Emily Brontë - The Strange One - Biographical Documentary

Emily Brontë is the least well known of the Brontë sisters. She died at the age of 30, having published one major work - Wuthering Heights - a strange, rambling gothic masterpiece that puzzled and dismayed critics at the time, who were troubled by its moral ambiguity.
Like her novel, Emily was also regarded as strange - solitary, uncompromising, uninterested in small talk or social conventions and either painfully shy or bluntly antisocial.
In this video I draw upon my 30 years' experience in psychiatry to explore the life and inner world of Emily Brontë trying to work out whether her strangeness was just the eccentricity of creative genius or something else - an autistic spectrum disorder perhaps.
Discovering more for yourself
There is a huge amount of information on the Brontës but less on the elusive Emily. Many of the biographies about her are out of print, but Romer Wilson’s Life and Private History of Emily is well worth a read. I really enjoyed the recent fictionalised biopic Emily and the rather more authentic To Walk Invisible. All are available through my Amazon Store. www.amazon.com/shop/professor...
Copyright Disclaimer
The primary purpose of this video is educational. I have tried to use material in the public domain or with Creative Commons Non-attribution licences wherever possible. Where attribution is required, I have listed this below. I believe that any copyright material used falls under the remit of Fair Use, but if any content owners would like to dispute this, I will not hesitate to immediately remove that content. It is not my intention to infringe on content ownership in any way. If you happen to find your art or images in the video, please let me know and I will be glad to credit you.
References
Fuentenebro de Diego, F., and Valiente Ots, C. (2014). Nostalgia: a conceptual history. History of Psychiatry, 25(4), 404-411.
Giordano, G. (2020). The contribution of Freud’s theories to the literary analysis of two Victorian novels: Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre. International Journal of English and Literature, 11(2), 29-34.
Girçek, N. (2010) Narcissistic Personality Disorders in the Nineteenth-Century English Novel. Istanbul University Thesis. MA Thesis, Dalhousie University
Hasan, G. (2018). Defence Mechanism of the Main Characters In “Wuthering Heights” By Emily Brontë: Psychological Approach. Holistics, 10(20).
Hirtle, K. (2011). Uncanny or Marvelous?: The Fantastic and Somatoform Disorders in Wuthering Heights and Villette.
Hope, E. (1886) Queens of Literature of the Victorian Era. Walter Scott, London.
Kanner, L. (1943) Autistic disturbances of affective contact. Nervous Child, 2(3), 217-250.
Levy, E. P. (1996). The Psychology of Loneliness in" Wuthering Heights". Studies in the Novel, 28(2), 158-177.
Stoneman, P. (1992). Feminist criticism of "Wuthering Heights". Critical Survey, 147-153.
Images
Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
Wellcome Foundation
British Library
The Brontë Museum
The Brussels Brontë Group
Brontë.org.uk
Other images and video samples Fair Use
Music via Wikimedia Commons
Decline by Kevin MacLeod CC4.0
Argonne by Zachariah Hickman CC0
No.4 Piano Journey Esther Abrami CC0
Video produced by Graeme Yorston and Ewelina De Leon

[@professorgraemeyorston]

There is a huge amount of information on the Brontës but less on the elusive Emily. Many of the biographies about her are out of print, but Romer Wilson’s Life and Private History of Emily is well worth a read. You can find it here ➡amzn.to/3KFpZJq

[@clivematthew-wilson7918]

A nice analysis, but Emily's condition could just as easily be explained as a simple and natural reaction to trauma. For example, young children who suddenly lose a mother at an early age frequently experience a profound, often life-changing sense of abandonment and rejection, which they then project out onto others in a similar fashion. That is, they reject and abandon others; it's too painful to form close bonds. Loneliness and isolation remain deeply painful for them but offer the consolation of safety. Trauma victims also usually carry a volcano of suppressed rage and may often lash out at loved ones, even though they may generally hide their rage behind a protective shell. To me, this sounds pretty close to the descriptions of Emily Bronté.

[@janesgems7]

@@clivematthew-wilson7918 What is interesting is the last sentences of your comment could also describe Heathcliff...it's stressed that he never cried whenever he was beaten and abused; instead he channelled it into rage. He dealt with his pain by turning it into hate, with disastrous consequences.

[@urbandiscount]

That's simply not true. There's lots of information on Emily. That scholarly texts are out of print means nothing.

[@monsieurbono]

Having read her novel a few times, I can't imagine that Emily Bronte had autism. Maybe because her sister was so dynamic and outgoing it was natural for her to imitate the things she liked about her sisters and brother and to accentuate the things that got her through life. You can't have a household of people all with extroverts, I mean you can, but it would be insanity. Someone had to do chores and not guilt people through the tasks they refused to do. I would guess she was just kinder and less confrontational from realizing it was going to be better than making waves and might even be why she was continually homesick because being around people could be confrontational and she lacked the skills to lie and coerce, and just liked living life. I have met some people with ASD who are very extroverted but lack the skill to communicate with anyone outside a personal relationship. It is all show and lacking substance. It doesn't mean they are bad people, just good people with really different intentions. It might be the way she was raised having lost her mother so young, at 3, many of the childhood freedom may have fell on her and the sisters and brother to do chores to make up for it. My opinion anyway.

[@geofffriend4161]

I think it unwise to project the 'understanding' of psychology onto anyone. Emily had a deep humanity which is expressed in her writing and an appreciation of the rigours of her time.

[@pennydreadful5217]

I do not think she is the least well known of the Bronte sisters, I think Anne is. Emily's book is in my opinion the greatest Bronte novel

[@professorgraemeyorston]

The point I was trying to make was that she is the hardest to know in terms of her personality as there are fewer diary entries and less correspondence to illuminate her thoughts outside her writing.

[@pennydreadful5217]

@@professorgraemeyorston that is true. I wish they would find more information or find some treasures to reveal this. It's such a shame Charlotte (or her husband?) destroyed much of the correspondence

[@machanrahan1074]

I agree.

[@Claytone-Records]

@@pennydreadful5217 Do we know they destroyed her correspondence? What a dreadful thing to have done. 😬 I apologize for that but it was the word that sprang to mind. I truly wish there was more information about her available.

[@keithjones9546]

Wuthering Heights is a tour de force of imagination and literary expression.

[@julieolson1402]

As a severely abused young child, I could relate to "Wuthering Heights" very well. It was always presented as a love story, but the novel was much more about hate. A hate so large and consuming as to not be of this world. Yet, Heathcliff survives it. He survives, but he doesn't live. I think some people are much more aware of the the spiritual realities of existence than others, and it makes them open to labels of mental illness.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thanks for sharing.

[@Maggie1952]

❤❤❤I hope you are well now.

[@JelMain]

Not so now. In dealing with my own trauma, I've analysed the therapies and found a common factor: none approach the IAS directly, all drop the subject into cognitive suppression, and that frees a subconscious system akin to Levine's shake-it-out. The system picks up on a trigger in the mind's eye, finds it in the amygdala, and drains it. The subject still triggers, but the reflex response doesn't happen. In fact, I've taken it further, and healed the reulting headache with reiki, flooding the voud with agape feel-good, so now I get reassurance back! Discussing it on Linked-In made me realise the classical sub-taxonomy of perception was missing the perception of the intangible, which I've called transception out of respect for Abraham Maslow's work in the transpersonal, at the pinnacle of his pyramid of aspiration. Stretching primarily from the empathic through Third Sector Medicine to the numinous, it gained the plaudits of Bruce Duncan Perry, and the more I look at it, psychiatry lives in that field too. Note, though, that this is different from religious mania.

[@pheart2381]

I think Heathcliff's son is the real villain of the novel. Heathcliff turns out bad mainly because he is treated badly. His son has been spoilt and cosseted but is full of hatred even for his cousin,Cathy's daughter.

[@janesgems7]

Blessings to you, you are very brave.

[@BigDog366]

Listening to this as a 60-something woman without a single friend, but with almost two dozen published novels set in a world rich with life and love and intense friendship, I think you've got Emily Bronte spot on. I wrote my thesis on her in university, so she's always been a favourite of mine. Even as a child, my inner life was richer than my real one. Real people always seem to disappoint me. My characters never do.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you.

[@johncarroll772]

Would like to read one of your novels, could you please name one.

[@lee_rayyy58]

What is the name of your novel?

[@angieangiel2666]

I'm 48 and I don't have friends. I do have two online friends. I don't get on well with other people especially people around my age. So I just keep to myself.

[@Dhruv_Dogra]

@@angieangiel2666 Same here. Can we have a conversation?

[@martahernandez9784]

Emily understood people better than the average person. Her portrayal of the tortured characters in Wuthering Heights is brilliant. Only a highly sensitive and observant person of the human condition could write as analytically as she did with an abundance of depth and melancholy.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Current thinking on autism is that it is not a unitary phenomenon, but a combination of strengths and weaknesses that are unique to the individual but different to the average of the neurotypical population. I agree with your analysis of Emily, but that is not incompatible with autism as it is now conceptualised.

