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Saturday, March 11, 2006

Random Acts of Bronte- a brief guide.

Still recovering from this very hectic week! Not only has there been an unusual amount of work to complete for my classes, but Bronteana readers have given me so many options for new posts that I hardly know where to begin- not that I'm complaining! So, I'm diving in with more Random Acts of Bronte because, really, it would be nice if this took off. And it is something everyone can participate in- and besides, it's fun!

Bronteana reader, 'Carol' offers us this brief guide to helpful allusions for common situations! Here are a few exerpts:

Quotable Bronte:
It's a cold rainy day on campus, so how can I help declaring: "There was no chance of taking a walk that day" ? Ironically, I have to walk to class nonetheless because I don't have a car.

"You eat like a bird!" says my friend while surveying my P&J sandwich and Capri Sun. Of course, I reply, "I am no bird! And no net ensnares me!" You can imagine the stares I get at the lunch table.

St. Patrick's Day is fast approaching as my roommate and I observe in Target while looking at T-shirts that read "Kiss me. I'm Irish" and "Ireland" in big, flashy letters. What better time than this to burst into song?

Ireland! I really must Object!
Jane, this is best
I disagree, sir
Jane, when your gone
I will miss our walks, our little talks, the look of sunlight on your face
soon to be a memory...

Okay, so Charlotte Bronte didn't actually put it that way, but I still brought awareness to fellow Target customers. My roommate is used to my Bronte moments by now.


Creative Applications and Experiments:
I am fascinated by the way Bronte depicts restraint in her characters, especially in Rochester. Several times throughout Jane Eyre, Rochester seems to be struggling intensely from a wish to profess his love for Jane all at once, but he always manages to control himself. I always wondered what would happen if his feelings had overpowered him in the gypsy scene. I imagined the result would be quite comical. So, I talked my sister and cousins into participating in a mock talk show addressing this alternative event: that Rochester, overcome with emotion while reading into the significance of Jane's forehead, finally gives in to his impulses, grabs Jane, and kisses her heartily (all the while, still disquised as a gypsy woman). I was the host of the show, and the guests--played by my sister and cousins--were Jane, Rochester (still dressed like a gypsy), Blanch Ingram, and I think some other characters. Jane is so shocked and confused, she can hardly answer the interview questions. Blanch, appalled by Rochester's strange behavior, decides that insanity and cross-dressing trumps riches and social status; she quickly turns her affections elsewhere. Rochester sits absently, looking very pleased with himself in his wide-brimmed hat and tattered cloak. I don't remember most of the dialogue, but I recall that it was a bit disturbing--but incredibly hilarious.


So far my Random Acts have been limited to spontaneously quoting Anne Bronte's poetry, or such. You have inspired me to be more creative. Perhaps I could use the finger puppets...

An off-topic conclusion to this post is that yesterday I recieved an acceptance from one of the master's programs I applied to. If all goes well, and as it may, I will be an assistant to a Bronte professor next year. I literally just got in from my first conference as well! It was a success, and a lot of fun.

4 comments:

mysticgypsy said...

Congrats Bronteana on your acceptance! I am sure you'll be a fabulous Bronte-scholar! :D

Speaking of Random Acts of Bronte,several (random)people I was doing a project with have been introduced to my finger puppets and they are quite infatuated with Ned! um..and one girl even demanded a St.John puppet :P
To my joy, my Instructor suggested I should hold a puppet show for all of them!

Brontëana said...

Thank you. I really can't wait to get started. The graduate courses seem much more interesting than the undergrad ones. The conference was enjoyable enough- so far I haven't found anything that I hate about the profession- even department meetings can be fun ;) Marking is fun when there are really silly answers.

Have you applied anywhere yet?

Infatuated! Well, I suppose that can't be helped. *sigh* You must have a puppet show! And you must film it :)

mysticgypsy said...

hehe Hopefully once I make the St.John, Diana, Mary and Bertha puppets, I'd be able to confidently have the puppet show :)

No.I will not be applying this year ( I didn't do my GREs yet). I am also contemplating whether I should go for a Masters or PhD (when I do apply). One of my Profs even suggested perhaps I'd be better off getting a job in the Bronte Parsonage Museum instead.
Sadly that won't be happening..

I was curious as to why you chose a Masters over a PhD?

Brontëana said...

I didn't have to write the GREs! English departments in Canada do not require them.

I never really considered the ph.d as an option, for some reason. I suppose the advantage of the MA is that I will get more background in the period and in scholarship before moving on, especially since I am in a combined major. I have half of the English lit courses that regular majors are required to take, although I end up taking more literature in the form of Latin and Greek works. The BA just cannot give me all that I need to know about the Victorians, or any other period for that matter.