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Shirley (Wordsworth Classics) [Paperback]

Charlotte Bronte (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
Price: £1.99 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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Book Description

Publication Date: 7 Aug 1993 | ISBN-10: 1853260649 | ISBN-13: 978-1853260643 | Edition: New Ed

This Wordsworth Edition includes an exclusive Introduction and Notes by Sally Minogue

The Shirley of the title is a woman of independent means; her friend Caroline is not. Both struggle with what a woman's role is and can be. Their male counterparts - Louis, the powerless tutor, and Robert, his cloth-manufacturing brother - also stand at odds to society's expectations. The novel is set in a period of social and political ferment, featuring class disenfranchisement, the drama of Luddite machine-breaking, and the divisive effects of the Napoleonic Wars.

But Charlotte Brontës particular strength lies in exploring the hidden psychological drama of love, loss and the quest for identity. Personal and public agitation are brought together against the dramatic backdrop of her native Yorkshire. As always, Brontë challenges convention, exploring the limitations of social justice whilst telling not one but two love stories.

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Shirley (Wordsworth Classics) + Villette (Wordsworth Classics) + The Professor (Wordsworth Classics)
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Product details

  • Paperback: 496 pages
  • Publisher: Wordsworth Editions Ltd; New Ed edition (7 Aug 1993)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1853260649
  • ISBN-13: 978-1853260643
  • Product Dimensions: 12.9 x 2.5 x 19.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 57,977 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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More About the Authors

Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Juliet Stevenson
Charlotte Brontë
Herbert Rosengarten
Margaret Smith

Product Description

About the Author

Charlotte Bronte (1816-55) is perhaps the most admired of the Bronte sisters. Jane Eyre is her greatest and most loved novel.
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A novel of great depth, rewarding to read 29 Aug 2001
By Helen Gaw (helen_gaw@hotmail.com)
Format:Paperback
'Shirley' did not grab my attention from the outset as it is densely written; each sentence must be carefully read, not skimmed over. As you can read from the synopsis on the cover, the novel is set in a fragile social and economic situation, but the novel concerns so much more than Luddite riots. Charlotte Bronte takes us into the hearts and minds of the characters as they are challenged by their surroundings, their church and each other. In the starkest terms it concerns loneliness and companionship, love and enmity. It is testament to her writing that months after reading it, I still feel as if I know the central characters almost better than they know themselves. To me, the world we are drawn into in 'Shirley' seems more real than that of 'Jane Eyre'. It is a wonderful book and I do not know why it is so neglected in comparison. It may take a while to get to grips with, but the result is worth the wait.
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars An uneven read 5 Nov 2003
By Benjamin Parsons
Format:Paperback
This is a very uneven book, and doesn’t have the power to take you on a journey from cover to cover like 'Jane Eyre' and 'Villette'. The beginning of the story, which is involved with local and religious politics, is quite hard going, and I found the male characters quite difficult to imagine, even though they’re all described at great length. The character of Caroline Helstone is engaging and sympathetic, but she seems to fall out of focus towards the end. Shirley herself is certainly lively, but not very likable. There are some beautiful descriptive scenes now and again, particularly in the snowy chapter called ‘The Schoolboy and the Wood Nymph’. Altogether I didn’t find this novel very satisfying as a story, but Bronte's narrative voice is like a witty friend throughout.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars a great book 19 July 2009
By Mr. P. Skinner
Format:Paperback
this book is set in the early nineteenth century at the time of the luddite riots and the napoleonic wars. even though this was before charlotte brontes time it is clearly very well researched to the extent that it reminded me very much of the time that i was on strike a couple of years ago. the book doesn't though just look at the relations between the desperate, starving luddites and the ruthless industrialist robert moore. throw in to that two women who cannot see fault with him and you have a potent love story as well as a social novel. it also examines the role of the church in village society in the nineteenth century and how that affected the social dynamics of a village at the time. this is charlotte bronte at her wonderful evocative best, a fantastic read
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars Shirley
I just could not get into this book. The endless descriptions and old fashioned writing techniques did not interest me. Read more
Published 24 days ago by Mrs. A. Oliver
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful story
It is a little hard to read, but worth the effort. A must for all Bronte fans young and old alike.
Published 24 days ago by D. Frost
5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful Book
I have the paper back & read it twice, now I can read it over & over again ANYWHERE, Thankyou for quick download.
Published 1 month ago by Rosiem
5.0 out of 5 stars charlotte bronte
excerlent book i am enjoying reading it looking forward to reading the rest of it indepth story very interested in brontes
Published 1 month ago by alan john cole
3.0 out of 5 stars Shirley( wordsworth classics
It's a christmas present, so I don't know as I myself have not read it..This is the book that my niece choose
Published 5 months ago by Helen Willey
3.0 out of 5 stars Theatre romance
The title of this novel is not exactly right. It might otherwise be entitled, 'Caroline', or even 'Shirley Sticks Her Oar In" but then, you would miss the conceit that 'Shirley' is... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Book Addict
4.0 out of 5 stars Not her best book, but still a fine novel
This book is set in west Yorkshire during the Luddite disturbances of 1811-12. The four central characters are Caroline Helstone, Shirley Keeldar, Robert Moore and his brother... Read more
Published 17 months ago by James
4.0 out of 5 stars A Problem Novel
Charlotte Bronte's second published novel poses a bit of a problem. Unlike Jane Eyre before it and Villette afterwards, this novel was Charlotte's most ambitious and experimental... Read more
Published on 19 Mar 2011 by M. Dowden
5.0 out of 5 stars A very enjoyable read.
Charlotte Bronte's rich language and poetic style made this story very easy for me to visualise. It's definitely for those who have a passion for the English language and learning... Read more
Published on 22 Feb 2011 by Jasmine Christina Bird
4.0 out of 5 stars Charlotte Bronte's 'difficult' book
One of the interesting things about Charlotte Bronte was the way she experimented with fiction. After the gothic (melo)drama of Jane Eyre she wrote her version of the 'industrial'... Read more
Published on 3 Dec 2010 by Roman Clodia
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