Shirley

Charlotte Bronte's Shirley. Sally Minogue's introduction and notes are included. The Shirley in the title is an independent-minded woman unlike her buddy Caroline. Both grapple with what a woman's place in the world is and should be. Their male counterparts Louis the helpless instructor and Robert the brother who makes fabric defy social norms as well. The story takes place during a time of social and political upheaval that includes class disenfranchisement the drama of the Luddite machine-breaking and the polarising impact of the Napoleonic Wars. But Charlotte Bront's unique talent is for delving into the psychological drama of love loss and the search for one's self. In the dramatic setting of her native Yorkshire personal and societal anger collide. As usual Bront defies expectations by depicting not just one but two love tales while examining the boundaries of social justice.