Emma Fragment and Brontëana Website
I have spent most of the day working on this. What began as the simple task of transcribing Emma, the two chapters of Charlotte's last unfinished novel, turned into a website. This website: http://bronteana.bravehost.com I had plans to make a website for some time, but at last I was forced to create one in order to share this transcript. It would be simply too large for a post. So far, the only item there is 'Emma'. The design is a template, and very unattractive but for now, it will have to do! There is also a handy guestbook so everyone can leave me a note. I am able to add a message forum but I am not sure if I want to go that far at this point. If there is interest I may add it.
This transcript is of chapter one of Emma. I transcribed it personally from a book I have. It appears, from the type, wear, illustrations etc to be from the 1890s. It is part of my collection of antique books. The image above is a scan I made of the first page of 'Emma'. The book itself is the unloved last volume of 'Bronté Works'. And is the 'Professor Emma and Poems' volume. There are also a few illustrations. I can tell from its condition that it was seldom read... The transcript is now listed along the sidebar along with the other Brontë e-texts, and the website is also listed in the links list above.
The Emma fragment was made into a novel called Emma Brown recently. Comment on this book will be forthcoming. I am quite exhausted at the moment. Remind me not to edit half a novel, transcribe a chapter from another, and make a website all in one day. It hurts... The second chapter should be up before next week, when I shall go back to school and return to my regularly scheduled essays and seminars. Speaking of which, when I wasn't working on Emma and the website I was editing and annotating the Mr Christi novel (an unpublished novel by one of Canada's first Modernists). Can you imagine Jane Eyre boarding in a house full of Ginevra Fanshawes? Now, that's terrifying!
In the same volume is also Thackeray's wonderful 'Last Sketch' preface to Emma, and tribute to Charlotte Brontë. I'll have that posted later as well.
6 comments:
Your transcription of Emma (first chapter) is visible in HTML style- intention or accident?
Martha.
Accident. I uploaded it as a text file, but it didn't look right so I started adjusting it through bravenet. I've just finished transcribing the rest so it is now uploaded as one text document.
it looks fine now... well done! :-)
Martha.
Thank you. I did find one error already. I will probably have to revise it when I get the chance. I also neglected to add bibligraphic info for anyone who might want to use it.
The fragment was actually made into another book, besides "Emma Brown", just titled "Emma" -- I think it was published in the 70s? I'm not sure without looking it up. Anyway, you may well have already been aware, but I thought I'd mention it. :)
to shoshana:
No, I didn't know there was another 'Emma.' Thank you for sharing! I will have to keep an eye out for information about it.
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