[@bmr4566]

​@@professorgraemeyorston You are pathetically transparent.

[@starrfaithfull6934]

​@@wlj344 Once a man like this gets snagged in the net of "autism for the masses," he is lost. He'll always be right in his own mind.

[@patriciamccormick9321]

Today a person who lives a lifestyle outside the current norms if letting it all hang out and the shameless sharing of every boring idea and grievance on social media is now labeled autistic. It’s damn annoying.

[@NullHand]

​@@patriciamccormick9321 That is the nature of a "Spectrum disease". The vagueness of diagnosis will snowball symptoms until, gradually, 50% of the population will be found to suffer from it. The only psychological "disease" you can in remotely good scientific faith ascribe to 50% of the population is "neurotypical". This has all happened before....

[@ronilev33]

As a lifelong Bronte enthusiast I think this interpretation of Emily makes a lot of sense and in no way detracts from the greatness of her achievement.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, that means a lot coming from a true enthusiast.

[@urbandiscount]

@@professorgraemeyorston EB is primarily a poet, and WH is a poetic novel. A shame that this video is so biography driven, without looking at the work much.

[@phillipstroll7385]

She was smart, Witty, and didn't suffer fools lightly; therefore, she must have been diseased or mentally dysfunctional.. gtfoh

[@patriciamccormick9321]

Emily was a quiet, kind woman and you label her as having autism because you can’t imagine being satisfied living her life. The patriarchy is real. 😂

[@Templeborough]

People are right to say Emily was primarily a poet. Although not in verse the last couple of sentences of Wuthering Heights are some of the finest poetry in the English language

[@janesgems7]

Emily wrote a book that was way ahead of its time, dealing with such topics as racism, the brutality of the class system and also how a lifetime of abuse can damage a person...to say nothing of the destructive power of hate and revenge. Incredible piece of work.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

She did indeed and that is why it is still relevant and people are still reading it.

[@tymanung6382]

Although,, friend + fellow + famous novelist Elizabeth Gaskell also wrote about England s class conflicts..

[@tymanung6382]

And, of course sister Charlotte's Shirley parallel to Charlotte's friend' s Elizabeth Gaskell' s North + South.

[@melenatorr]

Almost immediately, I would say that Anne is far less well-known and read than Emily. In fact, until fairly recently, Anne was almost an afterthought of the three sisters, her writing under-appreciated; her character misunderstood as weak; her style disregarded as stilted and pale compared to her sisters'. Maria and Elizabeth Bronte first attended Crofton school, but it was too expensive, which was why they were registered at Cowan Bridge in 1824. Charlotte and Emily both joined two months later, not years. All four were at the school for less than a year. Also, I should say that Aunt Branwell had paid several long visits to the family helping out with the growing number of children and that she was at Haworth when her sister died. She stayed on at Haworth for the rest of her life, and if she complained about the weather, she was also a conscientious guardian for her sister's children. Her reputation has suffered. No one is perfect, but the unwholesomeness of her religious outlook has been greatly exaggerated and we should remember that she financed Charlotte and Emily's education in Brussels. I would add, in addition, that "Wuthering Heights" is not a rambling novel, but is very carefully structured in what's been called "Chinese Box" fashion: we approach the story and characters through a double veil of narration given to us by Nelly and Lockwood. We never meet Heathcliff or Cathy on their own terms but always through the words and perspective of people not equipped to understand them. For me, this is an invitation and a challenge from Emily to her readers.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you for that, what do you think of the idea that she might have had an autistic spectrum disorder?

[@melenatorr]

@@professorgraemeyorston I think it's a possibility, but that we really need to be cautious: not long ago, it was popular to assign eating disorders like anorexia to Emily, which I also thought interesting but not necessarily applicable. When Emily knew and liked the people she was with, there seemed to have been considerably less restraint: Ellen Nussey wrote about a visit to Haworth where Emily joined in, tossed herself on the ground to play with tadpoles and talk about her ideas of nature. Charlotte's other close friend, Mary Taylor, mentioned a scene in the Haworth sitting room, with Emily on the rug with her dog. The talk was of religion. Mary stated that her religion was her business and Emily chimed in: "That's right". She also seemed to enjoy and take part in various shenanigans with William Weightman, who labelled her "the Major" (if anyone had feelings toward Weightman, it was Charlotte. And if Weightman had feelings toward any of the sisters, according to a letter from Charlotte, that sister was Anne). All three sisters had degrees of severe shyness: There's evidence that Anne had a stutter or some sort of mild speech impediment: Charlotte wrote about her Anne going off on her first governessing job and that "it's only the talking part" that she was afraid of for Anne. It's a very vague comment, but Anne may have had a hesitation in her speech when with new people. Emily just may have been naturally introverted, with environment and developing personality deepening this introversion. There was a definite nonconformist streak, but this could have come from an eccentric father who encouraged creativity and debate (he also taught Emily to shoot, which she seemed to have liked). I feel this is different than being on a spectrum for autism.

[@rosemaryfranzese317]

I wouldn’t say the Emily is the least well known sister, Anne is far less well known. Having lost their mother at a young age had an effect on all the Brontë children. Emily particularly had an unusual personality, that often goes hand in hand with extreme talent. Emily certainly understood people. Wuthering Heights is often considered to be a romance novel but frankly it’s not. Heathcliff and Cathy are vile people and there are few totally sympathetic characters but these characters feel real. Emily may just have been a unique personality

[@grandmasinpajamas6619]

Thank you! I am going to accept the challenge!

[@melenatorr]

@@grandmasinpajamas6619 It's a good one!

I think that she was sensitive from the beginning, and going to such harsh and abusive places as those schools made her retreat. It's possible that not only weakened her health (as it happened with the other sisters) but also broke her emotionally. Bullying and abuse can leave deep incurable scars and in a world where this is not recognised as an issue... well, the chances to heal are close to none. Plus they were very isolated, so all she knew was either horrible schools or her home. I don't think she was in the spectrum and this was inevitable. She could have been different if circumstances have been different. Still shy & gentle, but possibly more sociable and easy.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Yes that is a possibility.

[@J-sv9dp]

I think the same thing could be said for many diagnosed autistics. Problems arise when there is a mismatch between an individual and his/her environment. This line of thought is what we call the social model of disability as opposed to the medical model.

[@patriciawilk4046]

I think you're absolutely correct that she wasn't autistic. The harshness of that time period did make many people, especially women, on the shy side and not able to interact with others easily. Many creative individuals are reserved, not the partying type but that doesn't mean they have a problem either. Reserved individuals are often thought to have a problem, but it's the more gabby ones that don't have the insight or discernment or understanding. Society today demands that we must tell our every thought and feeling. It's the smart ones who don't succumb to this psychological trait. Too many children are misdiagnosed with autism and ADD or ADHD. I wish people would stop trying to diagnose others and keep their opinions to themselves. This man should have kept quiet and not interjected his opinion into Emily's character and psychology with disease.

[@Kim-waters-edge1959]

hi. your description of Emily was so uncanny. you could have been describing me! I am 64 yr old female and just been diagnosed with ASD. I can totally relate. Can do a great job if left alone to quietly do it but don’t ask what I did at the weekend…. or to go out socialising. Also home sickness for me was/is real thing even starting primary school I was 4 1/2 and the school told my mother to take me home until I was 5 as the crying and wanting to go home disrupted the class too much. Home is a safe place. I have no friends , loathe any visitors coming unannounced to my home and to this day prefer animals and the elements to people. Having masked all my life to fit in I take my hat off to Emily Brontë for living her authentic self when allowed to. great video. thank you for sharing. regards.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@gloriarangott8803]

I understand completely...a fellow "soul"

[@Realalma]

⁠@@gloriarangott8803same. I knew within the first 30 seconds that she had my condition. Hugs ❤

[@wisecoconut5]

Growing up I didn't willingly mask. Instead I was bullied by my family to conform. Yet, I am as I am and I still don't mask well. In any case I also instantly recognized Emily's behavior. Isn't interesting how common attitudes towords women both supported her natural self and, at times, made it more difficult for her?

[@dbcooper7326]

You describe my daughter perfectly. She has been recently diagnosed.

[@devikakaul1494]

Emily Bronte is my favourite writer. I think one of the reasons I loved Wuthering heights was because the sheer wild nature of her characters made me realise that I understood her. I always regarded her characters as a correct description of my spirit and soul. It is interesting to know that Emily Bronte had a shy nature and social anxiety. I have the same inability to mix with people. I prefer Nature and my animals to human company.

