Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Date of Graduation
5-14-2022
Publish
yes
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Department
Department of English
Advisor(s)
Annette R. Federico
Heidi L. Pennington
Abstract
Villette, published in 1853, was Charlotte Brontë’s last novel. Brontë explores both narrative and religious complexities through her narrator, Lucy Snowe. Orphaned Lucy Snowe embarks on a new life in a predominantly Catholic country where her Protestant identity is challenged. Catholicism is presented as a temptation for Lucy. Brontë reveals Lucy’s story through her notable fictional autobiography structure, but Lucy Snowe complicates the relationship between narrator and reader. Lucy explicitly capitalizes on the structure of fictional autobiography, critiquing her narration and fostering a personal relationship with the reader.
This thesis analyzes the Catholic paradox in Charlotte Brontë’s Villette by simultaneously exploring its religious and its narrative complexities. Lucy Snowe is tempted by Catholicism but remains true to her Protestant identity. Yet, her fictional autobiography aligns with the Catholic sacrament of Confession. Lucy Snowe acts as the confessant, imposing the role of the confessor upon the reader.
Recommended Citation
Bie, Kevin R., "The Catholic paradox of Villette" (2022). Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current. 146.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/honors202029/146
