The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

by

Anne Brontë

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Symbols

Trees and Flowers

Throughout the novel, Anne Brontë uses tree- and flower-based imagery to underscore men’s tendency to underestimate women. For instance, Gilbert likens Helen’s mothering of little Arthur to the care a gardener might lavish on…

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Painting

Helen’s work as a painter serves as both a figurative and literal escape for her, and her work likewise represents her evolution from naïve young girl to mature woman. Forced to keep company with…

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The Weather

As a farmer, Gilbert is deeply tied to the land. His living depends on it. And, as a painter, Helen is always taking care to keenly observes nature’s rhythm. It makes sense, then, that Brontë…

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