Charlotte Brontë

(1816-1855) Charlotte was one of six children of a parish clergyman in Haworth, a small country village in Yorkshire, England. Her mother died when she was very young and a few years later, her two elder sisters also passed away while attending boarding school. Charlotte found herself caring for her brother Branwell, and her younger sisters, Emily and Anne, with the help of their aunt, who came to live with the Brontes. Charlotte received her education at two different boarding schools:Cowen Bridge, which the Lowood School in Jane Eyre is based on, and Roe Head School, where she served a short time as a teacher. With her sister Emily, Charlotte went to Brussels, where she taught for one year. Along with her two sisters, Charlotte published a volume of poetry under the pen names of Currer (Charlotte), Ellis (Emily), and Acton (Anne) Bell. This volume was published at the sisters' expense, and was unsuccessful, selling only two copies. Charlotte's next literary venture, The Professor, was rejected by the publishers. Undeterred, Charlotte finally became successful with her next work, Jane Eyre. After the death of her brother and sisters, Charlotte devoted herself to the care of her ailing father. She married his curate in 1854, and died during pregnancy in 1855. Her major works: Emma (incomplete), Jane Eyre, The Professor (published posthumously), Shirley, Villette