We had our Twitter discussion of volume 1 of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall last night. We covered ground like
- the preface (would it be seen as too confrontational in today’s writing environment?),
- similarities to/deviations from Austen (e.g., Reverend Milward),
- the framing device,
- Gilbert (prig or flawed hero? why does he hit Lawrence? does that make G irredeemable?),
- the meddling of the villagers,
- Gilbert as a stand-in for Branwell Bronte,
- the many negative male characters,
- the female characters as different reactions to social limits,
- Helen’s art as metaphor,
- and various literary references in the text.
It was a fast-paced discussion and a lot of fun. But I know that not everyone is on Twitter, the time wasn’t convenient for everyone, and of course the 140-character limit can constrain discussion. So what thought do you have on volume 1? What are you looking forward to in volumes 2 and 3?
Emma Barry 