Branwell Brontë is often dismissed as a drunk, a drug addict, and a wasted talent. He is often a mere footnote in the story of the Brontë sisters or, if he’s lucky, he gets to be a muse for their worst characters.
But there is more to Branwell’s story.
In truth, Branwell Brontë was not a drunk. He wasn’t a drug addict. And his talent was put to good use. In fact, he was a published poet long before his sisters approached a publisher. Yet his story goes untold. I wanted to rectify that.
I’ve written a range of books about Branwell, but they all culminate in The Life and Work of Branwell Brontë. This is my effort to help anyone find out just who Branwell Brontë was.
The Life and Work of Branwell Brontë is filled with everything you could possibly want to know, including:
The Biography of Branwell Brontë
The story of Branwell, stripped of fictions and mistruths; this is the true life of Branwell Brontë!
Who is Alexander Percy?
Why did Branwell publish his poetry under another name, and did he really have an affair with Lydia Robinson?
The Poetry of Branwell Brontë
Was Branwell an atheist? Did he have an illegitimate child? And was his poetry any good?
Did Branwell Write Wuthering Heights?
Did Emily pass off her brother’s novel as her own? Or was Branwell incapable of writing Wuthering Heights?
The Works of Branwell Brontë
Read Branwell’s poetry and the remaining fragment of his novel, ‘and the weary are at rest’.
The Letters of Branwell Brontë
Branwell Brontë in his own words! This collection of Branwell’s letters reveals just who Branwell truly was.
The Life and Work of Branwell Brontë is written so that anyone can enjoy it; there’s something here for academics, but I wrote this book primarily for anyone who wants to learn more about the elusive Brontë brother. I hope you enjoy it!
★★★★★ “A very nice glimpse at the forgotten Brontë.” – Amazon Review
★★★★★ “If you are interested in the Brontë writing family, then you must buy this book.” – Amazon Review
★★★ “The book is very good indeed, and I think offers something for everyone.” – Goodreads Review
★★★★★ “I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the Bronte family and especially in the much maligned Branwell.” – Amazon Review
I stumbled across Branwell Brontë at university. Once I’d picked myself up (boom boom), this book was inevitable.
I was immediately fascinated by Branwell, in part because he was a talented poet that managed to waste his potential and his life. But partly because there is so much myth and misconception around him.
How (and how much) did he screw everything up?
Did his sisters even know he was a published poet?
Was he the secret author of Wuthering Heights? (*cough* No.)
All this led me to write The Life and Work of Branwell Brontë. Part biography, part biographical dissection, part critical analysis, part resource for future Branwell scholars.
I wrote it so anyone could enjoy it, and it seems to be popular with Brontë enthusiasts. Perhaps that makes it a success.
I just like seeing it in the world: it’s the Branwell book I wanted to read. Now others can.
Branwell Brontë was the third child of Patrick and Maria Brontë and their only son. The younger brother of Charlotte and older brother to Emily and Anne, Branwell published 17 poems in his lifetime. He also worked as a portrait painter, a private tutor, and even worked on the new railway lines!
Sadly, Branwell’s achievements were overshadowed by an early death and a character assassination by Elizabeth Gaskell in her wildly inaccurate Life of Charlotte Brontë. As a result, we’re only now learning the truth of just who Branwell Brontë was.
Yes, he was a poet with 17 published poems to his name:
Heaven and Earth
On the Melbourne Ministry
On Landseer’s Painting
On the Callousness Produced by Cares
The Afghan War
On Peaceful Death and Painful Life
Caroline’s Prayer
Song
An Epicurean’s Song
On Caroline
Noah’s Warning over Methuselah’s Grave
The Emmigrant – Two Sonnets
Real Rest
Penmaenmawr
Letter from a Father on Earth to His Child in Her Grave
The End of All
Unfortunately, Branwell's were rarely published under his name. Most of them were published under his pseudonym Northangerland, which is why so few people are aware of his success.
No, I’m afraid that’s a myth. He died in his father's bed. Amongst his last words were "In all my past life I have done nothing either great or good." Branwell was, perhaps, being a tad harsh on himself. But he was a melodramatic soul, bless him.
By the end of his life, Branwell certainly had problems with both drink and drugs, but this has been exaggerated to suggest he was an alcoholic and a drug addict from a young age, which just isn’t the case.
That’s because the book was originally published under a pen name for a variety of reasons. The name itself was party inspired by a relative of mine, Oisín Kelly, who was an Irish sculptor and an inspiration to me as a younger man!
Chapter 5
Grundy described Branwell as ‘no domestic demon – he was just a man moving in a mist, who lost his way.’
This is the most (perhaps only) accurate statement Grundy ever made about his friend. The story of Branwell’s life paints a picture of a man who felt self-conscious about his origins and himself, tried to live up to a fantasy of how he felt he ought to be, and was ruined as a result.
But the words he left behind paint another picture. Branwell Brontë was an undeniably talented poet (and a terrible novelist). I mentioned at the very beginning of this book that I was exploring who Branwell was, and who is now.
So who is Branwell Brontë to us now?
