Books Quote by Eduardo Galeano
““THE HE’S ARE SHE’S In 1847, three novels excite England’s readers. Wuthering Heights by Ellis Bell tells a devastating tale of passion and shame. Agnes Grey by Acton Bell strips bare the hypocrisy of the family. Jane Eyre by Currer Bell exalts the courage of an independent woman. No one knows that the authors are female. The brothers Bell are actually the sisters Brontë. These fragile girls, virgins all, Emily, Anne, Charlotte, avenge their solitude by writing poems and novels in a village lost on the Yorkshire moors. Intruders into the male world of literature, they don men’s masks so the critics will forgive them for having dared. But the critics pan their works anyway, as “rude,” “crude,” “nasty,” “savage,” “brutal,” “libertine” . . .””
About This Quote
The passage reveals how the Brontë sisters concealed their gender to gain literary acceptance, exposing gender bias in Victorian criticism.
In simple terms: Female authors used male pseudonyms to bypass sexism.
Key Takeaway
Gendered bias shaped literary reception.
Themes
gender bias
pseudonymity
Victorian literature
female authorship
critical reception
Mood
defiant
reflective
cynical
Type
historical observation
cultural critique
When to use this quote
- 19th‑century publishing
- women seeking artistic legitimacy
- critical reviews of novels
- historical analysis of gender roles
Key Concepts
Brontë sisters
masculine masks
literary criticism
social expectations
Practical Applications
- studying gender dynamics in literature
- teaching about pseudonym use
Questions to Reflect On
- How would the novels be received if published under female names?
- What does this reveal about the power of authorial identity?
A Different Perspective
Some argue that the works' merit stands independent of author gender, but contemporary reviews were undeniably colored by sexism.
![“[On Wuthering Heights] Here, all the faults of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë are magnified a thousand fold, and the only consolation which we have in reflecting upon it is that it will never be generally read. [North British Review, 1847]” quote by James Lorimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ddd/james-lorimer-153071_bad-reviews_on-wuthering-heights-here-all-the-faults_2823597.jpg)
