Thesis advisor: Rosemarie Bodenheimer / This dissertation considers England's imperial rivalry with France and its influence on literary production in the long nineteenth century. It offers a new context for the study of British imperialism by examining the ways in which mid-Victorian novels responded to and were shaped by the threat of French imperialism. It studies three canonical Victorian novels: William Thackeray's Vanity Fair (1846-1848), Charlotte Brontë's Villette (1853) and Charles Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities (1859), and argues that even though these texts deal very lightly with the British colonies and feature very few colonial figures, they are still very much "about empire" because they are informed by British anxieties regarding French imperialism. Revolutionary Narratives links each novel to a contemporary political crisis between England and France, and it argues that each novelist turns back to the Revolutionary period in response to and as a means to process a modern threat from France. This project also explains why Thackeray, Brontë and Dickens would return specifically to Revolutionary history in response to a French imperial threat. Its first chapter traces the ways in which "Revolutionary narratives," stories about how the 1789 French Revolution had changed the world, came to inform and to lend urgency to England and France's global, imperial rivalry through their deployment in abolitionist writings in both countries. Abolitionist tracts helped to fuse an association between "empire" and "Revolution" in the Romantic period, and recognizing this helps us to understand why Victorian writers would use Revolutionary narratives in response to imperial crisis. However, this dissertation ultimately asserts that Vanity Fair, Villette and A Tale of Two Cities revive Revolutionary history in order to write against it and to lament its primacy in popular discourse. In the mid nineteenth century, public discussion in England and France tended to return quickly to the history of the Revolutionary period in order to contextualize new political drama between the two countries. This meant that history often seemed to be repeating itself when it came to England and France's rivalry. Thackeray, Brontë and Dickens use Revolutionary history in their novels as a way to react against this popular use of history and in an effort to imagine a new path forward for England and France, one not burdened by the weight of the past. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2013. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: English.

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While some people enjoy reading full-length novels, most people have a difficult time concentrating on reading or even finding the time to do it. Audio books, especially abridged ones, may be a way for people to enjoy fiction without having to read the whole novel and they can listen to the text at the same time as they do other things. The purpose of this essay is to study whether the abridged audio books can be a valid replacement for the full novel in terms of genre. The essay compares Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë in its full length with three abridged audio books of the same novel. In these three audio versions the original text has been abridged in varying degrees so that the shortest version runs to fifty minutes, the second shortest to three hours and the longest to six hours. The three genres I focus on are the Romance, the Gothic novel and the female Bildungsroman. I present genre-specific features and then analyze how these characteristics are affected in the abridged versions of Jane Eyre.

Critics from Virginia Woolf and David Cecil to Lyn Pykett and U. C. Knoepflmacher, among others, have been mesmerized by the eccentric but transcendent world of Brontë’s Wuthering Heights and the Gondal poems. Despite allusions and references to various modernist elements in Emily Brontë’s novel and poetry, there has not been extensive analysis of her work in connection to modern writers of the early twentieth century. I believe that a multi-themed analysis of such components is necessary to reassess her position in the canon and establish her as a precursor to the modernists. This dissertation examines Brontë’s deliberate invitation of, and simultaneous resistance to, interpretation—qualities that align her novel and verse more with Modernist literature than that of her contemporaries. I argue that Emily Brontë had an unusual and forward-looking focus that is revealed in her treatment of children, women, and the struggles of isolated beings in the dark, foreboding and often impressionistic world of Gondal and Wuthering Heights. Her elucidation of the gap between the mundane and the spiritual, the use of farcical elements against the sublime are also precursory to modernism. This dissertation assesses the various themes, angles and techniques that Brontë employs in presenting a strange atmosphere that is representative of a future world.

In this essay, I will argue that looking at translation and multilingualism both as a mode of storytelling and as a theme of Brontë's second published novel Shirley can help to uncover previously untapped moments of connection and understanding in the novel. Brontë's exploration of translation and use of multilingualism reveals a sincere urge to connect in spite of tremendous difficulties—connect her characters to each other, connect her narrator to her readers. It is an ambitious, over-reaching goal, which Brontë did not ultimately attain. Yet, for Brontë, her (especially female) characters, and her narrator, translation in all its forms represents their earnest, if ultimately unfulfilled, desire to communicate—to be correctly comprehended and "well-rendered" as texts, whether they are translated by other characters within the novel or by an unseen reader without.

