Storm imagery in Villette

"These strange accents in the storm -- this restless, hopeless cry -- denote a coming state of the atmosphere unpropitious to life." (Bronté, p. 46) The Romantic and Victorian periods saw a flowering of imagery: for the Romantics, because it often proved the best way to express their vague philosophical yearnings and ideas; for the Victorians, because societal taboos all too often prevented discussion of topics unless they were "coded" in acceptable images. In Villette, we see one main symbol being used, storms. Storms provide a dominant textual metaphor for violent and confusing turning points in the main character's development. For Lucy, storms usher her along in her development from shy, frigid nursemaid to more open, self-sufficient schoolmistress: though fearful and traumatic, the storms, and experiences, tend to mold and enhance her personality.

Villette practically opens with a storm: after the initial exposition, Lucy tells of h

The "Pensionnat Beck" is a place of both metaphoric and literal storms, and all herald Lucy into new experiences, new developments. Her first attempt at teaching English "threatened stormy weather" (p. 97) but she disperses it. A mighty "sort of hurricane" reduces the school's Catholics to abject prayer, but Lucy "is roused and obliged to live," and longs "for something to fetch me out of my present existence, and lead me upwards and onwards." (p. 134) She overcomes this desire, but it takes its revenge in the form of M. Paul, the "species of whirlwind" (p. 166), "like a bottled storm" (p. 190), who drives her to acting and education. Again Lucy resists, persisting alone in the Pensionnat during the long vacation: and there she is visited with inner and outer storms. Tempestuous weather unites with deep depression and "Hypochondria" to send her to Pere Silas and the unconsciousness that thunderously ends and allows her to re-open acquaintance with Graham/Dr. John and, ultimately, Polly/Miss de Bassompierre.

Villette is a novel of character history and development, where storms accompany the critical moments of the characters' lives. Though Brontë uses storms as harsh purgatives, sharp spurs to drive Lucy Snowe forward in her evolution, they are not in all senses the fearsome things the heroine makes them out to be. Though stressful, they are occasions for growth. Each spell of ill weather, in the heavens, in he

Some topics in this essay:
Romantic Victorian, Pensionnat Beck, Graham/Dr John, Charlotte Brontë, Miss Marchmont, Malevola Walravens, Paul Emanuel, Lucy Snowe, Chapter IV, Lucy Pensionnat, storm novel, paul emanuel, inner outer storms, miss marchmont, ill weather, outer storms, inner outer,