English author Charlotte Bronte published Villette in 1853. The central
protagonist Lucy Snowe moves from her native England to the made-up
French-speaking city of Villette to work as a teacher at a girls'
school, where she becomes entangled in romance and adventure.A few weeks
after Polly left Mrs. Bretton's house, Lucy also departs for unspecified
reasons. Lucy is left without a family, a home, or any money due to an
unexplained family tragedy. She is employed by Miss Marchmont, a
rheumatically disabled woman, as a career.Miss Marchmont shares her sad
love story of 30 years ago with Lucy and concludes that she should treat
Lucy better. She believes that death will reunite her with her dead
lover. She thrives despite Mme. Beck was always watching over the staff
and students.Lucy gets to know her coworker, the obnoxious, autocratic,
and combative professor M. Paul Emanuel, progressively better. Paul and
She do end up falling in love.The incidents involving the nun
undoubtedly played a significant role in the book's reputation as gothic
fiction.