Ce mémoire se consacre à une étude de l'infantile et de la pulsion de mort comme constituants d'une écriture du Mal dans Wuthering Heights (1847), l'unique roman de l'écrivaine anglaise Emily Brontë (1818-1848). Cette analyse s'inspire en premier lieu des travaux de Sigmund Freud sur les pulsions, le rêve et l'infantile. Le récit de Wuthering Heights s'articule autour des familles Earnshaw et Linton. L'arrivée de Heathcliff, un jeune orphelin, bouleversera la vie des membres de la famille Earnshaw. Catherine Earnshaw et de Heathcliff, élevés comme frère et soeur, mais liés dans leur jeunesse par une passion absolue et sans concession jusque dans la mort, subiront l'épreuve du temps à la sortie de l'enfance. Le roman présente des motifs récurrents qui contribuent à l'élaboration d'une expérience du Mal singulière. Les descriptions poétiques, la souffrance des personnages, la violence de l'écriture, les figures de la mort et l'hostilité des lieux du récit se donnent à lire comme les figures d'une répétition ou la reprise des éléments d'une histoire passée, moteur de la conception narrative du désastre et du tragique. L'étude du roman suppose l'exploration de cet univers inspiré par la violence, la cruauté, mais aussi la passion que suscite le désir d'absolu attaché à ce passé. Wuthering Heights est un récit dans lequel se mêlent, se démêlent, se confondent et se confrontent des mécanismes régis par des pulsions à la fois autodestructrices et libératrices. Ce mémoire analysera le roman dans sa structure narrative et son énonciation afin de rendre compte du caractère absolument tragique de la passion des protagonistes, de comprendre les mécanismes cruels de la narration et de démontrer la vision du Mal essentielle et universelle du récit. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : Emily Brontë, Wuthering heights, Pulsion de mort, Infantile, Rêve, Mal, Tragique, Absolu.

Cette thèse analyse les notions dialectiques incarnées dans Jane Eyre et dans Wuthering Heights afin d’éclairer les phénomènes dialectiques littéraires, sociopolitiques, et/ou subjectifs présents dans les deux romans. Le mot “dialectique,” approprié dans cette recherche, porte au moins trois connotations: étymologique, marxiste et kristévane. D’abord, la perspective dialectique est appelée à analyser les formes littéraires rivales, le romantisme rémanent et le victorianisme dominant, qui convergent vers la grande ligne de démarcation poétique dans les deux romans. Puis, en faisant référence au concept de l’interpellation et à la notion des “Deux Nations” qui caractérise la société victorienne, cette thèse s’engage dans une interprétation dialectique sur l’interaction entre le sujet et l’idéologie dominante afin d’explorer comment les idéologies du « getting on » et du « self-help » à l’ère victorienne influencent les vies de la famille Brontë, comment les deux romancières reflètent ces valeurs sociopolitiques dominantes dans leurs créations de Jane Eyre et de Heathcliff, et comment les sœurs Brontë dépeignent la lutte et le pèlerinage à travers lesquels le héros et l’héroïne transcendent le fossé social qui reste posé entre les deux nations. Finalement, fondée sur l’héréthique de Julia Kristeva, cette thèse enquête sur l’identification Heathcliff-Catherine en l’interprétant comme une autre éthique de subjectivité. Globalement, la thèse met en lumière trois niveaux remarquables de significations dialectiques des palimpsestes brontëens en dévoilant la profondeur de leur art. / This doctoral thesis analyzes the dialectic notions incarnated in Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights so as to shed light on the literary, sociopolitical, and/or subjective dialectic phenomena epitomized in the two novels. The word “dialectic,” appropriated in this research, carries at least three connotations: etymological, Marxist and Kristevan. At first, the dialectic perspective is drawn on to analyze the rival literary forms, the residual Romanticism and the dominant Victorianism, that converge at the great divide of poetics in the two novels in a similar yet subtly different manner. Then, referring to the concept of interpellation and the notion of the “Two Nations” that so well characterizes the Victorian society, the thesis engages in a dialectic interpretation of the interaction between the subject and the dominant ideology of his/her time with an aim to explore how the “getting on” and “self-help” ideologies of the Victorian age influence the lives of the Brontë family, how Charlotte and Emily Brontë reflect the dominant sociopolitical values in the creation of Jane Eyre and Heathcliff, and how the Brontë sisters depict the struggle and pilgrimage through which their hero and heroine transcend the social chasm that lies between the Two Nations. At last, based on the herethics of Julia Kristeva, this dissertation probes into the Heathcliff-Catherine identification and interprets it as an otherwise ethics of subjectivity. Altogether, the thesis scrapes three significant layers of the Brontëan palimpsests of dialectic significations and lays bare the profundity of their art.

This essay examines the theme of conformity in Charlotte Brontë’s novel Jane Eyre. It highlights in particular the protagonist’s conflict with conformity as criticism of social inequality in terms of gender. The analysis builds on the patriarchal concept of the angel of the house, as described by Lois Tyson and Alastair Henry and Catharine Walker Bergström, which is a definition of the governing codes of behavior women of the nineteenth century were expected to follow within both the domestic and professional sphere. Specifically, these spheres are organized through significant Victorian institutions such as the household, the education and employment of women and the marriage. The behavior of Jane is discussed in relation to these institutions as a means to support the argument of the protagonist distancing herself from contemporary gender norms. The conclusion of the essay shows that Jane’s circumstances within these institutions leads to her deviation from behavioral norms as a deliberate action. / Den här uppsatsen undersöker temat konformitet i Charlotte Brontës verk Jane Eyre. Den framhäver i synnerhet protagonistens konflikt med konformitet som en kritik riktad mot sociala ojämlikheter mellan könen. Analysen bygger på det patriarkala konceptet ängeln i hemmet, så som det beskrivs av Lois Tyson och Alastair Henry och Catharine Walker Bergström, vilket är en definition av de rådande uppförandekoderna som kvinnor under den viktorianska eran förväntades att leva upp till inom familje- och yrkessfären. Dessa sfärer utgör viktiga inrättningar inom det viktorianska samhället. I synnerhet hemmet, skolan, yrket och äktenskapet. Jane Eyres uppförande diskuteras i relation till dessa inrättningar som ett led i att understödja argumenten för protagonistens distanserande från samtida könsnormer. Uppsatsens sammanfattning visar att Janes omständigheter inom var och en av dessa inrättningar leder till hennes avvikande från uppförandekoderna i form av medvetna handlingar.

