Emily Brontë first published the novel in 1847 as Ellis Bell. The book received poor critics’ reactions and wasn’t popular in its author’s lifetime. In 1850, after the author’s death, her sister Charlotte republished the work.
Detailed answer:
Emily Brontë was a nineteenth-century British poet. But only the novel Wuthering Heights made her famous. She came from a talented family, as her sister Charlotte and Ann became eminent writers, too.
The nineteenth century was a difficult time for women who wanted to write. Their works were criticized and disregarded. The false belief that women lacked the experience and critical judgment prevailed. That is why the sisters had to use male pseudonyms (Bell brothers) so that their works would receive proper attention. Emily had written Wuthering Heights by 1846 and published it the following year.
The public reaction did not meet the author’s expectations. Despite the male pseudonym Ellis Bell, critics claimed that the novel was too dark and brutal. Brontë tried to switch back to poetry, but she did not know how little time was left for her. In 1848, she caught tuberculosis following the funeral of her brother and soon died.
Two years later, Charlotte Brontë (the author of Jane Air) attempted to publish it for the second time. She tried to defend the novel and explained its darkness as her sister’s vision of life. Wuthering Heights became popular only after Emily Brontë’s death. But the book remains to be a classic piece of literature.
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