Charlotte’s tone is this letter is somewhat imperious considering her lack of artistic standing. Although Aunt Branwell had left her nieces money when she died in 1842, which they had hoped to use to set up a school for girls, these plans had come to nothing and now, with her father’s failing eyesight and Branwell’s drinking habits, there must have been a high level of anxiety related to finance.Ĭharlotte’s approach, while to some extent unorthodox, worked as, on the 31st of January, just three days later, she writes again, acknowledging the firm’s agreement to publish the poems at the author’s expense. The curt tone of the letter reflects a sense of urgency, which I believe is related to the family’s need to earn money more than a desire to be published.

If you object to publishing the work at your own risk-would you undertake it on the Author’s account?-Ĭharlotte’s ignorance of business etiquette is evident in this first letter as it is unlikely that a publisher would risk the expense of an unknown author if given the option of the author paying their own publishing costs. May I request to be informed whether you would undertake the publication of a collection of short poems in 1 vol. On the 28th of January 1846, writing for the first time to potential publishers, Charlotte addressed the following note to the publishing house of Messrs Aylott and Jones: The initial correspondence with publishers sees Charlotte acting as agent for the Bells and in this complex manner we have a trinity of Charlottes: Charlotte the agent Charlotte the sister and writer and Charlotte masquerading as the poet Currer Bell. The Fate of the Brontë sisters’ poetry collection and the emergence of the Brontë novels.Įquipped with the poems of Emily, Anne and her own and having decided on the pseudonyms of Acton, Ellis and Currer Bell, Charlotte set about getting them published. National Emerging Writer Programme Overview.

Bronte sisters poetry book