Villette

====== SPOILERS ALERT ========I read this because I enjoyed Jane Eyre and wanted a similar thing, but different. Villette didn't disappoint. While some plot patterns and character themes are similar to those used in Jane Eyre, Villette is a completely different thing. I had a blast!Charlotte has full mastery of the language. No wonder her works are listed among the classics. She has no trouble expressing herself, and offers many insights into the human trials which are still relevant today. But what makes Villette truly fascinating is the protagonist, Lucy Snowe.This is a romance story like no other. Lucy tries for human intimacy twice, loses both times. The odds are against her; her fate is written from the start. The ending isn't really ambiguous. The narrator states quite clearly what happened, then tells those who can't handle it to imagine their own happy ending, if they're so inclined.When Dr. John was first introduced, I recognized him as a romantic interest and was pleasantly surprised that he was handsome. This is a step up, I thought, from Jane Eyre, where the narrator thought that handsome men are just too divine for her. Her self-esteem must be improving.What can I say? At that point, I didn't yet realize that Lucy was born to suffer.She resents that Graham can't see past her plain features to appreciate the treasure of her true inner self. But how could he appreciate what was denied him? She hid her true feelings from him, from the world, and from the readers. The narrator conceals facts - vital facts. Whenever she feels strongly, she becomes mute.The story sometimes dragged and often got depressing, but it was all worth it for the ending. The narrator briefly outlines what happened to the main cast of the story - to her adversaries. They lived a long, prosperous life. She says not a word about Lucy, and that silence is loud and funeral. Lucy, who did her best to challenge fate, and this time the defeat was absolute. Once again, she becomes silent, this time to never speak again. Mutely she draws a black curtain over the ending.Because, the writer wants us to know, some people are destined for happiness. And some people are just born to suffer. Better luck next life, Lucy Snowe.

I have loved Jane Eyre since I was in middle school, and have read a few other books of the Brontes. This one was new to me. I am not sure if this was written before or after Jane Eyre. I have to say it is a bit wordy. Often, the character more than once talks about not being particularly "academic", but she has quite the vocabulary. In many places as she describes a person, place or situation she seems to want to string together as many obtuse words as possible. Every so often she makes a somewhat sarcastic observation about one of the other characters, and I found that quite humorous because for the most part Lucy Snowe seems to be a very retiring introverted character. Most of the book takes place in the town of Villette in Belgium. Lucy ends up working in a school there. There is quite a bit of conversation in French so if you do not know that language you will just have to guess what is being said. I was rather disappointed in how the story ended. I just decided it was a happy ending for Lucy because she seemed to have a lot of disappointment in her life and she deserved a happy ending.

This is a hugely accomplished book in many respects. The characterization is strong and varied, the psychological insight is fine, and the prose masterly. Charlotte Brontë achieves the impressive feat of creating a proto-feminist work from the unpromising material of a very unassuming and passive heroine and sustaining interest in her throughout a long novel. So why only three stars? The plot, such as it is, proceeds through a whole series of highly improbable coincidences. Even by the standards of the 19th century novel, these are so consistent a narrative device as to become unpardonable. Disbelief simply cannot be suspended so frequently and to such an extent. This is a pity as Villette could otherwise have been the masterpiece it is sometimes proclaimed to be, but sadly is not. Less importantly, the book is marred by Bronté's childish French nomenclature. Naming the country in which the action takes place 'Labassecour' (French for 'farmyard') might, for example, have been witty in a comic work but is simply discordant in a work as solemn and serious as Villette. It is also revealing of the cultural chauvinism that is at least semi-explicit throughout the work. Would I recommend that Villette be read? Yes, because its good points are so very good. Is it better than Jane Eyre? Much better and far worse.

Bem primeiramente meus amigos, vou começar falando que Villette não se compara e nem chega aos pés de Jane Eyre primeira obra de Charlotte Brontë, e pra mim até este momento a melhor, contudo falta ler Shirley e O Professor ainda para eu ter um parecer final. A obra é digna de Charlotte Brontë, contudo eu esperava mais, muito mais. Se o leitor for ler por causa do romance, vá com essa informação: não tem muito romance em todo o livro! O que nós temos é um pouquinho no final, que ficamos com um gostinho de quero mais. Gostei bastante da história, me emocionei em vários momentos com a Lucy e a vontade que ela tinha de sobreviver e trabalhar me fortalecia a continuar a leitura que por vezes se tornou enfadonha.Apesar de tudo é um bom livro. Só esperava mais mesmo por conta de ser uma obra autobiográfica, acredito que eu tenha criado expectativas. Enfim, leiam. Tendo em mente é claro, o que eu falei encima. Jane Eyre ganha disparado em meu coração! ❤️

.....libro della letteratura inglese scritto da una donna, da leggere per un romanzo che fa tornare indietro nel tempo!

