History Literature / TheTenantOfWildfellHall

Its plot and characters have often been taken as a sly TakeThat to both Creator/EmilyBronte's ''Literature/WutheringHeights'' and Creator/CharlotteBronte's ''Literature/JaneEyre'' (the latter of which was written at the same time as ''Tenant''). However, that seems unlikely, given how supportive the three sisters were of each other's work, in a time where it wasn't easy for women to publish novels. Despite its early popularity, the novel slipped into relative obscurity following Charlotte refusing to allow the novel to be reprinted in 1850 alongside ''Wuthering Heights'' and Anne's own much less popular ''Literature/AgnesGrey'', deeming the work to be "[[CanonDiscontinuity an entire mistake.]]" Critics began to dismiss the book as well, believing it to be a mere manifestation of Anne's bitterness over her brother Branwell, while others have described both Rochester and Heathcliff as idealizations from Charlotte and Emily for Branwell. According to historian Deborah Lutz, it is more likely that Charlotte and Emily were simply influenced by Romantic poetry and the Byronic heroes of their youth, as is evident in most of their work, given their real feelings towards Branwell leaned more towards viewing him as some sort of pathetic figure: Charlotte wasn't exactly tender about Branwell in her letters to her friend Ellen Nussey, and Emily, while being the sister who understood him the most, categorically refused to indulge him and wasn't above getting physical with him. Rather, evidence uncovered by Barker reveals that the novel's plot is more likely to have been based on a local case of extreme domestic violence witnessed by the sisters in the context of their father's pastoral work. Notably the Reverend Mr. Bronte's advice to the beleaguered wife was to leave her husband for her own sake and her child's. She took his advice and it worked out for her. The novel's frank treatment of sexuality and marital decay earned it more attention in later years.

Its plot and characters have often been taken as a sly TakeThat to both Creator/EmilyBronte's ''Literature/WutheringHeights'' and Creator/CharlotteBronte's ''Literature/JaneEyre'' (the latter of which was written at the same time as ''Tenant''). Despite its early popularity, the novel slipped into relative obscurity following Charlotte refusing to allow the novel to be reprinted in 1850 alongside ''Wuthering Heights'' and Anne's own much less popular ''Literature/AgnesGrey'', deeming the work to be "[[CanonDiscontinuity an entire mistake.]]" Critics began to dismiss the book as well, believing it to be a mere manifestation of Anne's bitterness over her brother Branwell. However, evidence uncovered by Barker reveals that it's more likely to have been based on a local case of extreme domestic violence witnessed by the sisters in the context of their father's pastoral work. Notably the Reverend Mr. Bronte's advice to the beleaguered wife was to leave her husband for her own sake and her child's. She took his advice and it worked out for her. The novel's frank treatment of sexuality and marital decay earned it more attention in later years.

* NotSoDifferent: Gilbert tried some of the same pick-up lines on Helen as her StalkerWithACrush Mr. Hargrave. Fortunately, unlike the latter (and like many a Creator/JaneAusten hero), Gilbert knows how to take "No" for an answer.

* RealityEnsues: Helen's LoveRedeems[=/=][[AllGirlsWantBadBoys Bad Boy]] fantasy gets brutally crushed by reality.

* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy

* JustFriends: Yeah, right...

* PoorCommunicationKills: In typical romantic tradition.
* PrinceCharmingWannabe: Walter Hargrave

* StalkerWithACrush: Mr. Hargrave.

* WhatBeautifulEyes!: Gilbert describes Helen's eyes as "very dark grey, almost black" and a "large, clear and full of soul."

* YourCheatingHeart: During his marriage to Helen, Arthur Huntingdon commits adultery twice that Helen and the reader are aware of--with [[spoiler: Lady Lowborough]] and [[spoiler: his son's governess.]] However, he makes it clear to Helen that he has fooled around with married women before.