Rose-briar, “Love and Friendship” (Symbol)
In the poem "Love and Friendship," Brontë uses the symbol of a rose-briar to illustrate the fickleness of love. The speaker describes a flowering rose-briar in the following terms: "The wild rose-briar is sweet in spring, / Its summer blossoms scent the air; / Yet wait till winter comes again / And who will call the wild-briar fair?" Earlier in the poem, the speaker compares romantic love to a rose-briar and friendship to a holly-tree. This description is, in part, an allusion to the famous fairy tale, Sleeping Beauty. Alternatively titled Little Briar Rose, the protagonist of the story falls asleep in a chamber surrounded by roses, an image which Brontë subtly references. But Brontë's image also works by utilizing the marked differences between these plants to emphasize the contrast between these feelings. A holly-tree is an evergreen tree, meaning that it is essentially unchanged from season to season. They are sturdy and durable, though not especially remarkable or beautiful. The rose-briar is much more aesthetically appealing (and pleasantly scented) but has sharp thorns, does not live through winter, and wilts if not cared for very carefully. She describes love as a rose-briar because, unlike friendship, it is much more challenging to cultivate and tend to, but, under the right circumstances, is exceptionally beautiful.
Wind, “The night is darkening round me” (Symbol)
In "The night is darkening round me," Brontë depicts a scene of nightfall in a forest. She describes it in harrowing detail: “The night is darkening round me, / The wild winds coldly blow; / But a tyrant spell has bound me, / And I cannot, cannot go.” The "wild winds" symbolize the harshness of the natural world she is experiencing in this moment of inclement weather. They encapsulate the intensity of the storm brewing in the forest. At the same time, the speaker finds herself unable to leave, caught in some "tyrant spell." In this way, the wind represents not just natural harshness, but a mystical force. It signals the arrival of night as well as the power of this mysterious "spell." The speaker is afraid but compelled to stay by this invisible influence. The "wild" attribute of this wind further cements the impression that it is somehow otherworldly, suggestive of something beyond the speaker's full comprehension.
Seasons, "A Day Dream" (Motif)
In the poem "A Day Dream," Brontë uses the motif of the seasons to explore the effects of time. The speaker finds herself unable to partake in the celebratory mood of a summer afternoon. She claims this is because she can imagine the disappearance of the bright things surrounding her in the chill of autumn and winter. In particular, she emphasizes this with the image of a leaf: "The leaf is hardly green, / Before a token of its fall / Is on the surface seen!” The leaf highlights the impermanence of this moment, as it is already showing signs of the season's end even as it is beginning. The seasons function as an important motif as they literalize the progression of time in imagery. Falling leaves and migrating birds effectively demonstrate the impermanence of a given scene.
Snow, "Remembrance" (Symbol)
In "Remembrance," Brontë introduces the image of snow in the opening to symbolize the passage of time. She says: "Cold in the earth—and the deep snow piled above thee, / Far, far removed, cold in the dreary grave!" The "deep snow" on top of her lover's grave functions as a means of highlighting how long has elapsed since his death. While she has not yet said the number of years that have passed, the stark image of his wintry grave powerfully underscores how long the speaker has been frozen in the morning process. More than simply showing the speaker's loneliness, the snow emphasizes that she has been in a kind of stasis, revisiting this cold grave over and over. As is stated in a later line: "Cold in the earth—and fifteen wild Decembers," this is one of many trips she has made to this spot. The snow not only characterizes the woman's grief, but its cyclical, seasonal nature demonstrates how long she has been caught in a spiral of mourning.
Hand, "Long Neglect Has Worn Away" (Symbol)
Brontë uses the image of a hand in "Long Neglect Has Worn Away" to symbolize faded beauty. The speaker of the poem depicts a woman whose happiness and physical appearance have suffered because of a broken romantic relationship. In the final stanza, the describes a scene from the woman's happier past, as she wrote a love letter: "Fair the hand that traced that line, / 'Dearest, ever deem me true';" The reader is immediately situated in the past, as this image offers a sharp contrast with the previous two stanzas. The "fair" quality of her hand, as well as the amorous nature of line she is writing, effectively symbolize the former warmth in her life. It is a clear symbol in that it both highlights her former beauty while also playing an active role in a happy memory: the composition of a love letter.
