Following the success of our weekend of events in April 2007 timed to coincide with Charlotte Brontë's birthday on 21 April, for which we were joined by our members from the Netherlands and also by members from the UK, this April we are organising another Brontë weekend.
This year's programme is much more ambitious since it will include a Brontë conference being organised by the Brussels public library Bibliothèque des Riches Claires with our assistance. This conference is an initiative of the chief librarian, who had the idea of organising an event to honour the Brontës' stay in Brussels after reading our member Eric Ruijssenaars' books on this subject and agreed to hold the conference during our Brontë weekend.
BRONTË WEEKEND IN BRUSSELS
Friday 18 April to Sunday 20 April 2008
Programme:
Friday 18 April
19.00: A BRONTË EVENING in Waterstone's bookshop, Bvd. Adolphe Maxlaan 71-75, 1000 Brussels
Robert Barnard, former Chairman of the Brontë Society, author of A Brontë Encyclopedia and writer of crime fiction, who will give an introductory talk, will be in Waterstone's with fellow writers and Brontë enthusiasts Eric Ruijssenaars (Charlotte Brontë's Promised Land: the Pensionnat Heger and other Brontë places in Brussels), Derek Blyth (Brussels for Pleasure and other guide books) and Maureen Peeck O'Toole (Aspects of lyric in the poetry of Emily Brontë) to talk about their books and answer your questions about the Brontës.
There is no charge for this event and no need to reserve - just turn up on the day.
Contact person: Helen MacEwan (helen.macewan@ec.europa.eu)
Saturday 19 April
10.00 to 12.30 and 14.00 to 16.30: THE BRONTË SISTERS IN BRUSSELS
Conference organised by Bibliothèque des Riches Claires, 24 rue des Riches Claires, 1000 Brussels, with assistance from the Brussels Brontë Group. (Interpretation provided, French-English and English-French.)
Morning:
Roel Jacobs: Bruxelles au 19ème siècle, ville dynamique?
Robert Barnard: The world the Brontës grew up in (class and social change in early 19th century England).
Eric Ruijssenaars: Down the Belliard steps (and what Charlotte found there).
Afternoon:
Georges Mayer: Les soeurs Brontë: quartier Isabelle, vie universitaire et artistique à Bruxelles.
Paul Héger: Ascendance et descendance de Constantin Héger.
Pierre Leclercq: Du Yorkshire à Bruxelles, un voyage culinaire tout en contrastes
There is no charge for the conference but you must reserve your place by emailing marie-angele.dehaye@brunette.brucity.be
10-29 April: Exhibition in Bibliothèque des Riches Claires showing Brussels in the period of the Brontës' stay. Open 13.00 to 17.30 Monday-Friday and 10.00 to 12.00 on Saturdays (except Saturday 19 April).
19.00: 19th century English meal provided by the Centre de Gastronomie Historique de Bruxelles.
Information and bookings: georges.verly@brunette.brucity.be / 0485 637 102
Sunday 20 April
10.00: Guided walk around Brontë places in Brussels.
Information and bookings: Helen MacEwan (helen.macewan@ec.europa.eu)
All events are open to non-members.
More details of all the events on the Events page of the Brussels Brontë Group website:
www.thebrusselsbrontegroup.org
Wednesday, 26 March 2008
Saturday, 8 December 2007
Brussels Brontë reading group
Our reading group, launched in September 2007, has got off to a successful start, proving that there is plenty of interest in reading the classics of English literature. Unlike most reading groups which concentrate on modern fiction, ours offers the opportunity to actually read those works sitting on your shelves that you’ve always intended to tackle one day!
There are about twelve of us and we meet every few weeks for informal discussion of the latest book read. We have an interesting mix of members of all ages and several different nationalities, with a majority of native English speakers.
Since this was an initiative of our Brontë group we felt we had to start with a Brontë work and so our first book was Charlotte Brontë’s Brussels novel The Professor, which few had read before. We will be reading a mixture of Brontë and other 19th century authors including Jane Austen, Dickens, Trollope, Mrs Gaskell and George Eliot. At our most recent meeting we talked about Jane Austen’s Emma and the next work on our list is Bleak House.
