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IIUC STUDIES
ISSN 1813-7733 Vol. – 3, December 2006 (p 19-30)

The Woman Question in the novels by the Bronte Sisters
Rehnuma Bint Anis∗
Abstract: The Victorian period lasted more than half a century. During this time England changed radically in almost all respects. One of these was the rising consciousness of women about their rights and potentials. Soon, the social awareness was transmitted to literature. In retrospect we find that many women writers emerged at this critical juncture in history when women were pleading to be given voice, to achieve their rights and to be given an opportunity to come out of the shells of quiet submission enforced upon them and achieve something of their own. Three sisters living deep in the Yorkshire moors surprised the world by taking part in this ongoing struggle. This article attempts to evaluate their contributions towards achieving women’s rights in English history.

Envious of the freedom enjoyed and the respect commanded by women during the Islamic era, Dr. Annie Bessant wrote in her book The Life and Teachings of Muhammad: ‘I often think that women are more free in Islam than in Christianity. Women are more respected in Islam than by the faith which preaches monogamy’1. For it took the women of Europe many more years and much hard struggle to attain the rights given to women by Islam centuries ago. It was during the Victorian era that a series of changes - social, political and moral swept all over England. One of these concerned the issues of gender inequality in politics, economic life, education and social intercourse for women; rightly coming to be known as the ‘Woman Question’. Within a few years it gained momentum and became just as grave an issue as evolution or industrialization. Justin M’Carthy lamented in an essay in the Westminster Review (July, 1864), ‘the greatest social difficulty in England today is the relationship between men and women. The principal difference between ourselves and our ancestor is

References: _____________________________ 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Muhammad, Farkhanda Noor (2002), Respect for Women in Islam, Islamiyat for Students, Lahore, Ferozson’s (Pvt) Ltd., p 160 M’Carthy, Justin (1864), Westminster Review, London Daiches, David (1969), A Critical History of English Literature, London, Secker and Warburg, Volume IV, p 1049 Basu, Nitish Kumar (1998), Advanced Literary Essays, Calcutta, Presto Publishers, p 314 Traversi, Derek (1996), The Bronte Sisters and Wuthering Heights, The New Pelican Guide to English Literature, Edited by Boris Ford; London, Penguin Group, Volume 6, p 248 ibid, p 247 Daiches, David (1969), A Critical History of English Literature, London; Secker and Warburg, Volume IV, p 1066 Basu, Nitish Kumar (1998), Advanced Literary Essays, Calcutta, Presto Publishers; p 320 Handley, Graham (1987), Introduction, Wuthering Heights, London; Macmillan Education Ltd.; p xi 10. ibid, p xi 28 The Woman Question in the novels by the Bronte Sisters 11. Introduction (1994), The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, London, Penguin Group, p 9 12. Daiches, David (1969), A Critical History of English Literature, London, Secker and Warburg, Volume IV, p 1064 13. The Norton Anthology of English Literature (1993), New York, W.W. Norton and Company Inc; Volume 2, p 902 14. ibid, p 1595 15. ibid, p 903 16. ibid, p 903 17. Basu, Nitish Kumar (1998), Advanced Literary Essays, Calcutta, Presto Publishers, p 315 18. ibid, p 320 19. Traversi, Derek (1996), The Bronte Sisters and Wuthering Heights, The New Pelican Guide to English Literature, Edited by Boris Ford, London, Penguin Group, Volume 6, p 250 20. ibid, p 250 21. ibid, p 251 22. Basu, Nitish Kumar (1998), Advanced Literary Essays, Calcutta, Presto Publishers, p 319 23. World Book Encyclopedia (1996), Chicago, World Book Inc., Volume B, p 587 24. Basu, Nitish Kumar (1998), Advanced Literary Essays, Calcutta, Presto Publishers, p 319 25. Traversi, Derek (1996), The Bronte Sisters and Wuthering Heights, The New Pelican Guide to English Literature, Edited by Boris Ford, London, Penguin Group, Volume 6, p 247 26. ibid, p 256 27. ibid, p 255 28. Handley, Graham (1987), Introduction, Wuthering Heights, London, Macmillan Education Ltd., p xviii 29. ibid, p xiii 30. ibid, p xvi 31. Traversi, Derek (1996), The Bronte Sisters and Wuthering Heights, The New Pelican Guide to English Literature, Edited by Boris Ford; London; Penguin Group; Volume 6, p 261 32. Basu, Nitish Kumar (1998), Advanced Literary Essays, Calcutta; Presto Publishers; p 319 33. Daiches, David (1969), A Critical History of English Literature, London; Secker and Warburg; Volume IV, p 1065 34. Basu, Nitish Kumar (1998), Advanced Literary Essays, Calcutta; Presto Publishers; p 319 35. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 1993; New York; W.W. Norton and Company Inc; Volume 2, p 1597 36. Handley, Graham (1987), Introduction, Wuthering Heights, London; Macmillan Education Ltd.; backcover 37. Traversi, Derek (1996), The Bronte Sisters and Wuthering Heights, The New Pelican Guide to English Literature, Edited by Boris Ford; London; Penguin Group; Volume 6, p 254 38. ibid, p 253 29 IIUC Studies, Vol. 3 39. Bronte, Anne, Preface to the Second Edition, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall; 1848; London; Penguin Group 40. Traversi, Derek (1996), The Bronte Sisters and Wuthering Heights, The New Pelican Guide to English Literature, Edited by Boris Ford; London; Penguin Group; Volume 6, note 2, p 262 41. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 1993; New York; W.W. Norton and Company Inc; Volume 2, p 1064 42. Traversi, Derek (1996), The Bronte Sisters and Wuthering Heights, The New Pelican Guide to English Literature, Edited by Boris Ford; London; Penguin Group; Volume 6, p 316 43. Daiches, David (1969), A Critical History of English Literature, London; Secker and Warburg; Volume IV, p 1066 44. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 1993; New York; W.W. Norton and Company Inc; Volume 2, p 904 45. ibid, p 904 46. ibid, p 1597 30