Charlotte Bronte

 


Charlotte Brontë, 1816 to 1855, was the eldest of the three famous Brontë sisters and the author of the well-loved English classic, Jane Eyre.

Charlotte was born in Yorkshire as the third of six children of a cleryman. Her mother died when she was only five and she was raised mainly by her aunt, Elizabeth Bramwell.

Charlotte Bronte portrait

Charlotte and her two older sisters were sent at a very young age to a harsh boarding school, the conditions of which probably contributed to the deaths of the two older siblings of tuberculosis and left Charlotte's health poor for the rest of her life. She used the conditions of the school as the basis for the awful Lowood School in Jane Eyre.

Allowed to have the rest of her education at home with her two younger sisters, Anne and Emily, and her brother Bramwell, the children created and wrote about vivid imaginery worlds in stories, articles and poems.

As an adult Charlotte spent time as a teacher and as a governess, both in England and in Brussels.

Charlotte wrote under the pseudonym "Currer Bell". Her first manuscript, The Professor, was not published until after her death, but her second, Jane Eyre, was received enthusiastically by a London publisher and an immediate success both in terms of reviews and profit!

Tragedy struck the Brontë family. Bramwell, Emily and Anne Brontë all died within 8 months of each other, and Charlotte wrote her second novel, Shirley, published in 1849, as a way of dealing with her grief. Perhaps as a result of her loneliness she also revealed her identity and became friends with other well-known novelists of the time such as Elizabeth Gaskell.

Charlotte's third novel, Villette, was published in 1853, and in 1854 she married, soon becoming pregnant. Sadly her pregnancy was difficult and she died in 1855, aged 38.

Charlotte Bronte Colouring Page

Charlotte Bronte Colouring Page

Here's a colouring page of Charlotte Brontë aimed at younger children. We've also got a portrait colouring page of the three Brontë sisters.

Charlotte Bronte Learn To Draw

Charlotte Bronte Learn To Draw

Here are some step by step instructions on how to draw your own version of Charlotte Brontë - a fun addition to any project on the famous author of Jane Eyre!

Charlotte Bronte Notebooking Page

Charlotte Bronte Notebooking Page

Children can use our notebooking pages to record what they've learned about Charlotte Brontë. Page 1 has space for a picture, too.

Charlotte Bronte Poster

Charlotte Bronte Poster

This pretty, simple poster of Charlotte Brontë might be useful for display, or as the cover for a project...

Charlotte Bronte Story Paper

Charlotte Bronte Story Paper

how about using this cute story paper to write a little about the novelist Charlotte Brontë, or about Jane Eyre, her most famous novel?

Charlotte Bronte Story Starter - Jane Eyre

Charlotte Bronte Story Starter - Jane Eyre

It would be very difficult to guess that this opening line comes from Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë's classic novel. In fact, it's easy ot take the story in any direction if you use it as your first line with our story starter printable.

Charlotte Bronte Worksheet

Charlotte Bronte Worksheet

Find out a little about Charlotte Brontë with the help of the prompts on this fact-finding worksheet. Then why not try our Emily Brontë worksheet, too?

Female Authors Worksheet

Female Authors Worksheet

Mary Anne Evans used the pen name George Eliot because she thought her novels would be taken more seriously with a male name.

The Brontë Sisters Colouring Page

The Brontë Sisters Colouring Page

Here's a colouring page of the three Brontë sisters - Anne, Emily and Charlotte, from left to right - taken from a portrait painted by their brother Patrick.

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