The Professor

HarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics. The Professor is Charlotte Brontë's first novel, reflecting her own experience of life in Brussels and published after her untimely death. Viewed as a precursor to the narrative style and characterization she perfected in her later works, such as Jane Eyre, the novel is Brontë's portrayal of a love story from a male perspective. Writing from the point of view of orphaned young teacher William Crimsworth — as the sole male protagonist among Brontë's works — the author allows herself a freedom of action in love and will that reveals her character's loves, desires, and ambitions, as he forges a new life on his own terms in Brussels. William finds himself caught between the desire he feels for Zoraide Reuter, the beguiling head of the girls' school where he teaches, and the gentle love he feels for one of his pupils, Frances Henri. Exploring questions of love, identity, freedom, and independence, The Professor is an important work in the small opus that is Charlotte Brontë's significant contribution to English literature. • Highly collectible, these must-have classics should feature in every family's home library. • Striking and recognisable black and white cover designs, achieving stand-out impact on the bookshelves against the competition. • Available alongside Brontë's Shirley, Villette, and Jane Eyre Features include: • A glossary of Classic Literature: Words and Phrases, adapted from the Collins English Dictionary. • A Life & Times section, detailing information about the author, their work and the time of publication. • A History of Collins, exploring the heritage and established reputation of Collins as a publisher of Classic fiction.