Anne Brontë utilise ses talents de romancière pour explorer le domaine du féminin. Cette étude se propose d’étudier les différentes manifestations de l’expression féminine dans ses romans. Il est question d’abord de lire le premier roman, Agnes Grey, comme un Bildungsroman féminin qui raconte le périple de formation, de maturité et d’épanouissement de l’héroïne : jeune fille passive, silencieuse et pusillanime elle devient épouse, mère, éducatrice et écrivaine confiante et éloquente. Le deuxième chapitre explore la métaphore de l’enchâssement en rapport avec le deuxième roman, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. L’examen des différents niveaux de discours imbriqués dans la structure narrative illustre les relations complexes entre les sexes dans le modèle de société patriarcale que propose le roman. Le troisième et dernier chapitre s’attache aux attributs identitaires créatifs de l’héroïne. Son ingéniosité qui se manifeste dans ses écrits, ses peintures, ses talents d’éducatrice et son empathie lui permettent non seulement de survivre et de créer dans un environnement hostile, mais de faire bénéficier pleinement ses amis et ses proches de son expérience personnelle. Les études consacrées à l’auteure montrent que le thème de l’expression féminine n’a guère mobilisé l’attention des critiques. Cette thèse, qui propose des pistes inédites de recherche, offre une réflexion synthétique sur la question. / Anne Brontë makes use of her talents as a novelist in view of exploring the realm of the feminine. This work proposes to study the different manifestations and usages of feminine expression in her novels. To start with, her first novel is to be read as an example of a feminine Bildungsroman describing the journey of formation, of maturity and fulfillment of the heroine who evolves from a passive, silent and shy young woman to a self-confident and eloquent wife, mother, educator and writer. The second chapter explores the metaphor of embedding in relation to the second novel, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. The chapter examines the different levels of discourse overlapping in the narrative structure in order to illustrate the complex relationships between the sexes in the model of patriarchal society the novel presents. The third and last chapter studies the creative identity attributes of the heroine. Her ingenuity manifests itself in her writings, her paintings, her educational skills and her empathy, not only allowing her to survive and create in a hostile environment but also her close friends to benefit from her personal experience. A review of the studies on the author shows that the theme of feminine expression has not received much critical attention. This thesis, presenting new paths of research, offers a synthetic vision of the question.

Este trabalho tem por objetivo analisar o romance O morro dos ventos uivantes, de Emily Brontë, tendo como foco suas contradições internas, que, em conjunto, foram nomeadas estrutura de tensões. É essa estrutura de tensões que transforma tal romance em uma obra dialética, na qual as tensões existem não somente no plano do conteúdo como também no da forma. Nosso estudo se concentra, respectivamente, na questão estilística e na questão da estrutura narrativa, sabendo que há outras questões de interesse, mas vendo nelas uma importância mais primária, pois remetem a aspectos formais mais imediatos. Num primeiro momento, procuramos entender o funcionamento das tensões que diferentes formas góticas, míticas e fantasmagóricas instauram no tecido realista da obra. Num segundo momento, o objetivo foi compreender a problemática do foco narrativo, concentrando-nos especialmente no discurso não confiável do narrador primário Lockwood, ao qual a crítica pareceu não dar a atenção devida. Por fim, procuramos argumentar que a obra de Emily Brontë não somente nasce de uma crise histórico-social, como também coloca em evidência aspectos da crise da forma romance, logrando expor alguns de seus limites ideológicos. / This work aims at analysing the novel Wuthering Heights, by Emily Brontë, having as focus its internal contradictions, which, put together, were named structure of tensions. It is that structure of tensions that transforms the novel into a dialectical work, in which the tensions exist not only as far as the content is concerned, but also its form. Our study focuses, respectively, on the issue of style and also on the issue of the narrative structure, aware that there are other issues of interest, but seeing in them a more primary importance, because they are connected to more immediate formal aspects. At first, we sought to understand the functioning of the tensions that different gothic, mythical and phantasmagorical forms cause on the novels realist fabric. Secondly, our goal was to comprehend the problematics of the narrative focus, concentrating specially on the unreliable discourse of Lockwood, the primary narrator, to which critics have not paid due attention. Lastly, we sought to argue that Emily Brontës work is not only born from a socio-historical crisis, but that it also puts in evidence aspects of the crisis of the novel form, managing to expose some of its ideological limits.