Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights

Abstract

We know a good deal about the publication of the Brontë novels, but we know little about their composition. On 6 April 1846 Charlotte wrote to Aylott and Jones saying that the three Bells were preparing for press three distinct and unconnected tales, to be published either separately or as a three-volume novel. Aylott and Jones indicated that they were not publishers of fiction, and recommended other publishers. On 4 July 1846 she wrote to Henry Colburn asking him for permission to send three tales to him. These three tales were Agnes Grey, The Professor and Wuthering Heights. The manuscript of The Professor is dated 27 June. There is no way in which we can date the inception of the novels. Anne mentions ‘Passages from the Life of An Individual’ in her diary paper, dated 30 July 1845, but though this could be an apt description of Agnes Grey, it could refer to some other narrative. The winter of 1845 to 1846 was a very cold one and may have suggested the opening scenes of Wuthering Heights, but this is a very slender piece of evidence for the composition of Wuthering Heights which may have been begun much earlier. There is a story of Branwell reading a manuscript which his friends remembered as being like Wuthering Heights as early as 1841.