[@gulandamfarhat5920]

I am so fascinated with Emily's character. She was so truly unique. Her only novel "The Wuthering Hieghts" is my huge favourite. Her life history saddens me so much and I cannot help wondering and thinking what a flowering and flourishing genius she might have proven to be had she been allowed to live a full life. My heart goes out to the Bronte sisters and Emily is my favourite among them. She was truly a one of a kind. May she always rest in peace. If I ever pay a visit to the UK, I would love to visit the Bronte museum.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

The Bronte museum is a great place to visit and you really get a sense of where she lived if you go for a walk on the moors.

[@marthacochrane484]

@@professorgraemeyorston I did that very walk with a Univercity group, and as we got further into the moors it began to snow...............it was Emilies last walk........seeing her tiny shoes and dresses I pictured her.

[@janesgems7]

I visited West Yorkshire and the Museum for the first time last year...and I have been several times since; nice thing about the museum is the ticket you buy lasts for a year so you can visit as often as you like. Both are very well worth seeing....the moors are an experience, I can tell you now, once you have walked them you are besotted.

[@cinemaocd1752]

@@professorgraemeyorston I finally got a chance to go about 10 years ago, after decades of wanting to go. The parsonage looks big on the outside but when you go in, the rooms are so small. You get a sense of how little privacy there must have been as well as the gloom from the fact that you can see the church graveyard from every room in the front of the house.

[@janetlist1747]

​@@professorgraemeyorston When I visited the museum, it started snowing. So atmosphere...

[@maxalberts2003]

A close reading of WUTHERING HEIGHTS reveals what modern psychologists would describe as a "chaotic and enmeshed" family system. The brilliant novel could almost read as a therapist's notes about a dysfunctional clan, each member with his or her own emotionally paralyzed stake in the game, with no one willing to let go and bring the facade down around everyone's ears.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thanks Max

[@pphedup]

Emeshed- that's it exactly.

[@MJ-tg7wv]

Interesting that I should stumble upon this, just as I am rereading this novel. I read it in my teens and enjoyed, a dramatic and well written novel. Reading it now, in my sixties, and I am struck by its brutality, and graphic descriptions of cruelty and its impact. Amazingly perceptive.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

And very unusual for the time.

[@pennydreadful5217]

I agree. On re-reading it I was struck by how awful and selfish both Heathcliff and Catherine were, anti heroes

[@MJ-tg7wv]

@@professorgraemeyorston Agree. Certainly a different style - Just finished and redeemed with a "happy ending" - and the parallel love story to show that redemption of both was possible. I was lucky to have a very good English teacher at school - he introduced us to Graham Greene and Dickens - and left a long lasting love of good novels. Once, when I looked over my english school notes, I realised that he was giving insights over and above what was required for our O level course. Guess it would not be allowed in this day and age when school inspections are so rigid! I am forever indebted to him. Thanks for your channel. very interesting

[@urbandiscount]

@@pennydreadful5217 They have their roots in the juvenilia.

[@TheSuperHarrygeorge]

I too am re reading Wuthering Heights. I have an ancient copy of the book which adds to the feel of the story.

[@gretchenzwicker338]

Very interesting..in my experience, people who are true artists, are different..how could she write a book like Wuthering Heights and not know relationships or understand them? She was a blessed soul. Truly gifted. It was such a different world then, a time when life was hard but simple..sensitivity and imagination were more acute..I’m glad I found your Channel😊

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you Gretchen, it only makes sense if you break down each symptom and consider it on a spectrum of severity. It is not that she had no ability to understand relationships but that she difficulties in this area. This difficulty is often very obvious in men on the spectrum, but much less so in women.

[@pyewackett5]

​@@professorgraemeyorston Hegers impression of Emily

[@ZadenZane]

I think she knew bad behaviour, and there's a lot of it in her book, because her brother was a raging alcoholic drug addict who couldn't hold down a job. I can imagine he was at the centre of quite a few interesting scenes at the parsonage. And remember when the Brontës split into pairs, Emily paired up with her brother. I'm guessing she understood him best even though she wasn't "like" him. That's my theory anyhow.

[@pyewackett5]

@@ZadenZane It was Charlotte who paired up with Branwell to write about Angria. Emily & Anne about Gondal.

[@ZadenZane]

@@pyewackett5 was it? Oh that's a shame. But I can understand why it was called Angria if Branwell was involved. Maybe he thought up that name when he'd run out of cooking sherry and laudanum. And was feeling very angry!!!

[@sashadence6409]

I find it odd that a psychiatrist wouldn't have paid more attention to the fact that the Bronte sisters lost their mother so young. While this might not have had anything to do with her insularity or willfulness it surely affected the children powerfully. Plus the fact that the four younger children spent so much time alone (b/c Haworth was isolated) and hours upon hours in their fantasy worlds. While Charlotte and Anne were clearly somewhat more sociable they were hardly extroverts. Moreover, the Yorkshire temperament in general is famed for being unsociable. I think another compelling explanation for Emily's insularity is her strong ties to an unconventional set of beliefs in the spiritual world which was both based in a strong faith and also departed from a rigid adherence to religion. her novel, divided as it seems to be in two complementary parts, reads in many ways like an OT and NT version of that faith. The OT, or Heathcliff/Catherine/Hindley/Linton narrative describes I think very accurately the Paradise Lost like character of a broken love/jealousy/sibling rivalry and primitive passions of motherless children (Heathcliff's a vagrant child). The New Testament version with the next generation of Hareton and the young Cathy describes the power of forgiveness to undo much of that harm. Given the family's rootedness in their faith, Emily's strong understanding of what it actually means rather than the conventional pious sermons of the time is compelling and is psychologically arresting even for people who have no religious background but perhaps intuitively understand both Biblical truth and human nature. Her novel reads like a greek tragedy. It posesses that kind of primal awareness of what it is to be human and the more-than-human. For me, to splice her into the big blue book is kind of reductive. Seems to me psychologists/psychiatrists these days are more into fitting people into these diagnoses than they are into the power of the unconscious but I guess this is understandable given that since there are serious disorders that if diagnosed, can, to some degree anyway, be treated. By any measure, as Charlotte wrote, "stronger than a man, simpler than a child, her nature stood alone." I think she understood her best.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Of course losing her mother would have affected her, but her sisters also lost their mother - so it wouldn't really explain why she was more unconventional than them. And as for her unusual religious ideas - where did they come from?

[@sashadence6409]

@@professorgraemeyorston Certainly Emily was more unconventional than her sister Ann -- although Charlotte was also, in a different way, arguably stepping to the beat of her own drummer. I meant by the death of her mother that it could've affected Emily's emotional balance and, in her case, exacerbated her extreme introversion. Her religious ideas were both unusual and not. What I was suggesting in WH was its division into what could roughly be considered the 'old testament' and the new. The first part can be seen to be about 'the fall' and it's fallout (no pun meant) and the second part (which is rarely focused on b/c it's less exciting) concerns how forgiveness redeems the 'sins' of previous generations. It's a typical Christian theme but expressed by Emily in original, dramatic form. The children could hardly avoid being steeped in religion (or death) which likely also blended with their honed imaginations, but I think in Emily's case her powerful intuition made it take a distinctive and innovative turn. I'm not sure if unusual depictions or interpretations of religious subjects is evidence for autism -- just thinking and not quite sure, that's all.

[@fedcard]

When her mother died, Anne was too young, so she wouldn't have many memories of her mother, if any. Emily was 3 years old. Anne grew up without her mother, so the lack of her would not be a great trauma, considering that at that time the death of young people was more common and living conditions precarious. Probably the death of their sisters Maria and Elizabeth caused more impact on sisters Anne and Emily. The sister who must have suffered the most was Charlotte, since by her age, she remembered both her mother and all of her sisters. And she was the one who had a more fulfilled life, although her personality was also withdrawn. Anne and Emily, even as adults, continued to play make-believe worlds and tell each other stories. Something very unusual, especially in a time when people had a shorter childhood. Emily was a child all her life, as she couldn't fit into an adult world. She was a very good observer of the people around her, she knew their life and everything they did, but she rarely spoke to them. However, she felt a strong connection to nature and animals. These characteristics are very common in people with some degree of autism, because they have problems interacting, they observe people very well to try to understand them, but they still have problems making relationships. This substitution of a real world for an imaginary one, taking refuge in oneself or with nature, in an attempt to compensate for the lack of relationships (in the subconscious), and continuing to do children's things is something frequent in people with autism, just as today we see autistic adults who many times they have a tendency to like children's things, such as children's music or anime. Emily had the chance to study, travel and live abroad, but she ended up moving back to her hometown. She never left her own world, the only thing she did when she returned to her town was externalize what was going on in her mind. It is also interesting to mention that she seemed to suffer from sudden attacks of violence and aggression, like when she hit her dog, but she immediately tried to heal him and always took care of him as if she had regretted what she did. This can be considered within what is now known as a meltdown, an attack of anger or frustration that is externalized, which is not done maliciously, but can seriously affect the reputation of the person who suffers it, who can later feel deeply sorry. Charlotte, who wrote a lot about her sister, said that she was a person with a good heart and intentions, despite her attacks. In addition, she never had a boyfriend, there is no evidence that she was with someone in her entire life, that she was in love or interested in someone. So yes, Emily's characteristics match that of some autistic people. Anne, her sister, also seemed to have some characteristics.

