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Jane Eyre

Charlotte's Thoughts and Poems

All the quotes here come from Charlotte Bronte: A Passionate Life by Lyndall Gordon.

In February 1836 at 7pm in Roe Head school, where she taught, Charlotte noted in her journal, "The Roe Head Journal",
"I now assume my own thoughts; my mind relaxes from the stretch on which it has been for the last twelve hours, and falls back onto the rest which nobody in this house knows of but myself. I now, after a day of weary wandering, return to the ark which for me floats alone on the billows of this world's desolate and boundless deluge" (52, Gordon).
She often fell into deep depression when she taught at Roe Head.

This is a poem Charlotte wrote during her days in Roe Head.
Look into thought and say what dost though see
Dive, be not fearful how dark the waves flow
Sink through the surge and bring pearls up to me
Deeper aye deeper, the fairest lie low
I have dived I have sought them but none have I found
In the gloom that closed over me no[ne] flowed by
As I sunk through the void depths so black and profound
How dim died the sun and how far hung the sky
Thoughts were untroubled and dreams were asleep
The spirit lay dreadless and hopeless beneath.
(56, Gordon)

We can burst the bonds which chain us,
Which cold human hands have wrought,
And where none shall dare restarin us
We can meet again, in thought.
(68, Gordon)

Ellen Nussey, Charlotte's dearest friend, described the sisters once,
"...They had no power of asserting themselves, while they had the most acute and lively sensibility to any act in another which jarred on their exquisite tender-heartedness, their refinement, or sense of justice. They suffered intensly from what to another would have been a mere trifle..." (82, Gordon)

Charlotte wrote these famous words when she was only 23, "...We must change, for the eye is tired of the picture so oft recurring..." (86, Gordon)

Charlotte and Branwell created Angria, their dream world; when Charlotte was 23, she wanted to let go of Angria, but it was very difficult for her. "When I depart from these I feel almost as if I stood on the threshold of a home and were bidding farewell to its inmates. When I strive to conjure up new inmates I feel as if I had got into a distant country where every face was unknown, and the character of all the population an enigma which it would take much study to comprehend and much taletn to expound. Still, I long to quit for a while that burning clime where we have sojounred too long - its skies flame, the glow of sunset is always upon it."(86, Gordon)

In Brussels, Charlotte fell in love with Constantin Heger(Charlotte's M. Paul from Villette) her mentor and friend.
"The task he from another took,
From me he did reject;
He would no slight omission brook,
And suffer no defect.
If my companions went astray,
He scarce their wanderings blamed;
But if I faltered in the way,
His anger fiercely flamed."
(96, Gordon)

Charlotte blamed herself for her lack of feminine charm, which left her loving M. Heger, but not loved by him.
"Devoid of charm, how could I hope
My unasked love would e'er return? What fate, what influence lit the fire the flame I still feel inly, deeply burn?"
(121, Gordon)

That's all I have so far. I will add more later. To buy this fabulous book, Charlotte Bronte: A Passionate Life by Lyndall Gordon, try Amazon.com. You will not regret it. It's a wonderful book, very informative as well as moving. Home

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