Tab Article

Ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
Genre: Biography, Literary Biography, Victorian Literature

Book Review:
''The Infernal World of Branwell Brontë: Daphne du Maurier's Moving Portrait of a Tragic Genius''

Daphne du Maurier, the acclaimed author of Rebecca and Jamaica Inn, turns her considerable talents to biography in ''The Infernal World of Branwell Brontë,'' a haunting and deeply moving portrait of the forgotten brother of the Brontë sisters. With her signature narrative skill and psychological insight, du Maurier brings Branwell vividly to life, revealing the tragic story of a man whose promise was eclipsed by his more famous sisters.

As a child, Branwell was the brilliant star of the Brontë family. He was a gifted poet and painter, and his three adoring sisters—Charlotte, Emily, and Anne—looked up to him. His rule over their imaginative world was complete, and his future seemed boundless. But as an adult, the precocious flame of genius flickered and died. He failed to sell his paintings or publish his books. He was rejected in love. He turned to laudanum and alcohol, sinking into addiction and despair.

Du Maurier traces Branwell's decline with compassion and insight. She shows how his failures were compounded by the astonishing success of his sisters, whose novels—Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall—were published to critical acclaim while he descended into oblivion. He became a specter in the Brontë story, a pathetic contrast to their achievements.

But du Maurier does not simply portray Branwell as a failure. She explores the complexities of his character, his ambitions, his talents, and his demons. She shows how his struggles were shaped by the expectations of his family and the constraints of his time. The result is a portrait that is both sympathetic and unsparing.

Justine Picardie, in her introduction, writes that the book is ''as fascinating as the best of her work'' and that ''Branwell Brontë comes vividly alive.'' No reader could fail to be intensely moved by Branwell's final retreat into addiction and death.

''The Infernal World of Branwell Brontë'' is an essential read for anyone interested in the Brontë family, in Victorian literature, or in the tragic story of a man who could not live up to his own promise. It is a masterpiece of biographical writing.