Society and Setting

(This is a photo of the entrance to Ponden Hall, near the Bronte's home town of Haworth, which is thought to have provided the inspiration for both Wildfell Hall, and Thrushcross Grange in Wuthering Heights. It is one of the places we will seek out on the Bronte residential trip next summer.)

The setting (physical and social) of the story is also developed a lot in Chapters 5-10.

Wildfell Hall

The hall itself continues to exert a serious and mysterious presence over the characters - "Silent and grim it frowned before us" - but it clearly suits serious and mysterious Mrs Graham perfectly, as we can see, for example, from her following words:

• "I cannot be too thankful for such an asylum"
• "I am not sure the loneliness of the place was not one of its chief recommendations"
• "I take no pleasure in watching people pass the windows; and I like to be quiet"
  

Pathetic Fallacy

Coined by the writer and artist, John Ruskin, in the 19th Century, PATHETIC FALLACY is the term to describe when the physical environment or setting reflects in some way the lives or circumstances of the people or characters themselves (or, indeed, the plot or narrative). There is an example here: "the young primroses were peeping from among their moist, dark foliage, and the lark above was singing of summer, and hope, and love, and every heavenly thing". The changing seasons are almost sending out a message of hope and happiness, and the reader is curious as to whether the plot will, indeed, follow a similarly positive path.


Husbands and Wives

One thing I found interesting in these chapters is the discussion of what makes a good husband, and I would be interested to hear what you all think of these views. Gilbert, very much the 'modern man', is clear about his views: "I shall expect to find more pleasure in making my wife happy and comfortable, than in being made so by her: I would rather give than receive". But his mother's description of her, late husband shows a very different point of view: "he was steady and punctual, seldom found fault without a reason, always did justice to my good dinners, and hardly ever spoiled my cookery by delay – and that’s as much as any woman can expect of any man". What do you think about such opinions? Have roles changed between then and now? What do you regard to be a 'good husband'?

Smalltalk

Personally, I have never quite 'got' smalltalk, and I have always felt uncomfortable and awkward in situations when I have been expected to chat with other people just for the sake of it. It seems false to me - although I know that it is a common social routine. Mrs Graham, who hates "talking where there is no exchange of ideas or sentiments, and no good given or received", seems to hold a similar opinion, as can be seen from the following extract:

"'It is I who have left them,' was the smiling rejoinder. 'I was wearied to death with small talk - nothing wears me out like that. I cannot imagine how they can go on as they do.'
I could not help smiling at the serious depth of her wonderment.
'Is it that they think it a duty to be continually talking,' pursued she: 'and so never pause to think, but fill up with aimless trifles and vain repetitions when subjects of real interest fail to present themselves, or do they really take a pleasure in such discourse?'
'Very likely they do,' said I; 'their shallow minds can hold no great ideas, and their light heads are carried away by trivialities that would not move a better-furnished skull; and their only alternative to such discourse is to plunge over head and ears into the slough of scandal - which is their chief delight.'"

And finally...

I found this bit really funny, and quite unlike the sort of writing you find in most, stereotypical Victorian fiction: "I deposited the book in one of its pockets, and then put it on (i.e. the coat)". :)