Description
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Book Description: Anne Brontë publishes her second novel, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, under the pen name Acton Bell; For the majority of readers and critics, the novel is sensational for many reasons: With its protagonist, Brontë challenges the profile of a submissive woman shaped according to the strict rules and expectations of the Victorian society. Although the novel seems to deal with marriage and love relationships in general, it examines issues such as domestic troubles and abuse caused by alcoholism with a courage unexpected for its age. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, one of the early feminist novels, tells the quest for independence of Helen Huntingdon, who is doomed to live with a grumpy, unfaithful, violent and alcohol-addicted man as a result of a wrong choice of husband made in the excitement of youth. Escaping would mean not fulfilling her duty as a wife, and would further draw uncomfortable looks from the narrow-minded townspeople; Staying will condemn Helen to a lifetime of torture. (From the Promotional Bulletin)