The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall Analysis

Moreover, art is used in Bronte’s text to show self-effacement. Art is used to express oneself and if effaced it effaces the artist: in keeping with the Victorian view that art reveals individual emotions and the idea that Brontë uses art to express truth, Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar analyze Helen's art as a means by which her ‘guilt about the impropriety of self-expression has caused her to efface her private drawings just as it has led her to efface herself.’ (Diederich 26).

It is unsurprising that Diederich notes that art was analyzed in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Art is close to Helen’s heart as it expresses her true feelings. Although she does begin to paint for money, Helen does have some art pieces that she tries to hide from

To begin, although Helen tries on many occasions to sacrifice herself for the good of her husband, without effort on his part her sacrifices are in vain. Helen’s naivety is often analyzed by literary critiques, “Helen displays the ironic naïveté of a young woman who, subscribing to the ideas about woman’s moral influence articulated by Sarah Ellis and others, ardently believes that as her husband’s ‘angel monitress’ she can redeem him” (O’Toole 717). O’Toole is correct to a point in Helen’s naïveté belief that she could save her husband. What O’Toole neglects to mention is why Arthur cannot be redeemed by Helen’s self-sacrifice. Unlike Lizzie from “Goblin Market” Arthur does not make any action to help himself even after being warned of the dangers of alcoholism. One cannot be redeemed if the fallen makes no attempt to change one’s ways or repents one’s actions. Helen was naïveté because she believed that she could help redeem Arthur when he made no attempt to help himself. Therefore, Arthur’s actions demonstrates why Helen’s sacrifice for him is rendered null due to his unwillingness to help in his own

Ignoring her Aunt’s entreaty for her to change her mind responds, “No; I should not wish to guide him; but I think I might have influence sufficient to save him from some errors, and I should think my life well spent in the effort to preserve so noble a nature from destruction” (Bronte 116). Helen has the upmost confidence that with a little guidance Arthur can change his ways. Although Helen appears the most worthy for this task she risks the chance that she could fail with this endeavour. Helen willingly risk her happiness to help this man she believes is so noble. Unfortunately she fails in her venture and sacrificed her happiness as well as a possible happy marriage with another. As there was no good payoff for Helen’s self-sacrifice she spends a great many of years unhappy. Therefore, self-sacrifice is dangerous in Victorian England when done to such extreme to someone unworthy of the