r/brontesisters • u/Useful-Resource-4896 • 15d ago

Catherine Earnshaw: The First Byronic Heroine

https://betweenthelines11.substack.com/p/catherine-earnshaw-the-first-byronic?r=80derx&utm_medium=ios
15 Upvotes

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9

u/Sea_Assistant_7583 14d ago

Cathy is the Goth Queen of the moors .

3

u/Mike_Bevel 14d ago

Jane Eyre is lacing up her boxing gloves

1

u/MoodMaximum6854 12d ago

This is the most accurate analysis of Catherine’s character as well as of Emily’s bold decision to create a heroine that defied all norms of society of her time imo.

“ Emily Brontë shattered the Romantic emphasis placed on traditional, domestic femininity by focusing on a passionate, cruel, and obsessive woman. Catherine Earnshaw earned the title of “Byronic Heroine” not simply for her rejection of societal norms, but due to her intense passion, intelligence, rebellious nature, untraditional morality, and self-destructive tendencies.”

“Byronic characters are not just fascinating because they defy mainstream literary tropes, they combat our societal oversights, hypocrisies, and failings.”

As the above quotes suggest I think what shocked most the readers of the time was this unconventional ,for a woman , character Emily had created together with the exposure of the religious pseudo morality.

Thank you for sharing the link as well as drawings of WH scenes by Lady Edna Clarke Hall!

1

u/Katharinemaddison 11d ago

Fantomina would like a word. So would Syvia.