Edición Penguin Clothbound Classics para coleccionistas y amantes de la lectura. La calidad y el diseño son increíbles. La fuente tiene un buen tamaño que facilita la lectura. Sin embargo, si eres un lector que anota en los libros, fuerzas para abrir el libro al máximo o lo toqueteas mucho en general, esta edición no es para ti. Se nota delicado, no se puede abrir completamente, ya que las páginas están pegadas, no cosidas; y la pintura del estampado de las cubiertas se irá borrando si se roza demasiado (incluso se queda ma marca de la pegatina del código de barras). Por lo demás, es absolutamente precioso.

This is one of the best books I have ever read. the author has written extensively about life, emotions, feelings and occurrences of the time she has described. What I really liked in the book is the way it is written. It is very very smartly written to keep the reader engaged throughout the book. Never comes a point where you get bored or want to look away. Sometimes, simple stories like these touch your heart so much and make you so emotional that you don't even realize. An amazing book.

Charlotte Bronte erzählt in diesem hervorragenden Roman das Leben von Miss Lucy Snowe als Charakterstudie und philosophisch- theologischen Diskurs - und als Liebesgeschichte.Lucy ist eine gut erzogene junge Frau, die als verarmte Waise selbst ihr Geld verdienen muss. Sie wagt sich aus England nach Frankreich und wird dort Lehrerin in einer Mädchenschule in der kleinen Stadt Villette. Dort behauptet sie sich sowohl gegenüber der intriganten Schulleiterin als auch gegenüber den gedankenlosen und boshaften Schülerinnen. Aus dem freudlosen Dasein, dass sie in Depressionen stürzt, wird sie durch ihre Patin gerettet, die sie freundschaftlich unterstützt. Nachdem ihre Liebe zum Sohn ihrer Patin enttäuscht wird, wendet sich Lucy dem deutlich älteren, exzentrischen Monsieur Paul Emanuel zu, der ebenfalls Lehrer ist. Diese Beziehung, die platonisch und teilweise sehr prosaisch ist, steht ebenfalls unter keinem guten Stern, denn das Paar trennen der Glaube, eine eifersüchtige Verwandtschaft und auch das jeweilige Temperament. Wie immer bei Charlotte Bronte steht die Entwicklung der Hauptfigur, die als Ich-Erzählerin auftritt, im Mittelpunkt. Sie ist, auch das typisch für die Autorin, ein bißchen "trocken-brötchen-haft", sehr diszipliniert, protestantisch und prosaisch, aber zum Glück trotzdem mit tiefen Gefühlen, viel Mut und einem starken Willen, selbst bestimmt und zufrieden zu leben, ausgestattet. Sie lässt sich weder durch persönliche Enttäuschungen noch durch die Hindernisse, die missgünstige Mitmenschen ihr in den Weg stellen, unter kriegen, auch wenn sie manchmal vor Kummer und Angst fast vergeht. Vielmehr beharrt sie auf ihrer Selbständigkeit, ihrer Meinung und ihrem Glauben. Lucy Snowe ist eine sehr moderne Heldin, die nicht nur für sich selber sorgt, sondern trotz aller Sehnsucht nach einer Liebesbeziehung nie die Vernunft und den Stolz ausschaltet.Bronte erzählt wie immer psychologisch versiert und spannend. Ihre Heldin ist realistisch und manchmal sehr witzig und die Nebenfiguren sind liebevoll und mit einer großen Tiefe gezeichnet. Damit ist das Buch eine schöne Schilderung der gutbürgerlichen Gesellschaft und der Situation junger, mittelloser Frauen in England und Frankreich am Anfang des 19. Jhd. Daneben ist es ein brillantes Psychogramm einer klugen Frau. Besonders an diesem Roman aber sind die theologischen Ausflüge, die Charlotte Bronte einbaut. Lucy Snowe ist eine überzeugte, aber unaufgeregte Protestantin, während Paul Emanuel ein Jesuitenschüler und tiefgläubiger Katholik ist, der zudem dem intensiven Einfluss eines nicht ganz selbstlosen Beichtvaters ausgesetzt ist. In Lucys Gedanken findet ein umfassender Vergleich der beiden Konfessionen statt, der (nicht sehr überraschend) nicht zugunsten Roms ausgeht. Dabei bleibt Bronte durchaus fair und lässt sich nie auf die Ebene der Religionsbeschimpfung herab. Und sie findet eine Möglichkeit, eine solche Beziehung trotzdem zu ermöglichen. Für die Entstehungszeit des Romans mE eine große Leistung.Vielleicht der beste Roman von Charlotte Bronte, der aber mindestens aus dem Niveau von Jane Eyre steht.