Summary of The Professor
William Crimsworth, a young Englishman, relocates to Brussels in the mid-19th century to teach at a local boarding school. He falls in love, first with Zoraïde Reuter, the headmistress of the school where he teaches, and later with Frances Evans, one of the female teachers, who is also his pupil. Frances is dismissed as a result, with William desperately trying to get in touch with her.
Reasons to read The Professor
“The Professor” was Charlotte Brontë’s debut. She did not find a publisher for this book during her lifetime, and it was only published posthumously, after she had already gained literary fame with “Jane Eyre”. “The Professor” is directly inspired by Charlotte Brontë’s own experiences as a student and a teacher at a Brussels boarding school during the 1840s. Another famous novel of Brontë, “Vilette”, is also based on her time in Brussels, with the fictional city of “Vilette” believed to be modelled on Brussels, and the kingdom of “Labassecour” representing Belgium. “The Professor” is a more straightforward book compared to Charlotte Bronte’s later works – there are no secrets hidden in the attic – but it is nevertheless a charming and interesting book, providing a glimpse into life in 19th-century Brussels. For a fictionalised account of Charlotte Brontë’s own years in Brussels, read “Charlotte Brontë’s Secret Love” by Jolien Janzing.
Setting: Brussels (Belgium)
Original title: The Professor
Year of publication: 1857
Nr of pages: 240
