Like her most famous creation, Charlotte Bronte rose from humble origins. The third of six children born to a clergyman and his wife, she grew up exploring the moors of rural England before being sent to an oppressive boarding school. Amid devastating family tragedy, long hours of unfulfilling work, and few models of successful female authors, Charlotte received little encouragement to pursue her literary ambitions. But her internal drive, along with the support, inspiration, and challenges offered by her siblings, ultimately led to the publications of her celebrated classic Jane Eyre. Seeking to cast an empathetic light on people often ignored by the popular literature of the time, Charlotte questioned societal assumptions with a sharp intellect and changed forever the landscape of Western literature.
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