[@urbandiscount]

@@professorgraemeyorston There is this famous story about Charlotte, who became quite famous and was brought to London by her publisher on what was a kind of promotion tour. But she was painfully shy. She dined at the Thackeray's, which was no success and there is a famous description about how she was so shy that when people missed her at the dinner table she was found hiding and left early

[@janetthomas8244]

@@professorgraemeyorston We lost our mother at a young age and all 3 of us were affected differently. Are you really a psychiatrist? People react differently to the same situation.

[@cinemaocd1752]

My son has ASD and watching him go through his teen years has definitely reminded more than once of the over the top characters in Wuthering Heights. For example, Heathcliff's reaction to Cathy's death where he smashes his face into a tree stump, I've seen something like that in two contexts: extreme grief of a friend when he found out his father was dead and an autistic tantrum. My son still plays with lego figures, making elaborate worlds and stories for them, well past the age that it is considered "normal." When he gets really stressed sometimes I hear him swishing through his lego bins to calm himself. I can't help but think of Emily at 20 still playing pretend with her sister at an outing to York. If she was ASD going to York might have been very stressful/overstimulating and needing to relax and play pretend might have helped her cope...

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you for sharing.

[@ceilconstante640]

Being on the spectrum myself, I completely understand where Emily was coming from. I don't like Nicey-nice small talk. I'd definitely rather walk in nature or explore a topic of interest. We also have a lot going on in our minds to explore and definitely live in our own world. Most comfortable companionship is with family but a lot of alone quiet time is mandatory. Also, I prefer my simple way of unfussy dressing and don't care what others think. I did extremely well with a long career in massage. I understand at a more profound level what needs to be done and why. I feel very deeply and cared about doing my very best for each and every client. I'd chat and listen before a session and remained quiet during. I could sense if someone's mind was active and would apply techniques to help still their minds. People came back! I highly recommend watching a YT video of what it's like for an autistic person walking down the street vs a neurotypical person. Things most people don't even notice like a faint clock ticking can be maddening. Florescent lights exhaust me. I sense the perpetual flickering, they make noise and are to bright. Loud and abrasive people are also exhausting. I have to agree it's Neuro diversity. Everyone thinks and experiences the world differently. We're all cut out to do different types of careers.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you for those insights.

[@LS-ei7xk]

Ceil, I keep wondering if I have ASD, too. I pass all the reputable online tests, but everyone says I'm not, as I'm too expressive and "high functioning" (though I don't think so) -- and I'm too old (and broke) to go for testing. I tend to stick to myself, and cannot stand loud noises or fluorescent lights. On the other hand, I also suffer from migraine: so that would explain some of that. It's a mystery. Now, I just consider myself to be somehow neurodiverse, but it's too late to wonder over dx. *Wuthering Heights* was always my favorite novel, and I used to consider both Emily Bronte and Emily Dickinson to be soul-mates.

[@kyky8862]

I expect you probably are on the spectrum but are just very used to “masking” the more observable traits that neurotypical people tend to associate with ASD. Women and girls are far more likely to participate in these masking behaviours which in themselves can be exhausting. Diagnosis can be a helpful jumping off point to being able to understanding yourself and the how’s and whys of you thoughts, feelings and behaviours ❤

[@ceilconstante640]

@@kyky8862 hi Kyky. At this point I really don't want to do a diagnosis. There's plenty to read online. Masking has several functions. One is protection because many would be surprised on how many people will take advantage of someone when they realize you're slower, more sensitive and caring. There's all kinds of people in this world. In maturity I've learned to handle others, avoid invasive types and have inner peace.❤️

[@LS-ei7xk]

@@kyky8862Thanks. I guess this is directed towards me? I know that is a possibility. I have to much going on now (religious vocation) and too little money; but if they send me for psych eval. I will mention it. Though I'm leery of labels, too. We'll see.

[@everybodyyogastudio212]

Despite the sadness, i really love this story. This was a strong family that really loved eachother. Such a modern family too! These women lived how they wanted and seem more free then the average person was. Wow, thank you!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, yes they seemed close.

[@jimcronin2043]

When I read Wuthering Heights over 50 years ago my take on the theme was that she was isolating what she saw as the basic elements of human existence into her various characters and showing how they could not successfully exist due to lacking the elements they did not possess. I haven't touched the novel in many decades so I cannot give details or identify the exact characters and passages but I recall that I saw something in the novel that my classmates did not see.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Interesting, thanks Jim.

[@patriciamccormick9321]

I have known many women like Emily. Reserved but excellent listeners who know way more about their neighbors, acquaintances and co-workers than most of their closest friends. They have no need to share their thoughts or seek company to drown out the inner noise but are willing listeners out of kindness or interest. Only those who dislike solitude were doubtful of Charlotte’s observations because Emily’s lifestyle is not what they preferred.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I agree - her cluster of personality traits is not that unusual.

[@michelepastele5347]

Hey Professor - I would absolutely LOVE it if you could do a documenary profile on Branwell. It sounds like their lives, thanks to Branwell, were extremely difficult.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Great suggestion! His life seems more like that of a 1960s rockstar than a vicar's son.

[@michelepastele5347]

@@professorgraemeyorston When you consider the size of that bedroom where he was tethered to his father, that truly must have been hell for the father AND the sisters.

[@urbandiscount]

@@professorgraemeyorston I'd be more interested in a video on their sibling dynamics, the different pairings in their juvenilia phase, the fact that Emily nursed Branwell. Charlotte writing about Emily is not to be trusted. It is she who propagated a view of Emily you also entertain in some way.

[@spmoran4703]

I would love to know more about Bramwell.

[@laurielovett8849]

@@spmoran4703 I have read that he was exceptionally kind to his aunt Bramwell when she was dying, so there was good in him. Being the boy of the family I think too much was expected of him, and he couldn't fulfill their expectations, he seems to have had an underlying good nature , note that when his father brought him a box of toy soldiers, he allowed his sisters to grabb one each before he had time to possess them, lot many lads would have allowed that, poor lad, he had great ambition to be an artist as well, but doesn't seem to have had the talent.all the family even the odd ones seem to have got on quite well with their fathers young curate, William Wighman? he seemed such a good natured man that they could all be happy and at home with him, even Emily, he even walked miles to a nearby town to post 3 anonymous Valentine day cards to the girls, and they seemingly enjoyed getting them, pity himself and Anne didn't marry, unfortunately that scourge tuberculoses whipped him away very young. Despite Mrs Gaskells description, Mr Bronte seemed to be a very kind father, done his very best, he did object to Charlotte getting married, his fears were fulfilled when she died due to pregnancy, her husband stayed on to keep Mr Bronte company in his declining years. So sad ,the two of them alone.

[@kathrynbeattie8575]

ASD is what I was thinking about her. If you spend any time with many people or have ASD you know intelligence has nothing to do with being different. I think many see what they want. She may have been trying to understand others that made her book so interesting. Love to see people are starting to understand ASD isn't always terrible but we do need to understand every one does not experience the world the same way ❤❤.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thankyou, I am also trying to get across that people who are on the spectrum are not all the same as each other - but not everybody is getting that.

[@brendaborres7043]

Well said.

[@josefserf1926]

Severe ASD (non verbal, self harming) is absolutely ghastly. Make no mistake about that. It's a real horror show, hidden away from the world.

[@voyaristika5673]

Wuthering Heights gave me a trapped feeling. I wonder if Emily had any idea how diverse reactions would be to her book. Certainly she couldn't guess how relevant she would be 175 yrs after her death. As always, a great video that creates interest. You make for interesting comment sections.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you - I like to open up debate - rather than claiming I have all the answers.

[@ladystardust2008]

Deeply thank you for this video. I am autistic and female. I highly endorse the strong probability that Emily Bronte was on the spectrum. I am sure it's true. Not only that, but I am overjoyed by realisation. (Sounding strange to you NTs? Well we are indeed a load of strangelings over here on the ASD side. That's the point being made here really.) This video has inspired me to go and do something creative with my life. Thank you so much Proessor Yorston for having the wisdom to work it out and taking the time to share with the world so engagingly and clearly 🦉

[@nicolad8822]

What are NTs? Googled it none the wiser.

[@ladystardust2008]

@@nicolad8822 Neurotypicals

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, it makes all the hard work worthwhile. I look forward to seeing the fruits of your creativity.

