that Katerine Earnshaw sowed a lot of sympathy for Heathcliff and that Nelly Dean appeared to show sympathy for both Katherine and Heathcliff. But there is an oddness to Nelly's care - an undeercurrent of manipulation. Maybe she does not like her world upset and her advise is an attempt to bring order to the chaos. That's a real good point.
I just see Emily Bronte as an avant-guarde feminist. maybe she has Asperger's Sundrome as many other artists have some other mental issues. They are special and different, and having extremity in many aspects. if they sacrifice the individual happiness for the greatness of art, we are lucky and should be thankful:)
Shuting - I think that Emily did not sacrifice happiness, but strove for it, for her liberty. Her form of happiness was just not what everyone would think of as personal happiness. Some gifted people are just a bit different than the rest of us. Thank you!
This is a excellent and very interesting hub about emily bronte....one of mr favorite writersbeside her sister charlotte...thankyou for sharing your thoughts..I voted way up..debbie
Deborah - thank you. I am working on the young ladies in my life, trying to get them to read all 3. I tell them some of the stories about them, how they lived, how they published as men, the drama and beauty of their lives, thinking the biographical information may interest them enough so they read the novels. Thank you!
This is a really interesting hub. I never heard this angle before. Thanks for the serious research and thought that went into this.
lalesu Level 1 Commenter 24 months ago
This is a wonderful overview of the writer's life and an interesting angle on her brilliant mind.