THE INTERRELATION OF LITERATURE AND CINEMA: THE CULTURAL ATMOSPHERE AND VISIONARY DYNAMICS (BASED ON THE BIOGRAPHY AND FICTIONAL WORKS OF THE BRONTË SISTERS)

Abstract

The article articulates the interaction between literature and cinema as a manifestation of the intermedial aspect, which, in turn, is one of the dominant branches of the contemporary comparative studies. It is emphasized that the biography of the Brontë family and the literary heritage of Charlotte and Emily as two sisters appear particularly illustrative within this topic. However, the figure of the youngest sister, Anne Brontë, also deserves significant scholarly attention and clearer critical emphasis. The object of this research comprises biographical films (or biopic as the terminological equivalent) about the Brontë family, as well as cinematic adaptations of Charlotte Brontë’s novel «Jane Eyre», within the time frame of 1934 to 2011. The article applies elements of comparative analysis of film receptions, identifies common and specific features, and outlines what highlights the tendencies of historical periods or decades in various respects, including directorial visions. While attention is paid to three biographical films such as «Les Soeurs Brontë» (1979), «To Walk Invisible: The Lives of the Brontë Sisters» (2016), and «Emily» (2022) it is stressed that these works do not exhaust the thematic scope of biopics. Additional titles worthy of analysis are also indicated, such as «Devotion» (1946), «Bronte» (1973), and «The Brontës of Haworth» (1973). The analysis of biopics stimulated a revisiting of biographical sources, particularly Elizabeth Gaskell’s twovolume work «The Life of Charlotte Brontë» and Catherine Reef’s book «The Brontë Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne», which convey the historical context of the epoch, the domestic atmosphere of the Brontës, the complex portrayal of their brother Branwell, and the dynamics of the sisters’ perceptions of him. The author announces a subsequent focus on cinematic interpretations of Emily Brontë’s «Wuthering Heights». The conclusion drawn is that both biographical films and screen adaptations based on the literary works of the Brontë sisters provide valuable material for scholarly exploration within the comparative framework of «literature and cinema» and, more broadly, within intermedial studies.