[@AnnaLee33]

You don't have to be "on the spectrum" of a mental disorder, to be completely annoyed by shallow conversation, "small talk" or idle chatter. That's normal for highly intelligent people, or for highly sensitive people. Intelligence or sensitivity are not illnesses and disorders, the are SUPER POWERS. But we need to flock with birds of a feather, or we all end up frustrated and exhausted.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Of course not, but that wasn't the only issue she had.

[@scathatch]

Exactly! The inanity and shallowness of many peoples chatter is an anathema to people with a lively intelligence. For goodness sake. If autistic great! but not everybody who is brilliant, a free spirit, or crushed in some ways by the restrictive attitudes of their society's framework of reference , has to have a medical disorder.

[@sirikverndokk3564]

I totally agree with you. And besides - Emily is a great favourite of mine. I think I understand her in my own way, or certainly I identify with her longing and her strong sensitive- ness, And - I love her poems, having translated some of them into Norwegian. I see a strong and vulnerable mind and a high-spirited artist in her. 🥀🌹🌿 Siri K.

[@tammysims8716]

It is truly bizarre to me the assertions of these writers having illness, which can only be diagnosed by a physician. Is the Professor a practicing medical psychiatrist, For the life of me I do not understand why he thinks it necessary to discuss medical theories regarding the writers he discusses. He also does this on at least one other occasion. And by his response, he is antagonistic. Very off putting, therefore, I can not listen to him.

[@shannonholly155]

The "super powers" you are describing are another type of neurodivergence, be it pathological or otherwise. I don't think there's any harm in discussing and speculating what modern labels might apply to historical figures, as long as it's done with the humility of recognizing that we can never know for certain. It can help people in marginalized groups feel more represented. And realistically, many historical savants probably would, today, be diagnosed with some psychiatric or neurologic disorder. Not because there's anything "wrong" with them - there should be no morality inherently associated with any mental illnesses or developmental disorders - but because modern society is not structured in a way that would allow them to survive and thrive.

[@rockshot100]

Her handwriting alone is beautiful.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

The tiny books the sisters wrote have to be seen to be believed.

[@rockshot100]

@@professorgraemeyorston I will bet that is true. I doubt there are any men that could write so beautifully. We just don't have it. The publishers probably recognized her manuscripts as a woman's hand writing. Don't you think?

[@jessica-fcm]

This is amazing. It would be amazing if you as a psychiatrist could make a video analysis of Heathcliff's possible psychological issues because he's such a complex person, sometimes acts like a psychopath but he wasn't born evil, he was a good person who became a monster

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, I was thinking of starting a series on fictional characters, so I'll add Heathcliff to the list!

[@andiemorgan961]

Psychopaths are born that way sociopaths are socially made that way. It's viewed psychopaths can't change but sociopaths can be reformed.

[@starrfaithfull6934]

​@@wlj344 Well said! I've taught the Bronte family books for years. Let's see this man read "Wuthering Heights" and all of Emily's poems. Bet he's only seen the movies.

[@Templeborough]

I am suprised that the question is rarely raised as to why old man Earnshaw brings back a little waif and stray, Heathcliff, from the streets of Liverpool. Could he and Cathy be half-siblings, making their mutual love potentially incestuous...?

[@kdd3925]

That would be amazing

[@jesskcanada]

Very interesting. I just saw the movie Emily, having never really been particularly interested in any of the Brontë sisters. Now I am fascinated by Emily, and can't wait to read Wuthering Heights!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I hope you enjoy it - you can then decide which version of Emily seems to fit best.

[@urbandiscount]

Her poems are just as good.

[@LS-ei7xk]

@@urbandiscount Her poems are incredible. She was an overall genius; perhaps that explains her reclusivity? It's difficult to create when one is saddled with small-talk and external fol-de-rol.

[@manueladarazsdi9675]

If you choose to see the movie of Wuthering Heights, see the original with Merle Oberon and Sir Laurence Olivier.

[@evelynstenberg]

Amazing video. I see a lot of myself in Emily. She'll live on in our memories and be an inspiration to me and others.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, it is my hope that hearing about people who have struggled with their mental health yet still done amazing things will inspire others.

[@Jay-Leigh]

Gosh! I stumbled upon your channel and I’m thrilled I did. I’ve subscribed and look forward to watching other videos. This was a particular favourite as I love all things “Bronte”. Absolutely fascinating to think Emily may have been on the spectrum. Thank you so much. I really enjoyed this.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying them.

[@judithincalgary]

Fascinating analysis! It's so intrigued me that I am going to read Wuthering Heights again with your thoughts on her in mind! Thank you!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, I'm glad it has inspired you to read it again. Let me know your thoughts.

[@missmerrily4830]

This isn't the woman I've 'met' at the Bronte parsonage on my visits. I always thought that the museum was intended to portray an accurate representation of the Brontes! Pardon Emily for being difficult and different then! I really dislike the current fashion for diagnosing everyone with one disorder or another and I think it's probably a rather dangerous thing to try to diagnose someone who has been dead for over 150 years. Particularly when there is apparently so little written about her. Would anyone be diagnosed nowadays with so little information to go on?

[@professorgraemeyorston]

You're quite right, I can only raise the possibility in order to stimulate discussion and perhaps to challenge some of the misconceptions about autistic spectrum disorders. But is your impression from visiting the museum any more or less true than anyone else's?

[@mariamarchese8405]

I'll never be Emily Brontë, but I had a "eureka" moment when you said Emily might've had difficulties understanding people, hence her unique characters. I don't find her characters to be weird at all, and I don't get it when other people do. On the other hand, in my own writing I do quite the opposite and add some detail on a character which my editors would then consider trivial or redundant, to my disappointment because I would be so proud I got *that* about people! Sometimes I have a sense that I function by imitation, or at least I used to till I stopped caring. I should have gone full Brontë (without the genius part, sadly) and be myself the whole time!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Finding your own voice I guess is one of the hardest tasks for any creative.

[@CurtRowlett]

A very interesting and enjoyable discussion here about Emily, the "odd" Bronte sister. I've always felt that Emily's poetry is the best place to look when trying to understand her true nature. There is such a large degree of true passion in her poems, coupled with what appears to be a great understanding of the world she lived in. Artists such as herself have always seemed a bit odd to the rest of the world, especially those whose sensitivity seems to be so acute.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, I agree.

[@nadousha22]

Wow. I am so happy to have stumbled upon your epic channel. I am going to go binge on your videos. By the way I have a BA in English Literature and I am sooooo fascinated with literature and the English language.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, I am planning to do a whole series on poets.

[@bookmouse2719]

11:55 Well, Wuthering Heights was a really weird and depraved book, the ending creepy. You watch the movie with Sir Laurence Olivier and they changed it a lot. Isolation sickness loss of their Mother, their brother's addiction and depression might have caused a lot of this. Charlotte was a good writer and her story was really readable. There is something special about Anne's book Agnes Grey: it did have a good ending.

[@janesgems7]

The 1992 version with Ralph Fiennes is much better.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

It's very different from her sisters' writing.

[@edgregory1]

Punching her dog to bits was a shocking revelation.

[@LS-ei7xk]

@@janesgems7 Oh, I don't agree. The film with Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon was wonderful.

[@janesgems7]

@@LS-ei7xk IIt was good, but the 1992 version was far more accurate to the book.

[@colonialgal1750]

Definitely Aspergic. Having two children on the spectrum, I can see a lot of the insular and anxiety driven behaviours of Aspergers in Emily Bronte. She would have felt extremely isolated from the traditional 19th century expectations of a woman, and her superior intellect would have made conversation and conventional socialising rather difficult and painful.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, I'm glad that people who really understand ASDs can see what I saw in her life story.

[@colonialgal1750]

@@professorgraemeyorston thank you for appreciating the experience of parents to ASD children. Your video is well presented and well thought out. Thank you.

[@salsanchez2114]

Excellent analysis! Thank you!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Glad you liked it!

[@buzzardbeatniks]

As I watch this I'm reminded of this early passage from Wuthering Heights of Mr. Lockwood's interpretation of Heathcliff's character - "I know, by instinct, his reserve springs from an aversion to showy displays of feeling - manifestations of mutual kindliness. He'll love and hate equally under cover, and esteem it a species of impertinence to be loved and hated again. No, I'm running too fast: I bestow my own attributes over liberally on him."

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Interesting!

[@suebabe100]

I read everything I can find about the Brontes. What an interesting, tragic family! It's the first time I've heard Emily may have been on the spectrum. I do wonder if she may have had panic attacks while away from home. They can be incredibly debilitating. Thank you for this video!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, yes if she was on the spectrum then it is highly likely that unfamiliar situation would have made her feel uncomfortable and could have triggered panic attacks.

[@suebabe100]

@@tracesprite6078 No I haven't, thank you!! I 'll look for it :)

[@urbandiscount]

@@professorgraemeyorston She was deeply unhappy in Brussels, and Charlotte attributed her slide into illness to extreme homesickness

[@mroflynn7769]

Superb video , so well explained and delivered. The book reflects much of what she felt and sought. She expressed who she was in her writing but her personality didn't allow for such revelations. The narrow minded time she lived in and a strict father must have made her clam back into her shell even further. Tragic end to a rare talent.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you.

