The Working Classes Read Brontë: Some Examples

Abstract

The effect of the Brontë novels on the development of individual people has been an under-researched topic. In fact the novels already had a working-class readership in the Victorian era but the expiry of copyrights and cheap reprints much expanded this in the early twentieth century. The portrayal of ‘humble individuals’ advancing themselves served as role models for many self-improving men and women. Workers’ libraries often influenced reading and political activists found their mental horizons being expanded by the novels. Some examples of how the Brontë novels have influenced working class people are presented.