A House with a Name

I've always had the strange attraction and desire to live in a house that had enough character to earn it's own name.

As, of last week, I do now.

In preparation, asked a few friends for advice on what to name my house. The list was quite impressive:

Port of Change

The Running Lilac

Wuthering Heights

Canterbury Place

Octopus Garden
House of Nevermore
Pax Domini

However, the name I chose came from the recommendation from my friend Jess. Wildfell Hall, stemming from the classic The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte after informing Jess that a young women would be renting my house for this coming year.

A brief summary of the plot:

1. Mrs. Helen Graham, a mysterious widow arrives at Wildfell Hall.
2. She is a source of curiosity for the small community.
3. Gilbert Markham begins an infatuation for Helen, and scandalous rumours and gossip about Helen run rampant amongst the people.

4. Gilbert and Helen have a misunderstanding and a small quarrel.

5. From Helen's diary we learn of her marriage to the abusive and adulterous Arthur Huntingdon.

6. Eventually, with the assistance of her brother Mr. Lawrence, Helen finds a secret refuge at Wildfell Hall, away from Huntgingdon - and later we learn of his death.
7. Years later, Gilbert and Helen reconcile and marry.

It seems that over the past three years, I've had quite a few number of tenants come to live in the house: Kristina, Sybille, Sandra, Catherine, Melissa, Mark, Becca, Joanna, Joe, Magda, and now Steve.

All of them have been great additions and have added their own personality and uniqueness to the house, helping to create and enrich my house's character.

I have similar hopes that my up and coming tenet, Chu Ri, will also continue to nurture the Wildfell Hall.


Thanks for reading,

Alex