Talk:Branwell Brontë
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Did he really die standing up holding on to the mantlepiece just to prove it could be done? If so I think that deserves some mentioning in this article.
- i had a search but couldn't find any confirmation. Douglas Adams has been quoted, saying that Branwell died standing up. It's a pity we can't ask him if it's true or not :-(
- Elizabeth Gaskell in her biography of Charlotte mentions that Branwell struggled to sit up and died on his feet. This, according to the later biographer Juliet Barker probably came from Ellen Nussey, Charlotte's best friend. Yallery Brown 23:29, 6 February 2006 (UTC)
- I edited the article to reflect that he died standing up, with a link to the page on Adams' website where he makes the claim (which can also be found in Salmon of Doubt, a collection of Adams' short stories and articles that was published posthumously). -- Hux 16:49, 27 April 2006 (UTC)
- An excerpt from Elizabeth Gaskells "The Life of Charlotte Brontë" (1857) is available on [1] and contains the relevant paragraph:
- "I have heard, from one who attended Branwell in his last illness, that he resolved on standing up to die. He had repeatedly said, that as long as there was life there was strength of will to do what it chose; and when the last agony came on, he insisted on assuming the position just mentioned."
- Hope this helps. :) MMad 16:08, 3 April 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Branwell the legend
I personally think that Branwell needs more recognistion as an influence, for much of his sisters' work is based on the actions of their brother. He could well have also influenced many other people and it seems he was a fantastic man when he was living. My hat goes off to him. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 213.40.121.8 (talk) 18:50, 9 March 2007 (UTC).
- Put your hat back on and tip it to old Patrick Bronte intsead. Now there was an admirable man. That Branwell was hammered all the time meant that his influence wasn't so enjoyable - see his sister Anne's account of living with an unbearable drunk in 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall'. And his poetry was bloody awful, if we're honest. Yallery Brown 13:05, 4 April 2007 (UTC)
I had to come to the discussion page to find the "real" story of how he died - I in fact went searching the internet after reading the Douglas Adams anecdote. I think a biography such as Gaskell's is a pretty appropriate source, while a quip by a humorist is not. Any argument that there is nothing false in Adams' description ignores the fact that the intention of his style of writing is to amuse, and mimicking that style in an encyclopedia article is ill-motivated. Especially in the case of a peculiar story like this one, I think it is important in a reference work to use a style which reflects a desire to present facts, not to be entertaining. 144.92.166.203 18:59, 24 August 2007 (UTC) Noah K.
The fuller Douglas Adams quote is as follows: {begin} "My favourite piece of information is that Branwell Brontë, brother of Emily and Charlotte, died standing up leaning against a mantelpiece, in order to prove it could be done. This is not quite true, in fact. My absolute favourite piece of information is the fact that young sloths are so inept that they frequently grab their own arms and legs instead of tree limbs, and fall out of trees." {end} My personal opinion based only upon my familiarity of Adams books, is that the line "This is not quite true, in fact" refutes the story of standing up, rather than the fact it is his favorite piece of information. Reader_Anon 10/2007
