Literary Sisters

The Brontës are the world’s most famous literary family. Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë were the authors of some of the best-loved books in the English language. Charlotte and Emily are ranked among the world’s greatest novelists and Anne is a powerful but underrated author....

After accidentally discovering a manuscript of her sister Emily’s poems in 1846, Charlotte persuaded both her sisters to allow their poems to be published along with her own. The sisters hid their real identities behind false names; Charlotte became Currer Bell, Emily became Ellis Bell and Anne became Acton Bell. The volume of poems was a failure and only two copies were sold.

*Charlotte’s first attempt at writing a novel for publication, The Professor, was rejected by several publishing houses, but her next novel, Jane Eyre, was accepted immediately and published in 1847, gaining instant success. Charlotte was to publish two more novels, Shirley in 1849 and Villette in 1853...

Tragically, her happiness was not to last and she died in the early stages of pregnancy on 31 March 1855 at the age of 38.

*Emily’s only novel Wuthering Heights was published in 1847, but she died a year later from tuberculosis on 19 December 1848 at the age of 30.

*Anne began her first novel Agnes Grey whilst still at Thorp Green and it was published in 1847. Her second novel The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, was published the following year. Anne was not to enjoy her success for long; she died of tuberculosis only a few months later on 28 May 1849 at the age of 29.

http://www.historytoherstory.org.uk/index.php?targetid=7