Austen, Bronte & Gaskell

Any comparison between the writing of Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte is ludicrous. Bronte was born a year before Austen died. They wrote about entirely different time periods and their story lines took other paths. Enormous changes took place in England all through the nineteenth century including societal alterations. It’s like comparing oranges and apples; they are both fruit, but…….

And then we have Elizabeth Gaskell whose first novel stressing the plight of the poor was published in 1848, taking another tack altogether. This was a year after Bronte’s Jane Eyre was released. Even they did not consider themselves rivals on the literary scene. How delightful it is for me, to picture Gaskell and Bronte coming together to discuss writing, poets, life, and loss.

Even then writers sought out the company of other writers. Just imagine what it would be like to lunch with Austen, the three Brontes and Gaskell all at the same table. A-h-h-h.