Some Victorian novels (Bleak House is a case in point) are very long and since many of our members have busy schedules, we will alternate long works with shorter ones. We feel confident that the time invested in reading these masterpieces of English literature will be rewarded both by the merit of the works themselves and the stimulus of discussing them with the other group members.
If you would like to join the reading group contact Helen MacEwan at helen.macewan@ec.europa.eu.
There are about twelve of us and we meet every few weeks for informal discussion of the latest book read. We have an interesting mix of members of all ages and several different nationalities, with a majority of native English speakers.
Since this was an initiative of our Brontë group we felt we had to start with a Brontë work and so our first book was Charlotte Brontë’s Brussels novel The Professor, which few had read before. We will be reading a mixture of Brontë and other 19th century authors including Jane Austen, Dickens, Trollope, Mrs Gaskell and George Eliot. At our most recent meeting we talked about Jane Austen’s Emma and the next work on our list is Bleak House.
Some Victorian novels (Bleak House is a case in point) are very long and since many of our members have busy schedules, we will alternate long works with shorter ones. We feel confident that the time invested in reading these masterpieces of English literature will be rewarded both by the merit of the works themselves and the stimulus of discussing them with the other group members.
If you would like to join the reading group contact Helen MacEwan at helen.macewan@ec.europa.eu.
Saturday, 27 October 2007
Letters to Brussels
This was the title of the first talk ever organised by members of the Brontë Society based in Brussels, which was held on 18 October 2007 in the library at the Travel Arts Café Cercle Des Voyageurs in Rue des Grands Carmes near Grand Place, a venue full of character in an old building. The library seats about 60 and was almost full. We were pleased by the good attendance and feel hopeful about the prospects for organising such events in the future. There is of course no shortage of literary events in English in Brussels but most of them relate to contemporary writers.
This being Brussels, the audience was pretty international. It included many native English speakers of course, but also a contingent of members from the Netherlands who always come to our main events, and quite a few Belgians, including a well-known novelist and academic and several university students. Thanks to the interest taken in our group by the local media, our Belgian membership is growing and we are very pleased about this.
The media coverage given to our venture was gratifying. The national Flemish newspaper Het Nieuwsblad interviewed us and published an article on our group. The reporter was fascinated by the whole concept of literary societies, almost unknown here: "People meeting to discuss the works of the Brontë sisters: this is the latest craze blown across the Channel from Britain to Brussels". Similarly, Agenda, the Brussels "What's On", wondered whether a Brontë craze on a par with the current Austen one might be imminent, and advised bruxellois to be "one step ahead of the pack" by going to the talk: "Close your eyes and let yourself be swept along by this torrent of passion". And the radio station FM Brussel decided to get in on the act by broadcasting an interview with Derek Blyth.
Derek gave a highly personal talk about his feelings on reading Charlotte's letters to M. Heger, the unanswered questions that puzzle him and his expedition to the British Library to see them for himself (the keeper of rare manuscripts at the Library told him a Charlotte Brontë ghost story which is fairly well known in Brontë circles but probably less familiar to our Brussels audience).
We hope that this will be the first of many such events and that we will be able to attract speakers from the UK and other countries, as well as from Belgium, to come and talk to us.
This being Brussels, the audience was pretty international. It included many native English speakers of course, but also a contingent of members from the Netherlands who always come to our main events, and quite a few Belgians, including a well-known novelist and academic and several university students. Thanks to the interest taken in our group by the local media, our Belgian membership is growing and we are very pleased about this.
The media coverage given to our venture was gratifying. The national Flemish newspaper Het Nieuwsblad interviewed us and published an article on our group. The reporter was fascinated by the whole concept of literary societies, almost unknown here: "People meeting to discuss the works of the Brontë sisters: this is the latest craze blown across the Channel from Britain to Brussels". Similarly, Agenda, the Brussels "What's On", wondered whether a Brontë craze on a par with the current Austen one might be imminent, and advised bruxellois to be "one step ahead of the pack" by going to the talk: "Close your eyes and let yourself be swept along by this torrent of passion". And the radio station FM Brussel decided to get in on the act by broadcasting an interview with Derek Blyth.
