nut free nerd

“If you think, from this prelude, that anything like a romance is preparing for you, reader, you never were more mistaken.”

Jane Eyre is likely the most popular Charlotte Brontë novel, and perhaps for good reason: it has an iconic romance and main character, it is brilliantly told, and it raises so many interesting themes to be discussed in classrooms and book clubs alike. But after reading Shirley, I think this novel has been unfairly overshadowed by Jane Eyre. Shirley is incredible.

First, there’s the fact that it’s just plain enjoyable and entertaining to read. There’s so much to love about it: Charlotte’s witty and at times humorous narration; the blossoming romance, the will-they-won’t-they suspense; the family drama and hidden identities; the lovely friendship between Caroline and Shirley.

But beyond all of that, there’s just so much interesting stuff to unpack here. Who is the narrator, omniscient and yet seemingly entrenched in the community enough to warrant a first person narrative in parts? I love how the narrator frequently addresses the reader, at times playfully challenging the reader or even pointing out why the narrator (author?) chose to use one word rather than another, or a French phrase instead of its English counterpart. This dynamic made me feel included as a reader, and repeatedly drew my attention to the fact that this was a story actively written for someone to read.

And then there’s the friendship between Caroline and Shirley, which I keep turning around in my mind. We first see Shirley through Caroline’s eyes, and they act as foils for one another in that way — Caroline, the more reasonable, moral one and Shirley ,the more passionate, emotional, and daring one. It’s interesting that this novel is called Shirley and not “Caroline,” considering that it takes (at least in the edition I read) a little over two hundred pages to first meet Shirley at all.

Finally, there’s the historical aspect to this novel, the fact that Charlotte was commenting on war and society and politics at the time she was writing it. There’s something for everyone in this novel: themes of class, gender roles, religion, love, loss, family, etc. I wish I had been assigned to read this when I was in college — it would have been so interesting to discuss it with others.

I could go on and on about this novel, but I’ll leave you with my wholehearted recommendation of it. I’m already looking forward to rereading this book someday.

Thoughts on Shirley? I’d love to know.

Take care xx