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Villette

By Charlotte Brontë
Series: Oxford World's Classics
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Villette follows Lucy Snowe, who escapes her troubled past in England to teach at Madame Beck's school in the fictional town of Villette. There, she faces social constraints and navigates complex relationships, notably with the passionate Monsieur Paul Emanuel. Drawing from Charlotte Brontë's own experiences, the novel offers a deep and dramatic look at a woman confronting societal challenges, blending powerful imagery and subtle humour.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3900

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for readers interested in classic literature, women's experiences in restrictive societies, and fans of Charlotte Brontë's rich narrative style.

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A new edition of this classic from one of the greatest writers of the nineteenth century. Features the definitive Clarendon edition of Villette which is sourced from the earliest printings of Brontë's great work. The text is supplemented with a newly commissioned introduction, which gives a thorough and in depth analysis of the context of this fine example of the nineteenth century novel.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

"I am only just returned to a sense of the real world about me, for I have been reading Villette, a still more wonderful book than Jane Eyre." - George Eliot

Lucy Snowe, in flight from an unhappy past, leaves England and finds work as a teacher in Madame Beck's school in Villette. Strongly drawn to the fiery, autocratic schoolmaster Monsieur Paul Emanuel, Lucy is compelled by Madame Beck's jealous interference to assert her right to love and be loved.

Based in part on Charlotte Brontë's experience in Brussels ten years earlier, Villette (1853) is a cogent and dramatic exploration of a woman's response to the challenge of a constricting social environment. Its deployment of imagery, comparable in power to that of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, and its use of comedy—ironic or exuberant—in the service of an ultimately sombre vision, make Villette especially appealing to the modern reader.

ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years, Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Virginia Woolf praised Villette as "Bronte's finest novel," highlighting its enduring literary significance and emotional depth.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780199536658

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 17 April 2008

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Oxford University Press

Contributors:

  • Edited by Margaret Smith
  • Introduction by Tim Dolin

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 30.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 200.0mm

Weight: 404g

Pages: 592

Collections

Arts & Culture Charlotte Brontë Charlotte Brontë Non-Fiction Series: Oxford World's Classics

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