Charlotte Bronte’s The Professor
I recently figured out a book app on my IPhone and the first book I came across was this classical literature with an introspective narrative and rich psychological depth by Charlotte Bronte. Although this debut novel is just about 394 pages, it took me almost a month to round it up. Well, I love it for its quietly compelling look into ambition, self discovery and unrequited love, told from a distinctly male perspective. Not gonna lie this book felt like I was reading an unrefined scroll of Shakespeare’s work. Plus the use of French in some lines stressed me out and I had to dust my Duolingo for lessons.
The Professor follows William Crimsworth, an orphaned young Englishman who refuses the path laid out for him by his aristocratic relatives. Rejecting the safety of becoming a clergyman, William seeks independence and eventually lands a teaching job at a boys’ school in Belgium.
Soon, he’s promoted to teach at a girls’ school run by the proud and sometimes temperamental Mademoiselle Reuter. As he finds his way through the complexities of his new environment, including manipulative figures and cultural alienation, William begins to fall for Frances Henri, a quiet and intelligent pupil-teacher with humble origins.
It is my first time I guess with a Charlotte Bronte’s writing. This one right here is confident and sharp. Her prose here feels both honest and restrained, just like her narrator. William Crimsworth is not the kind of overly romantic hero we often meet in Victorian fiction. Being a literature major has really opened my eyes to a lot. He is rational, principled and at times frustratingly reserved. That realism, his flaws, his slow personal growth, is actually part of what made me keep going back to complete this read.
What struck me most was how Bronte subtly weaves in themes of class, gender and national identity. There’s a deep undercurrent of critique in how William, an Englishman, views the Belgians, especially in the schooling system.
Frances Henri, to me, is the heart of the novel. She’s modest but strong-willed, and her relationship with William is one of mutual respect and intellectual connection. The love story here is grounded in reality, built on shared values rather than passion alone.
That being said, This book is not without its flaws. Of course I stated that I had trouble with it and one of my troubles was rooted in its pacing. The pacing in the first half is slow, and the plot is relatively thin. Secondly, the Old English version of writing and use of Old English words had me going back and forth to the dictionary. There are also moments where William’s moral rigidity feels self-righteous, which sort of distanced me because somehow I sought for emotional vulnerability.
Still, there’s something admirable in the quietness of this novel. It’s not showy or melodramatic, but it’s introspective and thoughtful. I absolutely loved the vivid description of landscapes, it was just beautiful.
Anyway, From the preface of the novel, I learnt that The Professor is a subdued yet intelligent novel that showcases Charlotte Bronte’s early literary voice. It’s sharp, observant and socially aware. It offers a different kind of satisfaction: the steady unfolding of a life shaped by quiet choices and inner resilience. It’s a story about growth, integrity and just the simple but profound act of choosing your own path.
images are mine.