logo

67 pages 2 hours read

Charlotte Brontë

Villette

Charlotte BrontëFiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1853

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Book Brief

logo
Charlotte Brontë

Villette

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1853
Book Details
Pages

573

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Villette • 1840s

Publication Year

1853

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

In Villette, Lucy Snowe, a young woman seeking employment, moves to the fictional city of Villette in Labassecour, where she becomes a governess and later a teacher at Madame Beck’s school. Lucy endures loneliness and unrequited love while developing a close relationship with a colleague, M. Paul Emmanuel, who eventually proposes before leaving on a fateful trip.

Melancholic

Mysterious

Emotional

Contemplative

Bittersweet

Reviews & Readership

3.8

75,346 ratings

62%

Loved it

27%

Mixed feelings

11%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Charlotte Brontë's Villette explores themes of isolation and unrequited love through meticulously crafted prose. Reviewers praise the novel's psychological depth and Brontë's vivid portrayal of the protagonist's inner life. However, some find the narrative's pacing uneven and the melancholic tone overwhelming. Overall, it’s celebrated for its emotional intensity and complex characters.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Villette?

A reader who enjoys Villette by Charlotte Brontë is likely enthralled by complex psychological portraits and introspective narratives akin to those found in Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. They appreciate gothic elements, social critique, and intricate character development within a Victorian setting.

3.8

75,346 ratings

62%

Loved it

27%

Mixed feelings

11%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

573

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Villette • 1840s

Publication Year

1853

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Continue your reading experience

Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.