Anne Brontë is often overshadowed by her more famous sisters, Charlotte, author of four novels including
Jane Eyre, and Emily, author of
Wuthering Heights. In 1897, Angus MacKay described Anne, in the “bright” constellation of the Brontë triad, as the “third, mild-shining star” which “otherwise would have remained invisible”. The general view has been that Anne is a mere shadow compared with Charlotte, the family's most prolific writer, and Emily, the genius. However, Anne's subtle prose has a fine ironic edge; her talents easily equal, and sometimes surpass, those of her sisters. Her novels also reveal Anne to be the most socially radical of the three.
Born on 17 January 1820, Anne Brontë was the youngest of the six children of Patrick Brontë (1777-1861), a clergyman
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Citation: Bauman, Susan R.. "Anne Brontë". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 23 February 2006; last revised 03 April 2006. [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=580, accessed 21 November 2024.]
