Abstract

The 19th century was a period in which the feminine self began its feeble manifestations that were to lead gradually to a strong assertion of the feminine identity and feminine writing. Charlotte Brontë’s novels are among the first ones that introduce feminine characters that build up a complex identity, exposed to a variety of situations which appear many times as premiere for a female character. The introduction of such events are a useful tool for the author to reveal her characters’ selves through a complex net of manifestations in which the roles that the characters play come into contradiction or overlap, become complementary or repress one another. Our paper intends to present the manner in which the selves of the Brontëan heroines divide, multiply and ultimately form a unity in an intricate process of disclosure which allows for the introduction of characters with a complex psychic and emotional life.