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Anne, Anorexia, Anorexia dates back to as early as 1689, Anorexia is to do with control not being model thin, Brontes food and the kitchen, Charlotte, Charlottes sisters early death at Cowan Bridge School inspiration for Jane Eyres Lowood, Emily, fascinating facts about the Brontes, Jane Eyres Lowood, Miss Temple Mr Brocklehurst Jane Eyre, Rochester Jane eyre, To eat or not to eat:the hunger of the brontes., www.surreyKitchen.com
TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT: THE HUNGER OF THE BRONTES
I would like to say a huge thank you to Annabelle for this fascinating guest blog on the Brontes and the kitchen. Please check out Annabelles awesome blog at https://cicily17.wordpress.com.
Though anorexia is considered to be a modern condition, the first medical cases of it were actually reported as early as 1689. It has much more to do with control and power than with trying to be model-thin, as the Bronte sisters knew. The two oldest sisters, Maria and Elizabeth, died when they were only eleven and ten respectively, of bad coughs and malnutrition; they perished at Cowan Bridge School, for the daughters of the clergy, the infamous inspiration for Jane Eyre’s Lowood. School reports indicate that, though very intelligent, both of them “worked badly” and would often refuse to eat.
Throughout their lives Anne, Charlotte and Emily would also willfully stop eating, thereby precipitating health crisis that would allow them to withdraw from school and work. It was a vicious cycle–their jobs as governesses and teachers were generally horrible, and of course their father Patrick sent them all to Cowan Bridge, having learnt nothing from the deaths of Maria and Elizabeth. School fare was nothing to whet their appetites, being mainly comprised of dry bread, hard cheese and lumpy gruel. But at home eating was also problematic–there was no “family dining”, as Patrick and the aunt who acted as their guardian both ate meals alone in their rooms. Interestingly, when Jane becomes engaged to Rochester, she refuses to eat with him; though there would be nothing improper in it, the enforced intimacy seems too much for her to take. Emily was sixteen inches across when she was measured for her coffin, indicating the tiny body within. Her most famous creation, Heathcliffe, goes on a hunger strike when his beloved Cathy dies–and Cathy dies because she will not eat, from rebellion and despair.
The hope in all this is Miss Temple, perhaps the great unsung heroine of Jane Eyre. She is the only sympathetic adult at Lowood School. She defies the wicked headmaster, Mr. Brocklehurst, by bringing in food the girls can enjoy, after their main meal of the day has been burnt, an act of nurturing feminism against cruel patriarchy. In general, she is bright, sharp and optimistic, in a world that is smothering and dull.
“Sundays were dreary days in that wintry season. We had to walk two miles to Brocklebridge Church, where our patron officiated. We set out cold, we arrived at church colder: during the morning service we became almost paralysed. It was too far to return to dinner, and an allowance of cold meat and bread, in the same penurious proportion observed in our ordinary meals, was served round between the services.
At the close of the afternoon service we returned by an exposed and hilly road, where the bitter winter wind, blowing over a range of snowy summits to the north, almost flayed the skin from our faces.
I can remember Miss Temple walking lightly and rapidly along our drooping line, her plaid cloak, which the frosty wind fluttered, gathered close about her, and encouraging us, by precept and example, to keep up our spirits, and march forward, as she said, “like stalwart soldiers.” The other teachers, poor things, were generally themselves too much dejected to attempt the task of cheering others.
How we longed for the light and heat of a blazing fire when we got back!”
Miss Temple, her acts of kindness and any food that can be digested, is the blaze that keeps Jane alive. If later on Rochester will supply passionate love, this simpler love is equally important. On that note, we should all eat a roast beef sandwich or go and bake some Brie!
Very interesting, thank you!
I am glad you enjoyed Annabelles guest blog. Emma xx
Wonderful guest post! It is true we do often think of anorexia as a modern condition. Very interesting to see how the Bronte sisters used food as a way to have power over their circumstances. Thank you for the guest post Annabelle 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed Annabelles guest post. You are right people do think of anorexia as a modern condition. I know Virginia Woolf also suffered terribly with an eating disorder as well as depression. As an occupational therapist I’m moving from Autism to working in Mental Health from October which I am very excited about. So this post seems even more relevant to me right now. Best wishes. Emma xx
Thanks for all the lovely comments so far. Though they were also legitimately ill, it is true the Brontes used starvation to push themselves towards death, rather than away–a little-documented side of their personalities. They all loved life so passionately, yet couldn’t thrive on dailiness.
I was telling Heather than I am moving from working with autistic children to working in child and adolescent mental health very soon so I am fascinated by your post. I’m an occupational therapist but I haven’t worked in mental health since I was a student. I am really looking forward to it. Ruby Wax was even on the cover of my occupational therapy journal this month urging OT’s to use mindfulness in their interventions with mental health clients. Ruby has a history of BI Polar disorder. Her book ‘Sane New World’ is incredible. I would highly recommend. She qualified as a CBT Mindfulness therapist at Oxford University a few years ago. Emma xx
I will definitely read it; thanks for the recommendation! The Bronte sisters–and Branwell–are certainly great to study if you are working with disturbed adolescents (congrats. on your job choice). So are Emily Dickenson and the young Elizabeth Barrett Browning, whose father would not let her leave the house and so she had to be “rescued” by Robert. Check out old movie “The Barretts of Wimpole Street”–you’d love it. Annabelle xx
I know about Emily Dickenson and a little about Elizabeth Barrett Browning. I read English Literature at university before I trained to be an occupational therapist. I will definitely check out the film. Best wishes. Emma xx