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Emily Brontes contribution to British literature

Introduction

Literature plays a crucial role in today's society. It is a tool that is utilized in exposing

different issues that face the community. Today, both men and women have an opportunity to

give their contributions to this important field of English literature. However, this was not

always the case especially in British literature as the field was dominated by men and supported

by a society that believed women could not give any meaningful contribution. Though she wrote

only one novel, Emily Bronte redefined the role of women in British literature through her book,

Wuthering Heights. The paper evaluates her influence to this important field. It seeks to show

that her work not only defied the norm, but it also began a movement that set the stage for other

women to give their contribution.

Emily Brontes contribution to British literature

Emily Bronte was born during the Victorian era when male chauvinism made it

impossible for women to venture into writing and benefit the society with their thoughts. Though

not well educated, the work of Emily Bronte was a reflection of herself which made a lot of

people relate to what she had written (Bronte, p 62). The possibility of a woman writing a book

was so limited that her book had to be published under the name of a male author as a female
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writer was unheard of in that era. When the novel, Wuthering Heights, was released, it defied all

societal norms that had been placed by the society and which every author had to conform to for

them to be accepted. These challenges noted, the work presented by Emily Bronte was years

ahead of her time given the environment under which the book was published.

One of the reasons why her work was so important to British literature is because it

revolved around passion, sexual desires, power, and conflict. It was the first time that an author,

males included, took a chance and showed the society that women were not lesser beings to their

male counterparts. To date, her book is still considered as one of the greatest romantic novel in

the English literature. Additionally, her work exuded a degree of rebellion, loneliness and a quest

for freedom at a magnitude not witnessed before (Bronte, p 125). The ability by Emily Bronte to

write a book that did not involve a girl in distress who would be saved by her knight in shining

armor started a revolution that opened doors for many others to contribute to this field. Her real

legacy was her ability to incorporate societal values while at the same time giving her work a

new perspective and this led to the creation of a new genre of literary work.

There were several factors that made Emily Bronte emerge as an author who was far

ahead of her time. Firstly, the book was a statement to the Victorian society that all women were

of unique personality and character and that no amount of male chauvinism onslaught could

budge their determination to make positive change. This was important as it gave courage to

others who would otherwise have stayed away from literature to engage in this growing field.

Secondly, Emily Brontes ability to vividly narrate her thoughts gave her a permanent audience

within the society (Bronte, p 214). This act ensured that her skeptical community did not dismiss

her or those who followed in her footsteps as her book had already established a standard. In
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essence, her literary skills allowed people to realize that her contributions were not a mere act of

rebellion but proof that women had something to offer to literature.

Prior to the release of her work, there were very many stereotypes that had been created

to try and make female members of the community feel as if they were less capable than their

male colleagues (Bronte, p 193). However, all these issues were alienated when she negated all

the misleading beliefs that civilized societies had upheld and natured for centuries. The ability to

incorporate societal values in her works evoked some interest in most of her readers, and this

was vital in helping her win the battle between her passion and as a society that still believed the

role of a woman was to serve her husband.

Today, women around the world play a vital role in educating the society of the issues

that are of concerns for the wellbeing of current and future generations. Though this is an

opportunity availed to all, it was largely because of the contributions of people like Emily

Bronte, who used their limited exposure to the outside world to bring change to their

communities. While writing her book, her only connection to the outside world was friends and

family members who shared a similar fate as her in regard to the amount of information they

could get. Releasing her novel was a great milestone not only for the society but also for her as

an individual. This is because she was an epitome of self-assuredness and her thoughtful work

acted as a self-assured attitude that she held towards life.

The literary trend initiated by significant works of literature like Wuthering Heights

ensure that the world continues to reap the benefits of knowledge availed by the availability of

different genres of literature. In her novel, Emily Bronte demonstrated the wealth of literature in

bringing out topics that were unconventional to most people but which were of great importance.

She showed that women could use this tool of enlightenment to voice their worries, needs,
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gratitude and aspirations. These trends are still applied in modern literature to provide direction

and knowledge especially in todays world where different challenges emerge by the day. It is

because of such progress that Emily Bronte's name continues to impact British literature and the

field as a whole.

Conclusion

From the discussion above, it is evident that Emily Bronte work in Wuthering Heights

marked a turning point in British literature. It was based on her contribution that women got an

opportunity to rise above societal expectations and show their male counterparts that they could

also contribute to the enlightenment of the community. This provided a platform that was used

by other women to expand the space that Emily Bronte had ensured when she decided to defy all

norms and venture into the field of literature. Therefore, it is upon modern literature writers to

continue the works began by Emily Bronte to ensure that the society benefits from their

contribution. Maintaining this trend is important as it guarantees that the struggles made by all

those authors that followed in her footsteps continue to ensure that women have a voice that they

can use to advance their fight for equality. Moreover, it ensures that future generations are

availed with even greater opportunities to leave their mark on this important field.
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Work cited

Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. First Avenue Editions, 2014. Internet resource.

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