[@jonathaneffemey944]

Thanks for posting

[@taetoofs]

I'm an Autistic Yorkshire lass and I see so much of myself in her. Secondary school was also horrible for me and I stopped going repeatedly because I couldn't adapt or cope. I was also a precocious reader and writer and started writing poetry in childhood. The Bronte imaginary world is much like my childhood and I lived and played on those moors myself. I live in isolation and don't work, rarely leaving the house and staying in comfortable routine. My "two Emilys", Bronte and Dickinson, are so much like me. The story of the dog sounds like a meltdown. When watching To Walk Invisible, I couldn't help wondering if Autism genetics explained most of the Bronte family just as it does mine, and was the reason Branwell couldn't adapt to Victorian expectations of an adult man (my blunt Autistic father became an alcoholic and failed repeatedly at employment, my cousin failed to launch into society, my whole family is on the edge of society, strange and impoverished, with spiky developmental profiles). As it's a genetic neurotype/disorder, I can't help wondering if Patrick's precocity pulled him out of childhood poverty and landed him his scholarship and curacy. My uncle is similar.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I think you're spot on, her father sounds like he may have been on the spectrum. There is a risk however of concluding that anyone who was precocious and over-achieved was autistic... but maybe there is some truth in that.

[@harmoniabalanza]

I recently reread part of Wuthering. It IS different from other fiction of the era, and in some ways, doesn't make sense in terms of human nature. It seems more symbolic and figurative than a depiction of "normal" human nature. I think Heathcliff might be the alter ego of the author. It would make sense that she chose such a remote and forbidding setting--a mirror of her own psyche as well as where she lived.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, that makes a lot of sense.

[@chriscunningham8807]

My sentiments exactly. Heathcliff was created to exact revenge on her prodigal and no doubt spoilt brother. Catherine Earnshaw expressed the passion and volatility Emily had been conditioned to suppress. The mythical nature of the story and raw emotions tap into a primal yearning for a soul mate similar to what Plato described in "The Symposium." Absolutely superb and transgressive writing, especially given the sexually puritanical protestant preaching of the times with astounding psychic penetration as natural order clashes with restrictive social convention.

[@fedcard]

About one year ago, when I first knew about Emily and who she was, the first thing I thought was that she was on the spectrum. Another example is Emily Dickinson, with a similar way of life.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Yes, Emily Dickinson is another writer that people have suggested may have been on spectrum.

[@pyewackett5]

Spectrums / lists / labels

[@orbagency1588]

Beatrix Potter as well, a number of people believe

[@pyewackett5]

@@orbagency1588 ... Name yr 19th century author ... ;)

[@rockshot100]

The movie, "We Walk Alone" about them all was pretty good and the "making of" is just as good.

[@brendaleverick3655]

I always ADORED "Wuthering Heights". I have the movie in my video collection. She was a literary genius.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

She was indeed.

[@booktimelearning]

Thank you, Professor. Wonderful work here...

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you.

[@alisoncleeton877]

As a mother of an autistic son, the fact that she jealousy hung onto her sister's time and attention is a key marker of asd as my son does this all the time and especially if we go out of if he is stressed x

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I agree - it can be subtle but in times of stress the clinginess comes out more.

[@aryalogo6624]

no it does not mean she was autistic

[@verenamaharajah6082]

It does sound as if Emily has ASD, which may be why she could not cope with boarding school and became very depressed which we know can easily result in suicidal thoughts . When asked by the teachers and doctor about her state of health, she would of course have begged to go home, hence the diagnosis of homesickness.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Homesickness was more than what we would now call homesickness - it was a profound depression that could result in someone literally fading away and dying.

[@margaretcastell9429]

Yet Charlotte's description of boarding school in Jane Eyre is so devastating but she stayed on as a teacher (in the book) so both had a dreadful experience at a brutal school.

[@danawinsor1380]

This is an excellent and informative documentary. Thank you for shedding light on this "strange" member of a family that some might consider strange as a whole. Your discussion of the possibility that Emily might have been on the autism spectrum is particularly interesting.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you.

[@brianbanfield5397]

A fascinating documentary that was very well produced. Wuthering Heights remains the greatest book that I have ever read. ‘Strange’ may be an inadequate description of Emily. I think I could probably meet any person in the world, get to know them and, after a time, almost certainly find them strange in some way. They would also find me strange in many ways. Then again maybe the word ‘strange’ had a different meaning in the 1800s. The one characteristic of Emily that comes to my mind from your documentary is ‘intensity’. She was intensely private, intensely creative and intensely steadfast in her thoughts and actions. I tend to associate these qualities with genius. Think of people like Isaac Newton or Steve Jobs. She was definitely a literary genius. What a pity she did not live a normal life span. I would have liked to read more of her books.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

"Strange" was the word Charlotte used to describe her.

[@lindafleming3907]

Thank you for the intriguing observations about why she seemed socially awkward in unfamiliar circumstances. It's not uncommon to have reserves of decorum! I'm now wondering if some of Heathcliffe's character was derived from her very own Branwell's? Ohhh.. this book!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

The fact that people are still trying to understand and interpret it says something.

[@pamelamarabini8014]

Definitely. Heath cliff was a psychopath and is brilliantly described by Emily. She recognized the insidious manipulation they employ. A truly great book !

[@helendeacon7637]

Thank you for a thoughtful exploration of Emily Bronte. It makes a great deal of sense. There are other literary genius examples such as Emily Dickinson.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, I've just started reading about Emily Dickinson, watch this space.

[@orbagency1588]

Beatrix Potter is another one likely on the spectrum

[@Dhruv_Dogra]

Fascinating analysis. Thank you professor 🙏

[@professorgraemeyorston]

My pleasure!

[@catherine59226]

I enjoyed this very much. Thank you!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@annahanu1808]

Duh - she was an INTROVERT!! Being one myself, I understand that society then and now, views us as aloof, strange and disliking people. We just don't require much social interaction and enjoy more solitude. Extroverts just don't get it.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Maybe...but maybe it was a little bit more.

[@marymartinawogan7910]

She was a genius with a complicated family life. I don't know about her beating her dog, but she probably suffered from some trauma, certainly Bramwells drinking must have caused chaos in the family, and as well as her mother's death. Being Irish, I agree with some comments, it was a very Irish kind of family set up. Alcoholism and co dependency, trauma and need for a creative outlet. Emily Brontë was amazing, quiet or not.

[@laviniadiasqueiroz5976]

Great documentary

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thanks Lavinia.🙂

[@carollamond9482]

beautiful visuals and a compelling listen

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you.

[@allieeverett9017]

Thank you Professor...so touched by this.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

My pleasure, glad you enjoyed it.

[@abercul7698]

Emily was a listener. She would have made a superb therapist with her out of the box thinking in those times.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I don't agree

[@chriscunningham8807]

I think she observed and displayed psychic astuteness. Watching from a distance or being present yet detached as if divided by a thick pane of glass must have felt strange and uncomfortable to those who met her. She was psychologically aware of the effects of trauma, loss, injustice, deprivation and abuse on the development of character. Heathcliff was created as a Byronic alter ego to exact revenge on her degenerate spoilt brother. The dynamics are more fascinating after learning that the author appeared a quiet, reserved, detached and relatively restrained and uncommunicative person. Thanks for sharing biographical details and impressions of her life and character.

[@ChristianaBonelliSmith-mo1ox]

I remember watching the black and white movie Whethering Heights with my mother as a girl. Another movie that brought me to tears. I continued to love the movie. I am 62 years old now. Thank you for this video.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Glad it brought back some memories.

[@petersanders2815]

Thanks professor, l loved this. Absolutely adored this book when l read it as a teenager, but l didn’t know much about the writer. Must read it again. Remarkable woman to write such a masterpiece in her twenties.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you.

[@ellahopkinson]

I would agree with your suspicion of her being autistic, i myself am and have worked with many other neurodiverse people, and i can relate to a lot of her ways of being. I also really appreciate your analysis of autism, very in depth and unlike many videos- not offensive. Like anyone else, we have struggles and strengths, some more or less than others. I appreciate learning more about this amazing person, thank you for an excellent video 😊

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you.

[@melanieashman1066]

as for Emily being strange, we are all strange it's just to lesser or more degree, I don't think it matters if she was neurologically divergent or not, all books written by all members of her family were very unusual for the time period they came from. I'm surprised they ever got published, but I am very glad they did get published, as they opened doors to different authors being able to expand ideas they could not have voiced before the Brontes books were published.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

We are all unique, but we can't all be strange as this is a departure from a norm and if there is no norm then there can be no departure.

