Charlotte Bronte’s most famous novel Jane Eyre (published 1847), narrates in the first person the journey of the protagonist Jane Eyre to adulthood. Following a miserable childhood, the orphaned Jane finds self-worth through her work as a governess, becomes independently wealthy following the death of a relative and finally – after a few obstacles along the way – marries the man she loves, her former employer, Mr Rochester. Continue reading “The Cooking Protagonist”
The Hungry Child
As we move into the 19th century, novels begin to take more of an interest in childhood. Whilst Jane Austen touches on the childhood of some of her protagonists (Emma Woodhouse, Catherine Morland and Fanny Price), novelists writing slightly later develop the childhood of their protagonists as a key element in their plots. Such writers include Charlotte Bronte in Jane Eyre (1847), and Charles Dickens in Oliver Twist (1837), David Copperfield (1850) and Great Expectations (1860). Continue reading “The Hungry Child”
What Do Hypochondriacs Eat?
From Mrs Bennet in Pride and Prejudice who complains constantly about her “nerves” and is “taken ill immediately” when she is informed of Lydia’s elopement with Mr Wickham, to the never present but much discussed Mrs Churchill in Emma, whose illnesses the narrator notes “never occurred but for her own convenience”, hypochondriacs frequently appear in Jane Austen’s novels. Continue reading “What Do Hypochondriacs Eat?”
Muffins
The English muffin – the yeasty bread-like concoction as opposed to the American cupcake version that is more widely consumed nowadays – dates back more than two hundred years. Continue reading “Muffins”