Charlotte Brontë's Atypical Typology

Book excerpt: Charlotte Brontë's Atypical Typology traces Charlotte Brontë's reinscription of the Bible through her four novels, paying special attention to her use of three strategies: gender reversal; the undermining of traditional notions of God's providential control of human history; and the recasting of several «otherworldly» locales into settings within this world. Although many scholars acknowledge the importance of Brontë's use of biblical material, and a few may scrutinize specific passages, the full body of Brontë's adult work has never been examined in this manner. Indeed, a full understanding of her fiction, as well as her significance within the Victorian era, cannot be reached apart from such an exploration. Teachers and students of the Victorian novel in general as well as readers interested in early feminist perspectives will benefit from learning to read the Bible in the light of Charlotte Brontë's approach.