No Soft Nonsense: Presenting the Bold Anne Brontë

Monday, November 23, 2020, 3 PM

Watercolor portrait of Anne Brontë by Charlotte Brontë (1816–1855), 17 June 1834. Image courtesy of the Brontë Society.

Christine Nelson    
Join Christine Nelson, Drue Heinz Curator of Literary and Historical Manuscripts, for a fresh look at Anne Brontë (1820–1849), bold author and truth-teller, through the artifacts she left behind. After Brontë published a pseudonymous novel featuring graphic depictions of addiction and domestic abuse, one reviewer accused the author of harboring “a morbid love for the coarse, not to say the brutal.” She issued a written retort: “If I can gain the public ear at all, I would rather whisper a few wholesome truths therein than much soft nonsense.” With highlights from the Morgan’s collection of Brontëana, one of the finest in the world, this presentation complements the current bicentenary installation in the Rotunda of J. Pierpont Morgan’s Library.

Please note that the program will take place online. After registering, participants will receive a confirmation e-mail with instructions on how to participate using Zoom. We ask that you download the app in advance for the best user experience.

Tickets: Free; limited availability, advance registration is required.
Register

Please call (212) 685-0008 ext. 560 or e-mail tickets@themorgan.org for information.