After studying Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte for my « TPE »(cross curricular project) which passionate me, I was interested in all the novels of Charlottes Bronte. I liked his novel called « Shirley ».
« Shirley » was published in 1849 and its popularity allowed to « Shirley » to become a woman’s name.
The story is set in Yorkshire during the last years of the Napoleonic Wars. Times are hard for the English, either for industrial or for the workers. In addition to the financial consequences of the war on trade, industry must deal with riots against their factories. Indeed, workers are worried about the arrival of new machinery. The main characters are Robert Moore, an industrialist and his brother Louis humble tutor. Caroline Helstone, pastor Helstone niece and cousin of Robert is in love with it. But Robert, with financial troubles and riots of the workers don’t want marriage. Fortunately for Carolina, comes to town the young heiress Keldar Shirley and his companion Mrs Prior.

                   
Charlotte Bronte was more proud of that novel that of « Jane Eyre » and I understand why. It’s more dense, it deals with politics, women’s issues, social classes, barriers of marriage and religion in general.
In this novel, Charlotte Bronte leaves an interesting evocation of life in England of the early nineteenth, customs, fears,the worker’s world face the bosse’s world, poverty and charity.
The novelist tackles the description of an entire city and is very frank to criticize the industrial and commercial class.

If you like Charlotte Bronte, I highly recommend you to read this novel. I really liked.