I want to be honest. For a large majority of my trip in Haworth and on the moors, I was more concerned with my own physical well-being than the actual scenery. The Bronte Parsonage Museum sits on top of a very, VERY steep hill. I was too busy questioning my life and cursing the architects to really enjoy it. However, once at the top of the hill, my modern pains began to fade away, and I found myself sinking into a Bronte novel. A similar phenomenon happened as I made my way to the Bronte Falls. The 2 ½ mile hike (largely uphill) to the falls can pull an individual from the outside and draw their attention on themselves. However, when the moors leveled out the atmospheric influence prevailed against me.
The presence and/or influence of nature is common thread throughout all of the Bronte’s publications, and in walking the paths that they did, it is easy to see why. Standing on the moors, with nothing but the sky, the earth, and yourself…that experience can foster quite an imaginative spirit.
I feel that while the moors and Haworth brought me closer to the Brontës, the Bronte Parsonage Museum may have taken me farther away. I don’t say this because the Parsonage is a bad institution or because I had a bad time. In actuality, I had an amazing time; however, the setup of the Parsonage took away from the personal aspect of the home. Earlier, in the month, I visited the Sherlock Holmes Museum. That felt like more of a real home to me than the parsonage. In the Holmes museum, a guide is dressed in the attire of that time and informs the “guests” about certain aspects of the home. While most of the artifacts are laid so as not to be touched, they are laid as if they had previously been in use. This combined with the narrative aspect paints a better picture of Sherlock Holmes for me, making me feel “closer” to him. However, the Parsonage is laid out like a museum, with all of the real personal artifacts placed behind glass cases alongside some text with information. This setup allows for me to be more knowledgeable about the Brontes, but I don’t feel “closer”, and I find it hard seeing them as people and not just names.
Stuff & Things with Toria 