03-25-2010, 03:36 PM
I heard a story that may account for that legend. I believe I read about it in "The Infernal World Of Branwell Bronte" by DuMaurier, but don't quote me. Supposedly, Branwell occasionally attended meetings of local writers and at one meeting he was supposed to bring something he had written. Having nothing written, he supposedly took a draft of Wuthering Heights instead and read several pages to the group. I'm not sure that he actually lied outright and said he wrote it but he allowed the group to be mislead. So, that would have created a small group of people who believed Branwell was the author of Wuthering Heights and the tale has snowballed from there.
I'm only citing this from memory but I still have that book if anyone wants me to double check it. Actually, with all of the scholarly work done on the Brontes the explanation to this legend has probably already been found, but I'm not an expert so I couldn't say or point anyone to the right source.
I'm only citing this from memory but I still have that book if anyone wants me to double check it. Actually, with all of the scholarly work done on the Brontes the explanation to this legend has probably already been found, but I'm not an expert so I couldn't say or point anyone to the right source.