Villette by Charlotte Bronte

Charlotte Bronte novels are unique because the way the author incorporates her own experiences within the texts. Villette is no exception to this as the novel includes parts of Charlotte’s visit to Brussels. As Charlotte Bronte’s third and last novel that she wrote the text is an interesting novel because of the attention to close detail that the main character, Lucy Snowe, illustrates throughout the book.

Lucy goes into great vivid details in her surrounding which allows the reader to imagine the scenery. This small passage from the text illustrates the experience of Lucy explains to her readers when she travels to the concert with her godmother, “the sight of the stars glinting fitfully though the trees as we rolled along the avenue; then the freer burst of the night-sky when we issued forth to the open chaussee, the passage through the city gates, the lights there burning, the guard there posted, the pretence of inspection to which we there submitted, and which amused us so much”. This section creates the image of how fascinating the city gates are with the dazzling lights of the city and the beautiful night sky above.

The main character, Lucy, also adds details about the people around her getting the reader to understand how the characters are viewed Lucy. A larger passage from the text describes Lucy’s view of Mrs. Cholmondeley in the dress that she plans on wearing to a party, “Beautiful she looked: so young, so fresh, and with a delicacy of skin and flexibility of shape altogether English, and not found in the list of continental female charms. Her dress was new, costly, and perfect. I saw at a glance that it lacked none of those finishing details which cost so much, and give to the general effect such an air of tasteful completeness. I viewed her from top to toe. She turned airily round that I might survey her on all sides. Conscious of her charms, she was in her best humour: her rather small blue eyes sparkled gleefully. She was going to bestow on me a kiss, in her school-girl fashion of showing her delights”. Lucy views Mrs. Cholmondeley as being a feminine and beautiful woman, because of the details that Lucy includes it leads the reader to believe that Mrs. Cholmondeley is an attractive woman.

With the amount of detail that Charlotte allows the character Lucy show the reader, makes the novel very fascinating. When reading this novel its important take the time to notice these details that are incorporated with Villette because these details allow the reader to broaden their imagination and see life in another person’s point of view.