Skip to main content

Distributed for Bodleian Library Publishing

The Wisdom of Charlotte Brontë

Thoughts Gathered from Her Novels

Edited by Grace Milne Rae
With an Introduction by Polly Teale

A charming, thought-provoking compendium of quotes from Charlotte Brontë’s most famous works.

“Cheerfulness is a matter which depends fully as much on the state of things within, as on the state of things without and around us.”

From Jane Eyre to Lucy Snowe, Charlotte Brontë’s heroines think deeply about how to live a fulfilling life, often expressing passionate beliefs, heartfelt advice, and pragmatic philosophy. This inspirational selection of short quotations, revealing their—and their author’s—innermost thoughts on early Victorian times, remains surprisingly relevant to us today. Drawn from Jane Eyre, Villette, Shirley, and The Professor, the quotations cover a wide range of themes, including happiness, love, feminism, work, truth, feelings, and prejudice. This thought-provoking book, first published in 1912, is a delightful gift for anyone who loves to read Brontë’s novels.


104 pages | 4.33 x 6.69 | © 2026

Biography and Letters

Fiction


Bodleian Library Publishing image

View all books from Bodleian Library Publishing

Table of Contents

On Life
On Conventionality
On Prejudice
On Truth
On Happiness
On Suspense
On Imagination
On Nature
On Pity
On Work
On Love
On Lovers
On Feelings
On Character
On A Desire to See Life
On Personal Appearance
On Men and Women
On Feminism
On England and the English
On London
On Scots
On Poets and Poetry
On Teachers and Pupils
On Children
On Youth
On Sisters
On Old Age
On Religion
On Protestantism
On the Bible
On Christian Service
On God

Be the first to know

Get the latest updates on new releases, special offers, and media highlights when you subscribe to our email lists!

Sign up here for updates about the Press