[@melanieashman1066]

@@professorgraemeyorston I disagree, as usual average is the so called normal that most of the time is just as flexible as my interpretation, so different roads to the same place.

[@foxesofautumn]

I think it matters in the way that it is encouraging to other neurologically divergent people, and others who are tempted to underestimate what autistic people can do. I am also surprised their works were published and wonder, had they used their real names and genders, if they would have been.

[@LS-ei7xk]

@@melanieashman1066 Yes, "strangeness", like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

[@melanieashman1066]

I think you misunderstand my remarks, as the Brontes have been misunderstood for generations, they were happy being who they were, but there was a lot of pressure on them at the time to fit in, all the supposed false photos of the sisters looking like models from the era is proof of the misrepresentation they were exposed too. For goodness sake, Jane Eyre is a book about an unattractive woman, and that's the whole point of the book, that being not classically pretty does not mean you are any less real and passionate and wonderful as anyone else. The whole book was trying to get people to see that but even today Jane Eyre is always played by a pretty woman, it's insulting really, and a shame that the message even now is still ignored.............

[@alexandracash8106]

Very interesting! I think you make a great case.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thanks Alexandra, glad you found it interesting.

[@rattylol]

Oh wow! I'm off to read it again with new insight. Thanks

[@maggieattenborrow6725]

Thank you for this analysis of Emily Bronte, the finest I have listened too!!! It seems to make good sense to me what you have offered as an explanation of Emily's character, and I find it invaluable to understand a little better the people she has created in her book. I have read the book quite a few time and watched (sometimes with horror ) all the Wuthering Heights films I can find. I'm more creatrive than academic, art is my passion, but I have always struggled with Cathy and Heathcliff. Even though they are both cruel to most people they are forced to live with, they find, when on the moors, their combined spirits rise above and beyond anything domestic. They found in each other a bliss, a passion, and above all a deep, deep need for each other. I don't know if I love them; I cetainly don't hate them, they are far too powerful for me to understand what I actually feel for these two fictional people. In my opinion Wuthering Heights is one of the finest books ever written, a book that no matter how many times you read it, you still search for answers. .

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I think it is that elusiveness that continues to fascinate people.

[@hallivillegas9752]

Interesting. Sort of a chicken and the egg scenario. Emily lived in an isolated village, with an absent father and older aunt, a deep religous background, the usual string of Victorian family deaths one on top of the other, a brother who was an addict, and she had little formal schooling. Her two sisters died because of going to school, that might give any child pause about the safety of being sent away to school or anywhere else. Being a curate's daughter, she would be in some ways above the rest of the villagers, and also have a certain amount of decorum expected of her. Look at how Bramwell was considered such a blot on the family name. She also had an extreme sense of responsibility, but being the oldest survivor might be the reason for that, No wonder she liked to get out on the moors and hang around with non-judgy animals, plants, and familiar servants. So which came first, the autistic traits, or the environment that fostered isolation and otherness in an already introverted nature? Wuthering Heights always read to me like a romantic teenager's idea of devoted love despite all of society's rules and regulations -a pretty consistent adolescent view of what "true" love means in any era. She liked the bad boys and thought she could understand them. That is just a brief overview of all my thoughts about the Brontes, Emily, and their writings. You could make a career of it! 😁😁

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Very interesting. People have made careers out of Bronte studies - I don't claim to know as much about Emily as the professionals, but I do know a bit about mental health!

[@Meaganttv]

I enjoyed reading your perspective very much. This video clearly misses the nuance of society during this time. Is she autistic? Or did she simply consider orderliness a virtue … like most Christians? If anything, she may have been celebrated in some circles for not entertaining petty society and focusing on self reflection. I’m sure that a disciplined mind didn’t enjoy the gossip and silliness that came from balls and other entertainment from “higher” society in this period

[@michellegomes2030]

Great video! I’m about to read her book.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Fantastic!

[@hazelthomas9789]

Really help that much about Emily Brontë and it was interesting to see how possibly she might relate to autism spectrum disorder many thanks for the video

[@professorgraemeyorston]

My pleasure.

[@marmor73]

Love the story of the sisters and their talent ❤

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thanks

[@mariemorgan7759]

I love the books of the Bronte sisters! I can understand why someone would want to live in seclusion except for a few trusted people and many pets. I read Wuthering Heights when I was a young teenager,one of my favorite books! I love the Yorkshire moors!💕🇬🇧

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Seclusion definitely seems appealing at times.

[@mariemorgan7759]

​@@professorgraemeyorston Thank you for your reply! Very informative and enjoyable content! I haven't checked your other videos yet, but can you make one on Mary Shelley and her novel Frankenstein?

[@SimonWallwork]

Emily's book may be the greatest ever written. It is horrifying, scary and unsettling- but a love story that explains 'love' in its ugly, brutal force. Everyone should read it, twice- because once is not enough.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

It is a great novel.

[@joopvandebeek]

Beautiful documentary, also for self reflection. Do I recognise some of the depicted traits in myself, and if so, am I willing to take the effort of changing for the better? Do I care? Thank you professor Yorston!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, I think understanding ourselves better can lead to us making better choices about life.

[@TheJohnnyCalifornia]

Considering the state of medicine at the time she was ill, it is likely doctors might have hastened her death. After all, earlier it was mentioned that doctors considered homesickness potentially fatal.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Medicine was pretty limited in the 1848, but doctors did have a few genuinely therapeutic remedies!

[@urbandiscount]

She hastened her own death by refusing all medical attention up until the morning of her death. And even then she tried to go about performing her duties.

[@glendapeterson1180]

A magnificent exploration of the reality of Emily's life and possible reasons for her "differences". I would love to hear more of your theories.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, there are about 80 videos so far with more coming up.

[@janemmb]

Extremely interesting 🤔. A new opening for study 😮

[@cheryljones597]

Jane Ayer & wuthering Heights were my favorites from when i was tiny with the movies and the books when i could read. Pat Benatar also did a great song about it. being irish from south boston theses where just like my people just before me, harsh cruel, cold and TB so rampid . very well done

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you.

[@akiram6609]

Kate Bush wrote and performed the song originally.

[@amberspecter]

I think the characters of Wuthering Heights are difficult to understand, by design. It's because of the structure of the novel: the central story, that of Heathcliff and Cathy, is filtered by two perspectives, that of Nelly, then that of Lockwood, so you must question the validity of every information you're given, because there is no traditional omnipresent, omniscient narrator, who's version of events is absolute. And the subjectivity and fallibility of the narrators are brought purposely to our attention, from the first page, through Lockwood's contradicting himself inside a few phrases, then through his rash judgement of Heathcliff, whom he considers a 'capital fellow'. Besides, these two narrators are characters that are much easier to understand; important to note that they are the ones whose words reach us directly. Heathcliff never gets that benefit and Cathy, only through two diary entries from her childhood, which are still recreated by Lockwood. In short, Cathy and Heathcliff appear to be these greater than life ghosts, forces of nature, vampires or whatever else, because they are presented to us by two proper victorians who can't begin to understand the yearning for freedom that two unconventional individuals might feel. I can't speak from a psychologist's perspective, but, from where I stand, the autism diagnosis seems most unlikely, because she seemed to understand society and people so well

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Women with autism have a different cluster of difficulties than men.

[@urbandiscount]

This, the validity of information, is a central theme of the novel. Lockwood as a narrator is both important for the reader to keep track of the nested structure of the novel (they're all stories in stories in stories, like an onion) but also to screw with the reader's perception. We have a primary source of material, Cathy as a child, we have Heathcliff as a primary source, Nelly's eyewitness account and Lockwood's own narration. The big myth is that the Brontës led this isolated existence. But they had access to the lates magazines, went to concerts, Charlotte and Emily went to Brussels etc,. Emily went to see Liszt in concert twice! Again, much of WH is "Gondalesque" in character and is clearly foreshadowed in the juvenilia. Most of the poetry is a reworking of Gondal poems.

[@adrianasantiago3832]

unfortunately we could not continue enjoying more works by this great writer.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I wonder how she would have developed if she had lived another 50 years.

[@urbandiscount]

@@professorgraemeyorston There are strong indications that there was substantial material for a second novel.

[@alexrunggeary6038]

Very well explained on the spectrum of the work of human brain that reflects in behaviour leads to best work of Emily Bronte

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you.

[@muzwot9603]

For me, there was literally nothing difficult to fathom about any of the characters in Wuthering Heights.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

The comments about the characters' fathomability come from literary analysts - I guess it is to do with the multiplicity of possible interpretations.

[@brigidspencer5123]

Emily reminds me of some of my past autistic students who were also found to be gifted. Her rigidity, distress with change and only having a small circle of people that she felt comfortable with certainly sounds like she was on the spectrum. As for tuberculosis I have an aunt that passed away in her 20s from tuberculosis long before I was born. My parents and grandparents believed that it was more likely to happen if you didn’t eat enough or were thin.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, glad you agree. Tuberculosis is commoner in poor undernourished populations as is just about every other illness - it also makes you thin and wasted.

