Written two years before `Jane Eyre`, ` The Professor` was Charlotte Bronte`s first novel and was based on her own experiences in Brussels, although it was not published until after her own death. The story is one of love and doubt, as the hero, William Crimsworth, seeks his fortune as a teacher in Brussels and finds his love for the good Anglo-Swiss girl, Frances Henri, severely tested by the sensuously beguiling and manipulative headmistress, Zoraide Reuter.
The novel challenged many of the deeply held expectations of the time and is essential reading for all those seeking an understanding of the author and her work.