Derek gave a highly personal talk about his feelings on reading Charlotte's letters to M. Heger, the unanswered questions that puzzle him and his expedition to the British Library to see them for himself (the keeper of rare manuscripts at the Library told him a Charlotte Brontë ghost story which is fairly well known in Brontë circles but probably less familiar to our Brussels audience).
We hope that this will be the first of many such events and that we will be able to attract speakers from the UK and other countries, as well as from Belgium, to come and talk to us.
Monday, 15 October 2007
Brussels Brontë Group in the Belgian media
A leading Flemish newspaper, Het Nieuwsblad, has published an article on our Group and on the Brontë Society in the lead-up to Derek Blyth's talk on the Heger letters (on Thursday 18 October).
We are delighted by the publicity but would point out that there are a number of inaccuracies in the article (for example, we are not "hoping for funds from the Brontë Society to finance research").
Below is the link to the original article, in Dutch, and an English translation.
http://www.nieuwsblad.be/Article/Detail.aspx?ArticleID=AI1IMK4O
Group searches for traces of the Brontë sisters
First Belgian branch of the Brontë Society
BRUSSELS – People who meet to discuss the works of the Brontë sisters: this is the latest craze blown over from the Channel from Britain to Brussels. Helen MacEwan is leading the first Belgian branch of the Brontë society.
Brussels is once again displaying its international character with the formation of this branch of the Brontë Society. "In Britain, the fascination for the Brontë sisters is a national sport", says Helen MacEwan. "People are constantly doing research about the tragic lives of the Brontë family. And there is a continuous stream of TV and film adaptations of one or other of the Brontë novels."
MacEwan has founded the first Belgian branch of the Brontë Society in Brussels, where she works as a translator. It is hardly a coincidence that a branch has been set up in Brussels. Charlotte Brontë lived there in 1842 and 1843. She came here to study French and fell in love with her teacher. Her novel Villette tells the story.
During its first event, the Brussels Brontë Group organized a walk visiting several sites which were portrayed in Charlotte’s book, guided by British-born Derek Blyth.
Derek Blyth explains the worldwide fascination for the seven novels by the three Brontë sisters. "They are very personal works, with a psychological depth which somehow manages to reach every age group. My 16-year-old daughter is currently reading Jane Eyre. There aren’t that many 160-year-old books that teenagers of today still read."
No exam
The Brussels Brontë Group isn’t a collection of purists. You don’t have to pass an exam to join. Knowing the names of the three sisters is enough. And you should enjoy reading of course. With the expansion of the Group, it has set up a Reading Group, focusing particularly on romantic authors such as Austen.
Charlotte Brontë stayed in the Pensionnat Heger in Brussels in 1842-43 and fell in love with her teacher Constantin Heger, who taught her French. When she returned to England, she remained obsessed with her professor and wrote him a series of letters.
But the professor did not answer her letters. In fact Monsieur Heger tore them up. But his wife rescued them from the wastepaper basket and sewed them back together. Paul Heger, Constantin’s son, donated four of these letters to the British Museum in 1913.
On Thursday 18 October, at 19.30, in the Le Cercle des Voyageurs / Travel Arts Café, Rue des Grands Carmes 18, 1000 Brussels, Derek Blyth will talk about these letters.
We are delighted by the publicity but would point out that there are a number of inaccuracies in the article (for example, we are not "hoping for funds from the Brontë Society to finance research").
Below is the link to the original article, in Dutch, and an English translation.
http://www.nieuwsblad.be/Article/Detail.aspx?ArticleID=AI1IMK4O
Group searches for traces of the Brontë sisters
First Belgian branch of the Brontë Society
BRUSSELS – People who meet to discuss the works of the Brontë sisters: this is the latest craze blown over from the Channel from Britain to Brussels. Helen MacEwan is leading the first Belgian branch of the Brontë society.
Brussels is once again displaying its international character with the formation of this branch of the Brontë Society. "In Britain, the fascination for the Brontë sisters is a national sport", says Helen MacEwan. "People are constantly doing research about the tragic lives of the Brontë family. And there is a continuous stream of TV and film adaptations of one or other of the Brontë novels."
