Topic > The forces of nature in Villette

Supernatural events and portents are one of the main themes of Villette by Charlotte Brontë. Although Brontë never enters a truly magical realm, it is clear that Lucy Snowe believes that certain events involve the supernatural world. The forces of nature play an important role in Villette, through time and other natural elements, such as the stars. Lucy believes that time is closely tied to the events of her life and those of those around her, and she turns to nature in times of distress to guide her in the appropriate direction. In Villette, nature's supernaturalism influences individual human activities through Lucy's eyes. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay On the night of Miss Marchmont's death, a terrible storm arises. Lucy predicts that the storm is a harbinger of this tragedy: “Three times in the course of my life, events have taught me that these strange accents in the storm – this restless, hopeless cry – denote an impending state of the atmosphere unfavorable to life . . Epidemic diseases, I believed, were often heralded by a panting, sobbing, tormented, long-wailing east wind” (38). Lucy philosophizes that unstable weather tends to predict bad luck at home. Miss Marchmont was clearly not in good health, otherwise she would not have needed Lucy to nurse her. Despite this reality, Lucy places her trust in nature as the main reason for her partner's death. Although blaming the storm for the catastrophe seems unusual at the beginning of the novel, similar later events support Lucy's philosophy about the supernatural powers of nature. Feeling directionless after Miss Marchmont's death, Lucy relies on nature and the stars to guide her through the darkness: “I should have trembled in that lonely walk... I should have trembled in the absence of the moonlight, for only under the guidance of the stars I have traced the dark path; I would have trembled even more at the unusual presence of the Northern Lights. But this solemn stranger did not influence me except through my fears. It seemed to bring some new power” (43-44). Alone in her travels, Lucy follows the stars, trusting that they will take her wherever she is. Lucy as a speaker rarely offers specific, personal details about her character. This event shows that she has a vivid imagination that allows her to listen to the advice she receives from the natural world. It also reveals Lucy as a dependent person, in need of guidance, and uncomfortable without a partner. When the person closest to her dies, she immediately looks for a new mentor. Find solace in the form of the Northern Lights, also known as the Northern Lights, rarely seen in the north of England. The appearance of the rare star during this helpless period in Lucy's life is significant in demonstrating that nature has supernatural powers. At the end of Chapter XV, Lucy collapses in Basse-Ville during a terrible storm. “The wind current thundered loudly and horizontally from north-west to south-east[…] it was cold and it pierced me to the core[…] I tried to reach the portico of a large building nearby, but the mass of the façade and the spire giant turned black and vanished from my eyes. Instead of sinking down the steps as I wanted, I felt like I was falling headlong into an abyss. I don't remember anything else” (163-164). At this point in Villette's plot, Lucy realizes that Polly and Dr. John's relationship is deepening. The reality that she will never be more than a brotherly figure to him creates a severe coldness in his heart. The cold of the snowstorm outside is a representation of the internal pain Lucy is feeling..