The Contradictory Emotions of Grief

Brontë makes clear in "On the Death of Anne Brontë" that she deeply cares for her sister, Anne. Anne’s death leaves Brontë feeling numb, in which “There’s little joy in life for [her] / And little terror in the grave” (1-2). Her loss of the ability to feel the extremes of emotion, “joy” and “terror,” stems from the concurrent loss of her beloved sister. Brontë’s love is also evident from the affectionate words and phrases she uses to describe Anne. To Brontë, Anne possesses “belovèd features" (8). Later on, Brontë also refers to Anne as “The darling of my life” and “The hope and glory of our life," characterizations that further emphasize Brontë’s strong and tender attachment to her sister (10, 14). In fact, the love Brontë has for her Anne is remarkably selfless and unconditional. Brontë goes so far as...