The orphaned William Crimsworth wishes to escape a life as a clergyman and takes employment with his brother Edward. Life becomes difficult and eventually unbearable. Instead, William starts a new life in a foreign land he doesn't understand. Through his own efforts, he must carve out a place for himself in a world full of deceit and disappointment.
With The Professor, Charlotte Brontë sought to rebel against the expectations of her time. Here, she laid the foundation for themes she also explored in Jane Eyre and Villette. The novel is a portrayal of one person's struggle, as well as of longing and desire. Alongside the subdued Crimsworth, there are other more characters, such as the demonic Mr Hunsden and the enigmatic Zoraïde Reuter. The author herself can also be glimpsed from an outsider's perspective.

CHARLOTTE BRONTË [1816-1855], born in Thornton in West Yorkshire, was an English novelist, the eldest of the famous Brontë sisters. Several of her novels rank among the classics of English literature, with Jane Eyre as the most famous.