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Charlotte Bronte

Charlotte Bronte Quotes

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Famous Charlotte Bronte Quotes

“It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquility: they must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it.”

IfsHumansActionMotivationHuman BeingsOughtSatisfiedVainLive ByTranquilityTranquilTranquillityPeace And TranquilityPeace Tranquility
Book:The Complete Works Of Charlotte Bronte: Jane Eyre, Shirley, Villette, and The Professor
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“Women are supposed to be very calm generally: but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a restraint, too absolute a stagnation, precisely as men would suffer; and it is narrow-minded in their more privileged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to making puddings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags.”

MenNeedsFeelsSufferingEffortFieldsBrotherOughtExerciseCreaturesAbsolutesFellowsCalmGenderSupposed To BePianoBagsFacultyRestraintPrivilegedJaneStagnationKnittingPuddingNarrow-mindedStockingsFeels Just
Book:Jane Eyre
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“Jane, my little darling (so I will call you, for so you are), you don't know what you are talking about; you misjudge me again: it is not because she is mad I hate her. If you were mad, do you think I should hate you?”

IfsThinkingKnowsShouldLittlesPainHateTalkingI HateMadHate YouJaneDarlingHate HerI Hate Her
Book:The Bronte Sisters: Three Novels: Jane Eyre; Wuthering Heights; and Agnes Grey (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
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“You have introduced a topic on which our natures are at variance - a topic we should never discuss: the very name of love is an apple of discord between us. If the reality were required, what should we do? How should we feel? My dear cousin, abandon your scheme of marriage - forget it.”

IfsFeelsShouldRealityNamesForgetLove IsDearApplesAbandonSchemesTopicsCousinForget ItDiscordVariance
Book:The Bronte Sisters: Three Novels: Jane Eyre; Wuthering Heights; and Agnes Grey (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
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“I was actually permitting myself to experience a sickening sense of disappointment: but rallying my wits, and recollecting my principles, I at once called my sensations to order; and it was wonderful how I got over the temporary blunder-how I cleared up the mistake of supposing Mr. Rochester's movements a matter in which I had any cause to take vital interest.”

MatterOrderCausesInterestMistakePrinciplesWonderfulMovementDisappointmentWitSensationsTemporaryHeartbreakingBlundersSupposingRallyingRochesterMr Rochester
Book:The Bronte Sisters: Three Novels: Jane Eyre; Wuthering Heights; and Agnes Grey (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
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“But where are you going to, Helen? Can you see? Do you know?-I believe; I have faith: I am going to God.-Where is God? What is God?-My maker and yours, who will never destroy what He created. I rely implicitly on His power, and confide wholly in His goodness: I count the hours till that eventful one arrives which shall restore me to Him, reveal Him to me.”

KnowsBelieveI BelieveHoursGoodnessRelyDo You KnowMakersHave FaithHelen
Book:Jane Eyre
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“I was glad of it: I never liked long walks, especially on chilly afternoons: dreadful to me was the coming home in the raw twilight, with nipped fingers and toes, and a heart saddened by the chidings of Bessie, the nurse, and humbled by the consciousness of my physical inferiority to Eliza, John, and Georgiana Reed.”

HeartLongHomeWalksConsciousnessFingersGladComing HomeAfternoonNurseTwilightToesInferiorityReedsSaddenedLong WalksChillyFingers And Toes
Book:The Bronte Sisters: Three Novels: Jane Eyre; Wuthering Heights; and Agnes Grey (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
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“Amid the worry of a self- condemnatory soliloquy, his demeanour seemed grave, perhaps cold, both to me and his mother. And yet there was no bad feeling, no malice, no rancour, no littleness in his countenance, beautiful with a man's best beauty, even in its depression. When I placed his chair at the table, which I hastened to do, anticipating the servant, and when I handed him his tea, which I did with trembling care, he said: "Thank you, Lucy," in as kindly a tone of his full pleasant voice as ever my ear welcomed.”

MenSaidSelfFeelingsCareBeautifulMotherVoiceWorryColdEarsTablesGravesTeaServantTonePleasantChairsMaliceTremblingCountenanceLucy
Author:Charlotte Bronte
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“Reserved people often really need the frank discussion of their sentiments and griefs more than the expansive. The sternest-seeming stoic is human after all, and to burst with boldness and good-will into the silent sea of their souls is often to confer on them the first of obligations.”

PeopleNeedsFirstsHumansSoulGriefSeaSilentObligationDiscussionSentimentsFrankBoldnessGood WillReservedSeemingStoic
Book:The Bronte Sisters: Three Novels: Jane Eyre; Wuthering Heights; and Agnes Grey (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
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“No severe or prolonged bodily illness followed this incident of the red-room: it only gave my nerves a shock, of which I feel the reverberation to this day.”

FeelsRoomsRedIllnessShockThis DayNervesSevereIncidentsReverberation
Book:The Bronte Sisters: Three Novels: Jane Eyre; Wuthering Heights; and Agnes Grey (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
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“Nature seemed to me benign and good; I thought she loved me, outcast as I was; and I, who from man could anticipate only mistrust, rejection, insult, clung to her with filial fondness. To-night at least, I would be her guest-as I was her child; my mother would lodge me without money and without price.”

MenChildrenWould BeMotherNightRejectionInsultGuestsAnticipateMistrustOutcastBenignFondnessLodgesFilial
Book:The Bronte Sisters: Three Novels: Jane Eyre; Wuthering Heights; and Agnes Grey (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
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“The hiss of the quenched element, the breakage of the pitcher which I had flung from my hand when I had emptied it, and, above all, the splash of the shower-bath I had liberally bestowed, roused Mr Rochester at last though it was dark, I knew he was awake; because I heard him fulminating strange anathemas at finding himself lying in a pool of water. 'Is there a flood?' he cried”

HandsLastsLyingWaterDarkHeardStrangeElementsFindingsAwakePoolCriedFloodShowersBathsPitcherAnathemaRochesterMr Rochester
Book:The Bronte Sisters: Three Novels: Jane Eyre; Wuthering Heights; and Agnes Grey (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
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“One does not jump, and spring, and shout hurrah! at hearing one has got a fortune, one begins to consider responsibilities, and to ponder business; on a base of steady satisfaction rise certain grave cares, and we contain ourselves, and brood over our bliss with a solemn brow.”

DoeCareCertainBusinessResponsibilitySpringFortuneSatisfactionHearingGravesBlissSteadyInheritanceSolemnPonderingBrows
Book:The Bronte Sisters: Three Novels: Jane Eyre; Wuthering Heights; and Agnes Grey (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
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“A reader kindly pointed out to me recently that most of the quotes I include are by men. And it's true. Personally, I don't even consider whether the author is male or female, nor even care much who the author is - what's significant is the message. Of course, women are equally capable of great insights, however in our culture it's not so long ago that women could not even be published”

MenLongCareCultureCoursesReaderMessagesCapableFemaleMalesInsightSignificantLong AgoWomens Rights
Author:Charlotte Bronte
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