Shirley (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Charlotte Brontë
- First Published: 1849
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Psychological
- Time of Work: Mid-nineteenth century
- Setting: Yorkshire, England
- Genres: Long fiction, Psychological fiction
- Subjects: Factories, Social reform, Love or romance, Nineteenth century, Social issues, Social work, England or English people, Sick persons, Industrialization
- Locales: England, Yorkshire, England
Characters Discussed
Shirley Keeldar, the mistress of Fieldhead, a young woman of wealth who owns estates in Yorkshire. A spirited, independent woman of great sense, she finds marriage difficult to contemplate because she does not wish to put herself into the hands of a man who is after her money or a weakling who has no moral fiber of his own. Most of all, she fears submitting to someone who might be a domestic tyrant. Beneath her independent spirit, Shirley is a good-hearted, warm person eager to help anyone who needs assistance. She has a social conscience and tries to...
[The entire page is 875 words long]
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