The Brontes

I must watch this tonight, as I know Haworth well.Although gilly says there isn't much to recognise.Rev Bronte and family were at Thornton before he got the living at Haworth.

Is a lot of it about Branwell staggering in and out of The Black Bull ( and any other pub within reach.)?

Actually I thought Emily did look like the father and both Anne and Bramwell had red hair, so not too dissimilar!
Still watching it on iPlayer.

We enjoyed it. I've always been fascinated by Branwell Bronte for some reason. Such a sad character.

Oh I did enjoy that ! ( just finished watching it on iPlayer)
What a beautiful and unsentimentalised production.

I think the actresses looked quite similar to the original sisters in fact.
Charlotte did not look much like Emily and Anne - and yes, Anne and Branwell did have red hair.

Have watched almost an hour of it and given up, cannot understand what they are saying

No, it was difficult and I found the Victorian dialogue being interspersed with modern speech rather odd.

I really enjoyed it, the programme brought their story to life. I too couldn't hear the whispered dialogue which was a shame, especially Emily's poetry.
You can see some of their manuscripts in the free exhibition at the British Library. Their writing was so tiny and that was portrayed well as they sat hunched over their writing.

paddy what an interesting connection..

I liked the fact that it was unsentimental too. I also got the impression that Charlotte was very much the ringleader, that the girls published out of economic necessity, and that Branwell, despite his alleged genius, was as much use as a chocolate teapot, drunk as a skunk and high as a kite most of the time.

Anyone read the Gaskell biography?

I really enjoyed it. So much hinged on the actresses and I thought they brought the three sisters to life very well. Charlotte - tiny but determined, Emily striding across the moors with her dog and Anne quiet but with hidden depths. I didn't think there was too much of Branwell. He was a huge part of their lives and must have been a nightmare to live with. Imagine trying to keep up a respectable Victorian front with him lurking in the background.

The downside was the sound quality. I didn't notice anachronistic language because I missed most of what they were whispering and the music was much too loud. What is the point of spending all that time and money producing a programme that most of the audience can't hear?

There have been many talented, gifted alcoholics

I thought it was wonderful as it epitomised the anger and frustration of clever girls reduced to playing second fiddle to the expectations heaped upon the son of the family. The women who wrote some of the greatest literature having to wallow in the filth left by the inadequate Branwell. Very taken with the opening shots of the little girls with flaming, bright halos. There is tremendous anger in their works which I felt was portrayed in this dramatisation.

As to family resemblance, there's no reason they should look alike. My sister and I are like chalk and cheese! I like the fact that the sisters did argue with one another in a natural way like most families, whereas they are usually portrayed as very sedate and polite. They did argue, but no doubts that they loved each other.
It must have been very difficult for them managing their brothers behaviour. Also think their father played his part well too.

I really enjoyed it but did have to have the subtitles on to keep up with the dialogue.

Having got off to a sticky start,I'm glad we stuck with it as I too enjoyed it as did OH. Why it had to be accompanied by, at times, loud music when people were talking is beyond me, as you simply cannot hear what they're saying, (BBC PLEASE take note!) also the accents and whispers made following it at times almost impossible, but we both love, and know a bit about the sisters and their tragic brother which I guess made it easier to understand. Charlotte almost certainly died of severe early morning sickness, (Duchess of Cambridge!) although she could have had TB as well. Rev Bronte outlived all of them. Poor man, what a difficult, sad life he had.

I too struggled with the sound to start with, I thought they were speaking too fast. After switching on subtitles I became gripped and really loved it. I didn't fall asleep once! My favourite drama over the season.

Watched it last night and loved it. Had no problem with the sound or accents, as I am from that area ( which helped no doubt.)
Thought the acting and dialogue really good from all concerned, although I know it rains there a lot ( remember it well, shudder) did it have to rain ALL the time practically in the programme?
How sad that the whole family died young from TB, and even Charlotte ( married the young rector I think) died early by today's standards.It obviously was a genetic weakness , the poor Father.

I didn't go to sleep either!!! Not even a short doze!!! Yes Charlotte married Rev Nicholls, but died while pregnant. So sad
Emily's dog was called Keeper! A useless piece of information I know, but adds to the family picture-maybe?!!!!

Apparently the average age to die in the area was 19. In that context, the Brontës' early demise doesn't look so unusual.

I wondered who she had married but had not got as far as finding out! I thought her publisher looked pretty smitten with her, and had wondered.......??

I thoroughly enjoyed it and have just ordered The Tenant of Wildfell Hall as I have to confess to never having read it.

Once my ear tuned into the sound it was fine, I loved the grittiness although a couple of modern expressions grated a little. I'd over it to have been a series rather than a one off.

She married the curate I think, the one who kept popping in and out of the house to see her father.
She died within the year, very sad.

I entirely agree about the sound quality but I'm glad I persevered. It made me appreciate the harshness and difficulty of their and made me want to find out more. The bit that really got me was at the end when they showed the present day reality at the parsonage - tourists taking selfies and buying up the gift shop. The Brontes must be spinning in their graves.