[@brendawilliams7836]

Wuthering Heights has always been my favorite novel. I have read the book written by different authors several times. I have also watched the different movies several times.

[@lilymarie4030]

"Read the book written by different authors" ?? The book has only one author.

[@brendawilliams7836]

@@lilymarie4030 The original book was written by Emily Bronte but since then different authors have written their version of the book as well. None near as good as Emily Bronte.

[@lilymarie4030]

@@brendawilliams7836 I've never heard of someone rewriting a classic novel. Why would anyone do such a ridiculous thing?

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I have heard of summarised editions, but never a complete rewrite.

[@Dame21]

Acording to my husbands grandma, who's mother was a child in Haworth at this time, Emily was droll and aloof. Branwell was the more social one.

[@IreneJah]

Yes, Branwell was very sociable and very loquacious according to the literature I read about him. All brothers and sisters are different to one another in families, have their own personalities etc, so it was with the Brontes. Charlotte and Anne were different from Emily and their characters could be studied individually. I don't think any of the sisters or the brother had really happy fulfilled lives. Losing their mother and then their aunt when they were at an early age would have first affected any one of them for a start.

[@TMGold60]

Thanks for providing us with all the revelations, your thoughts, theories, and expertise. So interesting, especially with the new film about Emily expected, and as I suspected may be based on some untruths or that she would be romanticized on screen; so to know the critical basics before and not believe anything not proven, I can, at least enjoy the film and know what may be true rather than not. Thank you, the Bronte's are genius and we can only imagine the hardships they went through and not surprising how anyone living in those times could not be affected whether by disease, family losses, sexual equality, extreme piousness, poverty, bad nutrition, and mental health - such hard times but still, look what they gave us. 🙏

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, that's exactly what I'm trying to do with the channel - provide some medical and mental health contexts so people can make their own decisions. I loved the film and I left thinking I wish it had been true and that she had her romance, but sadly I think she probably didn't.

[@TMGold60]

@@professorgraemeyorston Will definitely look forward to other Doc's from you. I really dislike it when they produce films and they either do not follow the book or if, about a person they add romance or untruths, they are basically messing with history and will give the person a false image. My own opinion on Emily is that anyone who could produce such a book as Wuthering Heights had her wild romance with the moors, and in her own imagination, if she didn't have a chance of love, the mind as you know can invent and create anything that we desire especially artists in any creative field, so, I like to think she had intimacy and passion just by writing the novel. She created a beast of a book, love it.

[@eclectic2052]

Why in society one has to conform to prevelant norms. Her creativity , may have been to what she was and how she wanted to live her brief life. Enjoyed l listening to you

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Being eclectic is much more accepted now, society was much more conformist in the 19th century.

[@hippiechick2112]

What an interesting theory! As a mother of an autistic son myself, it makes sense. Even in the last stages of her life this shows. Thank you!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, glad you found it interesting.

[@juliej5917]

This was truly a fascinating observation of Emily’s peculiarities, and the older I get the more I understand her. 🎉

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you.

[@richardlewis1006]

I often think how her father Patrick rose up from such austere roots to get to university and such a high position. What kind of mind could absorb and assimilate reading and writing as an autodidact and progress like he did. He would also eat separately from them. As a teenager I was painfully shy and went through a period of selective mutism. I felt intense pain around social events and obsessed over words in poetry and novel attempts. My two teenage daughters are also going through a similar experience now, and their mothers has recently been diagnosed autistic. Wuthering Heights and her incredible metric onomatopoeic poetry hit me like a lightning bolt at 16-17. I have never fully assimilated how WH struck me and changed me. I have gone through life not realising how many autistic traits I have, and my obsession with WH and Emily Bronte, coupled with your allusions in this video are a very helpful clue as to why it speaks to me. Many people have said I should get tested for autism, so now I think I should, if for no one else, but to help my daughters understand their place and challenges in the world. If both their mother and father have ASD, then it might help them cope later in their lives. Thank you for your insights.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you Richard, I'm glad it has helped you consider your own idiosyncrasies. It is one of the main reasons for starting the channel.

[@margaretwalker8219]

I'm a Special Education teacher. I almost agree that Emily was autistic. My 'not quite' refers to the beautiful way in which Emily allows Catherine and Hareton to fall in love and brings Wuthering Heights to its peaceful close, because it seems to me that she experiences such an empathy for the characters. Empathy being in short supply with autism, I wonder is it possible that Emily was Catherine herself and therefore knew how she was feeling?

[@professorgraemeyorston]

You may be right, but autism is a wide spectrum with different core characteristics within it, empathy being one of the, it is possible that she had particular difficulties with her ability to socialise but still had an understanding of other's people's feelings.

[@margaretwalker8219]

@@professorgraemeyorston Yes, I think that she must have had an understanding of my feelings! I adore the ending.

[@hey_niki_]

I think you need to upgrade your qualifications. Autistic people often have an excess of empathy rather than a lack.

[@hey_niki_]

@@wlj344 why are you equating autism with a lack of love? Such terrible misinformation. I suggest you do more research before armchair diagnosing or misdiagnosing.

[@LS-ei7xk]

@@professorgraemeyorston I have read from various ppl on the spectrum that it's untrue that empathy is lacking within them. This may be an objective (stereotypical?) perception, but obviously, not a subjective one.

[@nancyhope2205]

Thank you for an interesting discussion.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@marilynwarbis7224]

The character of Emily, as described, is very different on the surface, from my own. Yet inwardly, I absolutely resonate with her need for inner solitude in order to be in contact with the spirit of life itself. Within this continuous contact, small-talk is of no interest, nor are the pettinesses and fussinesses of those who don't engage deeply with life. I would very much like to see her horoscope chart.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I'm afraid I would not - my view on horoscopes is that there are better ways to spend your time.

[@elizaveta4922]

The issue with autism is NOT intellect they belong outside in the world being mainstream not in special ed classes. If only we the world and educators would invest and see this brilliant community of tech genius as for most they're ability for research and hyper focus is a gift.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I partly agree, but you are talking about one end of the spectrum, some people with autism are so profoundly affected they cannot cope with mainstream education.

[@elizaveta4922]

@@professorgraemeyorston mainstream is social mainstream the issue with the spectrum is social skills mainstreaming not intellect.

[@cazm8019]

Do people who are different, always have to have a label?

[@professorgraemeyorston]

A very good question and one that has been hotly debated in the field of mental health for many years. There is no answer that applies to all situations, but my view is that labels can be useful to help people understand what is going on - the person themself and those around them, but they can also be harmful if assumptions are made on the basis of the label that don't apply to the individual.

[@belindamay8063]

@@professorgraemeyorston I feel very encouraged by your careful reply. I came rather late to the world of social media, and in general I have been disheartened by what I have found. I am intensely curious but I am not looking for definitive answers, or complete justification of my own views. So many people seem to see knowledge as a form of mastery - rather like making maps of the physical world. There’s a kind of urgency. You can see it in so many of the questions (and opinions). And not just here. To me, our whole project is exploration: the search for enlightenment. Categorisation is just a tool, to be used with discretion. And re-defined when necessary. I find your approach very refreshing.

[@DanielFernandez-jv7jx]

Thank you professor this is very interesting presentation. I've always been fascinated by the Brontës. I've read that the family home's water was likely contaminated by drainage from a nearby graveyard, and they they were all drinking "graveyard water." It has been suggested that this might have affected their health, but I've not read any consensus as to how.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

It is something that people have written - but not by anyone who has visited Haworth - their home is uphill from the graveyard!

[@DanielFernandez-jv7jx]

@@professorgraemeyorston Thank you!

[@freyashipley6556]

Thank you for this intriguing analysis. I always wonder how Emily learned about the sadism and violence that she shows so brilliantly in Wuthering Heights. When in her short life did she encounter that?

[@professorgraemeyorston]

That is an interesting question.

[@heidibee501]

I had TB in my childhood in the fifties. It is no longer a killer but it does take quite some time to recuperate. In Emily's time it was a death sentence. I preferred Charlotte's Jane Eyre to Wuthering Heights. WH was a plausible story about some incorrigible people. A friend of mine saw the movie and thought it was A GREAT LOVE STORY. I could NOT DISAGREE more. There were some redeemable young people but l could not relate to the main characters at all.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

People did recover in the nineteenth century with decent food and a bit of warmth but many succumbed.

[@emilyonizuka4698]

I was obsessed with Wuthering Heights in high school, but also didn't think much about the supposed love story. I liked how everyone in it was an ass in a different way. I felt it was more fun that way for some reason.

[@nadinecolbath5584]

I LOVE that movie!!!!! RIP, Emily!!!!!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I'm afraid my version of Emily's life isn't as joyful as the film.