Again, as in The Foundling, one marvels at the young writer's command of language, history, and symbolism. One cannot help being impressed by her instinctual understanding of the subconscious that in the period of the Victorians was never really allowed to come to the fore.

Charlotte wrote a story in which she let go of all the inhibitions that would in later years be controlled by life experiences. This is a book in which she lets go, in which she allows cruelty, even mild sadism to emerge. She has not yet become the writer who has been molded by the pressures of life.

The Spell, like The Foundling, was written by Charlotte for her siblings and for her immediate friends, not for general publication. Hence, we must read the book carefully because there are little private jokes imbedded that may puzzle or frustrate us. Yet The Spell is such an ingratiating work that young adults as well as adults with a child-like sense of the fabulous will enjoy. Even young children, if read to, will find the mysteries, the intrigues of this tale as fascinating as anything they have read in Harry Potter or, to a lesser extend, Inkheart.

You, the reader, will have to work out why King Zamorna, after the death of the infant Marquis of Almeida, refuses to name a successor to his throne. There are plenty of social intrigues and political machinations in this tale to hold the reader in its spell. Charlotte has woven two spells, you see, one inside her tale that must be unravelled at the end, and one to keep her reader, or the listener, bound to the story.

The Spell, then, is a delicious tale set in a magical world that seems far removed from our own. Yet, there is a remarkable reflection of our own period to be found in this tale. Charlotte, by writing a story free of the restraints that adulthood imposes on all of us, she expressed human nature, which we know has not changed in all the centuries, however much we try to impose moral strictures on it. We are still vicious, we are still sadistic, we are still gentle or kind, depending on who or what we are.

Charlotte, at her young age, revealed that it does not matter where we live, to what society we belong, or which religion we follow, we are only as good as our natures allow us to be. So, indulge yourself and enjoy the tale which has dropped all Victorian inhibitions. It is utterly, compellingly enchanting.

December 2004

By Alidė Kohlhaas

What do we think of when we read or hear the name Charlotte Brontė? Jane Eyre, of course, a novel that no less than Wm. M. Thackeray hailed as "the masterwork of a great genius." But, Charlotte, along with her siblings Anne, Emily and Branwell, wrote also what has been classified as juvenilia, children's stories written by young authors. These stories were inspired by a set of toy soldiers belonging to Branwell. The four Brontės, who had few other companions while they grew up on the wild Yorkshire moors, exercised their imagination by creating the imaginary kingdoms of Angria and Gondal. These two kingdoms formed the backdrop of most of their early stories, and led to some remarkable pieces of youthful literature, as well as to many poems.

Charlotte is the author of a classical fairytale, The Foundling, which she wrote at age 17. It is remarkably rich in detail and in language. One dares to suggest that today's 17-year-olds might not be up to the task of producing such a work because, alas, they no longer are trained in the classical languages or in the discipline of writing verse in specific meters.

The Foundling might be described as an adult fairytale because of its richness of language and its, at times, convoluted plot. But young children with an ability to concentrate should love it if a considerate adult is prepared to read it to them. Older children, of course, should find this tale a remarkable adventure. One advises, though, that they keep a dictionary handy. The Foundling has a marvelous plot that comes close to being a mystery, for mysterious things do happen in this tale, for which the reader is anxious to find a speedy resolution.

The story revolves around the adventures of one Edward Sydney, who was found abandoned as a baby by an elderly couple in a rural section of Derbyshire, England. Edward is adopted by the local landowner, who leaves his estate to the boy after his death. Wanting to solve the mystery of his birth, Edward travels abroad to the mysterious city of Verdapolis. Very unusual things happen there to make life both complicated and challenging for Edward. All turns out well, though, and Edward learns who he really is despite numerous enemies blocking his way, so to speak. More one does not want to tell for this is a tale to be discovered by young and old alike. Let it suffice that this is a tale about friendship, rivalry, murder, kidnapping, and, of course, love, and for Harry Potter fans, there is also magic.

Just as an aside, it should be noted that Charlotte Brontė died on March 31, 1855 as a result of complications arising out of a pregnancy. She was exactly 21 days short of her 39^th birthday. Her other writings, aside from Jane Eyre, are the novels The Professor, Shirley, and Villette. Two short stories, The Secret and Lily Hart, were first published in 1978.