MacEwan has founded the first Belgian branch of the Brontë Society in Brussels, where she works as a translator. It is hardly a coincidence that a branch has been set up in Brussels. Charlotte Brontë lived there in 1842 and 1843. She came here to study French and fell in love with her teacher. Her novel Villette tells the story.
During its first event, the Brussels Brontë Group organized a walk visiting several sites which were portrayed in Charlotte’s book, guided by British-born Derek Blyth.
Derek Blyth explains the worldwide fascination for the seven novels by the three Brontë sisters. "They are very personal works, with a psychological depth which somehow manages to reach every age group. My 16-year-old daughter is currently reading Jane Eyre. There aren’t that many 160-year-old books that teenagers of today still read."
No exam
The Brussels Brontë Group isn’t a collection of purists. You don’t have to pass an exam to join. Knowing the names of the three sisters is enough. And you should enjoy reading of course. With the expansion of the Group, it has set up a Reading Group, focusing particularly on romantic authors such as Austen.
Charlotte Brontë stayed in the Pensionnat Heger in Brussels in 1842-43 and fell in love with her teacher Constantin Heger, who taught her French. When she returned to England, she remained obsessed with her professor and wrote him a series of letters.
But the professor did not answer her letters. In fact Monsieur Heger tore them up. But his wife rescued them from the wastepaper basket and sewed them back together. Paul Heger, Constantin’s son, donated four of these letters to the British Museum in 1913.
On Thursday 18 October, at 19.30, in the Le Cercle des Voyageurs / Travel Arts Café, Rue des Grands Carmes 18, 1000 Brussels, Derek Blyth will talk about these letters.
Saturday, 22 September 2007
Talk on Charlotte Brontë's letters to Monsieur Heger
The Brussels Brontë Group is organising a talk on Thursday 18 October at 19.30:
Letters to Brussels: Charlotte Brontë's letters to Constantin Heger
A talk by Derek Blyth (author of Brussels for Pleasure, Blue Guide to Belgium, Flemish Cities Explored, etc.)
The library at Cercle des Voyageurs, Rue des Grands Carmes 18, 1000 Brussels.
Non-members welcome. A charge of €3 will be made to cover the cost of the room. Drinks available from the bar.
Charlotte Brontë's years at the Pensionnat Heger in Brussels studying French under the guidance of Monsieur Heger were two of the most important of her life.
On her return to Haworth, obsessed by the memory of her Belgian teacher, she wrote him a series of increasingly desperate letters, four of which are now preserved in the British Museum. It is nothing short of a miracle that the letters have survived at all. They were torn into small pieces, repaired with needle and thread and then left forgotten in a drawer until 1913.
What was the exact nature of Charlotte's feelings for Heger? What were Mme Heger's precise motives in repairing the letters? Derek Blyth will share his thoughts with us on some of the questions that have intrigued generations of Brontë enthusiasts.
Derek Blyth, who is based in Brussels, is well known for his many books and articles on Belgium. He has been fascinated by Charlotte and Emily's stay in Brussels since re-reading Villette shortly after moving to the city.
Letters to Brussels: Charlotte Brontë's letters to Constantin Heger
A talk by Derek Blyth (author of Brussels for Pleasure, Blue Guide to Belgium, Flemish Cities Explored, etc.)
The library at Cercle des Voyageurs, Rue des Grands Carmes 18, 1000 Brussels.
Non-members welcome. A charge of €3 will be made to cover the cost of the room. Drinks available from the bar.
Charlotte Brontë's years at the Pensionnat Heger in Brussels studying French under the guidance of Monsieur Heger were two of the most important of her life.
On her return to Haworth, obsessed by the memory of her Belgian teacher, she wrote him a series of increasingly desperate letters, four of which are now preserved in the British Museum. It is nothing short of a miracle that the letters have survived at all. They were torn into small pieces, repaired with needle and thread and then left forgotten in a drawer until 1913.
What was the exact nature of Charlotte's feelings for Heger? What were Mme Heger's precise motives in repairing the letters? Derek Blyth will share his thoughts with us on some of the questions that have intrigued generations of Brontë enthusiasts.
Derek Blyth, who is based in Brussels, is well known for his many books and articles on Belgium. He has been fascinated by Charlotte and Emily's stay in Brussels since re-reading Villette shortly after moving to the city.
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