Images of illness and disease, for example, cholera, consumption, rabies, rheumatism, fevers, alcoholism, hypochondria, hysteria, monomania, and madness, are present in all the seven novels written by the Bronte siste...Images of illness and disease, for example, cholera, consumption, rabies, rheumatism, fevers, alcoholism, hypochondria, hysteria, monomania, and madness, are present in all the seven novels written by the Bronte sisters during the years of 1847-1853. The lack of cures for most of these diseases which often led to death during the respective period seems to account for such literary representations of poor bodily conditions. The purpose of this paper is, however, to go beyond this handy and obvious explanation regarding illness in the BrontE sisters＇ novels and approach aspects such as： Victorian relationships between women and men, the condition of Victorian women in terms of social and domestic status, positions and roles, and rights and education in a patriarchal age. The novels that shall constitute the support for our analysis are The Tenant of Wildfell Hall （2001） by Anne Bronte, Jane Eyre （2001） by CharIotte Bronte, and Wuthering Heights （1985） by Emily Bronte.展开更多
文摘Images of illness and disease, for example, cholera, consumption, rabies, rheumatism, fevers, alcoholism, hypochondria, hysteria, monomania, and madness, are present in all the seven novels written by the Bronte sisters during the years of 1847-1853. The lack of cures for most of these diseases which often led to death during the respective period seems to account for such literary representations of poor bodily conditions. The purpose of this paper is, however, to go beyond this handy and obvious explanation regarding illness in the BrontE sisters＇ novels and approach aspects such as： Victorian relationships between women and men, the condition of Victorian women in terms of social and domestic status, positions and roles, and rights and education in a patriarchal age. The novels that shall constitute the support for our analysis are The Tenant of Wildfell Hall （2001） by Anne Bronte, Jane Eyre （2001） by CharIotte Bronte, and Wuthering Heights （1985） by Emily Bronte.
